Jammu, November 27
Normal life was thrown out of gear in Jammu today in response to the three-hour Chakka Jaam call given by the BJP against the “controversial” statement of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah regarding the accession of the state to the Indian Union and the surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy for militants approved by the state Cabinet.

Although some private vehicles were seen plying in the city, public transport remained off the roads in response to the call from 8 am to 11 am. Due to the non-availability of the public transport during peak hours, there was a thin attendance in the government offices, banks and educational institutions in the city and adjoining localities.

Since early morning, BJP workers were seen marching on the roads, trying to block traffic. In some places the BJP workers also stopped private vehicles and deflated tyres of many vehicles.

The BJP activists, comprising a large number of women, staged dharnas in various parts of the city and blocked the ever-busy Tawi bridge on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and raised anti-government slogans. They also burnt the effigies of the government at several places.

The police used a mild force to disperse the BJP activists, who had blocked vehicular movement on the Tawi bridge. Policemen also used force in the Panjthirthi area of the city to disperse the protesters. Similar protests were held on the outskirts of Jammu city in which a large number of party workers participated and shouted slogans against Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

BJP state president Shamsher Singh Manhas claimed that their call received an overwhelming response and it was a clear signal to the Chief Minister, who, according to him, had been propagating secessionist policies to appease anti-national forces.

Encouraged by the response to the today’s call, the BJP president also announced a future calendar of agitation to oppose the Chief Minister. “The people of Jammu have displayed unity by observing a complete Chakka Jaam for three hours,” he said. He added that “this bandh has sent a clear message to the government that the people will not tolerate disrespect to the Constitution of India and discrimination against Jammu”.

He expressed gratitude to the people of Jammu province for their support to the party’s bandh call. He said despite repeated claims of ending discrimination against Jammu, this province was still being given a step-motherly treatment by the NC-Congress coalition. The decision of the government to rehabilitate militants was not in the interest of the nation or the state, he added.

Manhas said, “The BJP warns the Chief Minister not to compete with secessionists by making statements about the status of Jammu and Kashmir.” He observed that the NC and Omar were in competition not only with the PDP but also with the separatists to champion a Kashmir-centric approach.

Srinagar, November 27
Normal life was disrupted in the Kashmir valley today in response to the separatists’ bandh call to protest the alleged excesses being committed by the security forces and the continuing arrests of the youths.

Most of the shops and business establishments were closed in the main markets. However, shops and other private offices in some areas remained open and there was little response to the bandh call. Attendance in government offices and educational institutions was near normal and banks functioned normally. There was little passenger transport on the roads while private vehicles and auto-rickshaws plied normally.

There was also a mixed response to the bandh call in other major towns of the Valley, where shops and business establishments opened in many areas. Traffic was plying on the inter-district routes near normally.

Today’s bandh call was the last day of the general strike called by the hardline APHC as per its protest calendar issued by its chairman Syed Ali Geelani during a press conference at his Hyderpora residence on Saturday last. He has instead called for one-day general strike on December 4 and one-hour protest on November 30 and December 4.

Udhampur, November 27
To assess the progress of work on the widening of the Dhar Road, Balwant Singh Mankotia, MLA, Udhampur, visited the entire stretch between the TCP and the Salathia Chowk along with officials concerned today.

The MLA was apprised that most of the utilities related to the Public Health Engineering (PHE) and the Power Development Department (PDD) had been shifted from the alignment of the ongoing widening work. He asked the officials to put in sincere efforts and work in a coordinated manner for the speedy completion of the project so that traffic in general and business establishments both sides of the road could be relieved from the hardships being faced by them.

Terming the project as prestigious for Udhampur town, Mankotia said after its completion, traffic congestion and scope of accidents would be reduced to a greater extent, besides spacious road would add beauty to the town. He also called for a separate provision in placing underground cables and other utilities along both sides of the road for future purpose.

