Srinagar, February 27
At least 20 lawyers were detained today as they tried to stage a protest march in the city to express solidarity with political prisoners and to draw the attention of the world towards alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.

The protest march was led by Kashmir High Court Bar Association President Nazir Ahmad Ronga from the Saddar court complex to the United Nations observers office at Sonawar.

As soon as the lawyers reached Residency Road, they were asked by the police to disperse peacefully. However, the lawyers refused after which the police detained 20 of them at Kothibagh police station.

Ronga said the march was peaceful and the police action was unfortunate. We wanted to submit a memorandum at the UN office about the human rights violations and the plight of detenues from Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

All the lawyers were later set free. The lawyers had also suspended work in all courts to express solidarity with all political prisoners. The decision to suspend work was taken at a meeting of the KHCBA held here yesterday.

The step has been taken to express solidarity with political prisoners of the state who have been held without trial under fabricated charges.

The lawyers said the state forces have shown no concern about disappeared Kashmiris despite instructions by courts and human rights agencies.

Ronga said they found out during their visits in jails in cities like New Delhi that Kashmiris staying there are easy fodders for law-enforcing agencies who pass off innocents as militants to corner rewards. “They are tortured and given no facilities due to them under the law,” he said.

Jammu, February 27
In a major reshuffle in police and administrative set up, the state government posted K Rajindra Kumar as inspector general of police (IGP) Jammu zone and posted the present incumbent Dr SP Vaid as IGP Crime and Railways.

The state cabinet that met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad here yesterday transferred and posted IGP CID Headquarters, K Rajindra Kumar as IGP Jammu zone. IGP Human Rights Commission P.L. Gupta has been transferred and posted as IGP Headquarters.

IGP Vigilance S K Mishra has been transferred and posted as IGP State Human Rights Commission. Ram Lubhaya, director, Sher-i-Kashmir Police Academy Udhampur, has been transferred and posted as IGP (Personnel) Police Headquarters. Gopal Reddy has been posted as IGP Vigilance.

Naveen Agrawal, IGP Home Guards, has been transferred and posted as director Sher-i-Kashmir Police Academy Udhampur. IGP Crime and Railways Dilbagh Singh has been transferred and posted as IGP CID Headquarters.

Zahoor Ahmed Chesti, who was awaiting orders of adjustment, has been posted as IGP Modernisation Police Headquarters against an available vacancy. DIG Jammu Kathua Range L Mohanty has been promoted as IGP Home Guards Civil Defence.

DIG Anantnag Range H K Lohia has been transferred and posted as DIG Doda Range. DIG Doda Range Farooq Ahmad Khan has been transferred and posted as DIG Jammu-Kathua Range.

DIG Armed, Muneer Khan has been transferred and posted as DIG Anantnag. SSP Anantnag Abdul Gani Mir has been promoted as DIG and posted as DIG Armed Jammu.

In administrative shake up, the state cabinet transferred and posted financial commissioner Agriculture Production S S Sahani as financial commissioner Coordination, Resident Commission, New Delhi.

Financial commissioner Planning and Development S S Kapoor has been transferred and posted as financial commissioner Home. Principal secretary Bureau of Public Enterprises Iqbal Khanday has been transferred and posted as principal secretary Planning and Development.

Principal secretary ARI and Trainings Sonali Kumar has been transferred and posted as principal secretary Agriculture Production. Principal secretary Rural Development R K Jeerath has been transferred and posted as principal secretary Social Welfare.

Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce, Lokesh Jha has been transferred and posted as Commissioner Secretary ARI and Trainings. Secretary Social Welfare N K Verma has been transferred and posted as secretary Culture.

Secretary to Chief Minister Pawan Kotwal has been transferred and posted as secretary Industries and Commerce. District Development Commissioner Anantnag G.A. Peer has been transferred and posted as secretary Education.

He shall handover charge of post of deputy commissioner Anantnag to additional deputy commissioner Anantnag J.P. Singh.

Jammu,February 27
With liberal financial assistance from the Government of India, including the Union Tourism Ministry, the state government has taken in hand a multipronged programme for development of old and new tourist resorts in Jammu and Kashmir.

