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Tuesday,
July 2, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Migrant among 9 killed in J&K Ultras
fail to scare Vaishno Devi pilgrims
J&K division issue revived |
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J&K
Cong MLA quits party Energy auditing to check power losses
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Migrant among 9 killed in J&K Srinagar, July 1 An official spokesman said gunmen entered the house of Arjan Nath at Kulgam in south Kashmir late last night and abducted Bansi Lal Bhat, an employee at the Accountant-General’s office. Mr Bhat, who had visited the village after his migration, was later shot dead on the outskirts of the village, he said. Meanwhile, people at Kathi-Darwaza in the downtown took to streets today to protest against the death of Ghulam Nabi, allegedly due to torture by security forces. The demonstrators, mostly women, alleged that he was arrested by security forces three days back and released only last night in a critical condition. He was admitted to hospital where he died this morning. Militants attacked the house of senior Awami League leader at Wakoora Ganderbal late last night with automatic weapons. Police guards posted there also returned fire and in the exchange, Constable Nazir Ahmad was injured. A released ultra Javid Ahmad was shot dead by militants at Neelo Kulgam while the body of another released militant Khazir Mohammad Parray was found at Danigwacha today. At least one security force jawan was killed and a counter-insurgent Mushtaq Ahmad Shah injured when militants fired upon them at Batagund last night. Militants also took away their weapons, the spokesman said. He said a police constable, Shamsher Ahmad, lost his life in an encounter with militants at Shikhari while a patrol was ambushed at nalluh Darhal, causing on-the-spot death of a soldier and injuries to two others. The militants later managed to escape, he said. The spokesman said security forces killed two militants during a search operation at Angan Pathri. One AK rifle, two magazines, three pouches, four grenades, one UBGL and six UBGL grenades were seized from the slain militants.
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Ultras fail to scare Vaishno Devi pilgrims Jammu, July 1 From nearly 14 lakh pilgrims in 1986, when the Shrine Act was passed, to over 52 lakh visitors in 2000, the increase in the number of travellers has been steady, thanks to the better management of the shrine located in the folds of the three-peaked ‘Trikuta’ mountain. According to the most popular legend, Mata Vaishno Devi was created by three supreme energies of the universe in the form of Mata Maha Saraswati, Mata Maha Lakshmi and Mata Maha Kali, who created a force and named it ‘Vaishnavi’. Vaishnavi, the legend goes, took birth in human form in the house of one Ratnakar Pandit, who was a devotee of the Mother Goddess. She found a home in the Holy Cave where she merged her human form with the divine astral form of her creators. As per yatra statistics, nearly 14 lakh pilgrims visited the shrine in 1986, the year when the shrine board was set up as per provisions of the Act. In 2000, a record 52 lakh pilgrims visited the holy shrine, thanks to the facilities provided by the board including accommodation, canteens, free medical aid, drinking water, cloak rooms and blankets. However, in 2001 there was a slight decline in the number of tourists. Over 50 lakh pilgrims visited the shrine that year. According to Tourist Officer of Jammu and Kashmir Tourism at Katra, R.S. Jamwal, the slight fall was due to the severe earthquake in Gujarat that year. “Most of our tourists come from Gujarat and Maharashtra,” Mr Jamwal said. He said the terrorist attack on Raghunath Temple in Jammu earlier this year had not deterred pilgrims who continued to come in hordes from across the country. Over 17 lakh pilgrims have visited the Vaishno Devi shrine since January this year. During the month of June, over two lakh devotees paid their obeisance at the holy cave shrine and the daily influx of pilgrims at the Katra base camp was between 13,000 and 14,000. Adequate arrangements like rain shelters and facilities to provide drinking water have been made by the board for the devotees. To attract more visitors, the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation is preparing a special circuit to blend tourism with pilgrimage. According to Jyoti Bhatti, Senior Manager of the Corporation, places like the famous hill resort of Patnitop, perched on a beautiful plateau at an altitude of 2024 metres, Batote, another resort, and Shiv Khori, a holy cave, besides Mansar and Surinsar lakes had been identified for resort tourism.
