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House passes
resolution on PM’s peace move NC MLA faints in
Assembly Cabinet expansion
likely after session Six militants killed in J and K |
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Gang selling MD,
MS papers busted Beig’s
assurance on opening dental college HC takes serious
view of violation of building laws Five vehicles
impounded Rs 1.5 lakh fake
currency seized
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House passes resolution on PM’s peace move Jammu, December 15 Replying to a discussion on the resolution hailing the Prime Minister’s peace initiative moved by him in the Legislative Council, the Chief Minister said that the present initiative was not a routine diplomatic exercise but reflected sincerity as it was driven by the people’s yearning for peace. He said the ground reality was that the people living on both sides had realised continue confrontation was detrimental to them only and it would lead to nowhere. It must end once for all. Favouring more people-to-people contact to do away with the misconceptions created in the minds of the people across the border, he proposed exchange of goodwill delegations from both sides of the border with participation of Kashmiris. Mufti, however, said there was no readymade solution to the vexed Kashmir problem and nor any pre-conceived solutions would work. “Everybody has to go to the negotiating table with an open mind to workout a workable solution”, he said, adding that it had to move step-by-step without any time-frame. The positive thing about the process, he said, was that for the first time no pre-conditions had been set by the parties involved. Responding to the suggestions made by legislators regarding involvement of other sections of the separatists and mainstream parties in the dialogue process, the Chief Minister said, “We have to first talk to those who are receptive and the groups, which shy away from these talks, would themselves get marginalised”. He said the groups shying away from the talks had no option but to come to the table and putforth their point of view. “He even welcome the militants joining the talks, as an atmosphere is building up for peaceful resolution of the Kashmir tangle, they have no cause to fight and they must drop the guns,” he said. The Chief Minister said for the first time the dialogue with Kashmiris had been raised to the political level by nominating the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, to talk with separatists. He said the involvement of political leadership at the Centre in the dialogue process was a long-pending demand of the separatists and on his (Mufti’s) persuasion, the Union Cabinet had appointed the Deputy Prime Minister for the purpose, he claimed. Mufti said that moving of the resolution in the State legislature was to add to the strength of a peace campaign launched by the people. The resolution was unanimously passed by the House with all members hailing the initiative as good omen for future of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The resolution had already been passed by the state Assembly. |
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NC MLA faints in Assembly Jammu, December 15 The Speaker, Mr Tara Chand, adjourned the House for 15 minutes as the members rushed towards the seat of Mr Shah on seeing him fainting. The doctors were summoned from the dispensary set up in the lobby of the Assembly. The Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, also rushed towards Mr Shah and asked the doctors to provide him immediate treatment. His condition was stable in the hospital. |
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Cabinet expansion
likely after session Jammu, December 15 An indication to this effect was given here today to TNS by a close aide of the Chief Minister, Mufti Sayeed. The session will conclude on December 18. The Mufti is expected to induct at least two ministers from the dissident camp of the Congress and an equal number from his own PDP. Certain Independents, who are supporting the coalition government, were also pressurising the Chief Minister for a cabinet berth. They have already established a separate group to demand an equitable share in the ministry. The Mufti recently called on Ms Sonia Gandhi, Congress President, during his visit to Delhi. The cabinet expansion will remove the uncertainty that has been created due to the repeated claims of Dr Farooq Abdullah that the National Conference is in a position to topple the Mufti government. |
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Six militants killed in J and K Jammu, December 15 Three ultras were shot dead in the Nangali Sahib forest area in Poonch hills during on-going surgical operation by the security forces, they said. So far, 11 militants had been killed in the operation, which began last Saturday, to destroy fortified bunkers of ultras, the officials said. A militant was killed in an exchange of fire with the security forces in Doda district’s Banihal area. Some arms and ammunition were seized from the scene. A Pakistani militant identified as Rizwan was killed in an encounter with the security forces in Bidoora village in Anantnag. Body of a Pak-trained Hizbul Mujahideen ultra was picked up by the police in Khangund village in Pulwama district this morning. He was killed in a group clash. SRINAGAR: The Border Security Force (BSF) achieved a major success when they recovered large cache of arms and ammunition, including 32 kg RDX from the woods at Kupwara in north Kashmir today. A BSF spokesman said troops of 137 Battalion BSF, on specific information, conducted searches in the pine forest in the frontier district of Kupwara early this morning braving heavy snowfall. After a long search in the dense forest, the troops seized 32 kg of RDX which could have been used to make about 10 powerful IEDs to target the security forces and civilians. He said the other arms and ammunition seized included eight rifle grenades, three hand grenades and 74 rounds. Meanwhile, unidentified gunmen shot deat a truck driver, wanted by the Delhi Police in connection with seizure of arms and ammunition from his vehicle last month in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, officials said here today. The gunmen barged into the house of Khurshid Ahmad Bhat in Kroonchho village late last night and shot him dead, they
said. Another person, Mehraj-ud-Din, was injured in the firing. The Delhi Police had seized arms and ammunition when they searched his truck in the national capital in November. The truck was seized but Bhat managed to escape.
