Jammu, December 9
Amid war of words between the National Conference (NC) and the Congress, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today shared a platform with Minister for Health and Horticulture Sham Lal Sharma, whose remarks on discrimination against Jammu and Ladakh regions had created fissures in the coalition.

Omar said yesterday that notice had been taken of the statement of the Health Minister, but today in the presence of the Health Minister, the Chief Minister refused to comment when mediapersons asked him about Sharma’s remarks.

Both Chief Minister and Health Minister reached Rajouri in a helicopter and returned together.

Omar, in his address, said the state had registered a remarkable improvement in the health sector and appreciated the efforts of the Health Minister in this regard. He especially mentioned that the state had got the first position in the sector in the country and the credit for this should be given to the minister concerned.

The Chief Minister reiterated his government’s determination to upgrade and expand health facilities across the state. “A healthy Jammu and Kashmir is my priority and measures are afoot to realise the goal as a mission,” he said.

“A human being can compromise with many shortcomings, but not poor health,” he said, adding that good health and education were essential for the comprehensive development and wellbeing of society.

Recognising this aspect, the Chief Minister said his government had put both these sectors on the top of its development agenda and measures were on to universalise health services and education in the state. “Our endeavour is to upgrade and improve primary health centres and sub-district hospitals,” he added, saying the focus was on providing good service and modern equipment along with good buildings.

Omar said good hospital buildings should also provide good service to the people. Sharma listed the achievements registered in the health sector during the last two years. He said the coalition government had underlined it as one of the most important sectors and the focus was to reach out to every area to ensure better facilities.

Jammu, December 9
While the ban on the short message service (SMS) in Jammu and Kashmir since June 30 has deprived BSNL and six private operators of revenue, policing has also taken a beating to some extent in the state.

It may be recalled here that the government banned the SMS facility to keep a check on troublemakers and rumour-mongers who fuelled unrest in Kashmir by sending inflammatory messages.

From June 30 to November 30, the ban has caused a loss of nearly Rs 7.50 crore to BSNL. Five months on, while BSNL and six other private operators (Airtel, Aircel, Idea, Reliance, Vodafone and Tata Indicom) in the state have no idea about the resumption of the vital service, policing via SMS has also suffered.

SSP, Jammu, Basant Kumar Rath launched the service early this year by providing his mobile phone number to people via media houses for prompt action by the police.

“In fact, the service had proved useful to us. We used to take prompt action and nab culprits from crime scenes within no time,” said a senior police officer.

He recalled how some young girls on their return from an excursion in Katra in the recent times had informed the Jammu SSP via SMS about three eve-teasers.

Acting upon the SMS, swift action followed and the three roadside Romeos were nabbed from near the Nagrota check post, the officer said. Before June 30, the Jammu police used to get 150 SMSes on an average in a month, informing it about the crimes of varied nature, but after the ban they all dried up, he added.

In the wake of the Kashmir unrest, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah asked the Union Home Ministry to impose a ban on the bulk SMS facility, which was being widely used to spread rumours to flare up tension.

“No doubt, the facility was being misused to gather troublemakers within minutes for staging protests even on minor issues and we fully support the government decision. But at the same time there is no denying the fact that policing via SMS has also suffered,” said the police officer. “It is over five months now and we hope that the situation becomes normal to pave the way for the resumption of the service,” he added.

The officer said via the SMS facility the Jammu police used to get feedback from the people about other government departments.

“We used to refer those complaints to the departments concerned and in the case of complaints pertaining to crimes, we used to forward them to police stations concerned for requisite action”, he added.

The officer said the Jammu police used to get thanksgiving messages once the complaints were addressed. General Manager, BSNL, Jammu district, Sandeep Savarkar said, “We have no idea about the resumption of the service. As and when we are directed, we will resume the service,” he added.

However, sources in the BSNL said the government-owned PSU continued to lose Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.50 crore every month because of the SMS ban.

New Delhi, December 9
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram today said the contours of a political solution to the Kashmir problem were expected to emerge in the next few months.

He said this while addressing a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to his ministry here and the subject of the discussion was “Matters relating to Jammu and Kashmir”.

Chidambaram said the first and second reports of the group of interlocutors dealt with confidence-building measures, and added that he had now asked the group to focus on finding the contours of a political solution.

“The contours of a political solution to the Kashmir problem are likely to emerge in the next few months,” an official statement quoted him as saying. He appreciated the work done by the group of interlocutors and asserted that the “Kashmir issue is a political issue for which a political solution must be found”.

The members of the Consultative Committee suggested amending the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and speedy rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants to which the Home Minister stated that a proposal to amend the Act was under consideration.

“The violence perpetrated by militants and infiltrators must be dealt with in a strong and resolute manner. On the other hand, the violence witnessed during protests by residents of the state requires deft and sensitive handling,” he said. The minister pointed out that after the government announced an 8-point plan for the state recently, the situation there had improved considerably. — PTI

Swankha (Samba), December 9
Contrary to the claims of the authorities, inhabitants of this Model Village feel cheated as tall promises of the government to provide basic amenities at the doorstep remain only on paper. Swankha, famous for the shrine of Baba Sidh Gouria, along with a cluster of 11 other villages, was declared Model Village in January this year.

Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar, in the presence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Minister of Industries and Commerce Surjeet Singh Slathia, while making the declaration had announced that the residents would be provided basic amenities at the doorstep.

He had also announced that this experiment would be extended to other parts of the state. “But for the laying down of the foundation stone, nothing has been done so far,” said a resident, Ghasitu Ram.

Pointing to a track dividing Swankha and Kallah villages, he said, “Two days before the laying of the stone, the track was constructed temporarily and filled with stones. Even after 11 months, no action has been taken to properly develop the road.”

