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Crucial Coordination Committee meeting today
Mirwaiz, Geelani slam arrest of Fai
PoK woman awaits passport, visa to meet family in Poonch
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Tourist Arrivals in 2010
MLA demands empowerment of district development boards
Omar: Opponents blind to visible development
Panthers Party demands reorganisation of state
NAAC team calls on Governor
Fai’s ISI connection tip of the iceberg, says BJP
Steps to avoid deaths due to undetected IEDs
Suspicious object found near Sheshnag
Kishtwar-Inshan bus service soon
191 govt schools to be regularised
Sikh front may move court against Karnataka minister
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar meets Mirwaiz
IED-like object seized
Cop dies as service rifle goes off accidentally
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Crucial Coordination Committee meeting today
Jammu, July 21 “All the issues pertaining to the smooth functioning of the coalition will be discussed at the Coordination Committee meeting,” Ravinder Sharma, spokesperson of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), told The Tribune. He said PCC chief Saifuddin Soz,who was the head of the committee, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and former Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma would represent the Congress. The Coordination Committee was formed after the formation of the coalition government in 2008. Sources in the Congress said the party had decided to take a tough stand on the extension of the 73rd Amendment of the Indian Constitution to the state to give adequate powers to panchayat members. Mangat Ram Sharma had been assigned the job to effectively take up the issue of incorporating the 73rd Amendment into the existing Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, sources said, adding that the high command had also given the green signal to the party leaders to take up the issue of empowering the panchayats. Before the announcement of the elections, the NC leadership had promised that adequate powers would be given to the newly elected panchayat members. “Now, that the elections have been completed, the party has decided to put pressure on the NC to empower the panchayats and delegate powers at the grass-roots level for strengthening democratic institutions,” a senior Congress leader said. The sources said the Congress leadership had also decided to register a protest against the recent announcement of the government to open new degree colleges in the state. “The NC ministers are discriminating against the areas represented by the Congress leaders in sanctioning degree colleges,” the Congress leader said. He alleged that model colleges, which were fully sponsored by the Centre, were sanctioned in the constituencies of the NC leaders, whereas those to be funded by the state were announced in the areas represented by the Congress leaders. |
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Mirwaiz, Geelani slam arrest of Fai
Srinagar, July 21 Alleging that Fai was arrested at the behest of the Indian government, the leader of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Geelani, called for protests after Friday prayers tomorrow. “The arrest (of Ghulam Nabi Fai) is aimed at weakening the Kashmiris’ struggle for freedom at the diplomatic level,” Geelani said in a statement. He also appealed to the people of Pakistan, PoK and elsewhere in the world to hold protests after Friday prayers tomorrow to show solidarity with the people of Kashmir. Geelani also appealed to the international community to play its role in getting Fai released. “He is not involved in any unlawful or unconstitutional activity and is a freedom-loving person, who has not accepted the occupation of Jammu and Kashmir by Indian forces,” Geelani said. He added that Fai stood for the right to self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Geelani said Fai had been highlighting the Kashmir issue at the international level for the past 32 years. Expressing concern over Fai’s arrest, the chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference,Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said it was unnecessary. He added that the people of Kashmir living in other countries were worried about the happenings in the state. “We hope to continue our diplomatic efforts for the resolution of the Kashmir issue,” the Mirwaiz said after a meeting of the executive committee of the party here. He said the Hurriyat Conference had an agenda of peace and it would continue to work at the internal, external and diplomatic levels for the resolution of the Kashmir issue. The chief of the Democratic Freedom Party, Shabir Ahmad Shah, also expressed concern over Fai’s arrest. After graduating from the University of Kashmir, Fai completed his masters degree from the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and later left for Saudi Arabia in 1979 for further studies. Having studied in Saudi Arabia for four years, Fai shifted to the US for further studies in mass communication. Meanwhile, DGP Kuldeep Khoda said the police had enough evidence and material against Fai. Talking to a local news agency here yesterday, Khoda said: “We had information that he was an ISI conduit and was diverting its funds. We have a lot of material against him and are scrutinising it,” the DGP was quoted as saying by the news agency. |
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PoK woman awaits passport, visa to meet family in Poonch
