The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Assembly Session PDP stages walkout over use of pepper gas on protesters BJP legislators too protest over ‘no action’ against Pak-returned Yasin Tribune News Service Jammu, March 11 The state Assembly today witnessed uproarious scenes as PDP, BJP and Panthers Party members created uproar in the House in support of their demands. The PDP criticised the state government for the alleged use of pepper gas by the police against protesters in the Valley and staged a walkout demanding a ban on the practice. As the Assembly started the proceedings this morning, PDP MLAs Basharat Bukhari, Mansoor Hussain and Javed Mustafa Mir stood up from their benches and raised the demand. They claimed that pepper gas was causing severe ailments like asthma due to its use on a large scale against protesters. The PDP members demanded a discussion and statement from the government. However, Speaker Mubarak Gul resumed Question Hour and the PDP continued protests for some time before finally walking out of the House. After PDP members returned to the House, the Speaker asked the minister concerned to make a statement on the issue. Replying on the issue, Law Minister Mir Saifullah, on behalf of the Home Minister, said the police had been given directions not to trouble people but some problems were faced by the public in view of the law and order disturbances. The government, however, was committed to ensuring that no such problems were faced by people while the authorities dealt with protesters. BJP members, on the other hand, protested against the state government's failure to take action against Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik over his meeting with the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Hafiz Saeed, during his protest rally in Pakistan last month. The Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) founder had shared the stage with Malik during the latter's protest in Pakistan over Indian Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's hanging last month. BJP members wanted to discuss the issue in the Assembly but were not allowed to do so by the Speaker. They also staged a walkout. Members of the Panthers Party also staged a walkout when the Speaker did not allow them to ask a supplementary question to the main question related to power. 338 held since Feb 9: Police Srinagar: The police on Monday said it had arrested 338 people in the last one month since protests began in the Kashmir region after the hanging of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru on february 9. Out of the 338 arrested, 242 have been released on bail and 96 are in police and judicial custody. — TNS
	Omar govt grants amnesty to 1,811 stone-throwers Arteev Sharma/TNS Jammu, March 11 The state government has granted amnesty to 1,811 persons involved in stone-throwing cases in the Valley during 2010 summer unrest “to facilitate youth to pursue their higher education and get job opportunities”. It, however, said the amnesty would not be extended to all those who were involved in arson and damage to public property during the unrest. “In the aftermath of announcement of amnesty scheme on April 12 last, the government has granted amnesty to 1,811 persons involved in 230 cases of stone-throwing incidents of 2010 and 2011,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said in a written reply in the Assembly here today. The amnesty policy was announced in the run-up to the Eid festival during the holy month of Ramadan. “The scheme envisages amnesty to all those involved in stone-throwing incidents during the summer unrest in the Kashmir valley from March 2010,” Omar said. Of all, as many as 120 stone-throwers booked in 21 cases were released by the government under amnesty scheme in Chief Minister’s home assembly constituency Ganderbal. A maximum number of 669 stone-throwers booked in 70 cases were released under the scheme in Pulwama. The Chief Minister said the government has decided to take a “lenient view” on those involved in stone throwing for the first time and also those who were not directly involved in various cases. “The effort of the government in this amnesty scheme is to facilitate youth to pursue higher education and get jobs and their involvement in these cases may not adversely affect them during verification for obtaining a passport, loans for education and jobs,” Omar said. Around 120 persons, mostly youth, were killed in 2010 summer unrest following large-scale violence across the Kashmir valley. In the wake of unrest in the Kashmir valley, the Centre had appointed three interlocutors, including eminent journalist Dilip Padgaonkar, for holding talks with all shades of opinion in Jammu and Kashmir on October 13, 2011.
