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Measures afoot to draft action plan for 2014 Amarnath yatra
Collapse of ceasefire pact on Line of Control?
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Mufti urges PM to resume dialogue with Pakistan
Governor, Lt Gen Chachra discuss security
Pak fires on Indian posts in Poonch
Northern Command chief on 4-day visit to Valley
Nexus between police, rioters: BJP
Zubin concert to be new experience for Valley’s Sufi music lovers
File report on steps taken to remove encroachments along Sindh: HC
J&K plans to have country’s first all-woman Krishi Kendra
Pasteurisation plant to boost dairy farming in Leh
Kishtwar riots part of new terrorism strategy: Civil society
Gool killings: No action yet against culprits
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Measures afoot to draft action plan for 2014 Amarnath yatra
Srinagar, August 25 In the post-yatra review meeting held here two days after the pilgrimage concluded on August 21, Governor NN Vohra, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), asked for the drafting of action plans for the Amarnath yatra-2014. As the review meeting was held to get the feedback from different quarters for further improvement of the yatra, SASB CEO Navin K Choudhary was asked to initiate action for drafting camp-wise and route-wise action plans. An official said the action plans would be formed in a time-bound manner and cover the scope of improvement of medicare, water and power supply, sanitation, environment protection, accommodation and all other facilities regarding the yatra. The review meeting also discussed measures to bring further improvement in the existing system of registration of yatris and assess control measures at the the Chandanwari and Domel access control gates and operation of helicopter services. Besides keeping a check on unregistered pilgrims, this year the SASB had strictly enforced the rule that made it mandatory for a yatri to produce a health certificate before embarking on the pilgrimage. This measure brought down the pilgrim casualty count. Thirteen yatris died during this year’s pilgrimage as compared to 93 last year and 106 in 2011. The CEO said the SASB would continue to take steps against loss of lives due to medical reasons by further enlarging the awareness campaign to deter those who are medically unfit from undertaking the yatra. Several participants also came forward with their suggestions during the meeting that was attended by Minister for Forests and Environment Mian Altaf Ahmad, Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, 15 Corps GOC Lt Gen. Gurmit Singh and Director General of Police Ashok Prasad among others. The Forest Minister suggested bringing further improvement in the telecommunication facilities on both routes of the yatra, which he said would strengthen disaster management measures. This year’s yatra by and large passed off smoothly barring a few slight disruptions caused by weather conditions and the communal tension in the Jammu region that had led to the suspension of traffic on the national highway. As many as 3.54 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine of Lord Shiva situated at a height of 3,880 metres in the south Kashmir Himalayas. Last year, 6.21 lakh yatris had performed the pilgrimage. The SASB CEO had stated that among the several factors that led to the dip in the number of Amarnath yatris was the Uttarakhand disaster, following which tourist and pilgrim traffic to all hilly states witnessed a sharp decline. He also pointed out that the Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage had also been affected. This year, the number of yatris was about 7 lakh less as compared to the corresponding period last year. As the smooth conduct of the Amarnath yatra was made possible due to the coordination among the state administration, security forces, SASB and several state government departments and agencies besides local stakeholders involved in the management of the pilgrimage, the Governor conveyed his thanks to all during the review meeting. Pilgrims’ progress
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on the frontline
Once again, conflict is raging between the Indian and Pakistani armies on the Line of Control (LoC). This is quite often called the de facto border between the two neighbouring countries. The Pakistan army has resorted to unprovoked firing and shelling on the Indian villages and the Indian Army has to respond to such provocations in a befitting manner to defend its territory and civilians.
