J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

On road to development
ANANTNAG, Sept 24 — Once a stronghold of militancy, Anantnag district in south Kashmir is now moving on the road to development, officials here said. The city infrastructure is being rebuilt and the communication network strengthened, District Development Commissioner G.A. Peer said.

Drive to destroy poppy plantations
ANANTNAG, Sept 24 — Poppy cultivation, which had been curtailed when militancy was at its peak, has been revived in this south Kashmir district, Deputy Commissioner G.A. Peer said here.

Report soon on Pahalgam carnage
Tribune News Service

ANANTNAG, Sept 24 — The three-member committee inquiring into the Pahalgam carnage of August 1, in which at least 32 persons were killed and over 50 injured, will submit its report to the state government soon. The committee was to complete the probe within three months after it was constituted following the incident.

Replying questions at a press conference here yesterday, Mr G.A. Peer, Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag, said the inquiry was “almost complete”. Statements of certain witnesses from outside the state was yet to be reported. The Deputy Commissioner, who is also member of the committee, said 200 witnesses had given evidence to the committee, including 10 statements by Amarnath yatris.

The committee headed by the Principal Secretary, Home, Mr C. Phunsong, comprised two more members, Lt-Gen J.R. Mukherjee, GOC of the Srinagar based 15 Corps of the Army, and Mr G.A. Peer, Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag. Pahalgam, the base of Amarnath Yatra falls in Anantnag district of south Kashmir. The incident of August 1 last occurred at a langar site where a large number of yatris were staying for their onward pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath.

Reports had suggested that two foreign militants belonging to Laskhar-e-Toiba, who were also killed in the encounter that ensued, attacked the yatris.

Another inquiry into the Brakpora killings in Anantnag district on April 4 was also under completion which was being conducted by former judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Pandhian. Mr Peer this report would also be submitted shortly.

The third inquiry committee constituted under the instructions of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Anantnag was inquiring into the killings of five villagers of Pathribal area following the massacre of 35 Sikhs at Chhati Singhpora on March 21 last.

On road to development
From Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

ANANTNAG, Sept 24 — Once a stronghold of militancy, Anantnag district in south Kashmir is now moving on the road to development, officials here said.

The city infrastructure is being rebuilt and the communication network strengthened, District Development Commissioner G.A. Peer said.

At least 10 major bridges had been reconstructed at a cost of Rs 14.05 crore, Mr Peer told a group of visiting journalists here yesterday.

The DDC said four major roads, including Anantnag-Pahalgam, Anantnag-Verinag, Qaimoh-Kadder and Kulgam-Shopian roads were upgraded. The upgradation work costing Rs 16.61 crore had been taken up with the assistance of NABARD.

The Anantnag district administration had launched a drive to destroy poppy cultivation.

He said poppy plants covering an area of about 400 kanals had already been destroyed and the drive would continue as another over 2,000 kanals had to be cleared of the illegal crop cultivated by unscrupulous elements.

He said the present 2500 kanals of agriculture land was under illegal poppy cultivation in different areas of the district like Duptyar, Takiabal, Kanilwan and Srigufwara in the district.

Mr Peer said the delay in the finalisation of the state plan by the Centre was not being allowed to come in the way of the consolidation programme. Sixtyseven schoolbuildings gutted in fires had been reconstructed and another 55 were under reconstruction. During the past four years, 42 educational institutions had been opened and 37 upgraded.

He said that district had covered all primary schools under its mid-day meal scheme.

Mr Peer said medical facilities in the district were being improved and the problem of understaffed health institutions would be overcome. Complete transparency had been adopted in the appointment of 300 teachers under the Rehber-e-Taleem programme. With these appointments, 22 schools had been reopened. Students enrolment had increased by 37,000 over the past four years. Teachers were being trained in computer education.

Drive to destroy poppy plantations

ANANTNAG, Sept 24 (UNI) — Poppy cultivation, which had been curtailed when militancy was at its peak, has been revived in this south Kashmir district, Deputy Commissioner G.A. Peer said here.

Talking to mediapersons, Mr Peer said the district administration had launched a drive to destroy the Poppy plantations.

He said poppy cultivation had stopped during the peak of militancy as Islam prohibits the use of narcotics.

“This year we have observed that some unscrupulous elements have cultivated the crop,” he said.