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Congress gambles on Soz in poll year
Kashmiri Congress supporters celebrate the installation of Saifuddin Soz as the
new state PCC chief at the Congress headquarters in Srinagar on Thursday.
— Tribune photo by Mohd Amin War
Police takes over ration distribution
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Investment row
Scheduled Tribe Status
Apple business hit hard by highway closure
Inhabitants hopeful of tehsil status for Balakote
Feb 17-22 event
More stranded taken to safety
MUF leader joins PDP
Sending Valentine love across border
‘Impart managerial skills to women’
NC raps Baig on outsiders’ issue
Ex-BSP man may float parallel party
Change in DMU timing sought
Impart quality education: Minister
Reprimand Poonch SHO, say FCI staff
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Congress gambles on Soz in poll year
Jammu, February 14 Soz may have the unique distinction of becoming the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president directly, without ever having held any other post, big or small, prior to that. His main, rather only qualification for being in the Congress is his crucial vote against the Vajpayee government during vote of confidence motion on April 17, 1999 when he defied the party (National Conference, which at that time was a constituent of the NDA) whip. This had led to the unexpected fall of the 13-month old Vajpayee-led NDA government prompting the Congress president Sonia Gandhi to try to cobble together a majority to form the government, which she could not. Whether with the NC or the Congress, Soz has always preferred to remain in New Delhi and has spent very little time in the state. Since he is supposed to continue with his portfolio in the union cabinet, it may be very difficult for him to manage both the jobs, particularly when the state is scheduled to go for the elections by October this year. Soz's appointment is likely to create an additional power centre in the Congress. This is likely to weaken the position of the Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was himself keen on holding the post of the PCC. Statements of both the leaders that they will cooperate with each other, notwithstanding this may not augur well for the party. The only advantage that Soz's appointment is likely to lead to, is the strengthening of the party's relationship with its alliance partner, the People's Democratic Party (PDP). The PDP was keen that the party cap should go to Soz and not to Azad, whom it considered more close to the NC than itself. The Congress high command seems to have tried a balancing act between the two regions of Jammu and Kashmir. While the Chief Minister, Azad belongs to Jammu region, Soz belongs to Kashmir. But the gamble may not pay off. Because Congress has its main constituency in Jammu region, while in Kashmir its presence mostly remains symbolic. Besides, Soz is known to hold some strong political views which go against the Congress ethos, more pr cisely contrary to the aspirations of Jammu region. Soz is a staunch votary of the greater autonomy to Kashmir. In fact one of his several books 'Why Autonomy to Kashmir', makes a strong case for autonomy to the state.
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An erroneous impression
Apropos of a blurb accompanying the report headlined “Soz J&K Congress chief” (Feb 14), an erroneous impression has been created that the newly appointed Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief, Mr Saifuddin
Soz, faces an allegation involving bribery. This was neither intended, nor warranted.
The Tribune regrets any embarrassment caused to Mr Soz.
— Editor
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Police takes over ration distribution
Udhampur, February 14 “Since early morning my men have been distributing LPG and kerosene oil in the town besides helping the civil administration to remove snow from the tracks and roads of different areas,” senior superintendent of police (SSP), Kishtwar, Mumtaz Ahmed told The Tribune, adding, “The police has decided to take over the charge of supply to frustrate designs of some elements who were desperate to taking monetary benefit of the present turmoil.” SHO Kishtwar was going through the ration cards of people while allotting kerosene to them. Instead of selling the kerosene through outlets established by the CAPD authorities, the police decided to distribute it in open ground. “Every thing would be in transparent manner. The full tanker would be distributed in the full public view,” said the SSP. Not only LPG and kerosene oil, the civil administration also authorised the police to distribute ration to the people. Although officials of CAPD department were also present at the outlets, it was jawans of Jammu and Kashmir Police who distributed free ration to the people. Meanwhile, trucks loaded with LPG cylinders and tankers filled with kerosene oil have been dispatched to different areas to remove shortage of essential commodities. During the last two days as many as 4,000 liters of kerosene has been distributed in Doda district alone. “We have enough stock of ration,” Doda-based Assistant Director of CAPD B.K. Sharma said. While maintaining that there was stock of 8,000 quintal of flour and 9,000 quintal of rice in Doda, Sharma candidly admitted that supply has been affected in far-flung areas due to non-availability of road connectivity. He exuded confidence that supply would also be streamlined in remotest areas with in a day or two after clearance of the snow from the foot tracks
