J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Empty "shikaras" lined up on Dal Lake as a jawan keeps guard.
— Photo Amin War

Lean time for ‘shikarawallahs’
SRINAGAR: "Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya" reads a signboard at the head of a "shikara" (small boat) in a long row of boats used to ferry visitors across Dal Lake here. The inscription depicts the fate of the shikarawallahs, who are longing once again for the flow of tourists to the valley. At this time of the year they used to be busy ferrying tourists from the western states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Farmers hasten harvest
R.S. PORA (Jammu) — May 1 — Farmers have engaged labourers from Bihar to complete wheat harvesting as early as possible because they are not sure when the Pakistan guns will roar.

Lean time for ‘shikarawallahs’
From Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR: "Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya" reads a signboard at the head of a "shikara" (small boat) in a long row of boats used to ferry visitors across Dal Lake here. The inscription depicts the fate of the shikarawallahs, who are longing once again for the flow of tourists to the valley. At this time of the year they used to be busy ferrying tourists from the western states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The March 20 carnage in Chitti Singhpora village of Anantnag district seems to have cast its shadow on the flow of tourists into the valley. Last year witnessed a heavy rush of tourists in and around Dal Lake, Pahalgam and Gulmarg during April. But the Kargil incident scared tourists by the end of May.

According to Sheikh Nissar Ahmad, Director of Tourism, the killing of 35 Sikhs at Chitti Singhpora "temporarily affected the flow of tourists". The number of tourists who visited the valley from January to April last year is almost equal to those who visited Kashmir by the middle of April this year, he adds. Last year 8,518 tourists, including 2,700 foreigners, arrived between January and March, while this year 7,115 tourists, including 1,562 foreigners, visited the valley during the corresponding period, the data available revealed. A rough estimate revealed that more than 8,500 tourists had already arrived in the valley by the middle of April.

But, the houseboats, hotels and roadside dhabas around Dal Lake here are craving for more tourists. "We do not have any work, thus no income", said Manzoor Ahmad a shikarawalla at Nehru Park on the lake here. At this time last year, there was a heavy rush of tourists and there was no space available in hotels and houseboats. "Many tourists had to lay ‘phattas’ on pavements on the road at Nehru Park last year, as there was no accommodation available in hotels and houseboats around", said Manzoor. "Last year it was due to Kargil that the tourists rushed back and this year the killing of 35 Sikhs at Chitti Singhpora kept many tourists away", he adds. The "shikarawallahs" say that there is hope of arrival of tourists after the schools in northern parts of the country close down from May 1.

"It is not like last year this season. We have only occasional visitors and business groups", said Nissar Ahmad at a hotel on Boulevard Road along the lake. His parties include government officials, who some times come along with their families from outside the valley, he said. The roadside vends along the Boulevard Road from Dalgate to Nehru Park continue to be closed due to a slump in tourist flow.

The Tourism Department has launched a campaign to attract more tourists to the valley, according to the department officers in Srinagar. A meeting of the department officers was held with the representatives of the associations of houseboats, hotels, taxi operators, shikarawallahs, ponywallahs of Gulmarg and Pahalgam, which decided to give a 30 per cent discount on all facilities provided to the tourists during their stay. The representatives of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce also attended the meeting, which offered 30 per cent discount on handicrafts and objets d’art from the state.

Outside the valley, the department has organised a series of meetings in New Delhi and Mumbai to attract tourists to the valley.

Tourism Department officials expect more tourists to the valley this year.

The famous Mughal Gardens, Shalimar and Nishat Bagh depict an equally abysmal scenario. Barring a few enthusiastic couples from Japan, hardly any tourists come to Mughal Gardens, which used to be bursting with tourists from different parts of the country. These gardens were hardly visited by the Sikhs on Baisakhi, when these were opened for tourists as this was merely three weeks after the Chitti Singhpora carnage.

Farmers hasten harvest
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

R.S. PORA (Jammu) — May 1 — Farmers have engaged labourers from Bihar to complete wheat harvesting as early as possible because they are not sure when the Pakistan guns will roar.

Hoshiar Singh of Kushal Pur, Ramesh Chander of Suchetgarh told this correspondent a few metres from the International Border (IB) in this sector that each labourer has charged between Rs 650 and Rs 800 for harvesting wheat per acre. "We have been forced to bank on labourers as we are keen to complete the harvesting before Pakistani troops resume shelling in our area," they said.

Mohd Sayed, a labourer from Purnea in Bihar, said that "that after we completed harvesting in some Punjab villages our contractor has brought us here to reap wheat crop. We have been told to finish our job as early as possible." He said "we do not feel scared when the white flags flutter on both sides of the IB."

As per the agreement reached between the BSF and the Pakistan Rangers at a meeting in Wagah recently the two sides have not to open fire from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and as the sun peeped behind the hazy sky the white flags appeared on the IB at various places giving a green signal to the farmers to carry out harvesting.

Official reports said that in areas across Chak Phagwari, Abdulian, Krol, Karotna Pakistan farmers have finished 35 to 60 per cent, harvesting against six to 15 per cent in areas on this side of the IB. It is only at octroi post in this sector where the farmers have been able to complete 70 per cent reaping.

During a tour of the border belt in R.S. Pora and Akhnoor sectors it was revealed that 250 acres of land with crops were within the firing range of the Pakistani guns. More than 400 acres of land were right on the IB and here no-harvesting had been started by the farmers. Areas gripped by fear include Pargwal, Akhnoor and some remote pockets of R.S. Pora.

Darshan Lal, a farmer of Abtal village and others said that they were waiting for the combines to arrive from Punjab. Some of the farmers have arranged for these combines so that one week work could be completed in a day. He said "we along with the labourers engaged by us work so hard that a week’s harvesting schedule is being completed in three days."

Mr Surinder Singh, Commandant 120 Btn BSF, said "for the last three days there has been no incident of firing from across the border." He said "we are monitoring the situation and whatever help the farmers need from my men is made available."

Pala Ram and others of Flora village said "we fear we may be hit by Pakistani guns and hence we reach our fields as early as possible and return to our houses in the afternoon."

He said "since Pak farmers are ahead of us as far as reaping exercise is concerned we fear Pak Rangers may resort to unprovoked firing. Hence the farmers are keenly waiting for the combines to arrive from Punjab.

"It is reaping under fear. We will be lucky if we are able to carry out 100 per cent harvesting. It would help us to return the loans which we had sought from money lenders and some financial institutions during the last two years during which period farming practices had been suspended owing to heavy firing from across the IB." This was the common feeling among the farmers in several villages including Maljoda, Najwal, Sangral, Karotna and Brahmin Bela where seven to 15 per cent harvesting has been completed.