J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

CM calls all-party meeting on May 12
Jammu, April 28
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has convened all-parties meeting at Srinagar on May 12 to discuss the contentious issues of increasing the number of Assembly seats by 25 per cent and granting citizenship rights to refugees from West Pakistan. Azad has convened this meeting in a bid to evolve consensus on these issues and also to discuss delimitation of Assembly constituencies.

17 women pass out as SIs
Udhampur, April 28
Turning a bold face towards terrorists' threat as well as conservative society, girls in Jammu and Kashmir are joining not only the belt force in a good number, but also outshining their male counterparts in professional competitions.

HC orders reshuffle of judges, judicial officers 
Jammu, April 28  
In a major reshuffle, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court today promoted eight senior sub-judges to the post of session judges and transferred 76 judicial officers.

3 LeT militants gunned down
Udhampur, April 28
Three militants of Lashker-e-Toiba were gunned down in a joint operation by the Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the Ghai area of Doda district this morning, official sources said.

Girdhari Lal’s wife, with her children, waits impatiently for the return of her husband, who crossed the border and is now in a Pak jail. Tribune photo by Sarbjeet Singh

Man crosses border, lands in Pak jail
Akhnoor, April 28
When Girdhari Lal had illegally crossed over to Pakistan last year, he never knew that he would land behind bars in Rawalpindi there, rubbing shoulders with prisoners from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, and other such countries.

Pollution killing Tawi
Jammu, April 28
Residents of this city of temples have abandoned the practice of giving the last dip to the dead in the holy waters of the Tawi as it has become one of the most polluted rivers of the country.

The Tawi strewn with polythene bags at Jammu. A Tribune photograph

Martyrs Day celebrated
Rajouri, April 28
The Army, in collaboration with the civil administration, organized Shahidi Diwas (Martyrs Day) function at Mendhar in Poonch today. The day is celebrated every year to remember the sacrifices made by six brave sons of the soil, Syed Muhammad, Ghulam Hussain Gujjar, Pir Baksh, Mohammed Sadiq and Khan Mohammed Gujjar of Mendhar tehsil while assisting the Army in the frontline during the 1965 Indo-Pak conflict. While addressing a gathering, Brig I. S. Singha, Commander Bhimber Gali Brigade saluted the determined courage of the these martyrs. — TNS

Night marriages return after17 years
Rajouri, April 28
Bursting of crackers, beating of drums, people dancing to traditional marriage folk songs was not so common sight in marriages in this frontier town.But with the peace returning to this town, the people are making it a point to make marriages a lifetime experience.

CM calls all-party meeting on May 12
To discuss raising Assembly seats
S.P.Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 28
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has convened all-parties meeting at Srinagar on May 12 to discuss the contentious issues of increasing the number of Assembly seats by 25 per cent and granting citizenship rights to refugees from West Pakistan. Azad has convened this meeting in a bid to evolve consensus on these issues and also to discuss delimitation of Assembly constituencies.

Political parties here are opposed to the region-wise proportionate increase of seats by 25 per cent as Jammu, despite being geographically bigger than Kashmir, will continue to have less number of seats than the valley.

On the other hand, the Kashmir-based parties favour providing citizenship rights to the Hindu West Pakistani refugees who migrated to the state 60 years ago.They argue that such a step would affect the demography of the state.

These issues eluded consensus when a Bill was introduced for the purpose of increasing 25 per cent seats in the Assembly. The government first introduced the Bill, but later withdrew it.

However, a private member Harshdev Singh, Panthers Party, seeking to increase the number of seats from the existing 87 to 140 was rejected in the House. Besides, as many as 25 seats have been kept vacant for the PoK. Delimitation of Assembly constituencies was overdue in the state.

The ruling Congress had during the elections promised refugees that steps would be taken towards their permanent resettlement.

The West Pakistani refugees here face a peculiar dilemma of not having citizenship rights. They can vote for the Lok Sabha elections, but not for the state Assembly. Their children are denied jobs in state government departments and they cannot own land here.

