Jammu, January 29
With no let up in sight, the state Legislative Assembly, barely after 12 minutes into the day’s session, was adjourned again today only to reassemble late in the afternoon at 3.40 pm that too in absence of the National Conference, the main Opposition party in the Lower House.

Turning out to be a gordian knot, the Kundal Committee Report allegedly indicting two ministers of the ruling alliance has virtually brought proceedings of the highest democratic forum to a grinding halt from the past over a week.

As soon as the House assembled this morning at 10 am, leader of the Opposition Abdul Rahim Rather amidst a common sight of ruckus reiterated the Opposition’s demand of dropping “tainted” ministers so as to pave way for discussion on the enquiry report.

“We are firm on our stand,” Abdul Rahim Rather reacted when Speaker Tara Chand repeatedly informed the Opposition that a discussion has been listed after the question hour.

Amidst slogans, PDP legislators Sartaj Madni and Shanti Devi tried to counter NC’s onslaught. When the NC legislators were about to stage a walkout the Speaker again tried to convince them with a debate over the issue.

NC legislator Ali Mohammed Sagar, who a few days back, could have virtually roughed up finance minister Tariq Hameed Karra, had he been not prevented by marshals, fired a salvo at the Speaker.

“You are shielding thieves and we won’t let it happen,” he said.

Amidst the din, Tara Chand adjourned the House at 10.12 am till 11 am but it reassembled at 3.40 pm.

Later, in a media briefing CPM legislator M. Y. Tarigami advocated a CBI probe into the entire forest scandal so as to find a way out for reconciliation.

“I had written a letter to the Chief Minister in September last year to order a CBI probe. The state government has ordered probe by vigilance organisation and crime branch but being state organisations they may be influenced,” he said. Tarigami said, “I reiterate my demand of a CBI probe with a hope that the Opposition would support it in the larger interest of people.” “However, state government has to ensure a time-bound CBI probe and must implement its recommendations in letter and spirit,” he added. Though Abdul Rahim Rather endorsed Tarigami’s suggestion of a CBI probe but made it clear that government should first drop the “tainted” ministers. “The Chief Minister should give us an assurance of taking action against involved ministers if they are proved guilty before starting the discussion or order CBI probe but first he has to drop them,” he added. 

Jammu, January 29
The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) today alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party was undermining the peace initiative of its own leader and former Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, by raising the demand of abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.

Expressing his dismay over the latest statement of BJP president Rajnath Singh, the PDP patron and former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, said by demanding the scrapping of Article 370, the BJP leader was undermining the very reconciliation process pioneered by the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and carried forward by Dr Manmohan Singh.

“By such statements the BJP leadership is doing no good either to the state or to the country,” he said and added that instead of playing politics with the peace process, the BJP leaders must fully support the UPA Government’s Kashmir initiatives as was done by the Congress when the NDA government initiated the process.

The Mufti reiterated his party's resolve to work for a new future for Jammu and Kashmir that is free from violence and discord. “The PDP went to the people with the agenda of peace with dignity at a difficult time and obtained the mandate to act upon and pursue its commitment with resolute conviction,”  he said. 

Rajouri, January 29
As the entire north India reels under intense chill, erratic electricity and water supply has made the life of the people in Poonch and Rajouri, twin border districts, miserable. The worst affected again remain the rural areas.

Even as the electric supply plays hide and seek in this border district, it has even affected the water supply due to regular disruption in water pumping system.

Whereas power supply remains severely affected and is supplied for just seven to eight hours, it has also affected the water supply. In some areas in the town here and on its outskirts water supply remains disrupted for days together.

Residents facing trying times alleged that though the state government makes false claims of supplying power and water but on ground they have failed to provide solace to them. They rued that though the twin capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar are being fed with regular water and power supply, but these twin border districts are being neglected.

“What is our fault? We hear that they (state government) make every effort to supply uninterrupted water and power supply in twin capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar, but when it comes to our district they are simply not interested,” said Zakir Ahmed, resident of ward no 7 here. “It has become very difficult for us to survive the intense cold. For god sake please ask the government to save us.”

In the neighboring frontier districts of Poonch, people also complained that concerned department has failed in supplying electricity and are imposing nasty power cuts ranging from 14-16 hours.

