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Terror threat to Amarnath yatra an exaggeration, says Omar
Three pilgrim registration centres to open in Jammu
Telecom towers set up along yatra routes
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Ladakh development councils seek clarity over powers
Police trainees go on the rampage in Ganderbal
Mirwaiz for Indo-Pak talks at Srinagar, Muzaffarabad
Crime Branch produces challan against 15 accused in spurious drugs case
PDP leader calls on Governor
Banihal rail route to get safety clearance in 2 days
Northern Railway fails to respond to RTI query
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Terror threat to Amarnath yatra an exaggeration, says Omar
Srinagar, June 20 “So while we will take all regular precautions with a multi-layered security grid, ‘yatra attack feared’ headlines are a gross exaggeration,” Omar tweeted a day after reports said the J&K Government had declared the yatra route “highly prone” to militant attacks. The Union Home Minister too had stated yesterday that there was a
‘terror threat’ to the Amarnath yatra. However, Omar went on to say: “In fact I asked a pointed question about whether the threats this year were higher than
the previous years and the answer was a categorical no.” He said this while referring to the Unified Headquarters meeting held here yesterday. The meeting was chaired by the Chief Minister to review security measures ahead of the Amarnath yatra. “Talk about confusion within intelligence agencies, nowhere in the UHQ meeting yesterday was a mention made of an increased threat,” Omar added. Meanwhile, chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Syed Ali Geelani, while addressing a press conference at his Hyderpora residence, said Amarnath yatris were safe and would face no security problems during the course of the pilgrimage. “For the past 150 years, people of Kashmir have been extending hospitality to the yatris and now the issue of security threat to yatris is being unnecessarily raised to defame Kashmiris,” he added. Chairman of the moderate Hurriyat faction Mirwaiz Umar Farooq too said there was no threat to the yatra. “There is no threat to the yatra. Even during the 2008 protests (Amarnath land row agitation), the yatra went on smoothly,” he said during a moderate Hurriyat seminar held here. Alleging that there was an attempt to portray a wrong picture about Kashmir in a planned way, Mirwaiz said: “Kashmiris have always welcomed yatris. There is now a growing pressure on India from the international community to de-escalate the security build-up from the civilian areas of Kashmir. But by these kinds of threat reports, a fear psychosis is being generated in the region. This is clearly a conspiracy.” What they say — Syed Ali Geelani, hardline Hurriyat leader — Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, moderate Hurriyat leader — Omar Abdullah, CM |
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Three pilgrim registration centres to open in Jammu
Jammu/Srinagar, June 20 The Inspector General of Police, Jammu zone, has said the decision not to have spot registration centres at Pahalgam and Baltal has been taken to avoid rush of unregistered pilgrims in anticipation to get the on-spot registration at Jammu and other base camps. On-the-spot registration will only be available for the dates when there are some vacancies.The police officer has advised functionaries of various departments, including Police, Traffic and Tourism, to make the pilgrims aware through public announcements, pamphlets, banners and display on LCD screens that unregistered yatris would not be allowed to undertake the yatra. Telecom towers Special towers have been erected along the yatra routes to ensure telecom connectivity for yatris ahead of the Amarnath pilgrimage. “For the convenience of pilgrims undertaking the Amarnath yatra, the Telecom Department, Government of India, has erected special towers at Baltal, Domel, Brarimarg, holy cave, Panjtarni, Sheshnag and Chandanwari to ensure that telecom connectivity is available to the yatris,” an official said. The Telecom Department has also catered for yatris who do not possess BSNL connections and those who possess mobiles with pre-paid cards which do not work in J&K. “The Telecom Department has given permission to private operators, in addition to BSNL, to provide the interested pilgrims with pre-paid SIM cards with a validity of four days,” the official added. He said this arrangement materialised after Governor NN Vohra, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), had taken up the matter with the Union Communication Ministry. |
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Telecom towers set up along yatra routes
Srinagar, June 20 “For the convenience of pilgrims undertaking the Amarnath yatra, the Telecom Department, Government of India, has erected special towers at Baltal, Domel, Brarimarg, holy cave, Panjtarni, Sheshnag and Chandanwari to ensure that telecom connectivity is available to the yatris,” an official said. The Telecom Department has also catered for yatris who do not possess BSNL connections and those who possess mobiles with pre-paid cards which do not work in J&K. “The Telecom Department has given permission to private operators, in addition to BSNL, to provide the interested pilgrims with pre-paid SIM cards with a validity of four days,” the official added. He said this arrangement materialised after Governor NN Vohra, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), had taken up the matter with the Union Communication Ministry. Chief Executive Officer of the SASB Navin K. Choudhary said such SIM cards would be made available only to the registered yatris at special counters being set up at the Nunwan and Baltal yatra base camps. These cards will be operative only for four days to cover the journey to the shrine, from either route, and will automatically deactivate thereafter. Choudhary further informed that all yatris who are interested in obtaining the pre-paid connection must produce the counterfoil of the yatra registration slip as well as proof of identity, address and the UID card at the special counters. |
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Ladakh development councils seek clarity over powers