	SC notice to state on PIL for release of juvenile offenders Legal Correspondent New Delhi, March 11 The Supreme Court today issued a notice to the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir Government, seeking their response to a PIL for the immediate release of all juvenile offenders for want of Juvenile Justice Boards in the state. A three-member Bench headed by Justice RM Lodha passed the order on the PIL filed by a 12-year-old boy arrested and detained by the state police since August 25, 2012. He has filed the petition through senior advocate Bhim Singh and advocate Satish Vig. According to the PIL, the boy, son of a daily wager, was picked up by policemen on August 25 when he was coming out of his school in Srinagar and kept handcuffed in Safakadal police station for 40 hours before being produced in a magistrate court. “The government of J&K has been very unjust and hostile to students as more than 120 school-going children were shot dead by the police last year accusing the minor children of throwing stones on the raiding police parties,” the PIL said. The state government had not constituted any Child Welfare Committee or Juvenile Board as mandated under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000, the PIL said. The petitioner has also sought a compensation of Rs 10 lakh as “exemplary cost” and a judicial inquiry into his detention and torture. The case A three-member SC Bench passed the order on a PIL filed by a 12-year-old boy arrested and detained by the J&K police since August 25, 2012 The PIL says the state government has not constituted any Child Welfare Committee or Juvenile Board as mandated under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000
	Rape accused flees in copter as accident victim, arrested Ranjit Thakur Rajouri, March 11 The police finally apprehended a rape accused, Mohammed Parveez, a resident of Thanda Pani in Manjakote, Rajouri, late last night. He had posed as an accident survivor and fled in a VVIP helicopter, which was used to carry victims from the accident site in the Mandir Gala area on Friday. The district administration also gave him Rs 5,000 as compensation. Parveez was accused of raping a minor girl in a Manjakote jungle on Friday. When the administration was busy in the rescue work at the accident site, the accused posed as a survivor. He acted as if his health was deteriorating. Police personnel at the rescue site allowed him to travel to Jammu for treatment, in the VVIP copter. Reports said the rapist escaped on the same day from Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, where the accident victims were being treated. Manjakote SHO said the girl complained to the police that she was raped by the accused. He said a manhunt was launched and the accused was arrested yesterday. A case has been registered under Sections 376, 323, 511, 341 of the RPC at the Manjakote police station and the investigations have been started. Rajouri District Development Commissioner (DDC) Sougat Biswas has also initiated an inquiry into the incident by constituting a two-member team of Rajouri Assistant Commissioner, Revenue, Sachin Dev Singh and Nowshera Sub-district Magistrate Rajeev Khajouria. “The accident had created a chaotic situation. Police personnel and senior police officers were busy at the accident site helping victims and the accused took advantage of the situation,” said the DDC. “We have recovered the compensation which was given to him. Hopefully, the inquiry committee will submit its report to me within two days so that we can take action against him,” Biswas said. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been apprised of the development in the case. He has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident.
	Militant hideout busted in Reasi Katra, March 11 The Army busted a militant hideout and seized arms and ammunition in Reasi district last night. Acting on a tip-off, troops of the 61 Rashtriya Rifles launched a search operation in the Rasoowali Nallah area of Mahore tehsil in Reasi district, official sources said. During the operation, a large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives, including one AK rifle, one Pakistan-origin pistol, two rifle magazines with 64 rounds, one magazine with 61 rounds, one anti-personnel mine, three UBGL grenades, 3 hand grenades, 93 rounds of Pika rifle and one mobile, were recovered, they said. — OC
	241 former militants illegally return to J-K via Nepal, LoC Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, March 11 While the ruling National Conference had tried to take political mileage from the “controversial” rehabilitation policy for ex-militants living in Pakistan, not even a single former militant has returned from Pakistan or Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to the state through identified routes. Former militants have rather entered the state along with their families through Nepal and other routes. The state government under its much-touted rehabilitation policy for bringing home “misguided youths” of Jammu and Kashmir from terror camps in Pakistan or PoK had identified routes under the “policy and procedure for return of ex-militants to Jammu and Kashmir”. These routes included Wagah border; police check post, Attari; Salamabad in Baramulla district; Chakan da Bagh in Poonch district and Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. In its written reply to the question of MLA Chaman Lal Gupta, the state government informed the Legislative Assembly that during the past three years till February 15, 241 ex-militants had returned illegally via Nepal and other routes. Out of these militants, 113 had also brought their families and children along with them. While stating that around 3,974 militants were still living in Pakistan or PoK, the state government said it would continue its efforts for implementing the policy to facilitate the return of youths to the state under the rehabilitation policy. When asked about the number of militants whose relatives had approached the police and other agencies for facilitating the return and rehabilitation of their kin, the government said 1,089 applications had been received on behalf of ex-militants who were willing to return under the rehabilitation policy. The government said 191 cases had been recommended for return and the rest of the applications were being scrutinised and verified. It further said since no ex-militant had returned through the identified routes under the rehabilitation policy, they were not eligible for any assistance or rehabilitation. The state government, in consultation with the Central government, had announced the rehabilitation policy for the misguided Kashmiri youths vide order number Home-1376 (ISA) of 2010 dated 23.11.2010. The government said ex-militants had illegally returned through Nepal, Bangladesh, Line of Control and other routes.
