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Kashmir gears up for harsh
winter 14 months gone, Lone killers still at
large Probe Mufti’s visit, says Bhim
Singh Two Al-Badr militants
killed |
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HC seeks report in embezzlement case
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Kashmir gears up for harsh
winter Srinagar, November 14 As of now the harvesting season of paddy, Kashmir’s main crop, has come to an end. Peasants make queues at the sawing mills, both hydraulic and power-run, waiting for their turn to get stocks of the rice milled for the winter months. The orchardists also tend to give final touches to the dispatches of truckloads of apple that make a beeline along the Srinagar-Jammu national highway for transportation to fruit mandis across the country. For many nature lovers, this is the best season in Kashmir, and greater attraction for the tourists in this part of the country. Senior government functionaries here believe that this season is a greater attraction for both the domestic and foreign tourists. But, it is not long lasting, as the winter is approaching with the countdown beginning for Chillai Kalan (peak of winter), by December end. Officially, the durbar or the seat of the State government has shifted from Srinagar to Jammu, the winter capital of the state with the beginning of November. Heating arrangements by way of using Charcoal bukharis, the trend having shifted to modern LPG heaters, in government offices every year, are officially made from November 15. The huge Chinar trees for which Kashmir is better known are the major contributors to the blaze beauty of autumn in Kashmir. After the fall of its dry red leaves flames spread all across the valley, for these leaves are burnt for various purposes. The entire valley is dotted by the gorgeous Chinar trees, some of these in clusters at Naseem Bagh campus of the university of Kashmir near Hazratbal on the Dal shores here or those in solitary postures in the countryside. The leaves of Chinar (chi nar meaning what a fire!) change many colours before they fall unlike many other native plant species whose leaves turn pale, dry and wither away. Chinar leaves’ deep green colour first turns slightly reddish, then crimson red before it finally turns brown and falls from the branch only to be swept and collected in heaps and transformed into charcoal for use in the Kangri. The tree locally called as Boen is more elegant in autumn than in any other season although it stands out in majesty in the entire plant species throughout the year. It attains a height of up to 25 metres and a girth exceeding 50 feet with a life span of about 700 years. The circumference of a Chinar at Beijbehara in south Kashmir was measured at 54 feet while another in Lolab valley of Kupwara district in north Kashmir had a circumference of over 63 feet. This huge tree is indigenous to Kashmir and the theory that it was brought to Kashmir by Mughals is gradually waning. It is intricately woven into the cultural matrix of Kashmir. There are a number of places whose names have been derived from the Chinar tree like Chaar Chinar, Haft Chinar, Boeni Bagh, Batae Boen, Naevid Boen etc. Efforts are on to spread the Chinar to other states of India. Many saplings have already been planted in Jammu, New Delhi, Chandigarh and other places in the country. |
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14 months gone, Lone killers still at
large Srinagar, November 14 Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and family members of the minister, whose brother was also shot dead three months after his killing, have been demanding a CBI inquiry into the killings. “I m not satisfied with the investigations” into the killings, Mr Qaisar Jamshed Lone, the MLA representing the Lolab constituency in Kupwara district, told The Tribune here. The 26-year-old Qaisar had to leave his training in forestry and contest as a candidate of the National Conference, then in power, from Lolab in Kupwara district. The polling was rescheduled following the killing of his uncle, Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, during electioneering in his home constituency at Tekipora on September 11 last. About three months later, Mushtaq’s elder brother, Ghulam Mohiuddin Lone, was also shot dead by unidentified gunmen on December 5 last year. Mr Qaisar Lone Jamshed Lone believes that the assassination of his uncle, Ghulam Mohiuddin Lone, was politically motivated to dissuade him from getting “guidance”. Having been elected after a tough fight in a multi-cornered contest, Mr Qaisar Lone was appointed president of the youth NC by National Conference President Omar Abdullah on September 11 this year. Mr Qaisar points at the exposure of the police-militant nexus in the killings, following two fidayeen attacks in May and June this year. These attacks took place near the SBI branch at Kupwara and at the police station at Lalpora in Sogam area. Though a special investigation team has been entrusted with the task of investing the matter, Mr Qaisar believes it has been hushed up as those arrested in this connection have been released. The Director-General of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Mr Gopal Sharma had said on June 15 that eight persons, including seven cops, involved