J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Paddar residents allege raw deal
Jammu, May 12
It was boon for Pangi and bane for Paddar though people in the two areas were one till 1836. It was in this year that Gen Zorawar Singh marched to Zanskar from Paddar and burnt the bridge over the Sansari Nullah thereby snapping the main communication link between Paddar and Pangi.

Gujarat violence threat to unity: NC
Srinagar, May 12
Describing the unabated communal violence in Gujarat a threat to the nation’s unity and integrity, the National Conference today appealed to the Opposition parties to help restore normalcy in the riot-hit state.

A Kashmiri man rows his boat in the Dal Lake at sunset in Srinagar on Saturday. — Reuters

ANC terms to enter poll fray
Srinagar, May 12
The Awami National Conference has expressed its willingness to participate in the coming Assembly elections in the state provided a committee is set up to ensure free and fair poll.

Army aid for families hit by encounter
Srinagar, May 12
As part of the healing touch, the Army has provided help in the form of rations and building materials along with payment of some cash to families whose houses were damaged during a recent encounter between militants and the Army in old Baramulla town of North Kashmir, a Defence spokesman said here today.

5 killed, 3 kidnapped in valley
Srinagar, May 12
Five persons were killed and three kidnapped by militants in separate incidents in the valley since last night, a police spokesman said today. A group of militants attacked Butshungni-Winder village in Kupwara district last night and opened indiscriminate firing, killing two and wounding another, he said.

40 buildings gutted, two killed
Jammu, May 12
Two civilians were killed and two others received serious burn injuries when 40 buildings, including several shops, were razed to the ground in a devastating fire that destroyed the market in Ukhral near Banihal late last night.

Srinagar-Leh road to reopen today
Srinagar, May 12
Despite fresh snowfall recently, the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway will reopen tomorrow after remaining closed for six months.

Jawans save leopard cub
Srinagar, May 12
A leopard cub, saved by Army jawans, has been handed over to wildlife officials, a defence spokesman said here today. The cub was handed over to the wildlife authorities by Major-Gen S.S. Dhillon, GOC 19 Infantry Division, at a function in Baramula district yesterday, he said.

Paddar residents allege raw deal
M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 12
It was boon for Pangi and bane for Paddar though people in the two areas were one till 1836. It was in this year that Gen Zorawar Singh marched to Zanskar from Paddar and burnt the bridge over the Sansari Nullah thereby snapping the main communication link between Paddar and Pangi.

Paddar became a block of the Kishtwar subdivision of Dada district and part of Jammu and Kashmir state while Pangi became part of Himachal Pradesh.

Over 20,000 inhabitants of Paddar, rich in sapphire mines and Deodar forests, continue to live below the poverty line while the big timber traders denuded the area of Deodar forest to become millionaires.

The division between Pangi and Paddar has resulted in a major economic divide between the two communities. Those in Pangi have been given the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status while those in Paddar have been denied this status. The ST status has allowed people in Pangi to get due representation in government services, bigger annual allocations for development works and all this has not been witnessed in Paddar.

Residents of Paddar have sent a memorandum to the Prime Minister in which they have listed several instances in support of their contention that they have been given a raw deal. They have said last year 10 panchayats in Paddar received Rs 2,500 per panchayat while those Pangi were given Rs 21 crore for the development of the areas. Pangi has far better roads then Paddar and people there get uninterrupted power supply unlike in Paddar.

Another instance they have cited pertains to the discrimination that residents of Paddar face in the matter of wages they get from the GREF. The GREF has started construction of the bride on the Sansari Nullah, which was burnt over 160 years ago, and the labourers from Pangi are being given Rs 80 per day whereas those from Paddar get Rs 50 a day.

Due to economic backwardness people in Pangi now no more enter into matrimonial alliance with residents of Paddar.

Gujarat violence threat to unity: NC

Srinagar, May 12
Describing the unabated communal violence in Gujarat a threat to the nation’s unity and integrity, the National Conference (NC) today appealed to the Opposition parties to help restore normalcy in the riot-hit state.

He said it was unfortunate that even after 53 years of freedom, people belonging to the minority community felt insecure. UNI

ANC terms to enter poll fray

Srinagar, May 12
The Awami National Conference has expressed its willingness to participate in the coming Assembly elections in the state provided a committee is set up to ensure free and fair poll.