17 women pass out as SIs
Tribune News Service

Udhampur, April 28
Turning a bold face towards terrorists' threat as well as conservative society, girls in Jammu and Kashmir are joining not only the belt force in a good number, but also outshining their male counterparts in professional competitions.

This was evident from the passing-out parade of the Jammu and Kashmir police here yesterday where 17 out of 35 passing-out sub-inspectors (SIs) were females. Furthermore, the first time in the history of state, a female Rimpy Khajuria took command of the parade and another female officer Meriaz Kousar was adjudged the over-all best in the training.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was presiding over the parade, said: “Whenever responsibilities were given to females, they outshone their male counterparts''.

Director of the Sher-e-Kashmir Police Academy Ram Lubhaia lavished all praise on female trainees for showing excellence in all fields.

Isha Mahajan was awarded for best indoor activities, Manju Bala for outdoor activities and Anita Bandral as the best rider. 

HC orders reshuffle of judges, judicial officers 

Jammu, April 28
In a major reshuffle, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court today promoted eight senior sub-judges to the post of session judges and transferred 76 judicial officers.

The decision was taken in a meeting presided over by acting Chief Justice Nisar Ahmed Kakru, a court spokesman said.

Duni Chand Sagotra, promoted as the adhoc district and sessions judge had been posted in Kishtwar as the additional district and sessions judge, while additional judge TADA/POTA court, Srinagar Rashid Ali Dar will be the new adhoc sessions judge.

Vinod Chaterji Koul, presently Deputy Registrar, judicial High Court Jammu wing, has been posted as additional district and sessions judge, Kathua.

Muhammad Yousuf Akhoon would be the second additional district and sessions judge, Srinagar, whereas Sanjay Dhar, presently Chief Judicial Magistrate, Jammu, has been promoted as secretary, legal aid authority state High Court.

Puneet Gupta has been posted as first additional and district judge Jammu on promotion, while Mohan Lal is now posted as principal district and sessions judge, Leh.

Mohammad Akram Choudhary who was additional district and sessions judge, Ramban has been promoted as adhoc district and sessions judge. The Jammu and Kashmir High Court transferred and posted 76 judicial officers.— PTI

3 LeT militants gunned down
Tribune News Service

Udhampur, April 28
Three militants of Lashker-e-Toiba were gunned down in a joint operation by the Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the Ghai area of Doda district this morning, official sources said.

The operation was launched by 10 Rashtriya Rifles and the Kashmir Police on specific information about the presence of militants in the Ghai area of Doda. The gunbattle started this morning and lasted for about two hours, official sources said. “One of them is a local while the other two are yet to be identified, but most likely could be foreign terrorists,” he said.

Giving details, Defence spokesman said troops of 10 RR on specific information cordoned the village and launched a search operation. When the troops were zeroing in on the militants' hideout, they came under heavy fire from the militants leading to a fierce gunbattle, he said. 

Man crosses border, lands in Pak jail
Prabhjit Singh
Tribune News Service

Akhnoor, April 28
When Girdhari Lal had illegally crossed over to Pakistan last year, he never knew that he would land behind bars in Rawalpindi there, rubbing shoulders with prisoners from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, and other such countries.

“Adalya Central Jail, Rawalpindi, barrack No. 6, room No. 3,” is the new address of Girdhari Lal, which he wrote in the letter to his father from the jail, requesting family members to contact the local MLA, MP and also the Pakistan High Commission for the possibility of repatriation.

''My only son left on February 16, while his wife gave birth to his second child on February 27,'' explained Jai Ram, the father, as his daughter-in-law sits with the one-year-old boy in her lap.

Girdhari has written in the letter (dated: May 29, 2007) that he had crossed into Pakistan from the Abdullian border outpost in the R. S. Pora sector, along with another person.

Krishan Lal said he got his son's letter on Tuesday last.

The letter's green envelope bore a Pakistani stamp with an emblem of Jinnah's photo, which cops from the Akhnoor police station took away from him.

The poor and illiterate father also received a phone call from his son. ''I went to Jammu on March 19 after getting a message from our relatives that Girdhari Lal had called up and wanted to talk to me,'' said the father.

