J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Road to Muzaffarabad nearing reality
Jammu, November 30
The indication that the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road would be reopened became more strong, when a high-level official team,led by Mr Alok Rawat, Joint Secretary Ministry of Surface Transport, ended its two-day visit to Kashmir today.

Involve Kashmiris in talks, says Malik
Jammu, November 30
Mr Yaseen Malik, Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), today said that the Kashmir problem would not be solved without a consensus by involving Kashmiris in the dialogue process.

One killed in Army firing in valley
Srinagar, November 30
One person was killed and two were injured when the Army opened fire to disperse demonstrators at Sumbal today, official sources said. A defence spokesman said troops opened fire in self-defence.

Poonch masterplan in Prime Minister’s package
Jammu, November 30
A comprehensive master plan would be formulated and submitted to the Union Urban Development Ministry for funding for allround development of the border township of Poonch. Besides, laying of 132-KV line for the district would also be recommended for funding under the Prime Minister’s financial package.

Mehbooba calls for development of Chenab valley
Jammu, November 30
The PDP chief and MP, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, has called for integrated development of the Chenab valley saying that the people living in this difficult and hilly terrain deserved special dispensation to improve their socio-economic condition. She asked the Centre to declare Doda district as drought-prone where food-for-work programme should be started on a war footing.

Road to Muzaffarabad nearing reality
M. L. Kak

Jammu, November 30
The indication that the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road would be reopened became more strong, when a high-level official team,led by Mr Alok Rawat, Joint Secretary Ministry of Surface Transport, ended its two-day visit to Kashmir today.

The team had been constituted to study the infrastructure needed at the Uri checkpost when the road linking Srinagar with Muzaffarabad was thrown open for travel and trade.

The team comprised officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, Immigration Department,Customs and Finance.

The team members drove to Baramula where they had a detailed session with the senior police and civil functionaries. They also had an interaction with the Army authorities who supervise the border management in Uri.

The team members inspected the Lal Pull, the last point on the border for a survey of the area so that areas could be identified for the construction of offices connected with immigration, customs, passport and security.

On their return to Delhi, the team will submit its reports to the Government of India. The Border Roads Organisation has been assigned the task of upgrading the Srinagar-Uri road as the reopening of the road may generate heavy passenger traffic.

Though the government has decided to set up a cafetaria where the travellers could take rest private entrepreneurs too are waiting for the announcement to set up their business.

Official sources said the report and the recommendations of the Indian team would be discussed with a team from Pakistan which would be in Delhi most likely in the first week of December.

A senior APHC leader, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, favoured the reopening of the road provided it "facilitated travel and trade between the two Kashmir's". He told this correspondent that he was not opposed to it if the move was not to be a "cosmetic exercise."

On the contrary, the hardliner among the separatists, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, has opposed the opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road on the plea that it would allow an opportunity to India to place the Kashmir issue under the carpet. He said the opening of the road should succeed the settlement of the Kashmir issue.

With the possibility of the reopening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road getting brighter, the demand for the opening of the Suchetgarh-Sialkot road in Jammu also being revived by border residents.

Swaran Kumar and Girdhari Lal, two farmers of R.S. Pora, said: "The reopening of the Suchetgarh-Sialkot road will further improve ties between the people on the either side of the border."

The Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, and the Minister of State for Social Welfare, Mr Gharu Ram, have hinted that the issue of the reopening of the Suchetgarh-Sialkot road will be taken up with Pakistan after the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road was declared open for traffic.

Indications are that if things went smoothly, the road may be thrown open during the first quarter of the next year.

Involve Kashmiris in talks, says Malik
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 30
Mr Yaseen Malik, Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), today said that the Kashmir problem would not be solved without a consensus by involving Kashmiris in the dialogue process.

Mr Malik, who was talking to mediapersons here, said the problem would not be solved with officials of the India and Pakistan discussing the issue without involving Kashmiris in the process.

He alleged that the government was not serious in solving the long-drawn problem and the Mufti-led government had launched a terror campaign against the separatists who, he claimed, were the real representatives of the people of Kashmir. The state had been converted into a cantonment of security forces against whom allegations of repression and rape of women had been made.

He alleged that human right violations had increased in the state. Mr Malik said that his almost year-long efforts to reunite the split factions of the Hurriyat Conference had failed, but he would continue to persuade them to come on one platform.

He said that on one hand Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed claimed that democracy was a battle of ideas but, on the other hand, he was not allowed by the authorities to carry on his signature campaign for liberation of J & K at Rajouri and Poonch yesterday.