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Baig being criticised for all wrong reasons
Vimal Sumbly Tribune News Service
Jammu, February 14 Baig seems to have become the whipping boy for almost all the mainstream and secessionist political parties for “going against state’s interests.” The Deputy Chief Minister’s statement needs to be viewed in the backdrop of rising unemployment in Kashmir with no job avenues. Only the private sector could provide jobs and for that Kashmir needs outside investors, who need to be welcome and not resisted for petty partisan ends, which view everything in terms of electoral politics, needless to add, in an election year. On February 12, Baig addressing a function in New Delhi in connection with the National Winter Games being organised in Gulmarg from February 17, had remarked that he wanted to dispel the myth that the outsiders could not invest in Jammu and Kashmir. Being an outstanding constitutional expert himself, he had said, there were certain provisions in Jammu and Kashmir constitution enabling outsiders to invest in the state. Jammu and Kashmir is the only state in the country to have its own constitution. Since then everybody has started speaking against Baig. Not surprisingly most of them may hardly have any knowledge about the constitution. Obviously they are driven more by political rhetoric than any other reason. While Article 370 of the Indian Constitution restricts outsiders from owning land in the state, but there are provisions within the state constitution by virtue of which investors can get land on lease for long duration of time. The matter of the fact remains that Jammu and Kashmir cannot survive in isolation. There has to be investment from outside for building up infrastructure and generating employment. Despite having huge tourist potential, Kashmir does not have good hotels. Outside investment can certainly boost the tourism industry. But unfortunately all those who are opposing Baig this time are doing it for petty partisan and vote compulsions than for any real and rational reason. When investment comes it is obviously the local people who get benefited the most. The Jammu and Kashmir cabinet on October 17 had approved the auction of land in Gulmarg for the construction of hotels and restaurants. Only the locals could participate in the auction but they could later enter into a joint venture with the outside investors. But the plan was shelved after it met with strong resistance.
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Gujjar-Pahari row intensifies
Tribune News Service
Chenani (Udhampur), February 14 Another ethnic group - Kolis - a sub caste of the Gaddis and scattered in the entire Udhampur district, have warned to launch an agitation if this deprived lot of the society was not incorporated in the list of the Scheduled Tribe. Clamouring for a Scheduled Tribe status, members of this community argued that there was no reason of singling out this section from the reserved category as they were a “part and parcel” of the Gaddis - an ethnic group which had been granted the same status. “For years together, this sub-ethnic group has been denied its constitutional rights due to some clerical error”, pointed out Lal Chand Musafir, while highlighting backwardness of this marginalised society. The Koli community organised a rally at Chenani to garner peoples’ support of their demand of being granted the Scheduled Tribe status. According to Musafir, some officers at the helm of affairs, while incorporating ethnic groups in the Scheduled Tribe list, failed to differentiate between “Kohli” and “Koli”as the farmer was a “upper caste”. “It is a glaring example of grave injustice and discrimination with an ethnic group which genuinely and legally deserved to be a Scheduled Tribe,” he added. The state government in its “The Constitution of Scheduled Tribes order in 1989” had granted ST status to Balti, Beda, Bot Boto, Brokpa, Drokpa, Dard, Shin, Changpa, Garra, Mon, Purgipa, Gujjar, Bakerwal, Gaddi and Sippi ethnic groups. It is worthwhile to mention here that the Koli community was part of the Gaddi ethnic group but this lot was singled out at that time without any reason. The Koli community - mostly concentrated in the remotest areas namely Panchari, Kultiyar, Katli, Latyar, Satylata, Pattangrah, Dodu, Basantgarh, Kulsar, Kurd of Udhampur districts - argues that when the living conditions, backwardness and clan of the two communities were the same, why were they neglected for years together. “Political parties always maintained criminal silence over the just and genuine demand due to numerical strength”, rued Ghulab Chand, a resident of Chenani, adding, “Our strengthen is not more than 2,000 in Udhampur district so politicians always ignore us” . He pointed out that most of his relatives had been enjoying the benefits of reservation as they had not used the sub caste - Koli - when officers conducted a survey for making a list of Scheduled Tribe.