The two countries had sprung a surprise, a pleasant one, when they agreed to silence guns on borders. The beginning was made on the auspicious day of Eid-ul-Fitr (November 26, 2003). Instantly, the spirit of the ceasefire spread from Kathua to Kargil and also to the Siachen Glacier, the highest battleground of the world. That spirit has collapsed. The statistics that present a gruesome picture are not enough to sum up the losses and the psychological and physical wounds that this violation of the ceasefire by Pakistan has caused. The ceasefire, which was agreed to 10 years ago, is nowhere in sight. Horrific figures of 85 ceasefire violations and loss of nine Indian soldiers this year so far do not augur well. The Indian Army was provoked to retaliate and the Pakistani forces might have suffered some losses in the retaliatory fire. What occurs on the LoC has become a major concern for the security of the people and has brought about the possibility of a limited war. That is a speculation at the moment but it has come to haunt the population living on the borders. They know what firing and shelling means: not to venture out of their houses, not to tend their fields. The worst possibility of fleeing their homes and seeking shelter in migrant camps has been crossing their minds. They have experienced it all since 1997, when Pakistan escalated tension along the borders that uprooted thousands of villagers from Jammu and Ladakh regions and Uri and Keran in the Kashmir valley. Strategists have attributed the killing of five Indian soldiers by Pakistan soldiers on August 6 and the subsequent shelling on Indian villages along the LoC to the internal situation in Pakistan for which a tag of a failed state is an understatement. It has clearly shown that Pakistan’s elected government has no control over its army and the Inter-Services Intelligence, or it is hand in glove with the Pakistan army. The army in Pakistan has not liked the idea of India and Pakistan resuming composite dialogue covering all issues, including Jammu and Kashmir. The Pakistan army is doing all this to raise tension on the borderline and push more infiltrators into this side of the LoC to raise the temperature within the Valley and other parts of the state. The kind of encounters that have taken place in the Valley are a striking evidence of that. Pakistan has even activated violations in the Kargil sector where the guns had fallen silent after the Pakistanis were made to retreat from the Indian territory in 1999. This is combined with its politically motivated diplomatic campaign to drag the United Nations Military Observers’ Group for India and Pakistan into a supervisory role. India doesn’t recognise the UNMOGIP. More importantly, Pakistan is trying to convince the Americans that its eastern frontiers are hot and, therefore, it would be difficult to maintain peace on the western frontiers with Afghanistan. It wants to have its cake and eat it too. The Pakistan establishment wants an in-depth role in Afghanistan through its proxy Taliban and at the same time engage Indian troops on its eastern borders to keep the Kashmir issue alive. Within Jammu and Kashmir, the ceasefire violations and the violence on the LoC mean that the separatist forces would gain an upper hand and dictate terms. Other forces have exhibited their helplessness before the separatists on several occasions in the past. |
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Mufti urges PM to resume dialogue with Pakistan
Srinagar, August 25 “I hope that Manmohan Singh and Nawaz Sharif overcome the difficulties created by hawkish elements in both countries. I urge Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to go ahead with the possible talks with his Pakistani counterpart in Washington during the upcoming UN meet,” said Mufti while addressing a press conference in Srinagar today. He said the escalated tension along the Line of Control had caused a deep worry in J&K. He called for an immediate end to the border hostilities. “War is no solution to any problem. The only way out is a dialogue and the Indian and Pakistani prime ministers should discuss in New York about averting an armed conflict and carrying forward the peace process built with tremendous contributions by both. Let Washington meeting be a new milestone in statesmanship,” the former Chief Minister said. Mufti said Nawaz Sharif had won the elections with a decisive majority on the promise of peace with India and Manmohan Singh should not spur the dialogue offer. “It was for the first time that elections in that country (Pakistan) were fought on the issue of peace rather than war with India. Should we overlook this exciting development and the immense opportunities of peace and growth it offers, we will be failing our people, denying them a more secure future and perhaps missing a historic moment,” he said. “The prime ministers, Manmohan Singh and Nawaz Sharif, have personally invested a great deal in peace and it will be a tragedy, if they fail to tap the potential and urge for reconciliation,” he said. Hitting out at the BJP for adopting a hawkish strategy over the border