Jammu, July 21 Wahida Tabasum (44) from Muzaffarabad in PoK married Shah Pervez, a resident of Khaith village in the Sawjian area of Poonch district, in 1985 when Pervez, along with his family,went there to meet his relatives. She came to Poonch with Pervez in 1986.She was living in Poonch on an extended visa and reportedly returned to Pakistan on the expiry of her passport on April 8 last year by the Lahore-Delhi bus service. “During her stay here, my mother applied for Indian citizenship thrice, but the Indian government rejected her applications,” said Khurram Mehmood (22), her eldest son. He added that, “My mother is at present living at her maternal house at Qila Road, Muzaffarabad. Whenever she talks to us over the phone, she seems to be in a miserable condition. She is desperate to meet us. She always cries while talking. I and my siblings are equally distressed as the wait is becoming too long.” “My mother says the Indian Embassy in Pakistan is not processing her documents for unknown reasons,” Mehmood said. He appealed to the Prime Minister and his Pakistan counterpart to intervene to help his mother unite with her family. Wahida’s youngest son, Kashif Omar, is 15 years’ old. “A lot of stress is being laid on people-to-people contact among SAARC countries. But it is a question of family-to-family contact,” said general secretary of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Pushkar Raaj. “Also, it is a human issue. We have military, political and strategic issues with Pakistan, but they need to be resolved at different levels. This is an issue pertaining to a divided family and hence it should be addressed without any reference to the outstanding issues. Differences between nations over policy matters should not make their nationals suffer,” he added. “It’s the rarest of rare cases as the family is divided by the LoC,” chairperson of the State Human Rights Commission Syed Bashir-ud-Din said. When contacted, SSP,CID, Special Branch, Jammu, Gurvinder Kaur,who is in-charge of the Foreigners Registration Office,said Wahida had not been deported. “Her passport had expired and she went to Pakistan on her own on an emergency passport which she got from the Pakistan Embassy in Delhi. A new passport is to be issued by the Pakistan Government as she is a national of that country and only the visa is to be issued by the Indian Embassy in Pakistan.” “We have not received her visa for verification so far,” she said, adding, “Wahida was not wanted in any case pertaining to anti-national or subversive activities.” |
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Tourist Arrivals in 2010
Jammu, July 21 A statement issued by the Union Ministry of Tourism on Monday stated that Andhra Pradesh got the top position in domestic tourist arrivals with 155.8 million tourists visiting the state in 2010. Similarly, Maharashtra achieved the top position in foreign tourist arrivals with 5.1 million tourists visiting the state in 2010. Talking to The Tribune over the phone, Farooq Ahmed Shah, Director, Tourism, Kashmir, said, “We are getting a good number of domestic tourists. But the number of foreign tourists is not much, which is due to militancy-related incidents”. “A few countries have issued adverse travel advisories asking their citizens to avoid visiting the state. That’s why the foreign tourist arrivals are less. Moreover, a large number of foreign tourists have moved to Goa, Rajasthan and Kerala, as some countries do not provide insurance cover to their citizens while they are in Jammu and Kashmir,” added Shah. He said the department was keen to promote tourism and it had recently conducted road shows in London, Berlin, Dubai and Kuala Lumpur. “We got a good response there and are hopeful of getting more tourists from the countries,” Shah said. The Tourism Department’s efforts were yielding good results. The number of Amarnath yatris had already crossed last year’s figure of 4.58 lakh. The Mata Vaishno Devi yatra was also expected to cross the figure of 90 lakh pilgrims this year, the department added. However, local tour and travel agents blame the state government and its policies for not getting a large number of tourists, especially foreigners. “Though the government is happy in view of peace this summer,when it comes to competitiveness,it needs to cover a lot of lost ground. The budget for this purpose should be increased and tourists should be provided more security,” said Aijaz Bhat, a local tour and travel agent. |
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Central varsity to be functional soon, Sibal assures morcha
Jammu, July 21 This was disclosed by Rajinder Singh Jamwal of the Peoples’ Revolutionary Movement (PRM) while addressing mediapersons here this evening. He said a morcha delegation met Sibal on July 18 and asked him to take steps to make the Central university functional this year. “The delegation urged Sibal that since two academic years had already been wasted after the university was announced in 2009, the delay in the appointment of its Vice-Chancellor had jeopardised the careers of the youth of Jammu,” said Jamwal. “We requested the minister that the Vice-Chancellor be appointed from among competent academicians belonging to the Jammu province so that the university could be established at the earliest,” he added. To a question, Jamwal, however, replied that the morcha, in tandem with the people, social organisations and students, would continue its struggle till its goal was achieved. Meanwhile, in a separate meeting with Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Ajay Maken, the morcha delegation urged him that the Jammu region should not be ignored in the allocation of funds vis-à-vis sports activities. |
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MLA demands empowerment of district development boards
Doda, July 21 The demand was raised by Wani before the forthcoming meeting of the DDB, Doda, of which he is a member.The meeting is scheduled to take place on July 26. In a statement issued here today, Wani alleged that most of the public representatives were fed up with the system, which had reduced the meetings of the DDBs to an exercise in futility. Therefore, radical changes were required to be introduced to make the system more practical and efficient to ensure development, especially in the backward districts,
