J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Monument Preservation
Srinagar, Leh on WMF watch list
Srinagar, June 10
Srinagar, along with Indian cities like Agra, Ahmedabad and Dwarka,mythical capital of Lord Krishna, has been included in the list of world monuments which need to be preserved. This has been mentioned by the World Monuments Fund.

Ice Lingam formed at Amarnath
Srinagar, June 10
With Lord Shiva in the form of the holy ice Lingam having formed, Governor S. K. Sinha paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave shrine in the upper reaches of Pahalgam in south Kashmir yesterday.

Jehad CD
Militant outfits term it govt conspiracy
Srinagar, June 10
Reacting to the alleged presence of the Al-Qaida in the state, the terrorist organisations active in the valley said there was no need of the Al-Qaida here and went on to blame the security agencies for the release of the CD, which showed a self-proclaimed member of the outfit.

LeT plan to attack mela foiled
Udhampur, June 10
With the arrest of six dreaded militants of Laskher-e-Toiba, Doda Police today foiled any attempt of the militants to attack forthcoming Bhaderwah Mela. Arrested person including one self-styled commander of the Laskher-e-Toiba.

Stir threat over Vaishno Devi varsity
Udhampur, June 10
Efforts of the government to pacify the agitating people of Udhampur failed to yield an encouraging response as the Zila Bachao Sangharsh Samiti,an amalgam of different political groups, today threatened an extreme step if an attempt was made to "snatch” Mata Vaishno Devi University and the proposed cancer hospital from Udhampur district.

Lecturers on warpath
Udhampur, June 10
Lecturers engaged by the Education Department in Udhampur district under academic arrangement scheme are on the warpath as authorities failed implement cabinet decision to regularise their services. Lecturers served memorandum on the authorities concerned and gave one- month ultimatum to solve their problems.

Villagers’ ultimatum to admin
Udhampur, June 10
Residents of six villages of Udhampur today gave 15-day ultimatum to the district administration for solving their compensation cases. Land, houses and shops of over 250 families of Ramnagar belt of Udhampur have been acquired by the local administration for the widening of 38 km Rondomel-Ramnagar road.

• 10 hurt in grenade blast

Monument Preservation
Srinagar, Leh on WMF watch list
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 10
Srinagar, along with Indian cities like Agra, Ahmedabad and Dwarka,mythical capital of Lord Krishna, has been included in the list of world monuments which need to be preserved. This has been mentioned by the World Monuments Fund (WMF).

Leh also figures in this year's World Monuments Watch List of 100 endangered sites. Though the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), J&K chapter, along with the state government nominated and endorsed, respectively, the choice of Srinagar, it was a Tibetan body based abroad which secured the place for the Buddhist city of Leh.

Tourism secretary Naeem Akhtar and INTACH convener M. Saleem Begh said financial and professional resources would flow following development, and Leh,the glory of which had nosedived among tourists in the past decades due to neglect of its architectural and natural beauties, could be on its way to redeem its majesty. "The WMF has an impressive record of saving over 75 per cent of its watch sites," Akhtar said.

The part of Srinagar, which would come under preservation drive, spans across 15 sq km, the largest ever area covered by the WMF, and winds around the Jhelum, attracting the tag of "diamond necklace" by its nominators.

Begh was more forthright in admitting that the government was not doing enough for the city founded by King Ashoka in 250 BC and ruled over by some great Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist dynasties.He rued that many of its architectural and natural wonders were dying a slow death due to social ignorance and official negligence. "The city has become a transit point for those going to Gulmarg or other places. Its water bodies, including the

famous Dal Lake, are shrinking and monuments are in disuse," he said.

He called for a legislation to preserve its old city charm and heritages. However, the mood at the press conference held by the Tourism Department was more of hope than despair. "Srinagar's selection by the WMF marks a new dawn. We will all work together to restore its glory," said Akhtar.

They also asked the citizens owning any place older than 50 years and having architectural significance to come forward for the preservation of their glory. "We will make them partners so that they do not feel economically deprived," he said.

Ice Lingam formed at Amarnath
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 10
With Lord Shiva in the form of the holy ice Lingam having formed, Governor S. K. Sinha paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave shrine in the upper reaches of Pahalgam in south Kashmir yesterday.

The Governor, as chairman of the Amarnath Shrine Board, reviewed arrangements made for the pilgrimage at all halt points and en route the shrine from Baltal. The yatra will commence simultaneously from Pahalgam and Baltal on June 30 and conclude on Raksha Bandhan, August 28.

He said the board had made elaborate arrangements for facilities at all halt camps and various points on the 14-km trek. So far 50 one-room and double-room prefabricated shelters had been raised at Baltal in addition to 45 rest shelters at various points for the pilgrims. Work on raising 2,300 environment-friendly toilets had also been started while transport service, drinking water, electricity and medicare facilities were reviewed. For safe drinking water, 60 water purifiers were being installed.