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Apple business hit hard by highway closure
Jammu, February 14 The fruit growers say they had to bear a huge loss because of the closure of the highway and in the absence of any other road link with rest of the country, they added, the produce could not be transported to other parts of the country. “We faced huge losses due to the closure of the highway; we want the government to fix a minimum support price for the fruit as being done in Punjab for wheat and paddy farmers,” Ghulam Rasool Bhat, president of All Jammu and Kashmir Fruits and Vegetable Growers Association. With the absence of a single cold storage in the entire valley, 15 lakh metric tones of annual apple produce is left unpreserved in the open. “The government has not been able to construct a single cold storage facility for the fruit growers the entire fruit is left in the open gets spoiled as it is subjected to the vagaries of the climate,” said the association president. Despite being the major source of income for more than six lakh Kashmiri families, the apple business in Kashmir still waits to get the status of an industry. According to Bhat, around six lakh families are directly associated with the fruit trade and despite the fact that fruit trade contributes 20 per cent of the annual GDP of the state, no government has shown seriousness to grant industry status to it. In Kashmir valley the fruit trade fetches Rs 2, 500 crore annually. He said, “But due to the callous attitude of the successive state governments the business would not survive in the coming decade, unless some measures are taken to revive it.” The fruit growers in the state rued their first and foremost demand is that the state and central government should grant industry status to the fruit trade so the growers would be entitled to benefits given to the industry. Fruit growers blame that there exists a nexus between spurious fungicide dealers and the officials of the state horticulture department. “The government should constitute a horticulture board and the decision to purchase fungicides and other products should be left on the growers, interference by bureaucrats should be minimised,” Bhat said. He said, “In Jammu and Kashmir around 2, 85,000 hectares of land is under horticulture cultivation and we only produce 15 lakh metric tones of fruit which is only 50 per cent of our capacity.” “If the government fails to take any concrete steps to revive the fruit business in the state, then 30 lakh people of the state would soon be deprived of their livelihood,” Bhat said.
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Inhabitants hopeful of tehsil status for Balakote
Balakote (Poonch), February 14 In fact, this border area existed as tehsil comprising the border villages of Mendhar before 1965. The tehsil included border villages of Mendhar including Jar Kandi, Darasher Khan, Fandiyat, Dehoribsi, Dehrati, Basnoti. This erstwhile tehsil was divided as after the 1965 war most of the inhabitants of the border villages comprising it either migrated to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) or moved to safer places of the neighbouring Mendhar tehsil. Some of the villages are uninhabited at present. But after Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad constituted Billowria committee to recommend the creation of new administrative units like sub-division, tehsil, blocks and niabats, inhabitants of this border area are now hoping that the erstwhile tehsil will get its status and have even given representations to the committee for recommending this niabat a tehsil. “It was always a difficult for us to believe that this tehsil loses its status. But after 1965 war, thousands of villagers migrated from here-some to Mendhar while others to PoK. It was more of a shock for us that this tehsil was reduced to niabat,” said Master Muhammad Iqbal of Dehrati, here. “However, after Azad sahib constituted Billowria committee we are hoping that this area receives its due status back,” said Iqbal, who was also part of the delegations of the inhabitants, who met the committee, further said till the tehsil status is restored to Balakote, Azad sahib has been generous enough to give full powers of the tehsildar to the niab tehsildar here. “The people of this border area have suffered a lot during the last five decades. However, after Azad-led coalition government constituted Billowria committee, I am hopeful that our voices will be heard and the erstwhile Balakote tehsil will get its status back,” said MLC Lal Muhammad Sabir and local Congress leader. A senior officer in the district administration said the Billowria committee will decide about the tehsil status to this area.
