Baltal route opened for pilgrims
SRINAGAR, July 18 — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to throw open the Baltal route for pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath, beginning in the upper reaches of Pahalgam next week.

Remain united, YNC urges people
JAMMU, July 18 — The Youth National Conference has cautioned people against the separatist elements' bid to divide the people on communal lines after Pakistan faced a major defeat, militarily and diplomatically, in Kargil.

Gen tells medicos to update knowledge
JAMMU, July 18 — Lt Gen R. Jayswal, Director-General, Armed Forces Medical Services, stressed upon the medicos to keep abreast with the new techniques being introduced in the medical services.

Baltal route opened for pilgrims
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, July 18 — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to throw open the Baltal route for pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath, beginning in the upper reaches of Pahalgam next week. This will be in addition to the traditional Pahalgam-Panjtarni trek for the annual pilgrimage scheduled from July 21 to August 27.

There will be no advance booking for pilgrims going via the Sonmarg-Baltak route, since the decision to throw open this route was taken by the government yesterday.

Baltal is about 100 km from Srinagar on the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh National Highway. The six-hour-long trek from Baltal to the holy cave enables most of the pilgrims to return to Srinagar within a day's time. But the traditional route of Pahalgam-Sheshnag-Panjtarni is taken by a majority of the pilgrims coming from outside the state. Last year at least 40,000 pilgrims out of a total of about 1.50 lakh had visited the holy cave shrine via the Sonmarg-Baltal route.

Since advance registration of Amarnath pilgrims has already started at various state capitals in the country, those taking the Sonmarg-Baltal route will have to go in for current registration at the Tourist Reception Centre in Srinagar.

The first batch of pilgrims will leave Jammu for Pahalgam on July 21 to reach the holy cave on July 24.

JAMMU (TNS): Despite the paucity of security forces the 42-km-long track from Pahalgam to the 13500-foot-high holy cave and the surrounding areas have been combed by the state police and paramilitary forces. The 292-km route between Jammu and Pahalgam has been divided into two main sectors for security purposes.

Security pickets have been established at various points on the highway between Jammu and Pahalgam. Police and paramilitary personnel have carried out search operations in the hilly belts on both sides of the Jammu-Srinagar highway from Batote to Banihal.

The state government has also requested the Army authorities to make available at least 10 to 20 companies of troops to ensure adequate security in the entire area around the holy cave.

Remain united, YNC urges people
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, July 18 — The Youth National Conference (YNC) has cautioned people against the separatist elements' bid to divide the people on communal lines after Pakistan faced a major defeat, militarily and diplomatically, in Kargil.

At a public convention held here yesterday it gave a call to the people in Jammu and Kashmir and other states to remain united.

Mr Harbans Singh, Provincial President, presided over the convention where tributes were paid to the Kargil martyrs. Mr Chander Mohan Sharma Youth National Conference leader, and several senior ruling party leaders, including Mr Janak Raj Gupta, also spoke on the occasion.

Valley prays for rain
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, July 18 — Thousands offered special prayers here today seeking divine help for rain. Kashmir valley has been reeling under a long dry spell leading to a drinking water shortage and damage to the standing paddy crops.

Former chairman of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC), Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq led the prayers at Idgah here this morning. Such prayers were also held at other district headquarters and major towns in the valley on the appeal made by the Mirwaiz.

Experts believe that environmental degradation during the past decade has contributed to the dry weather. The past winter was also marked by low snowfall. Less of snow in the high mountains has also led to a fall in the water level of rivers and streams in the valley. This has also caused a power shortage in the valley which, for the first time in the past-decades, witnessed load shedding during daylight hours. There is a daily power cut of three hours in the morning. There are also unscheduled power cuts. A three-hour cut in power supply every night during the past several months was stopped recently.

Residents of the city and other areas in the valley also face an acute drinking water shortage as a scheduled cut in water supply is also implemented. "This is to ensure fair distribution of drinking water to the public", said a senior functionary of the Department of Public Health Engineering (PHE). At least 66 water tankers have been pressed into service to provide drinking water.

The paddy crop has also suffered due to the shortage of water in irrigation channels.

Gen tells medicos to update knowledge
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, July 18 — Lt Gen R. Jayswal, Director-General, Armed Forces Medical Services, stressed upon the medicos to keep abreast with the new techniques being introduced in the medical services.

The General was speaking to them during his visit to Military Hospital here yesterday.

He said major medical establishments were being equipped with the most sophisticated equipment which were to be handled carefully. They needed to update their knowledge and expertise.

General Jayswal expressed satisfaction over their role in rendering treatment to the wounded soldiers brought to this hospital from Kargil. They had to work round the clock in looking after them. He said he expected them to continue this till were fully recovered.

He advised the medicos to be polite to the patients and develop a rapport with them.

He further said about 60 lakh ex-servicemen were dependent on the Army medical services which needed more resources and manpower.

Later, he visited the injured soldiers being treated at the hospital and enquired after their well-being. Air Vice-Marshal N.S. Amaresh, Senior Consultant, Surgery, Army Headquarters, accompanied the General.

Earlier, on his arrival he was received by Brig R.P. Singh, Commandant, Military Hospital, Jammu.