he said. He rued that the district plans, usually increased by 10 per cent every year, mostly comprised the revenue component. The nominated chairmen had not been vested with any discretionary powers to approve or sanction any plan allocations in addition to the plan proposals already prepared, he said. “Thus,the chairmen of the DDBs have simply become rubber stamps to counter, sign or acknowledge already prepared plans. The urgent and prominent local development issues remain unaddressed for years , despite being recommended during the DDB meetings every year. Irrational disparity between the district plans and the state plans has further aggravated the situation, especially in the hilly and backward districts,” he said. Wani demanded that the implementation of the recommendations and decisions taken at the DDB meetings should become the priority of the state government. All the administrative secretaries should ensure proper and prompt implementation of the decisions and recommendations of the meetings of the DDBs. The chairmen should be empowered to take or recommend actions against the erring district development commissioners as well as the administrative secretaries, Wani added. |
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Omar: Opponents blind to visible development
Addressing a public gathering at Qaimoh in Anantnag district, the Chief Minister said his government always paid equal attention to political and development issues. “We highlighted the importance of addressing political issues politically and carrying forward internal and external dialogues with consistency to achieve normalcy and register lasting peace in the state. I am not a person who will forget the basic political issues confronting the state when in chair and ventilate these when out of power. I, as the Chief Minister of the state, vehemently underlined the necessity for concentrating on the resolution of basic political issues, revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and reduction in the security forces,” Omar said. He added that it was during his regime that the reduction in the number of security forces took place and 40 bunkers were removed from Srinagar city. “God willing, all these issues will move towards a settlement in the near future,” he said. The state Cabinet at its recent meeting had approved 2,500 posts for schools announced during the rule of those who were indulging in false propaganda against the present government,he said. |
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Panthers Party demands reorganisation of state
Jammu, July 21 A resolution in this regard was moved at the working committee meeting of the party and was passed unanimously. Moving the resolution, Panthers Party leader Harsh Dev Singh stressed upon the party leaders and workers to hold an extensive campaign in the state to explain the reorganisation agenda of the party. The policy of the government to tackle corruption, price rise, rehabilitation of militants and the role of the three interlocutors were also discussed at the meeting. Meanwhile, Bhim Singh, chairman of the party, warned the Union as well as the state government against playing with the dignity and integrity of the Dogras. He condemned the recent lathicharge on the students who were peacefully demonstrating in favour of a Central University for Jammu. |
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NAAC team calls on Governor
Srinagar, July 21 Prof Thyagarajan said the Governor that they had interactions with the teaching and non-teaching staff, employees associations and students and were able to assess the academic resources, research activities, teaching facilities and support services. The team visited various departments and research centres and held discussions with Prof Talat Ahmad and other officials of the university. Those present on the occasion included Prof Talat Ahmad, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir; Prof Abdul Wahid, Vice-Chancellor, Central University, Kashmir; Dr Tej Partap, Vice-Chancellor, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir; Dr AR Trag, Vice-Chancellor, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipore. |
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Fai’s ISI connection tip of the iceberg, says BJP
Jammu, July 21 Jitendra said Fai’s activities and his associates in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in Delhi were always known but whenever the issue was highlighted, the Union government turned a blind eye towards it, and the UPA government even went ahead to announce state awards for some of these journalists. “This also vindicates the BJP’s oft-repeated stand that the so-called separatist movement in Kashmir is sponsored by foreign powers, which are hostile to India and are facilitated by the UPA government’s appeasement policy of separatists,” he added. The BJP leader, who was recently denied a visa to visit Washington as a member of a BJP delegation despite an official invitation from the Republican Party of America and the International Republican Institute, said it was a shame that nationalist and patriotic people and intellectuals were prevented from travelling to the US while those known for their anti-India tirades were allowed to travel frequently to that country and other foreign nations to attend seminars and symposia dubiously funded by anti-India agencies. |
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Steps to avoid deaths due to undetected IEDs
Srinagar, July 21 A meeting convened here under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Home Nasir Aslam Wani yesterday discussed the drafting and updating of a standard operating procedure (SOP) to avert such a loss of lives. It discussed at length the measures to rule out the possibility of deaths and injuries as a result of blasting of unexploded grenades and shells lying in the debris at the encounter sites. Issuing instructions for the drafting of the SOP, the minister asked all District Magistrates and SSPs concerned to sensitise people about not venturing into any area where an encounter had taken place till the debris was cleared. Several other decisions to prevent the loss of lives and property in such incidents were taken during the meeting, an official spokesman said. Those who attended the meeting included Principal Secretary, Home, BR Sharma; DGP Kuldeep Khoda; Special DGP, CRPF; ADG, BSF; and the GOC of the Victor Force. A number of incidents of death due to the blasting of undetected IEDs had taken place in the state, mostly in the Kashmir valley. |