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Gulmarg all set to host National Winter Games
Tejinder Singh Sodhi Tribune News Service
Jammu, February 14 Speaking to The Tribune, tourism officer Gulmarg, Abdul Rashid said, “All the preparations for the mega event are almost done and we are all set for the big day.” He said, “We expect more than 400 participants for various events that include, ice skating, snow skiing and ice hockey and other such events. This year even female players would also participate in the competitions and we have made all the arrangements for their participation also.” The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department is organising the event in collaboration with Winter Games Federation of India, is hopeful that the event would help in promoting Gulmarg one of the favorite tourist destination across the world. “No doubt Gulmarg is skier’s paradise and people from all over the world come and enjoy their stay here,” Farooq Ahmed Shah, director Department of Tourism said. In the past five year history of the National Winter Games, this would be for the third time that Kashmir has been selected to host the event. “We would be hosting the event for the third time, as it has been seen that no other place offers so much favorable conditions for skiers,” Shah said. He said Gulmarg has the potential to compete with almost any skiing resort of the world. “Gulmarg is the most preferred tourist destination amongst not only domestic but also amongst foreign tourists. Skiers love to come here again and again,” he said. Gulmarg has so far witnessed six feet snow and with the continuous snowfall more snow is expected to raise the snow level. “At present we have six feet of snow, and snowfall is still going on in here, so we expect increase in the snow level. The conditions are favorable for organising the national winter sports festival,” said Abdul Rashid. The Department of Tourism has made elaborate arrangements in Gulmarg for the accommodation of all the 400 participants. “We have made accommodation for all the participants in Gulmarg itself, so that they can also practice for their events,” Rashid said. The National Winter Games torch, which was flagged off from New Delhi by Suresh Kalmadi, president Indian Olympic Association, would reach Gulmarg on February 17.
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Jammu, February 14 Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had flown to Bhaderwah and Kishtwar areas to review ground situation in these snow-hit areas today. He directed that the passengers to be airlifted. The passengers bound for Bhalesa, the native place of the Chief Minister are being airlifted from Jammu and Udhampur areas, they said. Azad held meetings with the district officials in Kishtwar and Doda districts and directed them to gear up their resources to clear all the roads in these areas and ensure free movement of traffic and distribution of ration to snow-affected people. Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today visited snow-hit areas in the upper reaches of Kathua district to make an on-the-spot assessment of the situation and reassure people about the Government's efforts to address their problems. Immediately after his return from New Delhi today, Azad, accompanied by two MLAs, undertook an aerial survey of the snow-ravaged areas including Machhedi, Malhar, Dhaggar and Bani in Kathua district besides meeting locals and instructing officials on how they should deal with the crisis. He also directed the officials to submit their report on damages caused by the snowfall within a week. Addressing the affected people he told them how poor roads had compounded their problems and said the state government will now focus on better connectivity. He said the state government in tandem with the Centre, was implementing an ambitious road project through which all villages would be connected by roads in the coming four to five years. — PTI
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MUF leader joins PDP
Srinagar, February 14 Haneef, who was leader and chairman of the Kashmir Resolution Movement
(KRM) along with his office-bearers, including secretary-general Mushatq Sagar, joined the PDP at party headquarters in the presence of its president, Ms Mehbooba Mufti. Other PDP leaders present on the occasion included vice- president Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari and political secretary Peerzada Mansoor Hussain. Haneef had disassociated himself from the separatists and joined the mainstream while contesting Assembly elections in 2002. Describing PDP’s major policy initiatives aimed at the resolution of Kashmir issue as pragmatic, Haneef said since KRM’s agenda coincided with that of PDP, he had decided to work under the leadership of its patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. He added that these initiatives would essentially focus on the exigency of ensuring relief to Kashmiri people, particularly in the backdrop of the ongoing unrest. He sought measures to end human rights violations, release of all political detainees, repealing of
AFSPA, return and rehabilitation of divided families across the border, including the youth and eradication of social evils and moral waywardness. Abdul Khaliq Haneef expressed his support to PDP’s policy on confidence building measures (CBMs), ceasefire across LoC, soft borders, people to people contact, self-rule and a just and democratic resolution of Kashmir dispute. Commenting on the move taken by Haneef and his colleague, the PDP president Ms Mehbooba said the party was open for all like-minded people who wanted to help other people. She said that the party would work for mitigating sufferings of common people who have all along the 18 years of turmoil faced the brunt. |
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Sending Valentine love across border
Jammu, February 14 As the tubes with sweets, flowers and cards reached midstream, there was enthusiastic clapping by volunteers of the Democratic Socialist Party - a Kashmir-based party headed by a Kashmiri Muslim girl, Darkshana Andrabi. “We need to love our neighbours. This is the message that we are conveying to the people across the border,” Andrabi told reporters at Akhnoor, a garrison town bordering Pakistan, 30 km northwest of Jammu. “There is no better way for doing that than through this Chenab, which goes to Pakistan. We are sending our message of love and friendship to Pakistan through this river,” she said. It is the first time that such a message of love and friendship has been sent to Pakistan. Locals gathered in large numbers to witness the event. Andrabi was certain that the message would reach the people of Pakistan. “Love messages never drown,” she said.
