Jammu, June 9
Commuters had to face various hardships following the statewide strike called by transporters to press for their demands and also to protest against the recent hike in fuel price.

Residents here had to face problems as no private vehicle plied on any route in the city in response to the strike called by the All-Jammu and Kashmir Motor Transporters Association.

The commuters had a tough time reaching their destination as no vehicle was available and the heavy downpour further worsened things for them.

When contacted president of the association, T.S. Wazir, told The Tribune, “there has been a huge increase in the fuel prices, but the government has not revised the fare so far, due to this the transporters are facing huge losses; we have been demanding a 30 per cent fare hike.”

The transporters have been demanding withdrawal of 8.4 per cent of insurance surcharge being levied on them; they are also demanding withdrawal of the welfare tax.

“During last cabinet meeting the government decided to levy Rs 100 on buses, Rs 50 on mini busses and Rs 20 on auto rickshaws per month as welfare tax. The transporters are already paying insurances, so the need of welfare tax becomes irrelevant,” Wazir said.

According to an estimate around 72,000 commercial vehicles went off the roads causing great problem to the commuters and commercial establishments as their goods could not be delivered in time.

The transporters strike would cost the state loss of more than Rs 70 crore every day, besides rendering residents without fresh fruits and vegetables.

“We know that the people will face hardships because of the strike, and we are not interested in strikes as we tried our best to avoid inconvenience caused to the masses, we had observed a token strike on April 30 but the government paid no heed to our problems,” Wazir said.

Meanwhile, the commuters in the region were forced to face various hardships as majority of them could not reach their destinations in time due to the transporters strike.

“It was really a bad day, after waiting for almost an hour when I could not find a vehicle I had to walk by foot to the office and I reached there when it was almost noon,” said Pranjul Kumar, a bank employee.

Meanwhile, chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has approved constitution of a committee to look into the demands of transporters and other issues relating to it.

It has been asked to submit its report to the government within a week’s time.

Srinagar, June 9
People suffered in the valley as private transporters started their four-day strike against the increased fuel prices.

Roads, swarming with private buses and Sumos on a normal day, bore an almost empty look in their absence and locals said they would find it hard to make do without them in the coming three days.

The locals depend upon private operators for travelling within as well as outside the state were crippled today in their absence.

The All-Kashmir Transporters Welfare Association has given a strike call and demanded that the government either subsidise fuels or allow them to increase fares.

Meanwhile, the state Cabinet, which met here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, said they have formed a committee to look into the demands of the transporters and issues arising due to hike in petrol, diesel, and any reduction in taxes as may be finalised by the government.

The committee will interact with representatives of the transporters and submit their report to the government within a week’s time.

Officials said they were maximising the services of the state-run transport corporation to make up for the loss caused by the strike of the private operators.

The private operators said their fares had not been increased since 2005 even as fuel prices had been hiked several times in the interim. The government has also come across as callous and insensitive to people’s woes in this entire episode as the private operators had threatened with strike several days back.

Jammu, June 9
Even as children suffering from thalassemia undergo hassle-free blood transfusion at the day care unit of the SMGS Hospital here, yet the state government has decided to focus more on its prevention through awareness campaigns.

Being a genetic disorder, children suffering from thalassemia can be cured only if they undergo bone marrow transplant and hence the state government has decided to focus more on its prevention, a senior official of the Health Department said.

The government has already embarked upon awareness campaigns in certain remote areas like Rajouri, Poonch and Doda districts educating people, particularly expecting women, to attend anti-natal clinics regularly and to get themselves screened for thalassemia.

The official added that people would also be educated about the repercussions of a marriage between two persons suffering from thalassemia, he said.

Of late, the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch have witnessed an upsurge in children suffering from thalassemia. Official sources said, apart from awareness campaigns, the government had plans up its sleeves to introduce health check-ups twice a month in schools all across the state to regularly screen children suffering from thalassemia, particularly of primary classes.

Dr Ashok Gupta, head, Paediatrics Department said, “There is no rise in thalassemic patients but definitely rising awareness has brought hidden cases to the fore.”

