Jammu, April 16
Despite sharp criticism from all quarters, former chief minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed clung to his idea of dual currency in Jammu and Kashmir. Responding to media queries here this afternoon, he said when we talk about Kashmir resolution we look beyond Kashmir on the pattern of Saarc countries having one currency and no restrictions on the free movement of people.

“If European Union can have a common currency and Indian currency can be used in Nepal then dual currency can also be adopted in the state. We coined a suggestion, which is part of a vision towards Kashmir resolution,” he said.

Mufti said that he might take up the idea of dual currency with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, when he would visit Jammu on April 25.

He said, “Before having single currency on the pattern of Saarc countries we should try for dual currency. We say that let us make Kashmir a model.”

After Mufti favoured the use of Indian and Pakistani currency in the state in a public rally buttressing his point with example of the European Union, political parties including coalition partner Congress had strongly castigated the PDP patron for his utterances.

New Delhi has already rebuffed his proposal describing it as impractical and hypothetical.

But Mufti claimed that the PDP has a roadmap towards resolution of Kashmir issue, for which flexibility should be exhibited.

Furthermore, the PDP patron surprisingly has no stand over Aksaichin area under Chinese occupation located north east of the Ladakh region but felt that it should be restored to India if New Delhi stakes constitutional claims over it.

In run up to the upcoming Assembly elections, the PDP patron and his daughter Mehbooba Mufti have been raking up those issues, which not only triggered strong reaction from the mainstream political parties but annoyed the Congress as well.

When asked about the differences between the PDP and the Congress over dual currency proposal, he said, “Differences are always there in a coalition but our coalition government has been running from the last over five years.”

“It doesn’t matter if New Delhi has rejected our proposal,” he said, adding that Kashmir problem has no one-time solution but the PDP certainly has a roadmap to it.

On working group recommendations constituted by the Prime Minister, Mufti felt that they should be implemented in letter and spirit.

Srinagar, April 16
The Congress, the National Conference (NC) and separatists barring the Mirwaiz-led Hurriyat Conference, have sharply reacted against former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s idea on dual currency in Jammu and Kashmir.

While there has been a sharp reaction from the hardline Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the moderates led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, have hailed the proposal saying it was first proposed by the APHC.

The PDP has welcomed the statement of Mirwaiz-led Hurriyat Conference.“Our adversaries are raising an unnecessary hue and cry over the dual currency” put forth by PDP general secretary and MLC, Nizamuddin Bhat. “Perhaps, they have to be aware about global economic turbulence and urgency to rejuvenate economies according to new compulsions”, he told The Tribune over the telephone.

He said Kashmir had an added importance more than Nepal and European markets to accommodate the concept of multi-currency system and unite India, Pakistan, and Central Asia for a meaningful economic activity as a free trade zone in South Asia.

Chairman of the hardline Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, claimed that Mufti’s idea on dual currency was a move to further complicate the Kashmir issue. He said propositions like self-rule, joint management and joint currency were aimed to deviate attention from the Kashmir issue. Contrary to this, a senior leader of the moderate Hurriyat Conference, Moulana Abbas Ansari said the proposal had been put forth by it much before it was agreed by the then prime minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee.

President of the NC, Omar Abdullah, said the move was only aimed at getting political mileage and earning votes in the next Assembly elections. “The PDP’s slogans like demilitarisation and self-rule are misleading,” he added.

A PDP spokesman said the dual proposals of “regional senate” and “permitting Pakistani currency” in Jammu and Kashmir could go a long way in addressing people’s issues.

The spokesman added that it would be significant to have dual currency and a regional senate for opening new markets for goods, services, capital and people.

Srinagar, April 16
President of the opposition National Conference, Omar Abdullah, has stressed upon the need to eradicate unemployment and rampant corruption from the state.

He was addressing a public rally at Budgam in central Kashmir today, after holding similar public rallies at Dooru near Sopore and Handwara in north Kashmir.

Omar expressed concern over the “tall claims of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad regarding eradication of corruption” and alleged that several of Azad’s colleagues were involved in various cases in the State Accountability Commission (SAC) and Vigilance Organisation.

He lashed out at the coalition partners saying the Mufti-led government had promised to provide jobs to a least one member in each family, which had been negated since the past five years.

Referring to the PDP’s slogans of self-rule, peace and withdrawal of troops, Omar said the coalition partners had made promises of a prosperous Jammu and Kashmir.

He also reiterated his party’s demand on the grant of internal autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir and said this was the only viable solution to the Kashmir problem. “If there is any better alternative, we will be the first to welcome it”, he said.

Omar said his party was in favour of a resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the people of the state.

Provincial president Mehboob Beigh, former minister Ali Mohammad Sagar, Deputy Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone and Agha Syed Rohulla were also present on the occasion.

Provincial president Mehboob Beigh criticised the PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for his dual currency proposal. He said after “Karra currency”, there was the addition of “Mufti currency”. When there was no withdrawal of troops, how could the dual currency proposal be adopted, he said.

Jammu, April 16
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has claimed that the state has witnessed brisk development and minimal violence in the past 18 months.

