Udhampur, August 8
Though the authorities evicted the agitating migrants to Talwara camp, who were sitting on a dharna near Katra after the lathi charge, tension continues to prevail in Reasi and adjoining localities. Dwellers of Talwara camp organised a demonstration in their camp and vowed to continue their struggle till their demands were met.

Migrants from Reasi and Rajouri districts of Jammu province, camping in Talwara and adjoining areas, have been demanding relief on a par with Kashmiri migrants.

Meanwhile deputy commissioner Reasi, Sanjeev Verma, restricted the entry of Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh and other leaders of his party in Reasi and adjoining localities. The authorities charged Panthers Party leaders with instigating migrants.

Earlier in an operation, the police picked up some leaders of the Panthers Party, who were camping with the agitating people at Serwad village. After picking up the leaders cops took back the agitating displaced people at Talwara. Although some youths resisted police action but cops, who outnumbered the agitating people, lifted them and took them back.

After taking back all agitating people, cops cordoned off the entire Talwara camp and did not allow any person to come out and people were forced to remain in their houses. It was in the afternoon some youths gathered in the ground of the camp and resorted to shouting slogans against the police.

As the news spread that Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh is visiting the camp, a large number of people came in the ground. A The authorities imposed ban on the entry of Panthers Party leaders in Reasi.

The deputy commissioner, Reasi issued special directions to the police to make sure no Panthers Party leader could enter the town. Heavy contingents of security personnel were deployed at Domel and Nagrota to stop Panthers Party leaders from entering the town.

Srinagar, August 8
To defuse the crisis related to ‘outsiders’ staying in the valley, the government has decided to form a committee in every district to deal with the issue.

The committee will comprise of the district commissioner, the superintendent of police and the assistant labour commissioner, official sources said, adding it would assess presence of migrant workforce and possibility of their registration.

Though feasibility of registration of floating migrant labour is anybody's guess, the government believes it will end the crisis sparked by hardliner Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani asking outsiders to leave. Geelani later had toned down his demand and said he wanted all outsiders to be registered and verified by the government, which many believe is almost impossible.

Official sources said the decision to form the committee was taken after soliciting views from all quarters, including the extremists.

However, official sources insisted it would not inconvenience the migrant workers in any way, and they would be under no legal binding.

"I am not sure how we can work it out, but it would be for us to reach out to the outsider workers not for them," a senior police official said, adding it would a difficult exercise as hundreds of migrant workers leave and arrive in the valley every week.

The committee will forward its report to the government for an appropriate decision.

Jammu, August 8
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad ,during his tour of the city, inspected work on several infrastructure development projects taken up by the government.

Azad inspected construction of the 200-bed additional pediatrics ward at SMGS Hospital and visited the site of the dental college where the academic block would be completed by September and the hostels by December.

Azad also took stock of the progress of construction of the five-storey OPD block of the hospital at Gandhi Nagar involving Rs 9.41 crore expenditure and wanted it completed by May next.

Azad also inspected projects of rehabilitation of existing primary drains and construction of new secondary drains at Chinore, rehabilitation and canalisation of drain at Trikuta Nagar and rehabilitation of nullah at Indira Chowk.

The Asian Development Bank-funded and Economic Reconstruction Agency executed Chinore nullah project is estimated to cost Rs 22.8 crore. Azad asked the authorities concerned simultaneously to take up work on filling up and levelling of land available on both sides of the nullahs.