Jammu, February 25
Having only one meal a day, paying for assuring the call of nature sleeping on shabby floors, several hundred passengers on way to Srinagar were stranded at the Jammu inter-state-bus terminus for the fifth consecutive day today.

With at least two more days to go to clear the Jammu-Srinagar highway following landslides due to heavy rain at Pir Panjal and other places along route, these stranded passengers flooded the corridors of bus terminus here, uncertain of journey back home in the Kashmir valley.

While the ISBT manager’s office room was locked ‘’owing to Sunday’’, as explained by an employee, the Kashmiris refused to accept the meal arranged by the local Municipal authorities here.

“If you eat this kind of food, you will fall sick,’’ said an old man, while another cried among the group, “even the dogs will not eat such kind of food’’.

However, the beggars here seen in que, along with some poor passengers, holding ‘thalis’ for evening meal.

An employee of the J and K State Transport Corporation said some buses left this morning for Ramban, from where the passengers would trek some kilometres as public transport vehicles were waiting for them on the other side of the blockade.

However, passengers claimed they were being charged Rs 80 per seat, contrary to an assurance of the state administration that those stranded here for more than two days would be ferried up to Ramban free of cost.

Women and children were seen sitting in corners, men stood in front of closed ticket counter, complaining they were not informed about arrangements.

“They take Rs 3 from a man and Rs 5 from a woman for using toilets here (ISBT), while we are already short of money for food,’’ said Liaquat Ali Khan, stranded with family members here for the past four days. “I have not bath for the past four days and I am feeling sick here, waiting in pain to return home,’’ said an old man from Baramulah, worrying whether to spend his little money on food or medicines.

At least two more days to go, I will have to save Rs 200 left with me, as I have already spent some money on food,’’ he lamented, pointing out he had come to the Jammu city hospital for treatment earlier this week.

Srinagar resident Nirmal Singh was stranded here with wife and children for the past four days, as they were on a journey back home from pilgrimage to Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Mohammad Yusuf, a student in the Jammu University, has been waiting to go to home town Srinagar. ‘’I can go back to my hostel, but what about these poor men with families who are left with very little money and no decent place for women to sleep at night.

Fayaz Ahmed, who opted to take shelter with his wife and children at a petrol station across the road, said he felt the arrangement for hundreds of the passengers was not a priority of the government.

Jammu, February 25
The Praja Parishad headed by Mr Chander Mohan Sharma has decided to float a united front of nationalist forces in Jammu. So far the parishad leadership has succeeded in securing the support of the Shiv Sena, the Duggar Liberation Front, the Duggar Desh and the Refugee United Front.

Mr Sharma told this correspondent here today: " We have decided to form a united front of pro-Jammu forces for fighting continued discrimination of the region by successive state governments." He said, "Our minimum common programme will be to force the government to carry out fresh delimitation for the creation of more districts in Jammu region."

Mr Sharma stated that the front would agitate for equal devolution of funds for the valley and Jammu. He said road connectivity programme, power generation schemes, irrigation network and development of water bodies in the valley continued to get a lion's share whereas the pace of development works in the Jammu region remained tardy.

The new front, he said, would campaign for rehabilitation of refugees who continued to receive a raw deal as far as citizenship rights were concerned.

Srinagar, February 25
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti today demanded reduction of troops in Jammu and Kashmir and revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the state.

“Only such tangible measures would make a difference to life in Kashmir and provide a visible breakthrough on the ground,” Ms Mufti said while addressing a PDP workers’ convention at party headquarters here.

She said the PDP’s demand for troop reduction and withdrawal of the AFSPA was vital for real and substantial forward movement in the ongoing peace process.

Ms Mufti said these measures should not be viewed in isolation, as unless practical initiatives were taken to address the situation on the ground, the CBMs would have no meaning for the people who were the worst victims.

She urged all political parties and leaders to change their mindsets, and not to oppose the PDP’s demand.

“We cannot wait for the last gun to fall silent and nobody can confidently predict that conditions would be more appropriate for such an initiative after two or three years,” she said. — UNI