— PTI, UNI |
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Heavy snow, region shivers under cold wave
Srinagar, December 15 Throughout the day today intermittent rains and snowfall continued in most parts of the valley after it began last night. Due to the rain most of the roads throughout the valley were water-logged leading to frequent traffic jams today. Several residential areas were also water-logged due to the bad weather conditions. This is the first snowfall of the season in the plains of Kashmir valley this year even as high mountainous reaches had been witnessing intermittent snowfall since last month. Some of the remote areas of the valley were cut off from rest of the world due to heavy snowfall in these areas ranging between two to five feet. The far-flung areas of Keran-Karnah in extreme north of Kupwara district were cut off from the rest of the valley as the roads leading to the area witnessed about five-ft-deep snow. The heavy snowfall led to the blockade of 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway for the second consecutive day today. It was first blocked on Saturday evening following heavy rains and snowfall, which began on Saturday morning. Later, the stranded vehicles were cleared from the highway. The highway being the only surface link, connecting the valley with the rest of the country, is its lifeline as all essential commodities and commercial items are transported through this strategic highway. Tourist spots of Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonmarg also witnessed heavy snowfall which started afresh since last night. Gulmarg witnessed more than three feet snow, as it was already under the cover of nearly one-foot since last week. This had attracted more domestic tourists to the scenic spot known for its snow skiing. The fresh snowfall was regarded as good for the conduct of fourth national skiing championship in February next in Gulmarg where preparations for these games were going on. Heavy snowfall was also witnessed from Sonmarg, near the high peak of Zojila dividing Kashmir region from the frontier cold desert region of Ladakh. The 400-km-long Srinagar-Leh highway had already been closed to the traffic in November for the winter months. The heavy snowfall hampered construction work on the second phase of Gulmarg-Gondola project today, reports reaching here said. However, the 2.5 km-long first phase of the project between Gulmarg and Kongdori was operational, much to the entertainment of hundreds of domestic and local tourists. Residents here were overjoyed by the timely snowfall, which has been a rare occasion over the past several years. The timing of this snowfall was also regarded as very good for the water resources for crops during the next spring and
summer. |
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Gang selling MD, MS papers busted Srinagar, December 15 More than five persons, including a doctor, lawyer and an employee of the government press, were taken into custody in connection with the paper leak, a spokesperson of the organisation said today. He said on December 6, 2003, on a tip-off that question papers for the MD and MS entrance examination were available on sale, a vigilance team led by Senior Superintendent of Police, Vigilance, Srinagar Ghulam Hassan
Bhat, and SSP Mushtaq Sadiq, trapped Shahnaz Mir at Bemina and Khursheed Ahmad Wani from the Ramzan hospital, Gogji Bagh. Dr Gulzar Ahmad, administrator of this hospital, who was to appear in the examination, was also trapped. Dr Gulzar and another doctor related to Shahnaz Mir had seen a copy of the question paper a day before the examination. Dr Gulzar was able to recall 17 questions out of that question paper, the spokesperson said. Dr
Gulzar, on interrogation, revealed that he had collected Rs 10-15 lakh from some doctors and had given the amount to Mir. He had also given a demand draft for Rs 3.5 lakh to Mir to get the question papers. Interrogation of Mir and Wani took the investigators to a house in
Goripora, Rawalpora, on the outskirts of the city which was reportedly taken on rent by one Hamid
Ullah, a resident of Dragumula Kupwara, who was a lecturer of chemistry in the Higher Secondary School, Jawahir Nagar.