“We cannot do much since the load increases phenomenally during the winter months. It is because of this fact, we have to impose huge power cuts,” said a senior officer in the Power Development Department on the condition of anonymity. Executive engineer, Public Health Engineering (PHE), Rajouri circle, Sachidanand Sethi told The Tribune that water supply is affected due to erratic power supply.

Jammu, January 29
The National Conference seems to have forgotten that the battle regarding sacking of ministers, which it has undertaken in the state assembly, ideally should have been fought in the streets or grassroots.

The way the party has been forcing adjournments to press for its demand over sacking of two ministers, Tariq Hameed Qarra (finance) and Qazi Mohammad Afzal (forests), seems to have stemmed more from the political compulsions than any real concern over the corruption at high places.

The NC may not be able to drag its demand too far. Ultimately it will have to beat a retreat. In fact during the past few days the party has built up so much rhetoric over the demand of sacking the two ministers that it will be very difficult for it to settle down for anything less.

However, it has already hinted to mellow down by saying that the party would be ready for a discussion on the Kundal Committee Report if the Chief Minister assures that in case the two ministers were proved guilty they would be sacked. Besides, the party has floated the idea for the CBI probe into the “forest scam.”

For the last one week, the party has practically not allowed the state legislative assembly to function, resulting in the loss of precious working hours. Surprisingly, it was the same NC that raised hue and cry and even boycotted the Governor’s customary address on the inaugural day to protest against the short duration of the session.

Thanks to its continuous protests, it has practically shortened the duration of the session further. The NC probably miscalculated its move hoping that Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad might prove to be obliging by sacking, or at least withdrawing work from the two ministers.

However, Azad is too shrewd to do that, lest he antagonise his alliance partner, the People's Democratic Party (PDP). In the case of Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, he had apparently taken the party high command into confidence. Moreover, there were other intra party (within the Congress) issues that expedited Peerzada’s exit.

Having got a precedent set, the NC apparently hoped that the two ministers were all set to exit. It could have been a greatest victory for the party and great setback for the PDP to which these ministers belong.

The NC is worried over its eroding support base in the Kashmir valley, where the PDP has been trying to hit at its roots. The PDP has gone beyond the NC’s demand of greater autonomy by seeking self-rule.

Moreover, the PDP has made deep inroads into the NC bastions like Ganderbal and the capital city of Srinagar. And the two controversial ministers are the main force behind the PDP’s surge.

Instead of taking the PDP on the streets at the grass roots level, the NC seems to had devised a more convenient route of legislature where it is forcing adjournments. Besides the way the party legislators, who mostly include former minister, have been shouting slogans makes it look like more of a street protest than serious legislative business.

Needless to mention that a few days back the NC legislators had even picked up chairs and mikes aimed at their rivals, the PDP.

Srinagar/Kargil, January 29
Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, experienced fresh snowfall today while it was heavily snowing on upper reaches, including world famous ski resort of Gulmarg where water sources froze resulting in water 
shortage.

People, witnessing dry weather, in Kargil, Leh and Dras, the coldest place in the world after Siberia, continued to reel under severe cold as the minimum temperature dipped to minus 19 degrees to minus 24 degrees Celsius.

Tree and roof tops, electric poles and parks turned white in the city and its adjoining areas after the fresh snowfall. Though snow had stopped, the weather was cloudy.

Snowfall, coupled with frequent power failure, water shortage and rise in the prices of essential commodities has thrown life out of gear in the valley.

People at several areas took to the streets in protest against water and electricity shortage. Deputations from Bandipora and Pahalgam also complained about shortage of gas, kerosene oil, water and power in their areas to Chief Minister’s advisor camping here.

At many localities the drains were overflowing and road constructed last summer were damaged due to the snowfall. The upper reaches in the valley also experienced heavy snowfall since last evening.

A report from Gulmarg said it was snowing heavily since early today much to the delight of organisers of National Winter games to be held from February 17. About seven to 15 feet of snow had accumulated on the slopes at Gulmarg, Kongdori, Affarwat, Seven springs and Khilanmarg.

However, the most attractive winter tourist spot is facing acute water shortage as almost all water sources had freezed because of low temperature. The water pipes had also froze, official sources said, adding efforts were being made to make alternative arrangement for water supply.

The holy Amarnath cave and its periphery also experienced two to three feet of fresh snowfall since last evening. Sheshnag, Mahaguns, Pisso top and Panjtherni also recorded snowfall.