Senior Tourism Department functionaries said here today that the state govrnment was satisfied with the 12th Finance Commission, having allocated several crores of rupees for the 2005-2010 period for development of various tourist places in all three regions of the state.

The government has identified 50 villages which were to be developed as tourist hamlets.Each village will get Rs 70 lakh for developing the basic infrastructure so that excursionists and trekkers enjoyed their stay without any problem.Also three tourist circuits have been identified and these were to be developed with the central financial assistance of Rs 21.79 crore.

During the current financial year Rs 45.30 crore had been earmarked for the upgradation of the existing infrastructure at various tourist resorts and for creating better facilities for the visitors in the new spots. The total amount sanctioned by the 12th Finance Commission for this project is to the tune of Rs 90 crore.

Out of Rs 10 crore sanctioned by the Government of India Rs 5 crore were allocated during the current year for the conservation of heritage sites in the state. Following reports that a number of tour operators within the state had been inconvenienced by rickety buses and taxi cars the loan facilities have been extended to travel and taxi operators for purchasing luxury coaches and cars.

Under the scheme 650 operators were being benefited.Unemployed youth were being encouraged to develop paying guest type accommodation in different parts of the state and to begin with 3000 people were being covered under this scheme so that more accommodation was available for tourists and those coming as pilgrims to various shrines in the state.

In this connection over Rs 160 crore have been sanctioned for the development of more pilgrim spots.In this programme development of different shrines will be taken in hand.

The idea behind this project was to encourage part of over 70 lakh pilgrims,who visit Mata Vaishnov Devi shrine annually, to visit other historic shrines.In these new shrines the basic infrastructure for the yatris was to be developed.

Consequently, management and development activities were to be carried out by boards being set up for the shrines of Shiv Khori,Sukrala Devi and Bala Sundri in the Jammu region.

Rajouri, February 27
Fearing anti-incumbency in the election year, the Congress-led government is making all efforts to propagate its achievements to secure electoral fortunes. It is even utilising the services of the students, both from government and private run schools, to highlight its achievements.

In fact, the Congress-led coalition regime is using the state Information Department to organise debates and seminars to update the student community about the achievements of the government.

To attract the students towards participating in the seminars and debate competitions, the information Department gives prizes to the students. The participants can speak in Urdu, Hindi and English languages for the topic.

The ongoing debates and seminars on the “achievements of the coalition government” are not specific to the government schools in these twin border districts, but such events are being organised in the private schools also.

Sources in the Information Department said in this border districts, the District Information Centre has organised such seminars and debates in more than a dozen schools including the government and private run schools.

Some of the schools here where department has organised seminars and debates on the topic “achievements of the coalition government” include National Institute of Education High Secondary School, Darhal, Modern Public Institute of Education Muradpur, Shere Kashmir National High Secondary School, Darhal, Government Girls Higher Secondary School Darhal, Eagle Public School, Darhal Public School, MET Thannamandi, Government Girls Higher Secondary School Thannamandi road, they added.

An official of the district information department here said they have to obey to the directions of the higher authorities in the department.

Talking over the phone, National Conference patron Dr Farooq Abdullah said the state government by organising such events in the schools is propagating lies.

“They are now using schools to propagate the imaginary achievements of the government. However, we will raise our voice against the government for using poor students for petty politics,” said NC Patron. “They will not succeed in their ulterior motives and will have to pay the price for this misinformation campaign.”

Srinagar, February 27
The “people friendly” railway budget presented by railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav has disappointed business community and those associated with tourism industry in the Kashmir valley, which awaits the completion of Qazigund-Udhampur railway line.

Though the target for connecting Kashmir valley with rest of the country by rail link has again been extended till next year, the traders and tour operators do not see much in the concessions for promoting trade and tourism.

The railway bogies had a couple of trial runs on a limited stretch between Kakapora and Budgam in central Kashmir during last one year, after about a decade of the laying foundation stones for the prestigious rail project to Kashmir.

Former Chief minister Farooq Abdullah’s challenge to the Railway minister on completing the project by 2009 seems to be in tune with the expectations of the “aspiring” railway commuter in Kashmir.

