J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Our itinerary up to Pak, PoK govts, not Delhi: APHC
Jammu, May 29
APHC leaders feel “intrigued and amazed” over Delhi’s objections to their plan of travelling to Islamabad from Muzaffarabad. “We will be on a political mission when we board the bus for Muzaffarabad.

Facilities for pilgrims: bureaucrat ‘impeding’ shrine board’s efforts
Jammu, May 29
Rift between the Amarnath Shrine Board and the state Government over the duration of annual yatra and the use of the forest land for developing facilities for the pilgrims is said to be the result of clash of ego between a senior bureaucrat and those managing affairs of the shrine board.

Three militants killed in J&K
Srinagar, May 29
Five persons, including three militants, were killed in different incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since the last evening, an official spokesman said today.

Srinagar-Leh highway closed
Srinagar, May 29
Bad weather conditions prevailing in the Kashmir valley have forced the closure of the 435-km Srinagar-Leh National Highway. A successful trial run of the Army convoy was conducted on the highway May 20.

Our itinerary up to Pak, PoK govts, not Delhi: APHC
Our Correspondent

Jammu, May 29
APHC leaders feel “intrigued and amazed” over Delhi’s objections to their plan of travelling to Islamabad from Muzaffarabad. “We will be on a political mission when we board the bus for Muzaffarabad. We have made it clear many times in the past that we wish to visit Pakistan and Azad Kashmir to meet political leaders of various hues and those heading militant outfits,” said a senior APHC leader, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat.

He told this correspondent today. “It is not for Delhi to fix our itinerary. It is up to the Azad Kashmir authorities and the Pakistan Government to allow or disallow our visit to Pakistan.”

Professor Bhat said, “Preventing passengers from Jammu and Kashmir from travelling beyond Muzaffarabad is an anamoly which has to go.” He explained that many among the travellers to Muzaffarabad have their relatives in various areas of Pakistan. It is not feasible for everyone to travel from Rawalpindi, Lahore or Islamabad to Muzaffarabad to meet their relatives.

The APHC leader said, “No doubt we will be on a political mission, but some of us wish to meet our relations who are settled in Pakistan. I have some relatives in Rawalpindi and I cannot tell them to come to see me in Muzaffarabad.”

He said the Pakistan President, General Musharraf, initiated the move of inviting Kashmiri separatists to visit Pakistan and Azad Kashmir and if Delhi agreed to allow “us to travel to Muzaffarabad, it is a mere response to General Musharraf’s invitation.”

Professor Bhat said, “If we are not permitted to travel to Islamabad, the basic purpose of our political mission is lost.” He stated: “If the Azad Kashmir Government and Pakistani authorities do not raise any objections, we will visit Islamabad and other places for an interaction with political leaders.”

Facilities for pilgrims: bureaucrat ‘impeding’ shrine board’s efforts
M.L. Kak

Jammu, May 29
Rift between the Amarnath Shrine Board and the state Government over the duration of annual yatra and the use of the forest land for developing facilities for the pilgrims is said to be the result of clash of ego between a senior bureaucrat and those managing affairs of the shrine board.

Official sources said that a petition was filed in the high court challenging the government’s decision to restrict the yatra period to one month only and to disallow transfer of forest land for temporary period to the shrine board for developing facilities for the pilgrims.

The court not only stayed the government’s order under which earlier order for transfer of forest land to the board had been withdrawn but also suggested to Governor, S.K. Sinha, who heads the shrine board, to convene a meeting of senior officials of the state government and the Army for finalising the yatra’s duration period.

At the meeting the Governor’s plea for extending the yatra period to months was not opposed by those connected with the security arrangements. Yet Chief Minister Mufti Mohd. Sayeed argued that security considerations did not warrant extension of the yatra beyond one month.

The state Government raised objections last year also and it was under severe public pressure and persuasion from the Centre that the yatra period was extended by 15 days which passed off without any incident.

During a meeting with the Governor police Chief, Gopal Sharma, had stated that since large contingents of police and paramilitary forces were needed for providing security measures for the Independence Day celebrations additional companies of security forces, required for the Amarnath yatra, could not be made available beyond one-month period.

However, the shrine board authorities had informed the Governor that the pilgrim traffic to the holy cave would be in the final stage and some companies could be withdrawn from the holy cave route area for the Independence Day celebrations.