Dras remained the coldest place in the state with mercury dipping to minus 24 degrees Celsius this morning. The maximum was also minus 7.5 degrees it said. However, Kargil was relatively warm than Dras as the minimum was minus 19 degrees while the maximum was minus 6 degrees. Leh was also cold after the temperature this morning fell to minus 20 degrees.

Interestingly, there was no fresh snowfall in Kargil and Dras, the report said, adding about two to three-and-half-a- feet snow had accumulated at Dras and Kargil. All link roads were closed because of snow as it was being cleared on the Drass-Kargil-Leh national highway.

Srinagar, January 29
The Opposition National Conference’s youth wing today demanded imposition of Central rule in the state in view of the present “political instability, chaos and confusion” in the state.

“Jammu and Kashmir is a fit case for imposition of governor’s rule as the state is gripped with political instability, chaos and confusion,” general secretary of Youth National Conference Irfan Ahmad Shah said while addressing workers assembled at party headquarters here.

He said had the NC been in power and the situation been as it is presently, the Centre would have imposed governor’s rule.

Shah said the coalition government pushed the people to wall by not attending to their problems and people were waiting early for fresh elections in the state.

Alleging that lakhs of youths were not provided jobs under a conspiracy, he said the coalition government had no concrete policy to tackle unemployment, which had increased during the last five years.

Shah said the youth in the state were restive in view of bleak prospects.

Referring to the forest scam, he alleged the government was trying to shield two ministers Qazi Mohammad Afzal and Tariq Hameed Karra allegedly indicted by the Kundal report.

Meanwhile, an NC spokesman said party legislators were duty bound to expose the misdeeds and corrupt practices of the two ministers allegedly involved in the scam.

The spokesman claimed that since it came to power in 2002, the PDP resorted to corrupt practices. — PTI

Srinagar, January 29
The PDP general secretary and MLC, Nizam-u-Din Bhat, has asked the government to set up an exclusive economic zone for fishermen in Kashmir valley with a view to overcome shortcomings, experienced on account of the multiplicity of controls, and clearances vis-à-vis the fishing trade across the state.

Bhat said the Wular Development Project that envisaged the protection of the lake body, proper land usage, flood control strategy and proper sewage disposal should be expeditiously implemented in letter and spirit. He said pending insurance cases of fishermen of Sonawari and Bandipora be settled so that their livelihood was not hampered.

The MLC urged the government to ensure basic amenities, including, road connectivity, management of flood channels, ghats, and inner links to be taken up on priority basis.

He added that new fish catching technology be provided and improved fish seed should be given to fish folk of Sonawari and Bandipora, who directly depend on fresh water lake for fish, fodder variety of fruits, and vegetables.

He also advocated for subsidies and concessions for that majority of fish folk in valley who live at subsistence level mainly due to lack of access to institutional credit facilities for their economic activities.

Bhat has also appealed to the government to provide fishing equipment and basic amenities to fishermen living on the coastline of Wular Lake.

He expressed concern over lack of coordination between Navy and administration which hampered the livelihood of the fish folk of this area.

Rajouri, January 29
The district hospital here continues to remain in news for all the wrong reasons. A few days back the people alleging negligence on the part of doctors and para-medics in saving a woman’s life tried to manhandle the Director, Health Services, Jammu, within the hospital premises, this time around the alleged raw deal to a baby brought in the hospital evoked massive protest within the hospital and even outside. The parents of the baby even alleged the officiating Medical Superintendent and para-medics for assaulting them and kicking them outside the hospital.

Protestors alleging nepotism and corruption in the hospital said that doctors and para-medics did not attend to the patients properly and at proper time. They blocked the ever busy Gujjar Mandi chowk here for half an hour and only after getting assurance from the police officers lifted the blockade.

Hospital Sources said that Said Ali (3 months old) son of Said Muhammad of Pangai in Thanamandi was admitted in the children ward of the district hospital on January 28 under CR No: 12460. They said that as per the instruction of the doctor attending Ali, he was to be injected at 6 am in the morning today but para-medics attended him late at 7.30 am. 

Sources said that during that period child was crying with pain and the parents brought matter was brought to notice of doctors when he was on routine round at 11 am. They said that despite the instructions by the doctors the paramedics injected baby at 1.30 pm instead of 11.30 am.