Eulogising about thalassemia, Dr Gupta said defective formation of RBCs due to genetic disorder caused the disease. “Chances are more where both the parents (father and mother) have defective genes,” he added.

Dr Gupta said instead of giving birth to children, parents, especially women should get their thalassemic status screened.

Normally, thalassemic children required blood transfusion at least once or twice a month, he said.

Apart from blood transfusion, they also required iron chelation drugs as frequent blood transfusions increased iron content in their bodies, which was also harmful.

“These drugs are costly and we have been providing medicines free of cost,” he said.

Sources in the SMGS Hospital divulged that such children underwent regular blood transfusions at the day care unit but sometimes things became difficult when a thalassemic child having rare blood group had to undergo transfusion.

Presently, the hospital has 150 thalassemic children registered with it.

Jammu, June 9
The recently released fifth Economic Census report has revealed that Jammu and Kashmir has emerged as the state with the maximum employment growth in 1998-2005.

The fifth Economic Census report revealed that the state witnessed 6.82 per cent employment growth, followed by Andhra Pradesh (5.87 per cent), Kerala (5.86 per cent) and Haryana (5.35 per cent).

The report also revealed that at the national-level, the rate of employment grew at 2.78 per cent in the same period, which was higher than the 1.75 per cent recorded during 1990-1998. However, economists opine that employment opportunities were generated for a particular section of people and the educated unemployed in the state did not share a pie in this employment growth.

Talking to The Tribune, Prof R.L. Bhat said most of the jobs projected in the employment growth were generated by small enterprises that mostly employed semi-literates and those who were not highly educated. “The problem of educated unemployed remains as it is. We have a large number of educated youth, a majority of whom have developed bias towards employment - they only want a job in the state and that, too, with the government,” he added.

Prof Bhat added that the state also had a very small number of private units which offered job opportunities to them. “We have only 2 per cent units that employ over 20 persons in the state,” he added.

Prof Bhat said earlier the government used to employ educated unemployed, but now due to the increasing output of education, it was not possible for it to absorb everyone. “Already we have the largest government workforce after Himachal Pradesh,” he said.

The only way out for the state's educated unemployed is either to explore job avenues outside the state or engage in some gainful economic activity (self-employment) in the state, Prof Bhat averred. He felt that the state could top of the list of the states generating maximum jobs, as its base was not as wide as that of other states.

Ram Sahai, president, Chamber of Commerce and Industries, also admitted that a majority of those employed in the private sector were at the lower level. However, he said the educated unemployed had also benefited, especially after the Centre announced incentives for the industry in 2002, adding, that the state attracted investment worth Rs 4,500 crore after the package.

“MBA students from Jammu University and other institutions are being absorbed by multinational companies here,” he added.

Jammu, June 9
Even as the key political players like the PDP and the National Conference (NC) continue to harp on their slogans of self-rule and autonomy, respectively, the BJP aiming to make inroads in the state, has made its intention clear to slug it out in the region on the issue of “bias with Jammu”.

Talking to The Tribune, state BJP vice-president Hari Om said “discrimination with Jammu region” would be the party’s main poll plank in the forthcoming Assembly elections. He said the party had also decided to take legal recourse seeking removal of disparity in the number of Assembly seats for the region. “Jammu region has only 37 Assembly constituencies as against 46 in Kashmir despite the fact that the former has a population of 30 lakh as compared to the latter's 28 lakh. Jammu also has an area of 26,000 sq km, while Kashmir has 15,000 sq km,” he said.

He added, “We even have seats having 80,000 voters, while Kashmir has seats that have as low as 15,000 voters, which is totally unfair.”

Hari Om alleged that disparity in the number of seats was aimed at ensuring Kashmir's domination in power equation in the state. He said the supporters of the current scenario argued that any change in favour of Jammu would “lead to further alienation of Kashmiris”. He said the Congress always fought elections on the issue of Jammu and turned its back on coming to power. He said the Congress in its manifesto last time, had promised to set up a delimitation commission, and give Jammu its due share.