skirmishes, the PDP patron said it was the BJP which had started reconciliation with Pakistan. “Let me remind the BJP that its leaders had shown statesmanship after the Kargil war and Parliament attack and that is a glorious part of our history. What will we achieve by a fresh bout of destruction?” he asked. He said, “They (BJP) are doing no service to the great legacy their leader, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has established. In pursuit of votes and power, no party should seek to throw the country into another war.” War is no solution to any problem. The only way out is a dialogue and the Indian and Pakistani prime ministers should discuss in New York about averting an armed conflict and carrying forward the peace process built with tremendous contributions by both. Let Washington meeting be a new milestone in statesmanship |
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Governor, Lt Gen Chachra discuss security
Srinagar, August 25 The Governor and the Northern Command chief, as per an official statement, discussed issues relating to internal security management in three regions of the state. “Lt General Chachra also briefed the Governor about matters relating to external security management, both along the Line of Control (LoC) and the Line of Actual Control, the continuing attempts of infiltration from across the LoC and consequential concerns,” the statement said. Lt Gen Gurmit Singh, Srinagar-based Chinar Corps Commander, was also present at the meeting. |
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Pak fires on Indian posts in Poonch
Jammu, August 25 “In the Balakote sector, Pakistan army violated the ceasefire around 7.10 pm yesterday, which continued till 10.30 pm, in which Pakistani army fired from small arms and automatic weapons. Pakistan also opened fire from heavy calibre weapons,” said Col RK Palta, defence spokesperson, Jammu. He said the Indian Army retaliated effectively. |
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Northern Command chief on 4-day visit to Valley
Srinagar, August 25 A defence spokesman in Srinagar said the Northern Command chief arrived here today to take stock of the security situation in the Valley. The visit assumes importance in the backdrop of the increased infiltration attempts by militants from across the Line of Control (LoC) and the ongoing ceasefire violations. The GOC-in-C Northern Command along with Srinagar-based Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen Gurmit Singh visited the Rashtriya Rifles sector headquarters in the hinterland. “The Northern Command chief was briefed on the prevailing security scenario in his area of responsibility. They (GOC-in-C and Chinar Corps Commander) were also briefed on the successful completion of the Amarnath yatra. He complimented and congratulated the high level of synergy between the Army, CRPF and the state police which resulted in the peaceful conduct of the yatra,” the spokesman said. Lt General Chachra is scheduled to visit the forward areas and review the security situation along the LoC in the next three days. |
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Nexus between police, rioters: BJP
Jammu, August 25 The party also said it will prepare a “factual report” on the violence to expose the coalition government headed by Omar Abdullah. The BJP had formed a two-member fact-finding team, which included general secretary (organisation) Ashok Koul and former MLA and state general secretary Bali Bhagat, who is also a native of Kishtwar, to know the reasons behind the August 9 communal clashes. The team reached Kishtwar on Friday and interacted with different sections of the society in general and riot victims in particular. “People have provided us vital clues about the riots that would be helpful in future to single out the real culprits, who had hatched the conspiracy in connivance with some local police officers to attack the minority community,” Bhagat told The Tribune. They have collected some vital evidences that negate state government’s claim that the riots resulted because of the altercation between some individuals, he said. “These evidences are going to expose the state government,” Bhagat added. Pointing out to the seizure of a JCB machine (earth mover), which was allegedly used to raze the shops of the minority community, Bhagat said it was a “self speaking” evidence of the lawlessness during the riots. The BJP leader said the “factual report” would be presented to the party high command, so as to bring the same before the Union Government. “The local administration is trying to hide the truth, so we have decided to prepare the ground report,” Bhagat said. Meanwhile, Koul along with local BJP leaders visited Paddar and Gulabgarh areas of Kishtwar and interacted with the inhabitants there. The team is likely to visit Doda and Bhaderwah areas to hold interaction with the cadre there. |
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Zubin concert to be new experience for Valley’s Sufi music lovers