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People’s Conference holds rally Srinagar, July 1 Thousands of people, mostly from various parts of the twin districts of Kupwara and Baramula in north Kashmir, and elsewhere converged at Kupwara town on the occasion of the 40th day observance of the former Hurriyat Conference leader. Lone fell to the bullets of unidentified gunmen on the occasion of the 12th death anniversary of former Mirwaiz (chief priest) Moulvi Mohammad Farooq at Eidgah here on May 21. The elder son, Bilal Lone represents Peoples Conference in the 23-member separatist conglomeration of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC). Addressing the gathering, Sajjad Lone blamed both India and Pakistan for the present situation in Kashmir. He stressed the need for the restoration of peace in the region and reiterated APHC stand on starting a dialogue for an amicable solution to the Kashmir issue. |
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J&K division issue revived Jammu, July 1 It was the National Conference that raked up the demand for the restoration of greater autonomy to the state. As the NC leadership was trying to resort to its old breast-beating over the erosion in the pre-1953 constitutional status, the VHP countered it by demanding a vivisection of the state having a provision for a separate homeland for Kashmiri displaced Pandits within the valley, the demand which was first voiced by Panun Kashmir nearly six years ago. The demand for a separate homeland set many political analysts and intellectuals, not only in India but also in several foreign countries, rethinking on the matter. Now the RSS too has reiterated its support for the trifurcation of the state. Though it is silent on the demand for a separate homeland for Kashmiri Pandits, its leadership is for an early return of the displaced families so that the process of ethnic cleansing, carried out by militants and fundamentalists in 1990, is reversed. The state unit of the BJP is shy of making its stand on the trifurcation known. Outwardly, its leadership has been opposing it, thereby following the line adopted by the central BJP leadership but inwardly it is in favour of statehood for the Jammu region. Those who support the trifurcation, which includes the Mukti Morcha, argue that this is the only way to end discrimination of people in the Jammu region. They have been dishing out figures in support of their contention that Jammuites had been given a raw deal in government services, in professional colleges and in public sector undertakings. The Congress, like the National Conference, is opposed to the demand for the trifurcation of the state on the plea that it would promote disintegration of the state and division on the communal lines. The National Conference leadership is set to frustrate the plan of trifurcation or vivisection of the state. The NC President, Mr Omar Abdullah, has said that trifurcation would amount to handing over of Kashmir to Pakistan. Dr Farooq Abdullah had earlier stated that Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh continuing as one entity would continue to frustrate the Pakistani gameplan of seeking the valley’s incorporation with Pakistan on the basis of Kashmir being a Muslim-dominated area. But VHP and Bajrang Dal leaders, besides senior functionaries of the RSS, opine that the demand for the trifurcation or vivisection of Jammu and Kashmir took roots after the NC started campaigning for the restoration of greater autonomy to the state. They said those in Jammu and Ladakh, besides the Kashmiri Hindus, had become sceptical of the NC plan of securing restoration of pre-1953 status. A senior BJP leader and Union Minister for Food Processing, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, said that even the right thinking people in the NC knew it well that neither the pre-1953 constitutional status could be restored nor would it benefit the people in the state. He said that the NC leadership harped on this demand right from 1977 Assembly poll and since the next Assembly election was due within next three months, the NC leadership has infused a fresh life into the old demand. |
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J&K
Cong MLA quits party Jammu, July 1 Mr Sharma said he had forwarded a letter to AICC President Sonia Gandhi requesting her to accept his resignation. The Congress leader, however, refrained from commenting on the state Pradesh Congress
Committee (JKPCC) leadership saying “his training had taught him not to say anything in public”. Congress sources said the party leadership had recently sought explanation from Mr Sharma on his continued absence from the Assembly sessions for past two years and also on some his political activities, prompting the Congress leader to resign. The JKPCC has not received any communication from Mr Sharma, the sources added.
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Energy auditing to check power losses Srinagar, July 1 Meters were being installed at all receiving stations throughout the state at a cost of Rs 7 crore and work would be completed by October this year, he said here on Saturday after a meeting to review the performance of various wings of the power development. The department has also drawn up an ambitious project for the installation of high-quality tamper-proof electronic meters at all power consuming units across the state in a phased manner, he added. In the first instance, six electric divisions would be covered at a cost of Rs 48 crore, he said. The Chief Secretary emphasised that new technologies and a power management system should be put in place in the state to reduce transmission and distribution losses. Mr Malhi also directed the Power Development Department to speed up the process of initial installation of electronic meters in 50 sections of the 28 electric divisions. Rs 1.50 crore would be provided for the purpose immediately, he added. The Chief Secretary said energy meters should also be installed at all receiving stations that feed these sections so that section-wise statistics of power consumption and revenue realisation could be worked out. An additional project should be formulated for Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) funding for installation of meters in the 50 sections. He said the urban centres and high-power consumption areas should be covered under the metering scheme on priority basis. He asked the department to realise the power tariff target this year so that adequate money was available to improve the system and provide quality power. The meeting was informed that the Kishanpur grid station would be upgraded to 800 kv shortly, a move that would go a long way in improving power supply to the state.
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