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450 houses burnt to ashes
Children peep through the window of a house, which was gutted in fire, at Upper Beli Charana in Jammu on Sunday.
—Tribune photo by Anand Sharma
Azad: Truth benchmark of my politics
Domicile Certificates |
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Amarnath Yatra
It’s strawberry time in Kashmir
Govt failed to protect farmers’ interest: CPI
Form panel to probe post ’89 happenings: Omar
Farooq Abdullah waves to the supporters during a rally at Rafiabad in Baramulla on Sunday. —Tribune photo by Mohd Amin War
After 25 years
‘PDP-Cong alliance has survived odds’
Schools’ upgrade leads to Cong-Panthers clash
College row surfaces again
Varsity starts student assistantship programme
Hizbul top gun nabbed
More sports clubs need of hour: Gill
3 die in road mishaps
Handicrafts expo from May 27
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450 houses burnt to ashes
Beli-Charana (Jammu), May 18 Around 450 jhuggis, including 10 grocery stores, a barber shop and a PCO booth were turned to ashes as fire broke out in the locality at around 1.30 am. According to eyewitnesses, the fire started during midnight and within a few seconds, it engulfed the entire locality razing every standing structure to ashes. Though no loss of life or injury was reported, residents could not save anything as they were fast asleep when the incident occurred. “We were fast asleep when we suddenly woke up to a hue and cry. When we came out we saw huge flames marching towards our house and we hurriedly brought our kids out,” Manoj Kumar, resident of Beli Charana, who lost his everything in the devastating fire told
The Tribune. The intensity of the “ravaging” fire was so much that it gave residents no time to remove their belongings from inside their houses. Almost everything they possessed, including television sets, bedding, utensils, fans and coolers was burnt to ashes. Some also lost their scooters and motorcycles to the ravaging fire. “I managed to purchase a motorcycle, but last night’s fire did not gave me enough time to remove it to safety and it was burnt,” a resident of Beli Charana said. Residents alleged that the delay in arrival of the fire tenders was responsible for the “complete devastation.” Various top administration officers and politicians reached the spot to take stock of the situation. The civil administration was busy calculating the damages caused by the fire, which is said to be in crores. People alleged that officers from the civil administration came only after the local MLA had reached the area. “We have lost everything that we had. We are left with nothing, no food to eat, no utensils to cook food and no roof to hide ourselves,” said Shanti Devi, another resident of Beli Charana. Former transport minister and local MLA Raman Bhallah who was among the first to reach the spot said,
“It is a human tragedy and around 1,400 persons have been affected.” Adding he said, “If we give them food they don’t have utensils to eat, so we have instructed the DC to arrange ration for them and the Red Cross would give them utensils and other such things. It’s a human crisis and we need to stand by these people.” Repeated attempts to contact the deputy commissioner, Jammu, proved futile.