Akhnoor DSP Atul Sharma told this correspondent that he had taken up the matter with his ''senior authorities'' and had also assured the family members that the state administration was doing the needful in this regard.

Jai Ram said Girdhari was his only son and that he had also written a letter for his son's repatriation to the President and the Prime Minister.

Pollution killing Tawi
S.P.Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 28
Residents of this city of temples have abandoned the practice of giving the last dip to the dead in the holy waters of the Tawi as it has become one of the most polluted rivers of the country.

A tubewell has now been dug at the cremation ground at Jogi Gate on the banks of the Tawi to perform the ritual of giving the last bath to the dead before cremation takes place.

The sacred Tawi that divides the Jammu city into two parts has become one the most polluted rivers as the municipal corporation is not only dumping solid waste in it, but raw sewage is also being allowed to flow into it.

Numerous drains in the old city carrying night soil and hazardous effluents flow into the river as the government has failed to lay a sewerage system although the population here has gone beyond 12 lakh.

The Jammu Municipal Corporation and the state Pollution Control Board have miserably failed to protect the river from getting further polluted in spite of repeated orders of the high court.Polythene bags are choking the river in which trucks and buses are also washed by operators.Excavation of building material is being done ruthlessly by the mining mafia that enjoys political and official patronage.

Highly dangerous biomedical waste is also being dumped into the river without segregating it from other solid waste. All this was being done in violation of the Biomedical Waste Management and Handling Rules, 1998, that clearly mention that the occupier of an institution generating biomedical waste shall be responsible for taking steps to ensure that such waste is handled without any adverse effect to the human health and environment.

The pollution board had sometime ago served notices on more than 300 private nursing homes and clinics to take steps to effectively dispose of biomedical waste, but nothing was heard about it later.

According to an official report, about 800 tonnes of garbage is generated here every day, but the corporation collects about half of it while the remaining flows into the Tawi.

The Tawi is a major left bank tributary of the Chenab. It flows through the districts of Doda, Udhampur and Jammu before it enters Pakistan.

Sometime ago a plan was prepared to develop the Tawi front to beautify the city.The plan provided for landscaping of both sides of the river by constructing walkways, gardens and recreation centres to replace the garbage dumps, which have come up over the years.

The river is gradually vanishing as it has got reduced to the level of a nullah that becomes furious during rains.

Martyrs Day celebrated

Rajouri, April 28
The Army, in collaboration with the civil administration, organized Shahidi Diwas (Martyrs Day) function at Mendhar in Poonch today. The day is celebrated every year to remember the sacrifices made by six brave sons of the soil, Syed Muhammad, Ghulam Hussain Gujjar, Pir Baksh, Mohammed Sadiq and Khan Mohammed Gujjar of Mendhar tehsil while assisting the Army in the frontline during the 1965 Indo-Pak conflict. While addressing a gathering, Brig I. S. Singha, Commander Bhimber Gali Brigade saluted the determined courage of the these martyrs. — TNS

Night marriages return after17 years
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, April 28
Bursting of crackers, beating of drums, people dancing to traditional marriage folk songs was not so common sight in marriages in this frontier town.But with the peace returning to this town, the people are making it a point to make marriages a lifetime experience.

Peace has even ensured that the culture of night marriages (which were replaced by day marriages after insurgency started in the state) has been revived.

In fact, till one year back, marriages in this town were a low-profile affair with little or no celebrations related with them.

The celebrations associated with marriages were considered risky affair because of militancy.On the marriage day, the groom used to arrive at lunch and the bride’s family used to see off their daughter by evening.

But with peace and the security scenario changing for better, things have changed and the marriage celebrations now include everything from fireworks to drum beating and dance.

Says Parveen Raina,a local resident who recently attended a marriage of his cousin:”Till last year, one could not even dream of celebrating marriages. But now, with peaceful atmosphere prevailing in the town, the people are enjoying marriages to the fullest”.

DIG, Police, Rajouri-Poonch range, Muhammad Amin Anjum, told TNS that efforts of the police and security forces had yielded fruit and the situation in the area had improved.