Hari Om alleged that “discrimination with Jammu” had increased under Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad’s regime despite the fact that he belonged to Jammu region.

Hari Om said the way the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) had raised the demand for equitable political power between Jammu and Kashmir regions in the last Assembly session made it clear that the Panthers, too, would leave no stone unturned to cash in on the Congress’ “failure to fulfil its promise to set up a delimitation panel and give Jammu its due”.

Earlier, the government had proposed to increase the number of Assembly seats by 25 per cent, which the JKNPP and the BJP had opposed.

Jammu, June 9
Socialist Democratic Party (SDP) president Darakshan Andrabi today said she would file an FIR against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for coining the dual currency idea in the state.

Addressing mediapersons here, Darakshan said if the government failed to entertain her complaint against the PDP, including party president Mehbooba Mufti, then she would approach the apex court.

Describing the PDP as an opportunist, Darakshan said such parties continue to foment trouble in the country while enjoying power at the same time.

They should be segregated and punished under the law of land, she said. Paradoxically, they enjoy patronage of the Union government, she added.

Expressing full faith in the Election Commission, she said the leaders, who are demanding free and fair elections, in fact, had been resorting to unfair means.

The PDP had been openly leading the people of Kashmir to hate India and propagating the agenda of Pakistan in the state,  she alleged.

Srinagar, June 9
The state Cabinet today approved the appointment of S.S. Kapur, financial commissioner, Home, as the new chief secretary of Jammu and Kashmir in place of B.R. Kundal.

Former chief secretary B.R. Kundal was inducted into the state Cabinet on Friday last.

The Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today approved the posting of Tanveer Jahan as secretary, Government Cooperative Department, and Ravi Thusoo as secretary, Government Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department. Earlier, they were secretaries in the Agriculture and Labour Department, respectively.

Ravinder Gupta, director, Youth Services and Sports has been deputed as secretary, J&K State Sports Council, on a full-time basis. Earlier, he was holding additional charge of this post, an official spokesman said.

The newly appointed chief secretary S.S. Kapur joined the Indian Administrative Service in the year 1974 after graduating in Civil Engineering from the Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh.

He began his active service career in Jammu and Kashmir as the SDM, Ramban (1976-78) and went on to serve in various capacities, both in the field and the secretariat. He has served as the deputy commissioner of Leh and Jammu districts, managing director of the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation Limited, excise commissioner and divisional commissioner, Kashmir.

He has also held charge of the administrative secretary of key departments like Agriculture, Tourism, Higher & Technical Education, Industries & Commerce, Planning & Development and Home.

Kapur has also served with distinction under the Central Government as director (Policy) in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (1990-94) and joint secretary in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry (2000-2005).

Srinagar, June 9
The state Cabinet today approved various transfers and postings in the Police Department.

An official spokesman said M.K. Mohanty, commissioner, Civil Military Liaison, had been transferred and posted as transport commissioner vice P.S. Gill.

Mohanty would continue to hold the charge of commissioner, Civil Military Liaison, in addition to his own duties till  further orders. Meanwhile, P.S. Gill has been posted as director  general, Youth Services and Sports, and the  post has been upgraded and declared equivalent in status and responsibility to the post of DGP.

B. Srinivasan on  promotion has been posted as IG, Operation (North Kashmir), to be headquartered at Baramulla. Ravinder Kotwal on promotion has  been posted as IG, Police Telecommunication/SSL.

M.A. Anjum on  promotion has been posted as IG, Railway, J&K. Farooq Ahmad on  promotion has been posted as managing director, Police Housing  Corporation.

Pankaj Sexana has been posted as DIG, CID, Jammu, while M.S. Slathia DIG, CID, Jammu, has been posted as DIG, Administration, PHQ, and Yoginder Koul, DIG, SSG, has been posted as DIG, Crime, J&K.