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Suspicious object found near Sheshnag
Srinagar, July 21 Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, RK Goyal, has reiterated his appeal to all those who intend to undertake the pilgrimage to obtain a yatra permit to avoid inconvenience on arrival in the state. He emphasised that the pilgrims must embark on the yatra strictly as per the date and the route specified in their permits and made it clear that instructions had been issued to ensure that no unregistered yatri was allowed to undertake the pilgrimage. |
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Central University of Jammu
Jammu, July 21 About 50 girls assembled near the main gate of the college and raised slogans against the state and Central governments for their failure to appoint the Vice-Chancellor and make the university functional. “We urge the state and Union governments to make the Central University of Jammu functional immediately by appointing the Vice-Chancellor,” said Jyoti, a student. Meanwhile, the National Panthers Students’ Union (NPSU) also held a protest in front of GGM Science College. A group of students led by Pushvinder Singh Manhas, vice-president of the Young Panthers and in-charge of the NPSU, blocked the road in front of the college for a few minutes. Later, the police dispersed the protesters. |
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Kishtwar-Inshan bus service soon
Doda, July 21 Kishtwar MLA Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo and Inderwal MLA GM Saroori were present in the meeting, besides the District Development Commissioner, Kishtwar, MH Malik. “Inshan is the last point of the district touching the Kashmir valley. Being a far-flung area the people here faced hardships in travelling to the district headquarters, Kishtwar. Private Sumo vehicles are the only means of transport plying on the route. A state-run bus service was a long-pending demand of the people of the area,” said Noor Hussaon Malik, president, Peoples Progressive Forum, Kishtwar. Both Kishtwar and Inderwal MLAs raised various demands, including additional buses of the J&K State Road Transport Corporation, for their respective constituencies. They also demanded expansion of the network of LPG supply to the rural areas and sanction of LPG outlets at the block level. They also demanded enhancement of LPG quota, ration and kerosene for the district. The minister directed the DDC, Kishtwar, to identify land for the construction of an ARTO Office in the district. He also distributed Rs 1.05 lakh among accident victims in the district. |
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Army Mela at Mendhar draws local youth
Jammu, July 21 Mohammed Imitiaz Ahmed of Draba, Mohammed Iqbal of Chhatral and many others thanked the mela organisers and desired that there were more interactions with the Army. The event was attended by civil dignitaries like Ranjeet Singh, SDM, Mendhar; Dr Zulfikar, BMO, Mendhar; Subhash Dogra, Tehsildar, Mendhar; Mohammed Rafiq Hussain Khan, MLA (PDP), Mendhar; Javed Rana, MLC (NC), Mendhar; Praveen Tandan, sarpanch, Mendhar, and many others. The attraction of the event was artillery guns and latest weapons on display. A cultural event by schoolchildren and a dog show were also organised. An interaction between locals and officials of the Horticulture, Animal Husbandry and Health departments was also held. Vir Naris were honoured by senior Army officers on the occasion. They were also told about various welfare schemes started by the Central and state governments for their rehabilitation. |
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191 govt schools to be regularised
Srinagar, July 21 The Cabinet, which met here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today, also approved the Jammu and Kashmir Representation of the People (Amendment Bill), 2011, and the upgrading of the Primary Health Centre at Hajin to a community health centre. It also okayed the transfer of 1,231 kanals and 17 marlas belonging to the Agriculture Department in favour of the Higher Education Department for the establishment of the Central University of Kashmir. The Cabinet transferred Special Secretary, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Mohammad Javed Khan and posted him as Director, Horticulture, Planning and Marketing.
— TNS |
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Sikh front may move court against Karnataka minister
Jammu, July 21 Addressing a press conference here, chief of the front Sudershan Singh Wazir said they were planning to launch criminal proceedings against Karnataka Education Minister Vishwanath Hegde Kageri for his communal remarks. “Kageri's statement brought out the true communal and fascist agenda of the BJP to the fore,” he said. He said the Sikhs would not tolerate any hatred campaign. |
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Sri Sri Ravi Shankar meets Mirwaiz
Srinagar, July 21 The Mirwaiz hoped that civil society would impress upon the Centre to resolve the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of its people and play its role to ensure an end to the alleged human rights violations in the state.
— TNS |
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IED-like object seized
Jammu, July 21 An Army spokesperson said a patrol party on road-opening duty found an object resembling an IED on the highway in the Darah-Jallas area in the Mendhar belt.Subsequently, a bomb disposal squad was requisitioned from Poonch, which revealed that the object was not an explosive, he said.
— TNS |
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Cop dies as service rifle goes off accidentally
Srinagar, July 21 Constable Mohammad Abdullah was on a sentry duty at Soura Police Station when a bullet from his service rifle pierced his throat this evening, they said.
— PTI
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A woman from Pakistan- occupied Kashmir (PoK), married in Poonch district, who returned to Pakistan more than a year ago, is awaiting the issuance of a fresh passport and visa for visiting her family.
Srinagar, July 21