The sources averred that the delay caused resentment among the parents and other attendants of the other patients in the ward which resulted in a verbal duel between inmates of the ward and the paramedics. The matter was brought to the notice of officiating superintendent Dr Bashir Malik during his routine visit to the ward and in the meantime local media persons also reached the hospital ward, they said.

“Instead of rectifying the problem Dr. Bashir Malik misbehaved with the father of the child alleging that the later had called the media persons. The verbal confrontation turned into ugly scene and paramedics along with Dr Bashir Malik thrashed the father and mother of the child and asked them to take the baby out of the ward and get it treated some where else”, said a protestor. He said that the parents and people then took out protest rally and blocked the Gujjar Mandi chowk raising slogans against the hospital staff.

In the meantime, Station House Officer , Inspector Jabeen Malik reached the spot and pacified the agitating people.

The parents of the protestors later brought the matter to the notice of officiating SSP Shabir Chowdhary who on the written complaint of the parents of the baby instructed a head constable to investigate the matter.

Confirming the incident, officiating SSP Shabir Chowdhary said that police is investigating the matter and anyone found guilty will be punished as per law. He further said that he has deputed head constable Khan Muhammad as investigating officer into the case and the later has already visited the district hospital to record the statement of the parents of the baby and Officiating Medical Superintendent. Meanwhile the baby was re-admitted in the hospital for treatment after the officiating SSP intervention.

Jammu, January 29
A workshop on environmental regulations specifically catering to the requirements of the industry was conducted here today by K. P. Nyati, principal adviser, Environmental Management Division of Confederation of Indian Industry.

Nyati is a part of the team led by Nobel laureate R. K. Pachori. Minister for industries and commerce Rigzin Jora said the state was largely covered by thick forests, therefore, there was a dire need to be environmentally sensitive. He said: “We need to invest in environmental and eco-friendly technologies so as to ensure a sustainable growth.”

He exhorted the entrepreneurs to be innovative and consider producing power from the rice husk, a by-product of rice, which is abundantly grown in the state.

Today’s workshop is a follow up of a meeting held in November last year between the entrepreneurs, regional director, the Pollution Control Board and director of industries & commerce (Jammu), wherein all the stakeholders had desired to be made aware of the latest Environmental Regulations and Compliances.

Jora said Nyati’s worldwide experience on environmental issues would greatly benefit all participants.

Ram Sahai, senior member of the Confederation of Indian Industry said industrial pollution and the rapid growth in population had severely stretched the world’s natural resources with a rapid deteriorating environment and an increasingly fragile economy, threatening mankind’s sustainability.

The technical session was conducted by K. P. Nyati, who covered all issues related to Environmental Regulations & their Compliances, Environmentally Sound Technologies: Issues & Concerns, Re-engineered Process of Environmental Clearance, Draft on Fly Ash utilisation and Draft on Hazardous Materials.

The workshop was also attended by Pradeep Gupta, director industries & commerce (Jammu), C. M. Seth, chairman of the Pollution Control Board, S. P. Arya, member secretary and senior officers and scientists.

Srinagar, January 29
A PoK-based amalgam of 13 militant outfits has said it would not resort to violence to enforce boycott of upcoming assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir. Militants will not use gun to enforce boycott of polls in Jammu and Kashmir, United Jehad Council (UJC) chairman Syed Salahuddin said.

Pakistan-based militant outfits in the past used to target polling booths and staff to disrupt the elections in the state. “Militants will resort to gun power only if Indian security forces use gun to force people to vote,” he told a local news agency here. Elections to the 87-member state assembly is due later this year.

The UJC chief said choosing the real representatives of Kashmiri people in presence of 7.5 lakh troops was "logically incorrect and practically impossible". Salahuddin, who contested 1987 assembly polls unsuccessfully said higher voter turnout would be shown in the upcoming elections. He appealed to the separatist leaders to visit every nook and corner of the state to convince people to boycott the elections.

About ceasefire, he said militants were ready to contemplate ceasefire if some "respected quarters" make any offer in this regard. "If such an offer comes from respectable quarters, the militant groups constituting the amalgam can contemplate and respond accordingly," he said. — PTI

Srinagar, January 29
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister G. M. Shah’s Awami National Conference (ANC) plans to hold Kashmir provincial workers meet here by March end as a run-up to decide on its participation in the next assembly elections. The party, which has remained aloof from active politics after two years’ maiden stint between 1984 and 1986, also plans to host Intra-Kashmir conference in summer this year to find out permanent settlement of Kashmir issue and effective devolution of political power.