Jammu, June 9
A Division Bench of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, comprising Justice Virender Singh and Justice Y.P. Nargotra, dismissed an acquittal appeal by the state against the February 21, 2005, judgement of the Sessions Judge, Kathua, acquitting the persons accused of murdering one Darshan Singh.

The trial of the accused emanated from the registration of a case by Darshan’s father, Manohar Lal, at the Hiranagar police station on June 11, 2002, that his son was allegedly killed by the accused - Janardhan and Machander Kumar. Darshan was working in the Jammu and Kashmir  Fire Services.

Manohar said he and his son had personal enmity with the accused and both of them with the criminal intention to kill Darshan, took him to the roof of their house and struck him with sharp-edged weapons. Darshan received serious injuries on his head and other parts of the body, resulting in his death.

The Sessions Judge exonerated the accused for the liability of causing Darshan’s death.

B. S. Slathia, an Additional Advocate General (AAG) appearing for the state, questioned the legality of the acquittal of the accused with delay of 962 days on the ground that the judgement was pronounced on February, 2005, where after it was referred to the authorities concerned for obtaining their legal opinion as to whether an appeal was to be filed or not.

The matter was examined and ultimately sanction was granted to file the appeal on March 31, 2005. All documents required for preparation of the appeal were made available to the government advocate, but the needful was not done despite repeated reminders.

The advocate resigned and ultimately vides another government order, August 27, 2007; the AAG had been requested to file the appeal.

The Division Bench, while dismissing the appeal observed, “The above explanation does not sufficiently justify the delay caused in filing the appeal. The state has not filed the affidavit of the concerned government advocate to show as to what prevented him from filing the appeal immediately. If it was because of some inaction on the part of the state functionaries, the fault of not filing the appeal would not be attributed to him. If he was negligent, still it would be for the state to show that on its part there was no negligence and that it had diligently done, what was required to be done by it.”

The delay, thus, has not been sufficiently explained for warranting indulgence of the court.

The High Court further held, “We had carefully gone through the evidence of the prosecution and in our considered opinion, the findings of the learned Sessions Judge did not call for any interference.”

The learned AAG was not in a position to identify any reliable and convincing evidence, on the basis of which the findings of the learned trial court could be faulted with. We, therefore, did not find any justifiable reason to interfere with the well-reasoned judgement of the trial court, the High  Court added.

Srinagar, June 9
It is unlikely that Saifullah’s, a top commander of LeT in Bandipore, path to death would be cited as a right example of "martyrdom" by his mentors. He was killed by security forces when his frequent calls to his local girlfriend, considered a sacrilege in hardcore Islamist cadres, finally gave him away.

The end was no different for Salman Bhat, one of the top three Lashkar commanders, when cops in mufti shot him down seconds after he arrived on a bike for his promised appointment with a girl, and duly learnt by the police, in Shalimar locality.

Lovey-dovey acquaintances of otherwise discreet Pakistanis militants are proving to be an unlikely source of valuable information for security forces. These hardcore "jihadists" normally confine themselves to their groups and live in isolated locations in forests and mountains to avoid intelligence scrutiny. However, their romantic liaison with local girls, a product of their solitary lives combined with their gun-wielding image and ready cash, have more often than not done them in, top officials told The Tribune. Several encounters have taken place when these militants came out of their confines to meet their girlfriends, the officials said.

Intelligence officials said: "Their recorded conversations are a veritable script of some mushy romantic movies. "

In one of the conversations, a foreign militant tells a girl in Baramulla that "I have come so far for you and am playing with dangers and can't she travel a small distance to meet him?," alluding to his journey from across the border.

Though their foreign mentors ask them to keep away from the locals, especially girls, the officials said a sense of fatigue and ever looming threat of death made them cross these barriers.

The officials say these militants often command more fear and standing among their local sympathisers as they are seen as single-minded "mujahidin" who are here to fight for them, and this image gives them a romantic aura. "It is rare that a Pakistani militant will force issues with a girl. But their lifestyle makes them appear more suitable in the eyes of some girls. Then there is, of course, a fear factor," an official said.