The District Development Commissioner, Udhampur, Baseer Ahmed Khan, Commanding Officer, BRTF, senior officers of the PHE and the PDD accompanied Mankotia for the inspection.

Jammu, November 27
The 80-km stretch of the historical Mughal Road from Bufliaz to Shopian has been double-laned, besides the macadamisation of its 37 km stretch. The Rs 639.85-crore project is expected to complete and be thrown open for all types of vehicular traffic by September next year.

This information was revealed at a review meeting chaired by Minister of State for R&B Javaid Ahmad Dar here today.

Among others, commissioner/secretary, R&B, KB Aggarwal, Chief Engineer, Mughal Road Bipal Tikoo, representatives of Hindustan Construction Corporation (HCC) and senior engineers of the Mughal Road division were present on the occasion.

The minister emphasised upon the HCC authorities to accelerate the pace of work on the project and ensure that it was completed in time. He said this historic inter-regional road link would not only reduce the travel distance but would also serve as dependable alternative to the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, which remains closed due to heavy rain or snowfall during winter. He added the road would integrate the local economy of Poonch, Rajouri and Shopian districts, opening new trade avenues for the people of these areas.

Javaid asked the HCC to increase men and machinery on the project so that the remaining of work on the project was covered. He asked them to engage local labourers, who were available round the year and help in taking forward the work of the project smoothly.

Dar asked the chief engineer to monitor the progress of the project regularly, adding that its progress would be reviewed on monthly basis.

The meeting was informed that Rs 394.84 crore had been expended so far. It was revealed that 234 culverts had been completed out of proposed 428 being constructed on the road. As much as 40 km road length had been completed up to granular sub-base(GSB) level while 45 km taken up to water-bound Macadam (WBM) level, the meeting was informed. It was given out that apart from completion of four minor bridges, out of 21, work for construction of seven major bridges have been allotted to M/s SP Singla, Pvt Ltd.

Regarding land acquisition, the meeting was told that 230 hectares, including forest land, had been acquired so far for the project. It was given out that 60 illegal structures had also been removed for its smooth execution.

It was further revealed that two police posts were being set up on either side of the road to check unauthorised movement of vehicular traffic on the road, which hampered the progress of the project. Unprecedented rains in the area, unrest in the Valley, labourers’ strike had caused delay in the completion of the project, the meeting was told.

Jammu, November 27
In order to oversee the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and other schemes of the Rural Development Department, Minister for Rural Development, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Sagar conducted an extensive tour of the RS Pura and Balwal blocks today.

While interacting with scores of deputations, Sagar assured them that due care was being taken in implementing the schemes in a fair and transparent manner so that benefit of these reach deserving people. He said instructions had been given to accelerate the speed of the implementation of various schemes so that targets were achieved within the stipulated time and negligence on the part of officers concerned would not be tolerated.

Sagar, while referring to the role of the Act in acting as a potential catalyst to change the rural landscape, said, besides providing employment to people, it had played a tremendous role in accelerating developmental activities in the rural areas. He added Rs 1.28 crore had been earmarked for the block under the scheme and 2,470 job cards had been issued and 70 works had been taken up.

Urging people to participate in the ensuing panchayat elections, the minister said by putting in place panchayats we would transform the power to the grass-roots level, which would result in an accelerated development of the rural areas.

He said, besides we would also be getting additional funds from the Centre, for which the establishment of panchayats was a pre-requisite.

Udhampur, November 27
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today presided over a function in which 168 women trainees were inducted into the state police as constables after the Basic Recruitment Training Course (BRTC) at the Sher-e-Kashmir Police Academy (SKPA) here.

The Chief Minister also inspected the passing out parade of the new constables of the 3rd batch of the BRTC. DGP Kuldeep Khoda was the guest of honour on the occasion. In a very brief address, Omar lauded the duties performed by the J&K Police amid the hostile law and order situation and militancy. He congratulated the women inductees in the ranks of the state police, which he termed as the best in the country.