	Trans-LoC trade via Poonch remains suspended Ravi Krishnan Khajuria Tribune News Service Jammu, March 11 Even as trans-LoC trade via Chakan da Bagh Trade Centre in Poonch district remained suspended for the second consecutive week, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has decided to raise the issue of plight of Indian traders in both the Houses of state legislature. “We are seized of the matter and the PDP will definitely raise it in the ongoing session,” PDP’s spokesperson and newly elected MLC, Naeem Akhtar, told The Tribune. Akhtar also admitted that J&K traders were being harassed for no fault of theirs. “On the fourth and last day of the second week, no trade took place via Chakan da Bagh. The losses to Indian traders in the past two weeks stand at nearly Rs 6 crore,” Pawan Anand, president of the Chakan da Bagh Cross-LoC Traders’ Association, told The Tribune. The trade takes place on four days every week from Tuesday to Friday. “The callous attitude of the trade authorities in Poonch district could be gauged from the fact that our counterparts in Kashmir which remains under curfew have been doing their trade smoothly via Salamabad Trade Centre in Uri while it (trade) is not taking place via Chakan da Bagh where life is normal and where there is no curfew,” said a Poonch-based trader. He said it was nothing more than a brazen instance of red-tapism. The Indian traders have been on an undeclared strike for blacklisting Poonch-based Dewan Traders and for not implementing the standard operating procedure. Three empty AK cartridges were found from the consignment of Dewan Traders sent by their counterpart in PoK. “Despite a similar instance in the recent past when contraband was found in traces from the consignment of other traders, none of them was backlisted. Why should we be blacklisted for no fault of ours?” he said.
	CRPF IG briefs Vohra on internal security Jammu, March 11 Inspector General of CRPF, Jammu, AP Maheshwari today called on Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan here today. Maheshwari briefed the Governor about the overall security situation in the area of his responsibility. The Governor discussed with Maheshwari sensitive aspects of effective internal security management in the state. This was Maheshwari’s first meeting with the Governor after he recently took over as the CRPF IG. The Governor wished him a successful tenure. Meanwhile, former legislator Ashok Sharma also called on Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan here today and raised attention to several important development-oriented issues. Sharma stressed the importance of the early establishment and empowerment of the Panchayati Raj Institutions in the state, speedy issuance of Kisan Credit Cards to farmers, provision of crop and cattle insurance to off-set the losses of farmers caused due to natural calamities and issues relating to the effective implementation of MGNREGA and PMGSY schemes. Sharma also discussed with the Governor matters relating to the measures which need to be taken up for the resolution of problems being faced by the public and issues relating to secure the growth of the state. Former legislator Ashok Sharma called on the Governor today. Sharma stressed the importance of the early establishment and empowerment of the Panchayati Raj Institutions in the state, speedy issuance of Kisan Credit Cards to farmers, provision of crop and cattle insurance to off-set the losses of farmers caused due to natural calamities and issues relating to the effective implementation of MGNREGA and PMGSY schemes.