“We are disappointed… allocation of adequate funds for the completion of prestigious railway project in Kashmir has not come,” said Nazir Ahmad, chairman of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).

He said the target for its completion has already been extended from 2007 to 2009 and added that the railway minister had again failed to provide substantial funds.

The chairman pointed out that this had again delayed its completion as the escalation in costs led to the delay in its completion. There is no special train for Udhampur, while several other states had been provided with additional trains, he held.

“We expected at least one or two trains to Udhampur,” he said and lamented that no such step had been taken. The KCCI chairman also referred to the north-south corridor, saying that it was also not started from Srinagar.

Even as the hotel owners are satisfied with the concessions provided in the new railway budget, they feel that there was “nothing special” for Kashmir tourism.

“We are not satisfied with this budget, which shows that tourism is not on their priority,” said H.U. Mir, chairman of the Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHARA).

He added that at least one special train for Jammu and Kashmir, to accommodate the middle class tourists, would help sending across a message for Kashmir tourism.

A tour operator, Ishtiyaq Ahmad, lamented that no special trains have been provided for Jammu or Udhampur, the two last major stations in the state. Other concessions provided for the passengers would only help the tourists to the Vaishno Devi shrine near Katra in Jammu region, he added.

The travel operators said that they have been demanding special trains for Jammu to facilitate tourists to Kashmir from Gujarat and Maharashtra, which had not been taken into consideration in the budget.

Jammu, February 27
They left their homes as they could not betray their motherland and now they have become the victims to the government apathy.

Militants forced their young ones to join their ranks, but they stood against it and decided to fight back, many were killed and the rest who did not give up to the pressure of the militants, had no option but to leave everything behind and migrate to Jammu.

Ten years have passed since, when more than 250 families from Doda migrated to Jammu after they refused to send their men with the militants. All these families, who refused to take guns against their own country, are now suffering due to the apathetic attitude of the state government.

“I have seven sons and one day militants came to my house and wanted me to send three of my sons with them to get arms training, when I refused they thrashed me up, breaking both of my hands,” said Mohammed Sikandar, a resident of Gundhoh village in Doda district, who migrated to Jammu after facing threats from militants.

He said, “But when I did not give up to their demands, they again came to my house and kidnapped my youngest son, they demanded five lakh rupees as an extortion money. They released my son only after I paid the money. He was severely tortured. After that we decided to leave the area and migrated to Jammu.”

Mohammed Sikandar is not the only one, who was forced by militants to migrate from Doda, but all the 250 families, who migrated to Jammu from Doda have a similar tale to tell.

“Our fault was that we refused to send our family members to take gun against our own country, we migrated to Jammu to save ourselves from their wrath and now we are dying due to the apathetic attitude of the state government,” said Jameela Begum, who was severely thrashed by militants for her refusal to send her husband for arms and ammunition training across the border.

“It was in 2002 when some armed militants entered our house and wanted to take me along with them for arms training, but somehow I managed to flee from the house. In a fit of anger they (militants) killed my aunty and seriously injured my mother,” said 27-year-old Ali Hussain.

The Doda migrants, who live in a makeshift colony in Beli Chalana area on the banks of Tawi, blame the successive state governments for ignoring them and not paying heed to their plight. As after more than 10 years of their migration they haven’t got any relief from the government.

“We are paying the price for our patriotism; we are living in this flood prone colony which is illegal, out of 250 families only 12 are getting get relief from the government.” said Khalid Hussan, a Doda migrant.

“We had approached the court and the court had given its ruling in our favor asking the state government to treat us at par with the Pandit migrants from Kashmir, but years have passed since, we still wait for any sort of relief from the government,” Khalid said.

Jammu, February 27
Getting a driving license without giving a trial test is no big deal in the winter capital, where understaffed Regional Transport Office (RTO) in a month issues 700 to 800 driving licenses, 2,400 learner’s licenses and registers 2,000 to 2,500 new vehicles.

With alarming increase in the number of vehicles and deaths on roads vis-à-vis understaffed Regional Transport Office and 350 odd traffic police personnel, chaotic transport scenario in the winter capital is all set to get worse in the next few years.