Srinagar, August 25 The Kashmir valley boasts of a rich music history, predominantly Sufi music. Pop and Bollywood numbers are also popular here. As for the soft instrumental “orchestra music”, only few Kashmiris know about it. Local musicians say western classical music is yet to make inroads into the Valley, and the Zubin Mehta concert is likely to broaden Kashmiris’ taste in music. “The youth are fond of western pop and rock music. Recently, the hip hop tracks from the West have caught the fancy of youth. Kashmiris are oblivious to the orchestra music which is generally performed at concerts and operas (musical dramas) in the West,” said Qaisar Nizami, Valley’s popular ghazal singer and music composer. Nizami said although the concert was a good initiative, Kashmiris may not be able to relate to the music Mehta composes. “It will be a new experience for the people here surely. We are not used to listening soft instrument ensemble music like Europeans. The local Sufi music and the film songs which are popular here are with lyrics,” Nizami said. He said it was an irony that the state government was yet to invite prominent musicians of the Valley to the concert which would be attended by 1,500 people. “We would have loved to introduce Sufiyana Kalam (Kashmiri folk music) to Mehta, but the state government is yet to extend the invitation to musicians,” he said. Syed Shakeel Shan, an instrumentalist, said the Valley was used to high-tempo music and the concert would be a refreshing change. “Our taste in music will be rejuvenated. Music is now becoming universal in nature by combination of various genres,” Shan said. Local musicians say western classical music is yet to make inroads into the Valley, and the Zubin Mehta concert is likely to broaden Kashmiris’ taste in music
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File report on steps taken to remove encroachments along Sindh: HC
Srinagar, August 25 These directions were issued by a Division Bench of the high court in a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Qazi Rashid Shams, seeking removal of illegal structures and constructions along the banks of the Sindh in the district. On August 21, while expressing its dismay over non-seriousness of the authorities concerned about removing encroachments along the river, the high court had directed the authorities concerned to file their status report with regard to the demolition of illegal structures and encroachments along the banks of the Sindh in Ganderbal district within two days. However, as the matter came up again before the Bench this week on Friday, advocate general MI Qadri representing the state government submitted that the authorities had already undertaken demolition drive along the banks of the river in Ganderbal district. He, however, sought time to file the action taken report by the authorities, which was granted by the court. While granting time, the court in its orders directed the authorities concerned to file the action taken report by August 29, when the matter has been fixed for hearing again. On July 10, the high court had also asked the Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC), who is the in charge of the areas along the banks of the river, to remove the illegal structures and directed him to file a status report in this regard within six weeks. In his status report filed last week, the Chief Engineer, I&FC, had, however, submitted that his department was facing problems in carrying out its mandate with regard to the protection of the Sindh. He had further submitted that no definite limits for restricting any construction on the banks of the water bodies had been defined in the J&K Water Resources (Regulation and Management) Act, 2010, nor had any directions been provided by the high court in this regard, as had been issued by the high court in respect of the Dal Lake and the Lidder river. He had further submitted that no records with respect to the exact banks of the Sindh were available with the department and the same had been sought from the Revenue Department authorities in 2011. Earlier, a court appointed commission in its inspection report had pointed out many illegal constructions and structures, which have come up along the banks of the Sindh in recent times. The report, which was submitted to the high court on May 4 in 2012, had said that many such structures, including hotels, were reportedly owned by influential people. |
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J&K plans to have country’s first all-woman Krishi Kendra