Leh, June 20 To reach a consensus over the need of amendment in certain sections and clauses of the Act, joint meetings of the Chief Executive Councillors
of the Leh and Kargil development councils were held recently. Under the Act, the LAHDC is a local government at the district level at Leh and Kargil districts of the Ladakh region. There are 30 members in the each council, which has a mandate of executing developmental policies in the respective district. While 26 of the council’s members are elected for five years terms, four members are nominated by the ruling parties at the state level from the principal minorities within the district. The LAHDC wants amendment of Section 33 of the 6th chapter of the Act regarding the powers of the Chief Executive Councillor. The councillors want statutory power to supervise and control district level employees posted in their district. Leh LAHDC Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) Rigzin Spalbar said, “Although the Act has a provision of supervision and control of the employees, there is a lack of clarity over how to exercise supervision and control. We have been demanding clarity over it for many years but now, both LAHDCs have joined hands to voice the issue.” He said, “The LAHDC is also seeking amendment in the Act so that there is a separate chief executive officer (CEO) for implementing the policies of the the LAHDC. Presently, the duties of the CEO is performed by the Deputy Commissioner, who is already overburdened with the execution of law
and order and other collector works.” Ever since the LAHDC was constituted in 1996, several amendments in the Act have been made. These include the uplift of the status of the CEC and executive councillors to that of cabinet rank minister and deputy minister, respectively, within
the district. To discuss the amendments and other demands with the government, a joint letter of both the CECs has been sent to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The CECs have urged Omar to convene a meeting of the LAHDCs, state ministries and Ladakh representatives concerned at Srinagar. Spalbar also said the demand of a separate division and a police range for Ladakh would also be put forward in the meeting. To address disagreements between the two councils, the LAHDCs will also urge the government to form an inter-district advisory council, the provision of which is already there in the Act. |
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Police trainees go on the rampage in Ganderbal
Srinagar, June 20 The police said a probe will be held to look into what led to the “minor incident”. Sources said over 700 cadets who had completed their course a few months back at the school in Manigam, about 30 km from Srinagar, were angry over the delay in their passing out parade. The cadets went on the rampage after they were told on Wednesday to report for deployment in the annual Amarnath yatra beginning June 28. “They protested the move and said they had been waiting for the passing out parade for the past six months and the department was doing nothing for them. Some angry cadets among them went on the rampage and damaged window panes of the canteen and some barracks on the school premises,” said a source. They later marched towards the Srinagar-Leh road and blocked the highway, sources said. The protesters raised slogans against the police top brass and accused them of delaying the passing out parade. They rued that they had completed their course a few months ago and had been requesting the authorities to organise the passing out parade. The protesters said the authorities were not addressing their grievances and instead, were sending them on various duties. However, the sources said the protesters were not carrying any arms.They said some of the cadets were from the old city locality and were recruited in the J&K police during some government drives in the past few years. As the news about the protest spread, senior police and civil officials rushed to Ganderbal to pacify the protesters. The situation was later controlled and the cadets returned to the school. “The cadets were assured that their passing out parade will be held and they have also agreed to go for the assigned duty,” said a senior police officer. “The passing out parade of these boys was due and it will happen very shortly. The Kashmir IGP and DIG went to the school today to talk to these cadets and assured them that their problems would be solved. We will definitely look into the matter to determine what led to the minor incident,” Additional Director General of Police Dr SP Vaid told the Tribune. A case has been registered against unidentified cadets. |
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Repeal AFSPA for credible democratic set-up: Mufti
Srinagar, June 20 Addressing party office-bearers from the Srinagar parliamentary constituency, Mufti said democratic space could no longer be squeezed for security concerns. “It is important that security concerns are addressed but not without providing full democratic space to the people where they could run their civil institutions without someone having to breathe down their neck,” he observed. Mufti said restoration of all human rights by revoking emergency laws are not just slogans for the PDP but a necessity for bringing the people of the state back from a deep-seated sense of injustice, deprivation and alienation. “Rolling back legislations like AFSPA is inescapable and the PDP has from the very beginning delivered on this front with credit,” he said. Mufti recalled he had taken up the revocation of AFSPA with the Prime Minister and to review the law, a high-level committee was constituted by the Central Government in 2007 on his initiative. “But subsequent events resulted in a logjam like most other initiatives that were taken by the PDP-Congress government,” he said and regretted this important issue had now been reduced to a mere slogan to hide failure on the governance front. Questioning the wisdom of asking the security forces to prevent recourse of educated youth to join armed resistance, Mufti said it would signify failure of the political leadership. “The youth are clearly alienated for a variety of reasons that include police repression, injustice, scandalous employment policy and muzzling of dissent by the government” said Mufti while appealing young people to strengthen democratic process and secure empowerment through the system.