The Public Health Engineering Division was laying adequate water points in Baltal. The board had given permission for pitching 4,300 tents and 720 shops by locals during the yatra. Permission had also been granted to 120 langar organisations.

The Governor was told accommodation was being arranged for 1,400 pilgrims in all camps with toilets, hot water and electricity. Chief executive officer Arun Kumar said two companies would fly helicopters on reduced rates. Charges from Baltal to cave and back had been fixed at Rs 5,890 against Rs 7,500 and from Srinagar to cave Rs 18,900 from Rs 20,000 last year.

Jehad CD
Militant outfits term it govt conspiracy
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 10
Reacting to the alleged presence of the Al-Qaida in the state, the terrorist organisations active in the valley said there was no need of the Al-Qaida here and went on to blame the security agencies for the release of the CD, which showed a self-proclaimed member of the outfit.

The United Jehad Council, an amalgam of terrorist groups present here, said in a statement to a news agency that there was no "basis" in such claims and termed these "fabricated and malicious". However, the council said it was a pre-planned conspiracy from the government agencies to give a bad name to their "indigenous" struggle.

The government has also been sceptical of the claims of a masked man in a CD, who called himself a local Al-Qaida operative, and lashed out at several political organisations, including the separatist All-Party Hurriyat Conference, for their negative approach.The government, however, has not made any conclusive statement so far and is looking into the matter.

LeT plan to attack mela foiled
Tribune News Service

Udhampur, June 10
With the arrest of six dreaded militants of Laskher-e-Toiba, Doda Police today foiled any attempt of the militants to attack forthcoming Bhaderwah Mela. Arrested person including one self-styled commander of the Laskher-e-Toiba.

According to SSP Doda Manohar Singh on a specific information police conducted raids at different places of Doda district and nabbed six dreaded terrorists. All the arrested militants belong to Bhaderwah and Doda area.

The arrested militants have been identified as Farid Ahmed Shah, Wasim Hussain Bhat, Mehboob Ahmed Bhat, Nazir Ahmed, Shah Nawaz and Riyaz Ahmed.

According to police these militants were involved in many grenade throwing incidents and were active in Bhaderwah and adjoining localities. Sources said that all the arrested militants were planning to attack forthcoming Bhaderwah festival. On a specific information police conducted a raid and nabbed all the six.

Stir threat over Vaishno Devi varsity
Tribune News Service

Udhampur, June 10
Efforts of the government to pacify the agitating people of Udhampur failed to yield an encouraging response as the Zila Bachao Sangharsh Samiti,an amalgam of different political groups, today threatened an extreme step if an attempt was made to "snatch” Mata Vaishno Devi University and the proposed cancer hospital from Udhampur district.

The university and the proposed cancer hospital have become a bone of contention between inhabitants of two districts. Residents of Reasi demand these institutes should be in their district, while people of Udhampur, under the banner of the Zila Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, are opposing this.

Lecturers on warpath
Tribune News Service

Udhampur, June 10
Lecturers engaged by the Education Department in Udhampur district under academic arrangement scheme are on the warpath as authorities failed implement cabinet decision to regularise their services. Lecturers served memorandum on the authorities concerned and gave one- month ultimatum to solve their problems.

Under orders number 553, 816 and 1301, the state government had engaged lecturers on consolidated salaries under the academic arrangement scheme in 10+2 institutions across the state. As hundreds of posts have been vacant in educational institutions, these lecturers filled that gap and streamlined functioning of many 10+2 institutions in far-flung areas.

President of the Consolidated Lecturers Forum Hans Raj told the the Tribune they worked with dedication hoping their services w0uld be recognised by the government. He, however, regretted the authorities were not considering their demands on humanitarian grounds.

The government framed a policy and issued an order on July 31, 2003 to regularise all those lecturers who had completed three years of regular service.

Villagers’ ultimatum to admin
Tribune News Service

Udhampur, June 10
Residents of six villages of Udhampur today gave 15-day ultimatum to the district administration for solving their compensation cases.

Land, houses and shops of over 250 families of Ramnagar belt of Udhampur have been acquired by the local administration for the widening of 38 km Rondomel-Ramnagar road. For the past two months these families have been trying to get compensation but to no avail.

``We were left with no option but to come on the street to awaken the authorities from deep slumber'', said Sunder Singh to media persons. He alleged instead of paying compensation to the families authorities had been terrorising them.

10 hurt in grenade blast

Srinagar, June 10
At least 10 persons, including six civilians, three personnel of the CRPF and a traffic policeman were injured when unidentified militants hurled a grenade on a patrol party performing duty at Habbak crossing here last evening. — TNS