Poonch, June 9
Even as ‘every now and then’ the army faces allegations of human rights violations in the garb of frisking, it has found a new way to save itself from legal ramifications. In border districts of Rajouri and Poonch the Army seeks a ‘no objection certificate’ from the people after subjecting them to the frisking.

In fact, sources in the district administration here and in Rajouri district divulged that in order to save itself from legal ramifications of frisking, the army seeks NOC from the people after subjecting them to the same at the mobile checkpoints in these twin border districts. They added that police is acting as a witness to the whole alleged ‘drama’ to give frisking a more legal face.

“Since the Army is itself seeking the NOC from the people after subjecting them to frisking, people cannot afford but to oblige for fear of being harassed. What makes the whole ‘drama’ more interesting is the fact that the police is made as one of the two witnesses in the whole procedure. The NOC the copy of which is with The Tribune reads “It is certified that vehicle number — driven by me (name) — has been checked on — 2008. There is no divergence found in it. It is further certified that no locals were harassed/manhandled.” In the document to be signed by a local, the police is one of the witnesses and the other witness is some other local accompanying that person.

“Though the Army continues to harass people in the name of frisking, yet they are now wise enough to give it a legal face. Can we afford not to sign the NOC?” asked a local preferring anonymity, after undergoing frisking at Shindra on the Surankote-Poonch road here.

Justifying the procedure, an Army officer said “we never resort to harassment during frisking and even people by signing the NOC are justifying this fact, or better say act. He said the frisking was done for safety of people. Repeated attempts to contact respective deputy commissioners of Rajouri and Poonch couldn’t materialise since they didn’t attend to their calls. “We will have to examine the matter,” a senior officer here said. 

Srinagar, June 9
Two militants, who tried to infiltrate into Kashmir from across the border, were killed by the Army last night, an Army spokesperson today.

The spokesperson said the troops noticed suspicious movement of the two militants in the Keran sector of Kupwara district in north Kashmir and challenged them last night. They managed to gun them down as they tried to escape. The identities of the militants have not been established yet and they are suspected to be Pakistanis.

Srinagar, June 9
In order to provide relief by way of hassle-free movement for tourists to the tourist resort of Pahalgam during the Amarnath yatra this year, the relocated frisking point from Serbal to Nunwan would deal with the pilgrims.

That is on the traditional route to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath, while on the shortest trekking route via Baltal on Srinagar-Leh axis, the distance has been reduced from 14 km to 12 km with diversion on the track at Sangam.

Giving an overview of the arrangements made by the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), chief executive officer Arun Kumar said raising temporary infrastructure, special emphasis was being laid on the environmental aspects. This year, 2,298 toilets and washrooms are in the final stages of completion. Similarly, 91 single-room huts and 23 double-room huts, besides dormitories, have been put in place. These, he said, are insulated and can be life-saving shelter places in the wake of exigencies.

He said 45 shelter sheds were also being raised on tracks leading to the cave shrine. These prefabricated shelters had wooden floors and could be easily dismantled, he said, adding that during the 2005 earthquake they were made available for the victims of Uri and Tangdhar.

Kumar said initiatives had been taken to supply hot water and room heaters at all camps en route to the holy cave.

In addition, water purifiers were being provided to all langars in order to provide safe drinking water to the pilgrims, he added.

Kumar said the shrine board was spending around Rs 4 crore on providing various utility services.

About disaster management and evacuation of sick pilgrims, he said camp directors of the board had been empowered to requisition for helicopter sorties for shifting such patients to nearest multi-disciplinary hospitals on the advice of a senior medical officer of the camp.

Udhampur, June 9
Notwithstanding claims of the authorities, the education standard has been deteriorating at an alarming pace in Udhampur district. The study conducted by the Pratham, an NGO working for spreading education in rural areas, is an eye opener for those who have been claiming to improve the standard of education in the state.

About 2.9 per cent of the total population of the children in the district is still out of schools. Either these children are dropouts or they are never enrolled in schools. Although the standard of education is bad in the entire state, it is worst in Udhampur district.