	Army records statements in Pathribal case Tribune News Service Srinagar, March 11 Family members of civilian victims who were killed in the Pathribal “fake” encounter today appeared before the designated Army law officer to record their statements at Awantipora in south Kashmir. The Army, which is holding the general court martial proceedings in the case, had decided to record the statements of the civilian witnesses in Kashmir and the proceedings in this regards were set to begin at Awantipora on March 5. However, the proceedings at Awantipora were delayed owing to the law and order situation in the Valley. Accordingly the families of the civilian victims were summoned to appear at the Awantipora Army camp on March 11 for recording their statements. “Today, 10 people from Brari Angan and Halan villages in south Kashmir were summoned to record their statements at the Awantipora. These include my cousin Shakoor Khan, whose father Jumma Khan, was among the five victims killed in the Pathribal fake encounter,” said Shakoor’s cousin, Mohammad Hanief, who accompanied him to Awantipora. Hanief said he and relatives of other witnesses had been waiting outside the camp since morning. “My cousin Shakoor, his mother and sister went inside the camp at 11 am. It is 7 pm and they have not come out yet,” Hanief told The Tribune. After the family members of the five victims of the Pathribal fake encounter had declined to visit Nagrota in Jammu to record their statements, the Army had on March 2 said it had decided to record their statements at Awantipora.
	HC wants Chief Secy to give account of funds for Dal Lake Tribune News Service Srinagar, March 11 The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed the state Chief Secretary to file a compliance report within week about the money received and its utilisation for the preservation of the Dal Lake and other water bodies over the past three decades and the steps taken to implement a ban on the polythene. These directions were issued on Wednesday by a division Bench of the high court which is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) on the preservation and conservation of the Dal Lake. Earlier on December 11, 2012, the high court had asked the Chief Secretary to file a compliance report by the next hearing. Taking note of the violation of ban on the use of polythene in the state, the high court had also directed all the district magistrates to implement the ban in their respective districts. It had also asked the police to check the entry of polythene into the state at entry points, including the Lakhanpur toll plaza in Jammu. As the PIL came up before the division Bench of the high court comprising Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar, advocate Shah Aamir representing the state government submitted that the government would soon file the compliance report on the imposition and implementation of polythene ban. As regards the implementation of ban on polybags, Aamir further said the compliance report would be filed by the Chief Secretary on behalf of all the Deputy Commissioners as their respective reports had been received and were being compiled. He submitted that the government would also file a compliance report about the money received and spent on the conservation of the Dal Lake. After these submissions were made, the high court directed that the Chief Secretary should file his compliance report during the course of the week. He has been asked to explain the steps taken to implement the ban on polythene use and the account of money received and spent on the conservation of the Dal Lake and other water bodies over the past three decades, said a lawyer connected with the PIL.
	Extreme cold, starvation kill 22,700 sheep, goats in Changthang Yangchan Dolma Leh, March 11 Around 22,700 sheep and goats and over 100 other livestock, including horses and yak, have perished in the twin blocks of Nyoma and Durbuk of the Changthang region of Leh district in February. Not only this, 90 per cent of the pregnant sheep and goats have suffered miscarriages. The large-scale livestock losses in the region have been caused by starvation and extreme cold weather conditions. The Changthang region is still reeling under scarcity of fodder as pastures and rangelands are covered with a thick blanket of snow for the last one month. Livestock, mainly sheep and goat, are the only source of livelihood for the people of Changthang where agricultural and other allied activities are not possible due to the harsh climatic conditions. District Sheep Husbandry Officer, Leh, Dr T Murup said, “A total of 22,700 sheep and goats have died in Changthang due to starvation and extreme cold weather conditions after heavy snowfall in the first week of February.” Chief Animal Husbandry Officer, Leh, Mohammad Qayum said, “Other than sheep and goats, the actual number of the dead livestock is yet to be ascertained. Animals such as yaks graze at high pasturelands which are still inaccessible.” Nomadic areas such as Tagazung, Kharnak, Chumoor and Korzok were cut off again from the rest of the region due to heavy snowfall in the last week of February. The Leh District Sheep Husbandry Officer said, “The situation is under control and the livestock are surviving on fodder and feed. Ever since the road connectivity of the affected areas was restored, nomads started purchasing fodder from other parts of the district to save their animals from starvation and death.”