One killed in Army firing in valley

Srinagar, November 30
One person was killed and two were injured when the Army opened fire to disperse demonstrators at Sumbal today, official sources said. A defence spokesman said troops opened fire in self-defence.

Sources said people at Hakabora near Sumbal took to streets and raised pro-freedom and anti-security forces and anti-government slogans in protest against the alleged atrocities by security forces during a search operation today.

They said the security forces were conducting search operation for the past three days in the village.

The demonstrators alleged that the troops opened fire on peaceful demonstrators, injuring three. One of the injured, Abdul Khaliq Sheikh, later died at a hospital.

The condition of two others —Firdous Ahmad Wagey and Ghulam Hassan Wagay — was also stated to be critical.

Meanwhile, the sources said four security personnel were injured when their vehicle skidded off the road due to snow and fell into a nullah.

A defence official, giving details about the incident, said the troops along with the local police cordoned off four houses at Hakabora village early today following information that militants were hiding there.

He said during the operation villagers pelted stones and hurled ‘’kangri’’ (fire pots) at the security forces in which four jawans were injured.

He further said that a police constable and an army jawan were also stabbed by the mob forcing troops to open fire. — UNI

Poonch masterplan in Prime Minister’s package
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 30
A comprehensive master plan would be formulated and submitted to the Union Urban Development Ministry for funding for allround development of the border township of Poonch. Besides, laying of 132-KV line for the district would also be recommended for funding under the Prime Minister’s financial package.

This was decided at a review meeting of the District Development Board held today under the chairmanship of Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Mr Taj Mohi-ud-Din. The member of Parliament, Mr T.S. Bajwa and Mr Madan Lal Sharma, besides local legislators, members of the Pahari Advisory Board, the Gujjar Development Board, the directors of various departments, the District Development Commissioner and district heads of various departments attended the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, the minister asked the district administration to formulate a separate master plan for each department and finalise the same within one month. On the suggestion of the minister, the meeting decided that laying of a 132-KV line followed by construction of a 130-KV grid station would be recommended to the government for funding under the Prime Minister’s financial package.

Describing the Prime Minister’s package as a vehicle for allround development of the state, the minister said each region had been given separate allocations for different departments to avoid any complaint of discrimination in the utilisation of funds. He stressed upon the officers to involve panchayat members and legislators, while formulating the plan for a particular area and in the implementation of development schemes.

Stressing for close monitoring of educational institution, Mr Taj asked the District Development Commissioner to involve village education committees and also seek help of the Army under its Sadhbhavna programme. He also appreciated the work of the Army, including construction of a school building in the border district.

Giving details of development works taken in hand for the current financial year, the Development Commissioner said that Rs 40.32 crore had been earmarked for the current financial year which included a loan assistance of Rs 5.44 crore.

Mehbooba calls for development of Chenab valley
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 30
The PDP chief and MP, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, has called for integrated development of the Chenab valley saying that the people living in this difficult and hilly terrain deserved special dispensation to improve their socio-economic condition. She asked the Centre to declare Doda district as drought-prone where food-for-work programme should be started on a war footing.

Addressing a series of public meetings in remotest areas of Marmat, Goha and Humbal on the second leg of her three-day extensive tour of Doda district this morning, Ms Mehbooba pleaded for providing jobs to the local youth in ongoing hydroelectric power projects, including Dul Hasti, Baglihar, Bursar and Sawla Kote.

The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Abdul Aziz Zargar, the Minister for PHE, Qazi Mohammad Afzal, the PDP general secretary, Mr Ved Mahajan, Mr M.S. Tariq, Ms Shanti Devi and other senior party leaders were also present.

Ms Mehbooba called for strengthening mass contact to get feedback about people’s problems, adding that all ministers of the coalition government had been directed to reach out to people at the grassroots level, especially in remote areas.

Addressing a public meeting, the Agriculture Minister announced to bring about 30 hectares of land under area expansion under technology mission in Marmat zone for integrated development of horticulture and farmers would be provided with assistance of Rs 13,000 per hectare for developing orchards under the scheme. In addition, one storage tank for providing irrigation facility to the people of the area would be set up at a cost of Rs 1.20 lakh. Twenty foot spray pumps and 20 green houses would be provided to the orchardists, Mr Zargar added.

Qazi Mohammad Afzal announced special schemes for augmenting the drinking water facilities as the area was badly confronting water scarcity. The minister announced a grant of Rs 6 lakh for repairs of the Ranika, Boddi and Mithi water supply schemes. He said the water supply schemes at Humbal had been provided at a cost of Rs 30 lakh to provide assured drinking water to the people.