 |
Friday,
June 28, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
|
Displaced not willing to return
Low turnout at Chambliyal
fair Union ministers review security for
yatra |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
VHP allays fears
on J&K division Strike hits life in
Baramula Medical varsity in J-K
soon J&K Sikhs back
SAD nominees
|
|
Displaced not willing to return Jammu, June 27 The level of small arms firing has gone down from 15,000 rounds a day to 2,000. Artillery and mortar shelling incidents are rare now. “It is better to get killed in the tents by snakes than falling to the bullets of the Pak gunners”, says Pritam Singh, an ex-serviceman living in a R.S. Pora camp. “We cannot go back to our areas where bullets still come in a drizzle if not in showers, he adds. “ What guarantee do we have that our houses or we will not be hit by Pak bullets. Neither Pak nor the state authorities have assured us that we will not face any problem if we go back”. They say, in chorus, that Gen Pervez Musharraf had given a commitment to the US authorities that he would halt infiltration, but he wriggled out of it in two days. Prem Singh says “if the border situation has eased why do not additional troops return to their barracks? Some BSF jawans and Armymen were hit by Pak firing in recent days.” “We do not trust Pakistan and the government and its troops. We have been betrayed by the either side both in 1965 and 1971,” says Satya, a middle-aged woman while preparing chapatis for her family. “We have lost everything — foodgrains, cattle, domestic goods. We do not want to renovate our houses to be destroyed in fresh firing from across the border,” adds Satya. “ If we go back we may not receive compensation for the land occupied by the troops. We may not receive relief and ration. What will we eat our lands remain untilled. They recall Pallanwala, which continues to be deserted for the past three years. Whenever its residents tried to go back, the Pak troops renewed firing. “What guarantee do we have that we will not face the same situation? a displaced person said. Moreover the Army has not removed mines from our villages. Tilling fields — now means getting blown up by the mines, say another displaced persons. |
|
Low turnout at Chambliyal
fair Jammu, June 27 Not more than 2,000 devotes had assembled at Dug village 2 km away from the shrine, against more than 25,000 on the opening day of the annual mela last year. The visit to the shrine was regulated by the BSF through passes and not all were allowed to walk to the tomb. According to a BSF commandant, Mr A.K. Yadav, “We had to restrict the movement of the civilians as we did not want to risk their lives when the tomb is within the firing range of the Pak gunners.” Billu Chowdhary, a member of the Baba Chambliyal Trust, showed several bullet marks on the tomb. He said these bullets had been fired by the Pak troops during the past over two months. With the help of the local people the BSF had already carried water and clay from around the Baba’s shrine to Dug village 2 km away from the tomb, where it was distributed among the believers. The BSF soldiers were on guard with automatic weapons to ensure the safety of the pilgrims. Not a single person was seen across the international border when last year about 1 lakh persons had assemble across the village for receiving “shakkar and sharbat. The Pakistan troops had imposed strict restrictions on the people from marching close to the border. Mr Yadav said, “we were not approached by the other side for receiving “shakkar and sharbat”. They did not even seek a meeting of the field commanders. Hence we had to take suitable security arrangements to allow devotees to visit the shrine in small groups and that too for a minute or so.” Rajbir Singh of Jammu said, “today’s scene at Chambliyal clearly indicated that Pakistan did not want to see normalcy return to Jammu & Kashmir.” He said it was the result of belligerent postures adopted by Islamabad and on account heavy firing resorted to by the Pakistan troops that devotees and pilgrims were discouraged from visiting the shrine. |
|
Union ministers review security for
yatra Jammu, June 27 This information was given by the Divisional Commissioner, Mr Anil Goswami, to the Union Minister of State for Defence Production, Mr Hiren Pathak, and the Union Minister for Food Processing, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, who arrived here today on a two-day visit to the state to review the security arrangements for the month-long Amarnath pilgrimage. The Union Ministers were told that of the 3,500 yatris, 2,800 would be allowed to visit the cave from Pahalgam and the remaining 700 via Baltal route.Mr Pathak told newspersons that the main purpose of their visit was to take stock of the arrangements being made by the state government to ensure smooth and peaceful pilgrimage. During their meeting with senior functionaries of the state administration, paramilitary forces and the police the ministers were assured that the security arrangements had been completed. Mr Pathak is scheduled to meet the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, in Srinagar to discuss other measures.
|
|
|
VHP allays fears
on J&K division Jammu, June 27 He told newsmen that the demand was based on the regional aspirations of the people. He said the division would ensure that the valley did not entirely become a Muslim state. Dr Dubey said those who were criticising the VHP demand had supported the creation of three more states out of Uttar Pradesh. |
|
|
Strike hits life in Baramula Baramula, June 27 Shops and business establishments remained closed and streets wore a deserted look. Vehicles also stayed off the roads. Work in government offices, banks, educational institutions and courts was also affected. The committee, an alliance of different trade organisations, transporters and employees unions, accuses the government of failing to address the issues concerning all sections of society.
UNI
|
|
|
Medical varsity in J-K soon Srinagar, June 27 This was decided at the governing body meeting of the Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science (SKIMS) under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah here yesterday. Dr Abdullah asked the governing body to submit a comprehensive estimate of the proposed university and said that land for setting up the project would be transferred to nucleus of SKIMS at Bemina. The meeting discussed the functioning of various departments and decided to establish super specialities in pulmonary medicine, hematology, anaesthesiology, surgical gastroentology, plastic surgery and cardiology. The general surgery and medicine wings will be shifted to function at SKIMS at Bemina. A radiotherapy unit is also being proposed for treating cancer patient. The Chief Minister stressed the need for completion of cardio-diagnostic centre at the institute and making it functional within shortest possible time.
PTI |
|
|
J&K Sikhs back
SAD nominees Jammu, June 27 A decision to this effect was taken at a meting of various Sikh organisations held here today under the chairmanship of Mr Paramjit Singh, AISSF president. They appealed to voters to support the 46 candidates fielded by the SAD. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 122 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