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Mirwaiz for Indo-Pak talks at Srinagar, Muzaffarabad
Srinagar, June 20 The Hurriyat leader also welcomed talks between the Afghan Taliban and the US in Qatar and termed Kashmir one of the “links in the Afghan mystery”, while urging the international community to devise a “comprehensive” policy for the region. Mirwaiz was speaking in a seminar organised by his party Awami Action Committee (AAC) as part of
its 49th founding yea here today. “Let there be summit-level talks between the leadership of both countries. Let prime ministers of Indian and Pakistan first meet in Srinagar and then at Muzaffarabad and start a new process aimed at finding a resolution to the vexed issue of Kashmir,” Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz said. The Hurriyat was the first to welcome the Kashmir-specific confidence-building measures (CBMs), despite threats and internal opposition, he said, adding that the peace process between the two countries was “currently stalled”, and needed to be “revived.” He also called for addressing “human dimension” of the Kashmir issue along with its political dimension. A “conducive atmosphere” for talks had to be first prepared by India for moving forward. He said “trade, visa and cultural links” had failed to break the ice between the two countries and the whole peace process was “back to square one” due to recent skirmishes at the LoC between Indian and Pakistani troops. “It has proved that without resolving Kashmir, the two countries cannot embark on the path to peace and friendship”, he said while seeking to link the increased defence budget spending in India and Pakistan with “unresolved” Kashmir. Terming elections and the “electoral process” as an administrative affair, Mirwaiz said these could not be an “alternative to the right to self determination”. He added that “mere administrative reshuffle” could not solve the Kashmir “dispute.” Mirwaiz also welcomed talks between Afghan Taliban and America in Qatar, saying “Kashmir is another link of Afghan mystery” and urged the international community, including US, China and Britain, to “evolve a comprehensive policy” for bringing “peace and stability” in the region, including Kashmir. |
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Crime Branch produces challan against 15 accused in spurious drugs case
Jammu, June 20 An FIR was registered against Jammu Government Medical College principal Dr Aniece Choudhary, one Ashok Kumar Raina and others at Police Station Crime Branch, Jammu, in connection with the supply of spurious drugs to various government health institutions of the state. The investigation of the case was directly being supervised by the Inspector General of Police, state Crime Branch. The case was registered on the basis of an inquiry report of a committee constituted by the government with regard to the supply of a spurious drug, ‘Maximizin-625 mg’ tablet (Amoxicillin Trihydrate IP and Potassium Clavulanate Diluted IP). The inquiry conducted by the committee revealed that Lifeline Pharmaco Surgicals had applied for tenders floated by the government for the supply of various drugs, including Maximizin-625 mg tablets. The firm had quoted the rate of Rs 428.40 for 100 tablets (10 strips of 10 tablets each) manufactured by Medley Pharmaceuticals Ltd. The firm had submitted various documents, including an authorisation certificate purportedly issued by Medley Pharmaceuticals Ltd with the tender documents. The rate quoted by Lifeline Pharmaco Surgicals was found to be the lowest by the purchase committee-II, constituted by the government, and accordingly, the order was issued in the favour of the supplier firm for the supply of 2,65,000 tablets of Maximizin-625 mg. The same were supplied by the supplier along with an in-house testing/analytical report purportedly generated by AFFY Parenterals, showing the number of tablets manufactured to be 2,50,000. However, the quantity of tablets supplied under the same batch no. was 2,65,000. It also came to fore that Medley Pharmaceuticals Ltd had not issued any authorisation to Lifeline Pharmaco Surgicals and that the proprietors of the latter firm had entered into the tendering process by producing fake and fabricated authorisation certificates/reports of the original manufacturer. The inquiry revealed that the firm had supplied spurious drugs in connivance with the officials of the purchase committee-II who, without verifying the tender documents and credentials of the supplier, approved the rate contract by abusing their official position. In the case, offences have also been established against four others, including Dr Madhu Khullar, Director Health services. However, a challan against them could not be filed due to want of a government sanction as these are government employees. The matter has been taken up with the government. Departmental action has also been recommended against members of the verification boards constituted by various units, on account of some lapses on their part. The court has listed the matter for June 29 for further proceedings. |