Similarly for the past several years various pockets of forest land between Pahalgam and the holy cave would be used for setting up langars and shelter sheds for the pilgrims. There used to be neither any cabinet order nor any sanction was required from the Forest Department for the land use as the state government agencies managed the yatra affairs.

Since the shrine board was set up recently the then Commissioner Department of Forests had with permission of the Minister concerned had agreed to transfer some forest land for developing facilities for the yatris.

And even the high court had directed the shrine board to raise prefabricated structures and not concrete structures for the benefit of the yatris. It had also asked the board to ensure that no trees were felled and no soil erosion or pollution of the environment in the mountain areas were allowed and the Board had agreed to implement court directions.

However, a senior bureaucrat intervened and asked the Commissioner Forests to issue an order withdrawing the earlier order under which forest land was to be transferred to the board for temporary period on the basis of a report from Chief Conservator of Forests.

Official sources said that the senior bureaucrat wanted to teach a lesson to the shrine board authorities because the board had not accepted the names, he had suggested, for the appointment of Additional Chief Executive Officer of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

According to these sources, since the Governor headed both the Amarnath Shrine Board and the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board the senior bureaucrat had felt slighted when the Governor had rejected the name sent by the officer for the post of Additional Chief Executive Officer.

They said that those who matter in the state government had already been sulking over the way the pilgrim traffic to Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine including the development of its environs from Katra to the shrine had gone into the hands of the Board. The state government was involved only in providing security bandobast from Katra to the cave.

And their apprehensions on the loss of authority had been further compounded after the Amarnath Shrine Board had decided to develop the entire infrastructure for pilgrims.

Mr U.K. Jalali, a senior Advocate, and who has been appearing in the high court on behalf of the Shrine Board, said here today “the Government’s decision to withdraw the earlier order on transfer of forest land to the Board was revengeful.”

Shrine Board sources said that the senior bureaucrat, raising one hurdle or the other, was trying to keep the Chief Minister in good humour so that he could help him in suitable resettlement after his (bureaucrat’s) retirement from government service in September 2005.

Three militants killed in J&K

Srinagar, May 29
Five persons, including three militants, were killed in different incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since the last evening, an official spokesman said today.

He said militants attacked a security patrol with automatic weapons at Gosh-Aiynoo village in Aishmuqam of south Kashmir district of Anantnag at 11.45 a.m. today.

Troops retaliated and a militant was killed. One AK rifle, four magazines, two hand grenades, a binoculars, one pouch, one wireless set and 58 cartridges were seized from the site of encounter.

Security forces also gunned down two Hizbul Mujahideen militants — Farooq Ahmad Bhat alias Firdous and Shams Din alias Yaseen — during a search at Dharan Gool village in Udhampur district of the Jammu region last evening.

Two AK rifles and one wireless set were seized from them, the spokesman said.

The Police recovered bodies of Nazir Ahmad Naik alias Beta, a released militant, and Fayaz Ahmad Wahid at Noorpora Tral village in Pulwama district today.

The two were kidnapped by militants on May 22, he added. Security forces and police, in a joint operation, at Chabba in the Doda district rescued 17-year-old boy Mohammad Rafiq, from militants.

Rafiq was kidnapped by militants on May 12, the spokesman said. — UNI

Srinagar-Leh highway closed

Srinagar, May 29
Bad weather conditions prevailing in the Kashmir valley have forced the closure of the 435-km Srinagar-Leh National Highway. A successful trial run of the Army convoy was conducted on the highway May 20.

The traffic control room today said the Srinagar-Leh road was closed after a fresh spell of heavy snowfall in the Zojila sector, triggering landslides at several places along the route.

However, it said the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was open for traffic on both sides despite rain lashing several places along the 300-km road.

The incessant rain in different parts of the Kashmir valley during the past 24 hours has resulted in a dip in the temperature, the weather office said today.

It said Srinagar city recorded a 4.3 mm of rainfall since 5.30 a.m.

The tourist resort of Pahalgam and the frontier district of Kupwara have also recorded rainfall during the past 24 hours.

It said the weather was mainly dry in the entire Jammu region.

The weather office predicted rain or thundershowers at various places in the Kashmir region for the next 24 hours.

Farmers and agriculturists have expressed concern over the bad weather conditions as several fruit crop have been damaged due to hailstorm and incessant rain.

Significantly, Kashmir is witnessing an unprecedented tourist flow so far as visitors from several parts of the country are rushing to the Valley to escape from the scorching heat. — UNI