Srinagar, August 25 “After posting a woman scientist, Afifa Kamili, (who is also the Director, Extension Education, SKUAST-K) as the head of the KVK, we will appoint women staff, including scientists, at the KVK. If all goes according to the plan, we will soon become the first state in the country to have an all-woman KVK,” said Vice-Chancellor of SKUAST-K Tej Pratap. The Vice-Chancellor said though a large number of women were associated with farming in the Kashmir region, they would never approach scientists or KVKs for any help or assistance. “Women farmers are shy and usually don’t seek any scientific advice on problems being faced by them during various agriculture activities. The all-woman KVK will try to overcome their shyness and importantly make women farmers comfortable to get the required information,” the VC said. Experts said not only the farmers but also the women agriculture scientists, who were few in number, would benefit from the upcoming all-woman KVK. “It will also develop leadership among women scientists,” said Dr Hafiza Ahsan, professor, Harvest Technology, SKUAST-K, Srinagar. Hafiza is among the first women agriculture scientists of the Valley. The KVK, also called the frontline transfer of technology or extension system in the country, is an institutional project of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research to demonstrate the application of science and technology input of agricultural research and education on farmers field and in rural areas with the help of multidisciplinary team of scientists. Eighteen KVKs which are functional in the state have been imparting training to farmers, farm women, rural youth and grass-roots level extension workers. “The aim of the KVKs is to provide critical skills to farmers so that they use it on their farms to increase the agricultural productivity and become economically self-reliant through gainful self-employment,” said another scientist. |
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Pasteurisation plant to boost dairy farming in Leh
Leh, August 25 The pasteurisation plant, which has come up at a cost of Rs 1.30 crore, has been financed by the Centre under the special task force. To look in to the infrastructural development need of the Ladakh region, the special task force was formed in 2010. The minister said with the installation of the pasteurisation plant, dairy farming would get a boost in the region. |
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Kishtwar riots part of new terrorism strategy: Civil society
Jammu, August 25 The panelists in the seminar, organised by the J&K Civil Society, included Member of Legislative Assembly, Ashwani Sharma, Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party (JKNPP) leader and MLA, Balwant Singh Mankotia and BJP state chief spokesperson and columnist, Dr. Jitendra Singh. Others, who participated in the debate, included Prof. R L Kaul, an expert on Kashmir, Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo from Panun Kashmir, Deeneshwar Singh Jamwal and Virender Raina. The speakers observed that Kishtwar riots were part of the new strategy of “agitational terrorism” being adopted by those who have been giving directions to the terrorists from across the border. They observed that the new strategy has been put in place to terrorise the minorities of the area, who have not fled their homes despite number of carnages. The speakers expressed their shock and dismay at the violence perpetrated on the hapless minority community in Kishtwar. They said that the systematic manner in which the shops, houses and other properties of the minority community were burnt and vandalised was a reminiscent of the happenings of 1931 in Kashmir. The minorities of Kashmir were similarly subjected to violence and mayhem on a large scale, leaving behind a trail of death and destruction, speakers said while pointing out at the happenings of 1931. The same day was later officially designated as the martyrs’ day, adding insult to the injury of the minority, they claimed. The so called martyrs’ day was thrust upon the people of Jammu and Ladakh regions, who have painful memories of this day, they said. The speakers alleged that Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo, the Minister of state for Home, who was camping in Kishtwar when the riots took place, instead of acting against the perpetrators watched the carnage as a mute spectator. They were also critical of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, saying that he tried to convince the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha that there were losses and injuries on both the sides. Omar Abdullah simply justified what he should have condemned and controlled, they said. Meanwhile, a resolution was moved for the formation of a five-member civil society delegation to visit Kishtwar for an on the spot assessment of situation and to know the exact course of events that took place on the fateful day. The resolution was passed by a voice vote. However, the date of the visit was not finalised. |
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Gool killings: No action yet against culprits
Jammu, August 25 Soon after the incident, the government had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the firing incident and removed the BSF camp from Dharam village of Gool tehsil where the firing incident occurred, but so far the report hasn’t been made public. “We had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the case and there is no need for going for a judicial inquiry. I am not aware of the findings of the magisterial probe and will try to get information from my office on Monday,” said Mir Saifullah, Minister for Law. — TNS
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Srinagar, August 25
Srinagar, August 25
Srinagar, August 25