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PDP leader calls on Governor
Srinagar, June 20 Bukhari felicitated the Governor on his appointment for the second term, an official said in a statement issued here. “During the meeting, Bukhari discussed with the Governor several issues concerning the growth and development of the state, particularly the area (Sangrama in Baramulla district) he represents in the Legislative Assembly,” the official stated. |
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Banihal rail route to get safety clearance in 2 days
Srinagar, June 20 The two-day inspection of the track began on June 18 from Banhial in Ramban district of Jammu to Qazigund in Kulgam district of south Kashmir. The route is to be inaugurated from Banihal on June 26 by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. — TNS |
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Northern Railway fails to respond to RTI query
Jammu, June 20 The RTI activist who sought the response suspects that the refusal could be to avoid an embarrassing situation ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s inauguration of the Qazigund-Banihal tunnel on June 26. The RTI query had been posed to the Law-cum-Public Information Officer, Northern Railway, on April 11, 2013, seeking information on execution of work, delays and reasons thereof, cost overrun and method of allotting works to various construction companies on the Udhampur-Katra, Katra-Qazigund-Baramulla rail link. The RTI application also sought information on the survey and agencies involved in the rail project besides the initial estimates and the actual cost incurred. After not getting any reply from the Northern Railway information cell after the lapse of the prescribed time limit (30 days) in the RTI Act, the activist wrote to the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC), New Delhi, but from there too “no information has been provided as yet.” The RTI activist, requesting anonymity, said: “I think the only reason for the delay might be the visit of the Prime Minister to the state for the inauguration of Banihal-Qazigund rail link. The Railways does not want to create embarrassment by giving details on this project, which has shot many deadlines and massively overrun the estimated costs without anybody knowing the reasons.” Incidentally, the Divisional Commissioner of Jammu, Pradeep Gupta, in the presence of railway officials last year had announced that Udhampur-Katra rail link would open in March 2013 after missing various deadlines. Though the work on Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link began in 1994, progress on it was made only after it was declared a national project in 2002. The earlier scheduled date of completion was August 15, 2007. But now the project is scheduled to be completed “by 2017 at the earliest.”
Info sought on baramulla rail link
The RTI query on the Jammu-Baramulla railway track had been posed to Northern Railway, on April 11, 2013, seeking information on execution of work, delays and reasons thereof, cost overrun and method of allotting works to various construction companies on the Udhampur-Katra, Katra-Qazigund-Baramulla rail link |
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Jammu/Srinagar, June 20
With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arriving in Kashmir on June 25, the moderate Hurriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today proposed summit-level talks between the prime ministers of India and Pakistan at Srinagar and Muzaffarabad for making a “new beginning” over Kashmir.
Srinagar, June 20
For the past 150 years, people of Kashmir have been extending hospitality to the yatris and now the issue of security threat to yatris is being unnecessarily raised to defame Kashmiris 
There is now a growing pressure on India from the international community to de-escalate the security build-up from the civilian areas of Kashmir. But by these kinds of threat reports, a fear psychosis is being generated in the region. This is clearly a conspiracy 
So while we will take all regular precautions with a multi-layered security grid, ‘yatra attack feared’ headlines are a gross exaggeration.... I asked a pointed question (Unified Headquarters meeting) about whether the threats this year were higher than the previous years and the answer was a categorical no