Jammu, March 27
Even as modalities for trans-border trade with Pakistan are being worked out, the UPA government has given its go-ahead to the coalition government to ease travel restrictions so as to see more people of Jammu and

Kashmir visiting PoK by bus. With process already in the pipeline a long cherished dream of the people of Jammu and Kashmir may become a reality by next month.

Hitherto, only divided families, mostly Muslims, had been visiting their relatives in Pak-occupied-Kashmir via trans-LoC bus service.

Official sources in the home ministry told The Tribune that a decision in principle had already been taken by the centre and it would be implemented shortly.

“Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi evinced a keen interest and decks have been cleared now. Hence the state government has been asked to chalk out the modalities so as to ease travel restrictions,” they said.

Sources said, “India had taken up the issue with Pakistan but it had been hanging in balance because of unrest in the neighbouring country following

Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.” “With democracy finally taking roots in Pakistan and the country limping back to normalcy, Islamabad now has given a positive response to New Delhi and hence the state government has been asked by the UPA government to initiate the process,” they added.

An official of the home ministry said, “After continued parleys both the countries eventually decided to ease travel restrictions,” adding that “the decision may be implemented from next month.”

“Anticipating good response intelligence agencies and the police have been directed to do the requisite spadework so that verification of credentials of desirous could be done expeditiously,” he said.

He further divulged that in the backdrop of decision the trips of trans-border bus service would also be increased. “From once in a month the bus service would now be plied every week,” he said.

Presently every month an average number of 60 residents of PoK enter Jammu and Kashmir via Poonch-Rawalakote route while 30 people from the state visit PoK. “Ever since twin bus services started in 2005 and 2006, by and large Muslims were visiting PoK to meet their relatives. Now Hindus and Sikhs too could take a trip down the memory lane visiting their ancestral villages there,” he said.

“As of now owing to a clause in application form and cumbersome process they had been staying aloof,” he added It may be mentioned here that application form to avail the facility has a clause where in an aspirant has to mention purpose of his or her visit.

Jammu, March 27
Jammu and Kashmir High Court today said the state government couldn’t sit over recommendations of the Chief Justice for appointments of officers of high court.

It allowed the petition of law graduate P.S. Jamwal and directed respondents to consider case of petitioner for placement in gazetted cadre and release of pay scale of Rs 8,000-13,500.

Jamwal, having done M. Lib. Science, worked as a reader in pay-scale of Rs 7,500-12,000. He was initially appointed as chief librarian by the high court in pay scale of Rs 6,700-10,700 in terms of SRO 16 of 1991. Subsequently vide SRO 234 of 1991, post of the chief librarian was placed in pay scale of Rs 8,000-13,500.

A.V. Gupta, senior advocate, while projecting grievance of petitioner argued that though he came to be appointed as chief librarian but was being deprived of pay scale of Rs 8,000-13,500 w.e.f date of his appointment i.e November 10, 1987.

The case, though recommended by concerned authority to secretary to the government, Law Department has attracted consideration till date.

Keeping in view spirit of Article 229 of Constitution of India, approval ordinarily and generally should have been accorded to such proposal sent by the Chief Justice.

The state didn’t choose to file reply despite numerous opportunities afforded to them and the high court while referring to catena of judgments of Supreme Court of India allowed petition with observation that “Under Article 229 of Constitution of India, the Chief Justice of the high court is supreme authority in matter of appointments of high court officers and servants and prescribe scale of salary including power to revise scale of pay. However, since rule involves finances, the same requires approval of the Governor or state government.”

The high court lambasted the state government holding that “object of Article 229 is to secure independence of judiciary essential for working of democratic form of government. The recommendations made by registrar general of the high court being recommendations of Chief Justice should have been considered by state government with great respect but this having not been done, clearly speaks of inaction of the state government.”

Udhampur, March 27
Although the district administration has assured to conduct a probe into yesterday’s lathicharge on people who were protesting against the shortage of ration, protest demonstrations continued on the second consecutive day today in  Udhampur town.

The ongoing agitation against ration shortage and alleged police atrocities intensified with Lok Sabha member from the Udhampur-Doda constituency, Ch. Lal Singh and MLA Udhampur Balwant Singh Mankotia, joining the agitating people.