	District hospitals in Valley sans critical care ambulances Sumit Hakhoo Jammu, March 11 Even after three years, the government has failed to equip district hospitals with the critical care ambulances (CCAs), which could provide life support system to fatally injured patients, particularly accident victims while being shifted to government hospitals in Jammu or Srinagar. In 2010, after facing criticism from various social organisations over death of several accident victims whose lives could have been saved if ambulances had life support equipment, the government had announced procurement of 25 ambulances for which a fund of Rs 5 crore was approved. As per data provided by the government in the Legislative Assembly, no CCAs have been provided to any of the health institutions during 2011-12 and 2012-13. Around Rs 2.40 crore were sanctioned for the Director (Health), Jammu, and Rs 2.40 crore for Srinagar after which tenders were issued, but it got stuck in red-tapism. So far, the tenders have been cancelled 10 times. Further as per the information in the Assembly, out of 2,560 post of doctors and paramedical staff created by the government only 602 posts have been filled. “A total of 1,383 posts (348 doctors, 1,035 paramedicals were advertised) in Kashmir while 1,177 posts, (364 doctors and 813 paramedicals) were created in the Jammu region, but only 312 doctors and 290 paramedical posts have been filled,” says the data. “We need many CCAs here. There are times when a patient needs life support, but doesn’t get it. The ambulances are not equipped with any life support system,” said a senior government doctor. Most of the hospitals lack ambulance facility owing to which critically injured persons have lost their lives during the past several years. A CCA is equipped with a ventilator and a monitor who secures safe transfer of critically injured patients to other hospitals for specialised treatment. As per the present system, there are control rooms in all district hospitals of the state, but for shifting the patients only simple ambulances are available containing only a first-aid kit or oxygen cylinders.
	Valley schools counsel boys not to take part in protests Bismah Malik Tribune News Service Srinagar, March 11 Morning assemblies, which were held today at private and government schools of the Valley after 100 days of winter vacations, imparted moral lessons to boys for not indulging in stone-throwing incidents. As the Kashmir valley is limping back to normalcy amid fears of the return of the street violence, school teachers arranged for some counselling sessions with students. Teachers say imparting moral “gyaan” to students is part of their job, although there aren’t any strict orders from the higher authorities for organising such sessions. “We think it is necessary to conduct morning assemblies and give some moral lessons to students apart from academics so that no untoward incidents happen in the vicinity of schools,” said Bashir Ahmad Darzi, Principal, Sri Pratap School, Srinagar, where 3,000 boys are enrolled in the +2 level. Darzi said although there were stray stone-throwing incidents regularly in and around the school area, students were always advised to remain away from such incidents. SP School along with other Srinagar-based schools for boys have been under the scanner of the police for involvement of students in street protests which often lead to violence. However, teachers play down the claims of schools having any involvement in stone-throwing and related incidents. “Boys who are involved in stone-throwing are not students. Since our schools are centrally located, there are always apprehensions of students getting caught in stone-throwing incidents. They should not be branded as stone-throwers,” Shakir Ahmad, economics teacher at SP College said. Students of Govt Higher Secondary Boys School at Jawahar Nagar in Srinagar also went through a brief counselling session after the winter vacations. “We were told to remain present in the school regularly and concentrate on studies. Our school has been defamed by the police time and again by naming students in stone-throwing incidents. We urge Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to direct the police to not harass us all the time. This affects our morale,” said Shakir Syed, a Class XII student of Government Boys School, Jawahar Nagar.
	Guv lays emphasis on encouraging, rewarding meritorious students Tribune News Service Jammu, March 11 Governor NN Vohra today emphasised the importance of encouraging and rewarding meritorious students so that others were inspired to achieve excellence in their chosen fields of study. He was interacting with Mimansha Choudhary, first year student of BA History (Hons) at the Lady Shri Ram College for Women, New Delhi, at Raj Bhawan here today. She was invited to Raj Bhawan to be presented a laptop as a token of encouragement for her academics performance. She had scored 97.4 per cent in Class XII in 2012. She was a topper in the humanities stream in the Jammu division. Mimansha had written to the Governor that she had stood first in Class XII examination and complained that no incentives were provided to toppers in J&K unlike other states. The Governor has addressed Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, who is also the Minister for School Education, and forwarded to him Mimansha’s letter and stressed the importance of ensuring that best students in the state, particularly toppers, are recognised and encouraged to pursue higher studies.