He called upon the women constables to discharge their duties in an unbiased and fair manner by rising above the caste and religious considerations.

Recalling the sacrifices The inductees were imparted a rigorous training in all aspects of policing during the course, which included the Ranbir Penal Code, Management, Police Practical Work, Forensic Science, Weapon Handling, Field craft and Tactics. They took an oath of allegiance to the Constitution of the country and to uphold truth and justice acting above all prejudices.

The Chief Minister also gave away prizes to the policewomen who performed extraordinarily during their training. The rank of Selection Grade was conferred upon the overall best women trainee Pushpa Devi, who also received the Commendation Certificate Class-1 and a cash reward. Kunzes Dolma was also awarded the Commendation Certificate Class-1 and a cash reward for the second best. Omar also appreciated the efforts of the Director, SKPA, in ensuring high standards of the police training.

Jammu, November 27
SOS International, an NGO working for the rights of refugees, has alleged corruption in the Jammu and Kashmir Co-operatives Society in general, the Jammu and Kashmir Housing Corporation in particular. The organisation today asked Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take cognisance of a departmental inquiry report, claiming that it was in possession of the report.

“Our sources have divulged a Rs 200-crore scam in the housing corporation in which rules are bent to accord undue benefits to a nexus of police officers, politicians and officials of the civil administration,” president of the organisation Rajiv Chuni alleged. He said, “Though the colonies were raised to provide housing facilities to the poor and marginalised, only a few belonging to the lower income group has been allotted any block or house by the society since its formulation.”

“The Joint Registrar, Audit, conducted an inquiry into the malpractices taking place in the corporation and submitted its findings to the Registrar of the society a fortnight ago. It’s a matter of serious concern that the Registrar has not initiated any action against the accused till date,” he said.

“We want an independent CBI inquiry into the allotment of plots as well as blocks by the society. It is also a subject of investigation as to how the project loans in crores were utilised over the years and how many poor have benefited out of it,” he said and feared an Adarsh Colony-like scam taking place here.

“Despite all financial bungling and misappropriation of funds as well as inquiries going on against the board of directors of the society, elections have been announced for the executive body of the society. Last time also, the elections were faked by the returning officer and he is already facing an inquiry into corruption cases against him. The same person this time again has been nominated as the returning officer to make sure that present team continues in the board of director,” he alleged.

“We demand the suspension of the existing board of directors, besides inquiries being conducted by the Vigilance Organisation and the Crime Brach should be expedited. The elections process should be withheld for the time being and the candidates of integrity and a clean image be asked to contest the elections,” he added. 

Srinagar, November 27
The government plans to establish a spice park at Pampore at an estimated cost of Rs 16 crore to facilitate the efficient marketing of the produce of each saffron grower, while Rs 273 crore will be spent on the development of saffron areas during the next three years.

This was stated by Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir while addressing a national seminar on “Technological Innovations in Saffron” sponsored by the National Horticulture Board, Gurgaon in Haryana, and organised by the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) here yesterday.

The minister said the government contemplated replanting saffron seed corms on entire 3,700 hectares in the first phase during the next three years of the implementation of the saffron project. For the project 75 per cent cost of rejuvenation would be borne by the government and 25 per cent by the growers. He said the government would establish one deep borewell for irrigation for every 30 hectares.

The minister urged the saffron growers to maintain close coordination with the scientists of the SKUAST and avail of the benefits of the research work, which would help the growers produce standard saffron. He said the SKUAST specialists should conduct training camps in this regard in various areas of the Valley.

Mir said the machinery and other accessories would be provided to the saffron growers on 50 per cent subsidy, besides sprinkle sets on the same rate of subsidy. The minister said the government had already initiated several measures to infuse new blood in the saffron industry and in this regard the National Saffron Mission had been implemented in the state.

Minister of State for Agriculture Javaid Ahmad Dar was also present on the occasion. The ministers later released “Souvenir and Abstract on Saffron Cultivation”.

