J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

De-mining of Muzaffarabad road to be over by April 7
Srinagar, March 5
The de-mining of a stretch close to the LoC on the Uri-Muzaffarabad road has been started by the Army. It is expected to be completed to facilitate the timely opening of the road for the bus service scheduled from April 7.

J&K seeks grant for recruitment
Jammu, March 5
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has asked the Centre to provide an annual additional budgetary grant of Rs 1,000 crore to fulfil the announcement of the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, lifting the ban on recruitment in the state.

Snow leads to highway closure
Srinagar, March 5
Fresh landslides triggered by overnight rain and snow led to the closure of the 300-km long Srinagar-Jammu National Highway again leaving over 300 vehicles stranded in the Kashmir valley.

The illegal jhuggis on the bank of the Jhelum river in Srinagar. Environment alists have expressed concern over these illegal occupations as it will disturb the ecosystem of the river.

De-mining of Muzaffarabad road to be over
by April 7
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 5
The de-mining of a stretch close to the LoC on the Uri-Muzaffarabad road has been started by the Army. It is expected to be completed to facilitate the timely opening of the road for the bus service scheduled from April 7.

According to a defence spokesman here, the Army was also involved in establishing the initial checkpost at the Line of Control (LoC) between Uri on this side and Chakoti on the other side. The Army is also assisting the civil administration in setting up requisite communication facilities for the initial check-post complex, the spokesman said.

He added that the Army, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and civil administration were coordinating to make the event of starting bus service a success.

The repair and strengthening of the existing piers and abutments of the bridge over Khalias-De Khan nallah, was being carried out by Army Engineers. All efforts were being made by the BRO for improving the stretch of the road from Uri to LoC, which has been in disuse.

They are also working to increase the head room of the existing red Bridge and constructing a causeway to divert the traffic temporarily.

After the Indo-Pak agreement on February 16 to start a bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, preparations were going on here.

While work was on to improve the road condition between Uri and the LoC on way to Muzaffarabad, a 100 application forms for boarding the bus were issue here yesterday.

This would facilitate the permits for 30 persons to travel across by the first two buses scheduled for April 7 and April 14.

J&K seeks grant for recruitment
Tribune Reporters

Jammu, March 5
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has asked the Centre to provide an annual additional budgetary grant of Rs 1,000 crore to fulfil the announcement of the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, lifting the ban on recruitment in the state.

This was stated by the Chief Minister, Mufti Sayeed, in a written reply to Mr Sonam Wanchok in the Assembly today.

Earlier, much heat was generated on a similar question that was tabled by Mr Mubarak Gul (NC).

The Chief Minister said although the Prime Minister had announced lifting of the ban on employment in Jammu and Kashmir as a special case, the state government was not in a position to bear the burden of the deficit that would be caused because of the step.

He said about 42,000 jobs had been provided in the past two years.

These included 23,000 teachers and 10,000 police personnel.

The minister in charge of Home in a written reply informed Mr Javed Rana (NC) that as many as 600 persons were currently detained under the Public Safety Act in different jails.

Of these detainees 174 were foreigners and 426 local.

The Jammu and Kashmir Government today ordered a magisterial probe into yesterday’s firing incident at Shopian in Pulwama district and directed the authorities to conduct a DNA test to ascertain the identity of those killed.

Meanwhile, the decision of the state government to rebuild the Mughal road, connecting Poonch with Shopian in south Kashmir, would be a realisation of the unfinished task that had been initiated by Sheikh Abdullah, the tallest Kashmiri political leader.

The Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, announced in the state Assembly here yesterday that the government would earmark separate funds for rebuilding the Mughal road in the current year’s Budget proposals.

He said after the recent closure of the Jammu-Srinagar highway owing to snow and avalanches for 15 days, millions of people had to face a tough time.

Even the Centre had realised the importance of building an alternative to the existing highway.

Snow leads to highway closure

Srinagar, March 5
Fresh landslides triggered by overnight rain and snow led to the closure of the 300-km long Srinagar-Jammu National Highway again leaving over 300 vehicles stranded in the Kashmir valley.

Eight mudslides struck the highway between Magerkote and Nathi in the Ramban and Ramsu areas, 130 km from here, with boulders rolling down at Panthal due a fresh spell of snow in the upper reaches of the valley and continuous overnight rain in the plains, a traffic control spokesman said.

Eight to nine inches of snowfall had accumulated on the road at the Jawahar tunnel and adjoining areas till this morning, the spokesman said, adding that 372 vehicles, which had left Srinagar on way to Jammu yesterday, were stranded at various places.

However, all passengers were safe, he said, adding that the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which maintained the highway, had begun road-clearance operations. The authorities had directed upward movement of traffic from Jammu to Srinagar today. — PTI