He added that the claims of the authorities about development activities having been stepped up in the village were untrue.“The announcement of Model Village has not brought any change in our lives, but still we have not lost hope,” he said.

Although some lanes were developed, most of the people do not have basic amenities. The kutcha track which connects the village through Nandpur also negates the claims of the authorities.

“We have repeatedly requested the authorities concerned to develop the road, but our demand has never been taken seriously,” said another resident.

“Actually, it is workers of the ruling party who have been finalising development projects in the block,” he said, and alleged that the works were being executed by them and commoners were not involved in the process.So, there was no guarantee of quality work.

Block Development Officer (BDO), Vijaypur, Noor Hussain attributed the delay in starting the development works in the village to a paucity of funds. He said the Rs 8-crore project was to be completed in three years. “During the last 11 months, only an amount of Rs 74 lakh has been sanctioned and this is delaying development projects,” Hussain said, and exuded confidence that funds would be allotted in the next financial year.

Srinagar, December 9
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has alleged even as the entire state has been at the receiving end of the politics of betrayal, exploitation and deceit of the National Conference, Srinagar is its worst victim.

Addressing party workers of the local unit here today, the PDP president said the NC had time and again been exploiting the people of the city for its political survival.

“That is why even while being one of the most prominent historical cities of the world, Srinagar ranks perhaps the lowest in the development index”, she maintained.

Mehbooba said though the summer capital had the potential of becoming the heritage tourism capital of South Asia, given its rich and diverse cultural past, the NC’s exploitation and neglect of Srinagar had led it to be declared as one of the most threatened 100 heritage sites of the world. Despite claiming to represent the city politically for decades, the NC had failed even in providing basic amenities to its population, she added.

Udhampur, December 9
As part of Operation Sadbhavana, the Rashtriya Rilfes Battalion located at Sarh today donated furniture, sports items and study material to a number of schools in the Mahore area of Reasi district.

As per an official release, the gesture is part of the ongoing mission of the Army to help civilian population as well as the administration to keep up with progress and development projects and changing trends in education.

The beneficiaries included the government schools of Tuksan, Saldhar, Batoi, Jamlan, Sarh, Thuru, Jamaslan, Dharmari, Lancha, Shajru, Niram, Basan, Hariwala and Dhandali villages located in Mahore tehsil. The gesture is aimed at improving the quality of education in the rural areas. The function organised at Sarh for the purpose was presided by the Subdivisional Magistrate and Zonal Education Officer, Mahore. Besides civil administration officials, heads of villages and schools concerned, teachers and a large number of students and their parents were present.

In his address, the Commanding Officer (CO) apprised the people of the efforts being made by the Battalion in addressing the problems being faced by local unemployed youth by providing information and guidance to people seeking jobs and trying to establish a career.

For the purpose, the Army has recently set up Youth Employment and Guidance Nodes at Mahore, Gulabgarh, Gul and Dharmari.

The efforts have led to three people recently securing jobs for themselves. The CO also told the people to send the maximum youth for pre-recruitment training to the nearest army posts which would benefit them in the recruitment rally proposed to be organised in Jammu in February next year.

Jammu, December 9
In connection with the ongoing protests against a controversial statement of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in which he challenged the accession of the state to the Indian Union, activists of the BJP yesterday organised a rally at Doda and burnt an effigy of the Chief Minister.

A largely attended protest rally was organised and held in Doda yesterday by district general secretary Swami Raj Sharma and Narinder Singh in continuation of a programme chalked out by the party against the utterances of the Chief Minister in the Assembly.

The protest rally was addressed by Sharma, who warned the people of the state would not allow any attempt to delink the state from the rest of the country. He said patriotic people were ready to make any sacrifice for the unity and integrity of the country.

Sharma reminded Omar about the Praja Parishad agitation under the leadership of late Pandit Prem Nath Dogra, which ultimately led to the arrest of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and abolishing of the permit system in the state.

Jammu, December 9
A week-long AIDS awareness programme culminated in Rajouri yesterday with a rally of schoolchildren organised by 150 General Hospital under the aegis of Ace of Spades Division.

The aim of the rally was to spread awareness about AIDS, mode of transmission of HIV and its prevention.

The schoolchildren from various schools of Rajouri with banners and posters marched through the streets of Rajouri from ALG to Raina Auditorium.

The schoolchildren from Army Goodwill Public School and Kendriya Vidyalaya, Rajouri, enthusiastically carried various banners and placards with vital information about HIV and AIDS.

An interesting interactive session was also organised for the students at the auditorium after the completion of the rally. The schoolchildren actively participated in the session and the winners were rewarded with prizes. It was heartening to see the awareness of HIV and AIDS amongst the teenagers. The theme for World AIDS Day 2010 “Universal access and Human rights” was explained by doctors from 150 General Hospital.

Jammu, December 9
Braving icy winds and chilly weather, Inspector General, Railways, Naveen Aggarwal along with his subordinates and officials from the Railways Protection Force, Indian Reserve Police and Northern Railways today inspected the Udhampur-Jammu railway track on a trolley.

It may be stated here the 45-km serpentine track from Jammu to Udhampur has 20 tunnels and several bridges besides small culverts, which passes through rugged mountains and steep ridges.

“We went to Udhampur in a Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) from Jammu today and returned on a trolley to check the railway track,” Aggarwal told The Tribune.

Describing it a routine inspection, the IG said, “Though tiresome, it was necessary. On our way back in a trolley from Udhampur, we came across certain lacunaes from security point of view and the same have been conveyed to the Railways, RPF and IRP.”

He, however, refused to share the lapses citing security reasons.

Leading from the front, the IG was accompanied by SSP, Railways, Vijay Kumar, Assistant Commandant of the RPF, Deputy Commandant of the IRP, engineers of the Railways and sub-divisional police officers of various police stations enroute.