— IANS |
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‘Impart managerial skills to women’
Jammu, February 14 Addressing a workshop of physically challenged women here today, he asked the WDC to build entrepreneur capabilities among them. He also urged women to have confidence in them so as to become equal partners in development and progress. Vakil said the government would open a corporation office in each district with at least two functionaries for the smooth functioning of the corporation. Vakil also distributed cheques worth Rs 14.90 lakh among women entrepreneurs and distributed diploma certificates among girls whose training in polytechnic colleges was sponsored by the corporation. Minister of state for social welfare, G.M. Saroori, also spoke on the occasion and assured marketing cover to handicrafts and other products produced by women self help groups (SHGs). “Funds would not be allowed to come in the way of setting up income generating ventures,” he asserted. He also underlined the need of launching a motivational campaign for women to inculcate entrepreneurship taste among them, especially in rural areas. He informed that the corporation had disbursed a loan worth Rs 20 crore among 4,391 beneficiaries, trained over 17,000 girls and conducted 180 awareness camps. |
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NC raps Baig on outsiders’ issue
Jammu, February 14 He said Baig was the one who advised Governor Jagmohan, then as advocate-general to revoke Article 370 and when they did not succeed in there machinations, they are now finding ways and means to somehow erode the constitutional position of the state by compromising the interests of the state subjects. Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Minister has denied the news report attributed to him, suggesting that non-state subjects could buy land in Jammu and Kashmir. Baig said the news report had created an unnecessary controversy and he would like to set it at rest by affirming that under the constitution of the state non-state subjects were not entitled to purchase land in Jammu and Kashmir. |
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Ex-BSP man may float parallel party
Jammu, February 14 Though after the split in the state unit of the BSP, party president Yashpal Bhagat was is being assisted by senior leaders from the BSP high command in checking further erosion in the organisation. Dr Sat Pal has surely succeeded in receiving support from a large section of BSP supporters. Close associates of Dr Sat Pal said the way their leader (Sat Pal) was isolated by the party general secretary and those in charge of the organisation in Jammu and Kashmir, the BSP may draw a blank in the next
election. They said in 2002, the BSP won one seat and the winning candidate had already joined the PDP. Party sources said Dr Sat Pal was also in touch with several prominent leaders belonging to the upper caste so that the new organisation could field candidates in several constituencies in the Jammu region during the next elections. |
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Change in DMU timing sought
Udhampur, February 14 Under the banner of the Railway Passengers Union, residents of Udhampur have demanded that the departure time of the DMU be changed as the present timetable was not suitable for students and the service class. Daily commuters of the DMU, through their representation of the railway minister, pointed out that the timetable set up by the authorities was neither conducive nor suited to the people. They demanded rescheduling of the time so that students and service passengers could reach their destination in time. The copies which were also faxed to the union secretary, Railways and to the DTM, Jammu, drew attention of the authorities concerned towards the prevailing mess at the Udhampur railway station. |
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Impart quality education: Minister
Jammu, February 14 Interacting with MBA students at the Business School of the Jammu University this afternoon, Charak asked students of the institution that they should undertake entrepreneurship in the generation of hydro-electric power and exploration of rich minerals as there was tremendous potential of these resources in the state. Earlier, Charak inaugurated an ultra modern computer lab in the Business School. |
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Reprimand Poonch SHO, say FCI staff
Jammu, February 14 In a meeting held here under the aegis of the joint action committee, the FCI employees strongly condemned the SHO of Poonch for allegedly assaulting security personnel and hurling invectives at FCI staff members posted at the FCI godown in Poonch on February 13. The joint action committee has also forwarded a letter to DGP Kuldeep Khoda seeking stern action against the SHO. |
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Jammu, February 14
Jammu, February 14