Addressing a gathering during the concluding ceremony of fortnight long Jammu Festival here last evening, he hoped that the state would march ahead on the road to complete peace and normalcy.

On promotion of arts and culture, he said on the pattern of Jammu festival, similar events would be held in Kashmir and Ladakh this year. “Rich cultural diversity of the state would be also showcased in different parts of the country,” he said.

The festival, which started on April 1, around 370 different events were held throughout the Jammu province.

Describing the state as a bouquet of flowers, Azad said, unity in diversity was its distinctive feature. He said each of the three regions of Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh had separate cultures, which compliment each other in making the state a pluralistic society.

Putting the podium to good use, Azad highlighted various measures initiated by him to improve the work culture and usher the state into an era of unprecedented development activities.

He said whether it was construction of roads, hospitals and schools or waging war against corruption or improving the security situation, the scenario told a different and positive story today.

He said during the past two decades, last year and the current year so far had been the best in terms of least violence, killings of civilians and security forces personnel and human rights violations. The period also witnessed zero incidents of custodial disappearances, he added.

The concluding event held at the Zorawar Singh Auditorium was a multi cultural event produced and directed by theatre personality Balwant Thakur. Noted singer and wife of the Chief Minister, Shamim Azad, minister for health and medical education Mangat Ram Sharma and minister for higher education Gulchain Singh Charak were among others who attended the concluding function.

Srinagar, April 16
With students as its target listeners, the University of Kashmir resumed Radio Digest programme here today.

“I am happy to see the revival of this programme and I wish it becomes more and more popular with the radio listeners, especially the student community associated with Kashmir University,” said university vice-chancellor Prof Riyaz Punjabi, who also recorded his message for the first episode for the current year.

“It is perhaps the first university in India to have a programme of such nature,” he said and lauded the role of the Educational Multi Media Research Centre (EMMRC) of the university for its production.

In his message, Prof Riyaz Punjabi said the university has 54 departments and offers 65 courses and programmes in diverse disciplines of science, arts, humanities and technology.

He said the university has kept pace with the new developments in the field of education and information revolution and has introduced postgraduate courses in environmental sciences, information technology, embedded system and solutions, biotechnology, bioinformatics, psychology and social work.

The fully computerised library of the University has access to information through VSAT, radio link and campus networking. 

Srinagar, April 16
Early opening of Srinagar-Ladakh highway may have helped the state government score some brownie points with voters in an election year, but it has also exposed people to an increased danger and trouble on the arduous journey on this 434 km long highway.

Beacon engineers, engaged in clearing the snow for two months so that it could be opened on April 15, which is earlier than ever in the past, said chances of avalanche remained high during these weeks. Though the experts did not wish to be named for obvious reasons, they said they would not advise people to travel on this highway until really required.

"The Army and the government wanted to open the highway earlier so we did as asked. But it's a premature decision," an engineer said.

Hundreds of passengers had to spend hours in cold conditions yesterday as they were stopped due to avalanche. Only Army convoys were let go and a group of mediapersons, who were invited by the Army to cover the road-opening ceremony, also skirted danger when their vehicles faced snowslide on the road.

"It's been snowing even 24 hours before the opening. Snow is accumulated on hills and the prevailing weather there is every chances of avalanche," an engineer said. Harried passengers asked the covering mediapersons to convey their "suffering" also while reporting on the opening of road.

Official sources said the most dangerous tract was between Sonmarg and Zojila and then Zojila and Dras, a total of around 65 km. At 11940 ft, Zozila is buried in 10 ft snow in cold months and this is first time that the government has chosen April for opening it to traffic. The highway in the past was opened in May.

Officials said what had made things worse was the continual spell of rains and snow in higher reaches. It has made things conducive for avalanches, they said. Snow-clearing operation had got a boost in March as it was quite warm and temperature remained more than normal.

Engineers said their workers faced avalanches while clearing the snow, but there was no casualty. As passenger vehicles take to road, they are open to the risks and engineers said they might stop the traffic in such circumstances.

Srinagar, April 16
Heavy snowfall and threat of avalanches forced the authorities today to close the 434-km long Srinagar-Jammu national highway, which was declared open by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad yesterday.

The highway was closed again because of heavy snowfall during the past 24 hours, the BEACON project chief engineer A.K. Bhotany said.

He said the entire area from Baltal onwards, including Zojila to Zero point experienced one and half a feet to two feet of fresh snowfall since yesterday. Bhotany said there was also a report of snow avalanche at some places.

“We cannot compromise with the lives of passengers,” he said adding it would take 48 hours to clear the accumulated snow on the highway.

The chief engineer said traffic on the highway would be allowed only after getting green signal from BEACON officials working at different points that there was no threat of avalanches.

He said he was confident that traffic on the highway would be resumed after three to four days, provided if there was no further snowfall. This was for the first time in the history that the highway was closed in the month of April. — UNI

Jammu, April 16
Fed up with nonchalant attitude of the state government, the Clerical Staff Association will extend its 21-day old strike for another week.

After talks with the government remained inconclusive the association decided to extend the ongoing stir by another week-up to April 23.