Srinagar, November 27
Reacting to National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah’s observations on the status of hydro power projects in the state, the PDP has demanded a white paper on the sellout of water resources by the NC from time-to-time.

In a statement here today, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said the NC had not just compromised with the dignity and honour of the people of the state through repeated betrayals, but had also sold the only major natural resource, water, for its own interest. She asked the government to come out with a white paper on water resources and their exploitation to make people aware of the energy crisis and its reasons.

Mehbooba said the water resources of the state had been bartered away for a pittance and instead of showing any remorse Farooq was now blaming others in the “trademark NC style” to sound sympathetic to the state.

On Farooq’s claim of having ignored the advice of his bureaucracy against handing over the most valuable assets to the NHPC, Mehbooba said the former Chief Minister was still trying to play to the gallery rather than repent having facilitated the outright sellout to serve his personal friendship and interests.

All regions of the state, especially in extreme conditions of summer in Jammu and winter in Kashmir, faced an acute shortage of power for even lighting, not to speak of other modern amenities dependant on electricity, she regretted. It needed highly an insensitive dispensation to compromise with the comfort and interests of its own people, she added.

The PDP president claimed that the present government was trying to hoodwink people through so-called joint ventures with the NHPC. The Chenab Valley Hydro Project joint venture was highly biased in the favour of the NHPC and against the interests of the state, as the state’s share was restricted by a minority upper ceiling, she pointed out.

Jammu, November 27
Even as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah claimed that amnesty to the “misguided” Kashmir youths to make them come home from terror camps in the occupied Kashmir and Pakistan would not endanger the country, the security forces here said, “Pakistan will do everything possible to dissuade them from returning to the state.”

The state Cabinet on November 22 had cleared a rehabilitation policy, paving the way for the “homecoming” of thousands of state youths, who had crossed over to Pakistan and the PoK between January 1, 1989 and December 31, 2009 for arms training.

“Living there in the PoK and Pakistan for the past 10-20 years such misguided youths have got married there, have families and are on the regular pay rolls of the ISI,” said sources in the BSF.

“Though it is too early to comment, the message must have reached the other side (Pakistan). Now, we have to see how Pakistan reacts to it. Of course, Pakistan, for obvious reasons, will never accept that it has been aiding and abetting terrorism in the state,” they added.

The sources said, “Pakistan will try everything to dissuade Kashmir youths from returning to their native place. But they are our people and we have given them amnesty to come back. Hence, we don’t to have to ask Pakistan. It’s a unilateral decision of the Government of India,” said an officer. He added from time-to-time Kashmir youths in the PoK had expressed via different channels their desire to come back and reunite with their families.

“Now, onus lies on India that how fast and effectively we push this policy. But overtly Pakistan will never accept that it has been training Kashmir youths in various terror camps,” he added.

Pakistan through all these years of turmoil had been mouthing platitudes of providing moral support to the so-called indigenous freedom struggle, he said. The officer, for obvious reasons, felt that implementing the policy would be an uphill task.

Echoing similar views, sources in the Army said, “Pakistan at the most may allow force to return that too after branding them as illegal entrants to its territory.” “Pakistan will never admit the open secret of providing arms training to Kashmir youths and even if things start falling in place the country will allow only those people, who are of no use anymore,” they said.

As of now it’s just an offer. Let us see how it works and moreover it’s an effort in the right perspective to soothe frayed nerves of those parents, whose wards had gone astray, they added

The sources, however, felt that those at the helm of affairs should had been given a serious thought before coming out with such a policy. There is no effective surrender

policy for ultras within the state, several among them are in jails, no effective mechanism to monitor overground workers, lakhs of Pakistan refugees are still languishing without fundamental rights and we came out with a policy for those who are in Pakistan for the past 10-20 years, said the sources.

Jammu, November 27
Floral tributes were paid to Congress stalwart Girdhari Lal Dogra on his 24th death anniversary at a function organised by the Girdhari Lal Dogra Memorial Trust near Jammu University here today.

Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Saifuddin Soz was the chief guest in the function in which senior Congress leaders, including former Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma, and the family members of the late Dogra were present.

Speaking on the occasion, Soz said Girdhari Lal was a popular leader of the region. He remained Finance Minister of the state for more than two decades. Soz termed him as a secular leader in the real sense who had served his people with dedication and sincerity.

Soz urged upon the Congress leaders and workers to adopt simplicity, honesty and forthrightness in politics as Girdhari Lal exercised and it was only then the Congress workers could serve the party in the state.

Mangat Ram Sharma termed the late Dogra as his “Guru” and a torchbearer for the present generation of Congress leaders.

Jammu, November 27
Panic gripped Kotli Charkan village of Bishnah tehsil this morning after three rocket launcher shells were found near the house of a BSF jawan, where a similar shell had exploded yesterday, killing the jawan and two other members of the family.

It was around 9 am when some villagers spotted the shells lying near a canal and they informed the police. A police party, an FSL team and a bomb disposal squad rushed to the spot immediately, removed the shells from there and defused them at an isolated place.

HS Gill, SDPO, RS Pura said, “Three rocket launcher shells were recovered from the bank of a canal and they matched the shell that had exploded in the house of BSF jawan Avinash Singh yesterday.” He added, “However, it has not been established whether the jawan had brought these shells or not. We have sent the shells to the laboratory.”

However, sources said the BSF jawan had brought these shells to his house from the place of his posting in Gujarat. They added that after the tragedy struck the family yesterday, some of their relatives might have dumped the shells near the canal.

A resident of Kulla in Kotli Charkan village said, “After seeing the shells, we panicked, as the shell that exploded yesterday ruined a family. Had these shells exploded, the whole village would have devastated.” Last night, Avinash Singh also succumbed to his injuries at the Government Medical College and Hospital, taking the death toll in the incident to three.

The serving security personnel often carry arms and ammunition while proceeding on leave. In this incident also Avinash had come on leave to his home a few days ago.

Later in the evening, the last rites of the deceased, namely Avinash, his brother Kulbir and Kulbir’s three-month-old daughter were performed at their native village.

At the cremation ground, Dharam Pal, a resident of the same village, said, “The family was humble and down to earth and Avinash and Kulbir always respected their elders.” Meanwhile, Special DG, BSF (West), PPS Sidhu said the investigations were on to ascertain how the shells reached there. A case under various sections of the Arms and Explosives Act has been registered at Bishnah police station.

Srinagar, November 27
The special anti-tobacco squad constituted by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Hassan Samoon to prevent smoking in public places has caught 12 persons while smoking and recovered a fine at the rate of Rs 200 each.

An elderly person, Haji Ghulam Mohammed Dar, was caught smoking in the waiting hall of the office of the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, and fined Rs 200. Mohammed Yaqoob Malik posted as Patwari and Abdul Ahad were also caught smoking in the canteen of the Divisional Commissioner’s office and fined Rs 200 each, an official spokesman said.

He said that Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, had constituted a special anti-tobacco squad headed by Shabir Ahmed Lone, Food Inspector, Srinagar, along with representatives of the Health Department, police officials and NGO volunteers.

The special squad caught Mohammed Zaffar smoking outside Government Degree College, Bemina, and recovered Rs 200 as fine from him. It also caught nine others smoking in the SMHS Hospital here. A fine of Rs 1,600 was recovered from them.

Jammu, November 27
Two road mishap victims succumbed to their injuries at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) here today, the police said.

Sunil Sharma, a resident of Sajal Pur, who was injured in an accident and brought to the GMCH yesterday, died at the hospital this morning.

In another incident, Puran Chand, a resident of Vijaypur in Samba, who was seriously injured in a road mishap in Vijaypur on November 24, died today.

The police handed over the bodies to their families after a post-mortem.