To pacify the agitators, the district administration announced to open six more outlets of consumer affairs and public distribution (CAPD) to streamline the supply of ration. The administration has also assured to take action against more officials of the department who were allegedly involved.

Violating Section 144 imposed in the town, following Wednesday’s incident, a large number of people irrespective of their party affiliations, took out a protest demonstration which started from the main chowk and passed through different bazaars of the town. Although there was heavy deployment of force in

the town, people violated Section 144 and staged a dharna on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway for more than four hours. Traffic was disrupted on the road as enraged people demanded action against cops responsible for the lathicharge.

Ch. Lal Singh and Balwant Singh also joined the protesting people and demanded a probe. Both offered their support to the people and asked the authorities concerned to ensure supply of adequate ration in the CAPD outlets. Both the leaders warned to intensify the stir if the demands of people were not fulfilled. DC O.P. Kalandari rushed to the spot and assured the people that the incident would be probed.

Meanwhile the CAPD department has taken serious note of the reports of shortage of ration in Udhampur town. The department has directed the officers concerned to streamline the supply of ration in all outlets of the CAPD.

Sources in the CAPD department disclosed that senior officers had thought of taking strict action against the officials concerned who reportedly created an artificial shortage of ration in these outlets. The department has reportedly decided to open new six outlets in the town to ensure the smooth  supply of ration.

Jammu, March 27
Taking strong exception to the utterances of former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, who tried to equate Kashmir with Tibet, former union minister and senior BJP leader Chaman Lal Gupta has said this exposed the inner conscience of the National Conference leaders.

In a statement issued here, Gupta said, “Farooq’s statement exposes inner conscience of NC leaders, who had been conspiring to distance this state from the rest of India because of their communal blackmail.”

Gupta asserted that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India by virtue of the instrument of accession.

“This accession was ratified by even the state constituent assembly which was the creation of Farooq’s father, late Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah,” said Gupta.

He added, “While history and events linked with Tibet are different, the problems in Kashmir are the result of misdeeds of the Congress leadership at the Centre.”

The BJP leader described the National Conference as a spoiled child of the Congress. In this regard, he recalled that the Indian National Congress had been operating in Jammu and Kashmir through the National Conference till 1965, and it was only on January 26, 1965, that the National Conference was merged with the Congress and the Pradesh Congress Committee was established for the first time.

About the slogans of autonomy and self-rule, Gupta said these were part of the obnoxious designs based on communal mindset.

He also termed the pre-1953 rule of the NC as most despotic and recalled that there was little regard for democratic values. 

Rajouri, March 27
With the arrest of the cashier and accounts assistant of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank branch, Thanamandi, the Rajouri police claims to have solved the alleged bank robbery case. Both the cashier and the accounts assistant have reportedly admitted to having staged a drama to escape the huge embezzlement of funds committed by them in the past.

Sources in the police department said no cash was stolen in yesterday's alleged robbery as there was no cash in the cash room except for Rs 90 and Rs 550 lying on the floor of the room. They said cashier Khadim Hussain and accounts assistant with the state treasury in Thanamandi, Shafiyat-ul- Rehman, had already misappropriated the money and the whole drama was staged to conceal the crime.

Police sources further said Khadim already a defaulter with the J&K Bank Branch, Rakibanh in Darhal, had borrowed Rs 80,000 and never returned the amount.

Similarly, Khadim also borrowed money from Sunderbani after which he went missing for months together before being suspended in 2005. Since then, Khadim was not getting salary and faced hardships to return the money he had borrowed.

Sources further revealed that after cashier Khadim was reinstated at the Thanamandi branch in 2006, he along with accounts assistant of the treasury, Shafiyat, started misappropriating the treasury cash to meet his needs. They had also embezzled cash worth Rs 14.85 lakh deposited by the food and supply department in the treasury which was recently detected during audit report.

During inquiry, both reportedly admitted that they had embezzled the cash deposited by the food and supplies department with cashier Khadim. They also admitted that he had taken away Rs 7.65 lakh whereas Shafiyat admitted to have embezzled Rs 7.20 lakh.