Addressing agitating employees here today, trade union leaders Ram Kumar Sharma, Rehmat Ullah Malik, Ravi Singh Bhau, Anil Mehta, RP Sharma and others derided the government for turning a blind eye to the genuine demands of the employees.

However, the statewide strike has badly affected clerical work in all the departments.

Earlier this morning the striking employees took out a rally from Divisional Commissioner’s office that culminated outside the civil secretariat.

Shouting slogans against the government they threatened to intensify their agitation till government concedes their demands.

Among other things employees have been demanding removal of pay anomalies and grant of 4000-6000 pay scale to junior assistants, 4500-7500 to senior assistants steno typists, junior assistants and 5500-9000 to head assistants etc.

Jammu, April 16
Almost a decade after a lieutenant-colonel was sentenced to four years’ rigorous imprisonment by a general court martial on charges of corruption, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has dismissed a writ petition filed by him.

The High Court had, at the time of taking up the petition in 1999, granted bail to the officer, Lt-Col G.S. Cheema. Following the high court issued about a week ago, the bail now stands revoked, sources said.

The case, which had involved 14 Army personnel, including three officers and five JCOs had revealed large-scale malpractices and irregularities at the Field Petroleum Depot (FPD), Leh. Two other officers, Lt-Col J.S. Dhillon and Capt T K Singal were also tried by separate GCMs.

The officer had been apprehended from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi and his trial by GCM had commenced in January, 1999. The sentence, which included imprisonment, cashiering from service and forfeiture of all public money due to him, was confirmed by the Northern Army Commander in October 99. He had therefore moved court and the matter had gone up to the Supreme Court.

The case had come to light after a court of inquiry was convened to probe the circumstances under which a jawan of the Army Service Corps was found travelling in a civilian vehicle with Rs 4.64 lakh at Karu in Jammu and Kashmir in September, 1996.

In his directions on the court of inquiry (CoI), the then GOC, 3 Infantry Division, Major-Gen P.K. Renjen, had commented that there was a total lack of supervision and command and control by officers at the FPD. Besides procedures being disregarded, the stocks were not checked physically during handing over or taking over. The GOC observed that The COI had identified the diversion of at least 58 tankers from various depots and it was probable that there may have been other tankers similarly diverted which had not been yet detected.

According to the findings of the court of inquiry, Colonel Dhillon, in his capacity as Commanding Officer of the FPD, was held “primarily” responsible for having failed to check mass-scale corruption and causing a loss of Rs 37.51 lakh to the state.

Samba, April 16
Strawberry growers in the state are expecting a bumper crop, thanks to the cultivation of different varieties of strawberry being imported from Germany, Italy and the US.

Attractive returns have also given farmers a reason to smile, as their production was adversely hit in March, 2007, due to unprecedented rainfall and hailstorm. With the Jammu region fast emerging as a strawberry hub, the cash crop has started attracting farmers in large numbers.

“Despite hailstorm in February last, we are expecting a bumper crop. Already 5,000 packets of strawberry, each weighing 250 gm, are being sold in Jammu markets daily,” said Preetam Singh, a farmer in Samba.

If the hailstorm in February delayed the ripening of the fruit by a month, rainfall during March also failed to damage the crop, he added.

“This year we are also getting a good rate of Rs 20 to Rs 25 for 250 gm,” he added.

“Furthermore, people would taste good quality strawberry,” said Thakur Dass, another farmer, who attributed the success to the cultivation of Bentona saplings. “Bentona saplings are much better than Ofra, Chandler, Sweet Charlie and Timberly,” he claimed.

The climate in Jammu, Kathua, Samba and Udhampur districts was found suitable for the cultivation of varieties like Bentona, Chandler, Ofra, Sweet Charlie and Timberly being imported from Germany, Italy and the US.

It is pertinent to mention here that the national horticulture board in collaboration with the state horticulture department had initiated efforts to promote strawberry cultivation in Jammu.

Impressed by good quality strawberry being produced in Jammu region, Mother Diary, a subsidiary of national dairy development board, has approached farmers in Samba and Kathua expressing desire to import the fruit. An official of the horticulture department admitted that strawberry growers had done wonders to make the cash crop a success story. 

Rajouri, April 16
Three persons, all teenagers, were seriously injured in a road accident after their motorcycle collided with a water tanker at Chingus, near here, this evening.

Police department sources said that three teenagers were seriously hurt after the motor-bike they were riding collided head on with a water tanker of 58 RCC (road construction company) of the Border Road Organisation bearing number 06 ZE 6855 at Chingus at about 5.30 pm.

The three who were identified as Dushyant Kumar (18), son of Sat Pal, Vikas Sharma (17), son of Chander Prakash, both residents of Gharati, and Vikram Sharma (16), son of Ashok Sharma, a resident of Dungi, were on the way to Dungi from here when they suffered serious injuries in a road accident, sources added.

After getting the information the police rushed to the spot and shifted the trio to district hospital here.

However, doctors attending on them referred them to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H), Jammu, on the pretext that their condition was quite critical and they needed specialised treatment.

Meanwhile, the police has seized the BRO vehicle and is hunting for the driver of the vehicle who is still at large.