— UNI |
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Beig’s assurance on opening dental college Jammu, December 15 The Chief Minister, Mufti Sayeed, while replying to a question, said that each constituency of the state would get an equitable share under various centrally sponsored schemes and institutional finances. He was replying to supplementaries to three questions tabled by Mr Usman Abdul Majid (Ind), Mr Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo and Mr Ajay Sadhotra (both NC). He said road projects under NABARD were taken up irrationally in the past. The coalition government had decided to treat all areas equally. The Chief Minister said the government was exploring possibilities to get loans from the Jammu and Kashmir Bank for the execution of road projects, as its interest rates were lower than those of NABARD. The Agriculture Minister, Mr Abdul Aziz Zargar, said an action plan under a macro-management programme for the promotion of saffron cultivation had been prepared in the
state. The Finance Minister introduced a bill in the Assembly seeking to abolish the state electricity board (SEB). He said the only function which the SEB had been performing was the raising of loans for the implementation of various schemes of rural electrification from the REC and other financial institutions. The main reason for the abolition of the SEB was to enable the state government to make a projection of the power deficit before the Finance Commission. |
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HC takes serious view of violation of building laws Jammu, December 15 A Division bench of the court comprising Chief Justice, Mr V.V. Jhanji, and Mr Justice Bashirud Din, in their verdict on a number of complaints directed Commissioner, Municipality, to appoint suitable engineer and a building inspector who will visit the site of Yatri Hotel and take measurement of the building. The judges also directed the
municipal authorities to file an affidavit stating whether any setback area has been left and whether any violation has been made in regard to the building plan. The Bench agreed with the complainants that inaction and indifference of the authorities, saddled with responsibility to ensure the compliance of laws, regulating building activities and to ensure strict adherence to the law. The order said such authorities instead of carrying out the mandate of law were alleged to have given free hand to the builders to violate such law at will. The court also took serious view of the ways in which case files were not traceable and one such file pertaining to Munshi Ram, owner of Yatri Hotel, versus Jammu Kashmir Special Tribunal and others was traced only after steps for the initiation of disciplinary action against the officials concerned were ordered. The court has impleaded the Jammu development Authority as respondent No.1 and the Registrar was directed to issue notice to the Development Authority to depute some official to enquire and make a spot inspection and file report. The counsel for the owner of Yatri Hotel has been asked to submit the title deed, including the entire record relating to the approval of the plan and the notices which may have been issued from time to time to the writ petitioner with regard to any violation committed. The record, the judges said, shall also include the permission, which may have been granted for the construction of the hotel. The Division Bench has also taken notice of the earlier stay order granted by the high court and said the court had, in fact, ignored and deprived itself of the opportunity to test the petitioner’s claim on the “anvil of law and permitted the petitioner to violate the law under the cover of interim order granted by it on 13-1-1997.” |
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Five vehicles impounded Jammu, December 15 Five vehicles carrying banned forest products and medicinal plants including, dhoop, koth (susirialapa), discoria, muskbal valued over Rs 15 lakh, were on their way to Punjab from Banihal when the police intercepted the convoy last evening, official sources said. Five persons had been taken into custody and preliminary investigations initiated, the sources said.
- PTI |
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Rs 1.5 lakh fake currency seized Jammu, December 15 The police intercepted a car near Narwal here and recovered the fake currency, in bundles of Rs 500, kept inside seat covers, the police said. Five persons travelling in the car, on way to Jammu from Hiranagar, were arrested.
— PTI |
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