Last year the RTO Jammu issued 24,000 learner’s licenses and 8000 driving licenses and it had generated revenue of over Rs 28 crore.

This fiscal year a target of Rs 35 crore has been fixed, which officials at the RTO Jammu are confident of achieving it. “The state government earns healthy revenue every year from this office but had never bothered about its reorganisation,” said an official pleading anonymity.

“Leave aside increased workload, we san 20 per cent staff from the strength sanctioned when the Regional Transport Office Jammu was formed,” he added.

Talking to The Tribune, regional transport officer Charanjeet Singh admitted that inadequate staff has been hampering the functioning.

“Being overburdened with work and understaffed as well, checking of overloaded vehicles like trucks and buses besides other duties are not being performed effectively,” he said.

However, he claimed that reorganisation of the RTO Jammu was under active consideration of the government. The Jammu city has 2.50 lakh registered vehicles and the total tally stands at around 4 lakh.

Admitting that a nexus between commission agents and some officials has been thriving, Singh said, “As soon as I took over the charge in December 2006, I coordinated raids at the RTO to check the malpractice.”

“Today we have 100 authorised agents, who work within given parameters,” he said, adding “However, 20 odd people still continue to function without our permission.”

It may be mentioned here that majority of license seekers approach agents to get their jobs done without appearing in trial test and hence the latter also make fast and easy money.

However, Singh asserted that a foolproof system has been put in place and every individual has to undergo the trial test.

On March 24 last year, the Crime Branch had conducted a raid at the Regional Transport Office in connection with a case of fake registration certificate racket. And on April 10, 2007, the police had arrested four persons from outside RTO and busted a gang involved in issuing fake driving licenses.

Jammu, February 27
Various teachers’ organisations of the state have alleged that the state government has failed to redress their long-pending demands. To press their demands the teachers’ joint action committee (TJAC) has decided to hold a protest demonstration on March 3 in front of the divisional commissioner’s office, Jammu.

Addressing a press conference in Jammu, members of teachers’ joint action committee said, “There is great resentment among the teaching community due to wrong policies, step-motherly treatment and delaying tactics adopted by the government.”

Laying down the charter of their demands, Balwan Singh Jamal, a member of the TJAC, said, “We want benefits of earned leave, implementation of transfer norms enhancement in retirement age from 58 years to 62 years.”

He said “We have given a charter of 12 demands to the state government and we want all of them to be fulfilled. To press for our genuine demands we have decided to hold a protest rally in front of the office of the Jammu divisional commissioner on March 3.”

Udhampur, February 27
Chairman of Udhampur municipal council Ashok Gupta, against whom some Congress leaders and the BJP are planning to bring no confidence motion, met Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and sought his intervention to restrain the dissidents.

The chairman has reportedly urged the Chief Minister to direct some senior party leaders to persuade the dissident members, who have been publicly showing their resentment against the present body.

During his meeting with the Chief Minister, the chairman complained that despite being the ruling party, Congress workers and leaders have been ignored by the administration. He complained that it was all due to the behaviour of officers that Congress workers have been demoralised in the district.

Although chairman denied that he sought help of the Chief Minister to snub dissidents, he admitted that he complained to Azad against attitude of the local administration towards Congress workers. The chairman also discussed other issues relating to the development of Udhampur town.

Jammu, February 27
The coalition government has been contemplating measures for the revival of sick units, around 300 as per official figures, in the state under Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Programme.

Addressing a gathering of industrialists in a function organised by Kashmir Industrial Revival and Development Forum here yesterday, industries and commerce minister Nawang Rigjin Jora said, “Sick but viable units would be revived by providing them financial assistance, which in turn would generate job opportunities for the unemployed youth and continued sources of income to the unit holders.”

“Presently over 300 sick units are in the state and the rehabilitation of these units would be done under specific package provided under Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Programme,” he added.

Jora also informed that Rs 63.56 lakh were sanctioned as soft loan to 33 units by SIDCO and Rs 225 lakh were disbursed among 22 unit holders.