J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Minister inspects tourist facilities
Srinagar, May 14
Several measures, including uninterrupted power and water supply, at tourist places are being taken to ensure comfortable stay of visiting tourists here besides improving services for their entertainment and recreation.

No decision on growing maize along border
Jammu, May 14
The Army and the civil authorities have not yet decided whether limited restrictions are to be imposed on the cultivation of maize in the border areas of Poonch, Rajouri, Uri and Kupwara.

Despite the country's tirade against polio, a hapless polio victim struggles to crawl through her routine difficulties in Jammu on Saturday.  — PTI

Minister inspects tourist facilities
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 14
Several measures, including uninterrupted power and water supply, at tourist places are being taken to ensure comfortable stay of visiting tourists here besides improving services for their entertainment and recreation.

This was stated by the Minister for Tourism, Housing and Urban development, Mr Ghulam Hassan Mir, who visited these areas of tourist places here today. These include Boulevard, Nehru Park, Buchwara, Gagribal, Nageen, Nishat and adjacent areas around the Dal Lake. Despite recent spurt in violence during the past week, there had been a smooth and increasing flow of the domestic tourists to the valley.

The Minister, along with senior functionaries of Tourism, PHE, Power, Urban Development, Roads and Buildings and Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), conducted an extensive tour in the tourist places and took stock of the facilities available to the visiting tourists. He also inspected ongoing works for improvement of roads, lanes and drains besides, laying of tiles on the footpath of Boulevard overlooking the famous Dal Lake.

At Boulevard, the minister after seeking necessary feedback from the public as well as experts about replacement of uneven surface of tiles by modern interlock tiles, asked the agency concerned to speed up the replacement work. He directed the Commissioner, SMC, to ensure completion of renovation and repairs of Bund Road on right side of the Jehlum from Zero Bridge to Amira Kadal directing him to complete the job by June 20. Similarly, the Minister asked the Chief Engineer R&B to ensure improvement of Chinar Bagh road around Golf Course. He also directed the authorities to explore possibilities for improvement of inner roads in Gagribal, Buchwara and other adjacent areas.

The minister also visited the TRC premises and took stock of the measures being taken for a reconstruction of a modern Tourist Reception Centre. He also inspected the temporary structure raised to run the tourist reception functions there. He also reviewed the overall arrangement and facilities available to the tourists at various tourist destinations of the valley including Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Gulmarg and Mughal Gardens.

Meanwhile, the Kashmir Hotel and Restaurants Association (KHARA) observed that organised group tourist arrivals were on track, while the individual tourist traffic had declined. It urged the government to attract more tourists by considering its offer for attractive rail and air packages with additional trains and flights to Jammu and Srinagar from cosmopolitan cities of the country. “There is healthy and encouraging response from every corner of the country, regarding the current tourist season”, a spokesman of the KHARA said. He added that the recent incidents like attack on the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) and latest incidents had led to the decline in flow of tourists.

No decision on growing maize along border
M.L. Kak

Jammu, May 14
The Army and the civil authorities have not yet decided whether limited restrictions are to be imposed on the cultivation of maize in the border areas of Poonch, Rajouri, Uri and Kupwara.

Official sources said here today, “We are examining the situation and in case the rate of infiltration from across the LoC registers an upward trend, farmers will be advised not to sow maize in areas close to the border.”

The sources explained that “for the past several years, farmers have been prevented from sowing maize not only in areas close to the border, but in belts adjacent to security pickets and police stations as well.”

Last year the security agencies and the civil administration had to remove maize plants from various sensitive areas in Poonch and Rajouri.

Past experience indicates that infiltrators take shelter in fields dotted with tall maize plants, obstructing anti-insurgency operations.

Several incidents have taken place in Poonch and Rajouri districts where the militants have ambushed security personnel on patrol duty in maize fields.

Official sources say since there has been no violation in the over yearlong ceasefire on the LoC, farmers will not be asked to stop sowing maize in areas close to the border.

The sources say those farmers whose maize cultivation remains restricted owing to security reasons are later compensated by the Ministry of Defence. This practice will continue in case restrictions are to be imposed.

Farmers in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri have been in the forefront of those supporting the ongoing peace process and ceasefire at the LoC because calm borders will ensure them of optimum maize produce. Out of over 1.20 lakh hectares under cultivation, over 40 per cent area comes under maize.

The sources said even if the security scenario improves farmers will not be permitted to sow maize in areas close to security camps and in belts adjacent to main roads as part of security measures.

Reports from the Department of Agriculture reveale that in Poonch and Rajouri the sowing of maize has been delayed because of delay in wheat harvesting due to heavy rains a month ago.

Harbhajan Singh, a farmer from Poonch, says: “It may take another one week for harvesting of wheat which will be followed by sowing of Maize.”

In Kupwara and Uri border belts, sowing maize may begin in the first week of June.