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Azad: Truth benchmark of my politics
Poonch, May 18 He was addressing public meetings at Jhullas, Marrah, Hari Marhote and Balakote here. Azad advocated the welfare of poor and service to people to be the goal of politics. However, this, he said, was being replaced by the politics of self-interests. Counting the various development processes kick started by the state government during the last two-and-a-half years, Azad said “false propaganda can not eclipse the reality, adding, that hundreds of projects completed during the last couple of years itself speak about the performance of the government.” “Hundreds of schemes in education, roads and buildings, public health engineering, power, health and other service sectors have been completed in just 18 to 24 months. We do not believe in words but our actions itself explain our aims for public good,” he claimed. “The government has not only completed pending projects, but initiated and completed a large number of projects in a record time frame”, he added. Azad averred that “peace and development process” received unprecedented fillip due to the endeavours and keenness of the Congress-led government at the Centre and the state working on the same wavelength and complimenting each other on every issue. |
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Domicile Certificates
Jammu, May 18 During his recent visit the Prime Minister had asked the state authorities to issue the domicile certificates to the refugees. Committee president Labha Ram Gandhi today said, “Our children suffer in every field because they neither have state subject certificates nor the domicile certificates.” He said after the rise of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir “whenever our boys apply for recruitment in the Army and the paramilitary forces they are not considered eligible because they have no proof of being bona fide citizens.” He said during the last over a decade he, as the president of the committee, has been issuing certificates certifying that those among the refugees, settled in Jammu for the last 60 years, were bona fide residents of the state and added that “at times his certificates were accepted and on other occasions they were rejected.” Gandhi said the Prime Minister had announced in Jammu that till the issue of grant of citizenship rights to the refugees from west Pakistan was decided they should be given domicile certificates, which could help them in getting jobs for their wards in the Central government departments, the Army and the paramilitary forces. He said before the birth of militancy certificates from nambardars and sarpanches would also be accepted. Other refugee leaders, including Charan Das and Chuni Lal, said, “We want the government to act fast so that our boys do not suffer.” Gandhi said, “In 2005, I approached the National Human Rights Commission for its intervention so that we were given the state subject status but in reply to my complaint the Commission informed me that it can’t be entertained in accordance with the provisions of Section 36 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.” He said, “It is irony of fate that we are citizens of India and not of Jammu and Kashmir. We can vote for the Lok Sabha and not for the Assembly poll.” He and other said at times the state government played “tricks with us.”
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Amarnath Yatra
Jammu, May 18 Khoda took a detailed review of the security arrangements for the upcoming Amarnath yatra and the likely visits of high dignitaries to the state in the near future. He impressed upon the security agencies to ensure close coordination at all levels for best results. Khoda asked the forces to remain vigilant to thwart any design of anti-national elements. He said the Jammu and Kashmir Police, which has always shown its mettle in difficult situations, would prove to the best in tackling any situation in the future.
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It’s strawberry time in Kashmir
Srinagar, May 18 Low temperatures and bright sunshine have attracted several farmers to opt for strawberry farming in the valley in place of regular paddy crop. The official of the Horticulture Department said the strawberry production reaps rich dividends as compared to other crops. “Growers are getting very good response. The cost benefit ratio has been highest in this crop. So, if we spend one rupee, we get minimum seven to eight rupees in return, which is not there in other crops,” said Manzoor Ahmed, chief technical officer, Horticulture. Besides, Ahmed also informed that the production of seven to eight metric tonnes per hectare last year is also expected to increase considerably considering the sustainable weather conditions. The strawberry growers as per official estimates are expected to reap strawberries worth Rs 45,000 to 50,000 per kanal.Farmers have been involved in the entire procedure ranging from cultivation to its packaging and marketing. They have cultivated as many as 11 imported varieties of the fruit. According to the growers due to snowfall and timely rains this year there has been increase in the strawberry production. “In a complete season for one kanal I can say a farmer, if he works hard, he can take about Rs 30,000- 40,000 (worth strawberries). From this village, about 3,000 kg is going to the market per day,” said Shahid Mir, a strawberry grower. The farmers have besides marketing urged the government to undertake processing of the fruit as well, which would further add value to their produce. — ANI
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Govt failed to protect farmers’ interest: CPI
Srinagar, May 18 Addressing a press conference before taking part in the fruit growers convention in Shopian here today, Anjan said lack of fruit processing centres and other infrastructure like transportation of fruits, especially apple, mean that the market for the local fruits is very limited compared to those from Himachal Pradesh. “If apple juice of Himachal could be sold across the country, then why not Kashmir’s,” the leader said. He said he had brought the issue before Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad but he failed to take any action. “This coalition government is a kitchen without fire,” he said. Anjan accompanied by local CPI leaders distributed copies of receipt, showing the exorbitant amount, which the farmers have to pay for transporting their fruits to Delhi. Ferrying 285 petis of apples from Srinagar to Delhi cost Rs 78,290 in which fruit’s worth was only Rs 46,681. “They are in the grip of middlemen and market forces and getting a miniscule portion of the money generated by their products,” he said. He said the trade unions affiliated to the communist parties have given a call for “Bharat bandh” on August 20 to protest the price rise and increasing unemployment. When asked why such a late date for strike, he said the unions had to give notices and also needed time for preparation. Anjan, counted among the senior policy makers of his party, said the communist parties were determined to kill the Indo-USA nuclear deal “pushed by the Prime Minister and a few of his ministers.” The deal is a part of plans to link India’s foreign policy with that of the US and it would seriously impact our ties with Muslim countries in the Middle East, he said. However, he claimed they were not opposing the deal because of their ideological aversion to the US, but because it’s benefits were limited.