“Free and fair poll is only possible if an impartial committee with former Prime Minister V.P. Singh, Shahi Imam of Jamia Masjid, Delhi, Imam Bukhari, Syed Sahabuddin of the Muslim Personal Law Board, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, chief of Jamaat-e-Islami (J and K) G.M. Bhat, journalist Kuldeep Nayar and others like them as its members is formed,” ANC President Ghulam Mohammad Shah said here yesterday.

He said if his demand was accepted with an assurance from the President that the polls would be free and fair, he would ask the Hurriyat Conference to participate in it so that “a democratic process of fighting for freedom is initiated by passing a Bill pertaining to the freedom of Kashmir in the state Assembly”.

Stating that the gun had played its role in bringing Kashmir issue into international focus, he said the need of the hour was to find ways to address the problem through peaceful and political means.

“The use of gun should be stopped temporarily to pave the way for political resolution of the Kashmir issue”, the former Chief Minister said.

He criticised the National Conference led by his brother-in-law Farooq Abdullah and said it was the NC’s “wrong policies” which had led to the present situation in Kashmir. PTI

Army aid for families hit by encounter

Srinagar, May 12
As part of the healing touch, the Army has provided help in the form of rations and building materials along with payment of some cash to families whose houses were damaged during a recent encounter between militants and the Army in old Baramulla town of North Kashmir, a Defence spokesman said here today.

Though the requisite compensation will be paid by the civil administration, the Army has come forward with the assistance to the affected families as part of the operation goodwill, the spokesman said.

Eleven residential houses were damaged in Syed Karim Mohalla following a 30-hour encounter between militants and the Army in the first week of the current month. Six charred bodies along with arms and ammunition were found from the debris of the gutted houses during the operation which lasted for nearly four days.

He said each affected family was handed over 25 bags of cement, 20 tin-sheets, three blankets, 10m metres cloth, 70 kg of rations and various electrical items in addition to Rs 25,000 in cash.

Expressing concern for the damage, the spokesman appealed to the people not to provide shelter to the militants.

“The path of terrorism never succeeded anywhere in the world,” he said, adding that the Army is here to build up and bring back normalcy and peace in the valley. PTI

5 killed, 3 kidnapped in valley

Srinagar, May 12
Five persons were killed and three kidnapped by militants in separate incidents in the valley since last night, a police spokesman said today.

A group of militants attacked Butshungni-Winder village in Kupwara district last night and opened indiscriminate firing, killing two and wounding another, he said.

Another person who was also reportedly injured in the incident was found missing and was believed to have been kidnapped by the militants.

The militants kidnapped two persons from their houses at Ayatmullah village in Baramula district, he said.

Meanwhile, the body of Nazir Ahmad Malla was fished out by the police from the Jhelum near Padshahibagh in Srinagar today.

JAMMU: Pakistani troops resorted to shelling and firing on Indian positions along the Line of Control and international border in this division since Saturday evening without causing any damage on the Indian side, sources said here on Sunday. PTI

40 buildings gutted, two killed
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 12
Two civilians were killed and two others received serious burn injuries when 40 buildings, including several shops, were razed to the ground in a devastating fire that destroyed the market in Ukhral near Banihal late last night.

According to police sources, two charred bodies of civilians were recovered from the debris. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot but by the time these were pressed into service, 40 shops and houses had been gutted. Rough estimates say that property worth several crores of rupees was lost.

The police rule out sabotage and say it was accidental fire. Still investigations have been started to ascertain the cause behind the fire. 

Srinagar-Leh road to reopen today

Srinagar, May 12
Despite fresh snowfall recently, the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway will reopen tomorrow after remaining closed for six months.

The first convoy will be flagged off by the GOC, 15 Corps, tomorrow from here as the snow clearance operation has almost been completed, Lt Col Mukhtiar Singh, PRO (defence), said. UNI

Jawans save leopard cub

Srinagar, May 12
A leopard cub, saved by Army jawans, has been handed over to wildlife officials, a defence spokesman said here today.

The cub was handed over to the wildlife authorities by Major-Gen S.S. Dhillon, GOC 19 Infantry Division, at a function in Baramula district yesterday, he said.

The cub was found in Kukiwan forest of the district in January by troops of 10 J&K Rifles. It was only three to four days old and was bleeding profusely, the spokesman said. PTI