in the killing of the two brothers had been apprehended. However, four militants involved in the killings were still at large. A commission of inquiry headed by the Deputy Commissioner, Baramula, constituted within days after the killing of the minister, had clearly indicated the involvement of the police, Mr Qaisar Lone claimed. He had taken up the matter in the Legislative Assembly, where Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beigh had assured the House that stern action would be taken in view of the committee’s report. But, this had not been done. Mr Qaisar Lone had approached the Chief Minister, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister and the Director-General of Police, Mr Gopal Sharma, to look into the matter, but in vain. Referring to the circumstances under which Ghulam Mohinmddin Lone was killed, Mr Qaisar Lone said the SHO concerned had informed him that adequate security cover had been made for his visit to Tekipora where he was shot dead at an election rally. Mushtaq had chosen to reach Tekipora via Lalpora road, the longest of the three links to Tekipora from his house. After his killing, militants had attacked security vehicles and a Maruti vehicle separately on the two other link roads, thereby proving that there was a nexus between the militants and the police. No security had been deployed on these two routes expected to be used by the minister. |
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Probe Mufti’s visit, says Bhim
Singh Jammu, November 14 Mr Bhim Singh’s party is a coalition partner of the government and has two ministers in the council. On the other hand, the Opposition National Conference (NC) has taken exception to Ms Mehbooba Mufti, daughter of the Chief Minister, being part of the official delegation to London. The Chief Minister is currently in London leading an official delegation. In a statement here today, Mr Bhim Singh said the Mufti’s jaunt to London along with his daughter and a couple of handpicked officers at a time when the state was troubled by terrorism
required to be probed. He expressed surprise on the silence of the Chief Minsiter on the constitutional status of Jammu, and Kashmir vis-a-vis the Union of India while interacting with certain Liberal MPs at London. This is not for the first time that while being part of the government, Mr Bhim Singh has criticised the Chief Minister. Earlier, he has described this government as “worse than the previous one”. He has also at one time demanded that the Mufti should be removed as chairman of the Unified Command of the Army and other security forces. A spokesman of the NC questioned as to how Ms Mehbooba Mufti was accompanying the official delegation to London. Her presence at official meetings was breach of protocol, the party said. Meanwhile, the Panthers Party has decided to hold a delegates’ session here on December 7, instead of December 6. The functioning of the coalition will be discussed at the meeting. |
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Two Al-Badr militants
killed Srinagar, November 14 A police party was fired upon by suspected militants when it was on its way to Churala in Doda district of Jammu division today. The police party was on its way to the house of Amar Chand at Bankan Thana in the area after getting information about the presence of an unidentified body fitted with an IED lying on its roof. The police recovered the body of a 22-year-old woman, Tasleema, of Shopian from the Nowgam area on the outskirts of Srinagar today. She had been kidnapped by unidentified gunmen on Monday while on way to a hospital, the police here said. Unidentified gunmen shot dead 22-year-old Shaheen Ahmad Rather, a teacher at Islamic Educational Institute, Soibugh, after dragging him out of a mosque at Guthpora in Budgam district yesterday. Two militants of Al-Badr outfit were killed in an encounter with security forces at Bumloora, Ganderbal in Srinagar district yesterday. They were identified as Asghar, district commander and Usma, a company commander of the outfit. They were reportedly hiding in the house of Ghulam Rasool Patwari. Three AL rifles, eight
magazines, 400 rounds, two wireless sets, one UBGL, six UBGL grenades and two hand grenades were recovered from the site of encounter. An unidentified militant was killed in an encounter with security forces in Mandi sector of Poonch district in Jammu division yesterday. |
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HC seeks report in embezzlement case Jammu, November 14 The Division Bench of the High Court passed these directions in a letter patent appeal filed by Jagjit Singh and others in which the appellants do not wish to persue with this appeal. The court, however, on going through the order dated October 17, 2002, found that this was not a case where the appellants should be permitted to withdraw the appeal. —
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This time of the year it is sweet autumn saying good-by to the Kashmir valley as preparations are on for the harsh winter months ahead. It is marked by a blaze on huge Chinar trees with brown five-lobed leaves falling to soft cracking sounds that are set ablaze to turn into charcoal for use in the Kangri, typical firepot for warmth under the
Pheran.
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