Talking to mediapersons here this afternoon, Muzaffar Shah, chairman of the Intra-Kashmir Organising Committee said the idea had been put forth by the party in 2000 and could not be held earlier for varied reasons. He said the idea was also reflected in the ongoing Indo-Pak dialogue process and the goal could be achieved only in holding a conference in Kashmir involving over 600 delegates representing all shades of opinion in the sub-continent and across the globe.

The ANC was for a permanent settlement of the Kashmir issue and for effective devolution of political power, Muzaffar Shah, son of the former CM, G. M. Shah and nephew of NC patron Farooq Abdullah, said.

The occasion was chosen to register the party’s serious concern over the continued human rights violations at the hands of the security forces in the state. Muzaffar Shah demanded the recall of the four MPs from the state, including NC’s Omar Abdullah and A. R. Shaheen, PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti and Rajya Sabha member Farooq Abdullah, saying that it was their duty to put up the issue at the Centre. “This is not a political move”, he said and added that any CM as head of the Unified Command was responsible for the killings. “They have to ensure that nobody is killed”, Shah commented and referred to a series of killings like that of a student in Magam and a teacher in Kupwara district recently.

Earlier, a delegation of the ANC, comprising its general secretary, Mir Mohammad Shafi, Mohiuddin Uri and Muzaffar Shah, presented a petition with regard to violation of human rights to the State Human Rights Commission. The petition had been filed jointly with the High Court Bar Association, Srinagar, Shah said.

Srinagar, January 29
A Central government team headed by Satish Kumar, director, Department of Administrative Reforms, visited Uri and Baramulla and took stock of the reconstruction and rehabilitation work of the 2005 earthquake affected on Monday.

The deputy commissioner and other district officers accompanied the team. The DC informed the team that an amount of Rs 274 crore have so far been provided to the affected families of the district while out of 12,500 completely damaged houses, 9,700 houses have been constructed. In addition, 437 pre-fabricated sheds were also constructed.

Similarly, 51 irrigation schemes were reconstructed at a cost of Rs 323 lakh and out of 59 damaged drinking water supply schemes, 15 have been completed and rest schemes are likely to be completed by March 2008.

The deputy commissioner further said 137 school buildings are nearing completion while 112 km long roads were reconstructed at a cost of Rs 1,150 lakh. As many as 43 hospital buildings were also constructed at a cost of Rs 11,678 lakh and the district administration has constituted a management cell to monitor all these ongoing works, the deputy commissioner said.

Jammu, January 29
The Bharatiya Janata Party today criticised the state and central government for being indifferent towards problems of farmers in the Jammu region. The party said it was a matter of grave concern that the small and marginal farmers who worked day and night in fields and against all heavy odds were not being given facility of procurement of their produce by the valley-centric and Congress-led ruling coalition in Jammu and Kashmir. This has led to lot of difficulties to the farmers in the region.

Addressing a press conference here today the state BJP general secretary Shamsher Singh Manhas and farmers’ president Chaudhary Sukhnandan alleged the state government was pursuing anti-farmer policy in Jammu region deliberately in order to harm the people. That this is so can be seen from the fact that the farmers in the Jammu region are not being given fertilisers and seeds in time, they alleged, while adding that many a time the seeds made available to the farmers were of substandard quality.

Srinagar, January 29
Many students from disadvantaged families and some orphans, most of whom had not travelled beyond Pir Panjal range, were welcomed back today after they crisscrossed the country for over a fortnight, travelling over 7000 km.

IG, BSF, JB Negi received these students at the end of their Bharat Darshan tour. They shared their pleasant experience of visiting cities like Bangalore, Mysore, Gwalior and Delhi and met dignitaries, including Karnataka governor.

The BSF said the contingent first went to South India and the idea of the trip was for the valley students to see their fellow countrymen wherever they went. "This tour provided an opportunity to the students to have a glimpse of rich cultural and historical heritage of their country and also enabled them to gain first-hand knowledge about various developments in different parts of the country," Negi said, while presenting them a memento as a taken of remembrance.

Students said they were particularly impressed with Infosys and the Indian Institute of Science buildings in Bangalore.