The police official said Rs 10.06 lakh was not in the cash room and had already been embezzled by the cashier and his accomplice. Meanwhile, the bank manager and assistant manager were also quizzed by the investigators.

Srinagar, March 27
With the arrest of three members of the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) outfit, the police claims to have solved the blast case which rocked Srinagar on March 19. Meanwhile, three others, including two masterminds and a HM commander, are still at large.

SSP Ahfadul Mujtaba said their probe had revealed that the blast was a desperate exercise by the HM to make its presence in the valley, whose stock had been dwindling for sometime. Investigating officials said four militants, Jahangir Ahmed Khan, Samir Ad Mir, Sajjad Ad Lone and Imtiyaj Ad Khan, arrived in a Maruti car and planted liquid explosives on the bridge on March 19. The blast left one person dead and 18 injured, while shattering a part of the flyover. All accused had been nabbed except Imtiyaj Ahmed.

The SSP said two Battalion commanders of the HM in Baramulla district, Tanvir Ahmed Jargar, alias Tanna Khan, and Master Mujassar Dar had planned the blast and provided explosives.

Officials told The Tribune that militants chose the flyover as it was always crowded. “The fact remains that subversive activities is the aim of militants and they are no longer in a position to choose soft military or government targets. To motivate their cadres, the HM did it,” they said.

Official agencies began tapping their intelligence as the blast went off in the heart of city, something which took them aback initially, and found out that the conspiracy for it was hatched in Baramulla district in north Kashmir.

Pattan and Sopore areas in the district remain the stronghold of militants in the valley. Both Jargar and Dar are among the middle-rung commanders of the HM and had long been planning to carry out a major blast in Srinagar, which they thought would give them wide publicity.

Srinagar, March 27
The ancient tradition of lofty and colourful gardens, for which Srinagar has been known since the Mughal days, is getting revived in Srinagar.

Two expansive gardens, poles away in their nature but majestic, have given much reason to locals and tourists to rejoice. “Badam Wa'er” (Kashmiri word for garden) or Almond Garden in the old town has been drawing crowds since its inauguration two days back. Almond trees are in full bloom and have become as much a part of Kashmiri lore as the “Phiran” and “Kangri”.

"We friends used to spend hours gazing at colourful flowers on these trees and we never knew how time flew by. Two decades of neglect devastated it. Now it seems that the clock has turned back 25 years. The beauty is much more now,” Abdul Rashid Jargar, a local said.

The state government had asked the Jammu and Kashmir Bank to take up its renovation and the work did by it would turn cynics of private-enterprises into admirers. To keep up with the changing times, the bank has made tracks for joggers besides, bringing in several modern changes. “I just pray the almond garden remains like this forever,” Jargar said.

If Badam Wa'er is already captivating people with its charm, another riot of colour is ready to give it stiff competition once it opens in April. If the almond garden is a revival of an old Kashmiri tradition, the Tulip Garden overlooking the Dal Lake would be an all new experience for people. Asia's largest tulip garden is being billed as a “flori-marvel” by the government which has spent a considerable fortune on it, including importing several varieties of exotic flowers from Netherlands.

It is spread over 100 kanals and more than 12 lakh tulips would be in full bloom in a few days. No doubt it could emerge as a main attraction for tourists in Srinagar, which has lost much of its sheen over  the years.

“Srinagar has been endowed by nature to be a city of gardens. But the tulip garden could change it all,” Naim Akhtar, a tourism official said.

Jammu, March 27
The Anganwadi Workers Welfare Association today held a protest demonstration outside the office of the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu.

They were demanding hike in their salary and payment of their bills. “we demand hike in our salaries to Rs 5000 and Rs 3000 as at present the workers are getting only Rs 45 and Rs 20 per day,” said an employee.

The agitated employees demanded that as the prices of the essential commodities have increased manyfolds they should also be given hike in their salaries.

“Other state governments have increased the salaries of their Anganwadi helpers and workers, then why our state government had turned a blind eye to our problems,” said another agitating Anganwadi employee.

The employees alleged that as the state cabinet at its meeting held on February 27 this year had decided the creation of 1711 new centres in 140 I.C.D.S. projects, however, the condition of employees working in already existing projects was not good.