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Form panel to probe post ’89 happenings: Omar
Srinagar, May 18 “Perhaps the time has come for the state to be given a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. This TRC should be tasked to uncover all that happened from 1989 onwards, whether at the hands of the militants or the security forces,” he said in his blog on the official website of the party. “I understand that a TRC is usually set up in a post-conflict environment and we are not yet at that stage but every indication is that we are heading in that direction,” the NC president wrote. For the success of the TRC, Omar said, Pakistan and India should “show that joint mechanism could work by allowing the commission to travel to both sides of the divided state to ascertain the truth about the disappearances which have taken place since the eruption of militancy in the state.” The commission should also be tasked with hearing petitions for amnesty from the perpetrators of human rights violations, he said. Such petitions can be judged according to motivation, scale or scope of violation and whether full disclosure was made in the course of the amnesty petition, he said, adding, the panel must also be tasked with looking into the forced migration of people from the valley, particularly Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims, Christians and Sikhs. The circumstances that lead to their migration, the people responsible for it and possible ways of reversing the migration should be ascertained, he said. — PTI |
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Farooq’s autonomy chants continue
Poonch, May 18 Addressing public meetings at Manjakote and Ghambir Muglan, on his last day of his five-day tour to Rajouri district, Farooq Abdullah said almost all the road maps given by some think tanks and political parties revolve around the autonomy proposal by the National Conference. “The Government of India has to accept our demand and give the people what is best for them,” he said. He alleged that some political parties with vested interest want to see Kashmir boiling and they are resorting to unfair tactics by exploiting the people of the state against autonomy. The documented solution “Autonomy” put forth by the National Conference for satisfying the genuine urges and aspirations of the people of the state is well within the Constitution of India, he added. Farooq Abdullah said the National Conference was unambiguously clear for its solution of Kashmir problem and strongly felt that the autonomy as projected by the party was a viable sustainable solution to the Kashmir imbroglio. However, he said the NC has a clear policy and open heart and “we are ready to accept any other solution if it is viable and acceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and is better than autonomy solution of the National Conference”. “But, till date it is clear that no party or individual has been able to suggest such a solution,” he said. Referring to the problem of unemployment in the state, Dr Abdullah said raising of the qualification bar for appointments to Class IV and police constables was unjust, unfortunate and would demoralise the youth of the state. He said, “My party after coming to power will frame a special policy for recruitment of youth in the police by sending team of senior officers to remote areas and the qualification bar for appointment of constables in police shall be middle pass. Moreover the qualification bar for recruitment to Class IV category shall also be middle pass.”
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After 25 years
Mandi (Poonch), May 18 Yes, despite the state government’s claims on the revival of the education sector, this is the exact situation of the Government Middle School (Boys) in Mandi. Now out of the three rooms, one is for the headmaster and another has been reserved for Sarv Shiksha Abhyan scheme in the school. Presently there are around 100 students studying in these eight classes. During normal days some of the classes run under open sky and during rainy season two to three classes run in a single room. Residents complain that with just three rooms their wards face a tough time in the school. They say this is affecting the performance of their children, who fare badly in their exams. “The government’s claim of revival of education in the state is rhetoric. Even as they have established new schools in the state, this school which is about 25-year-old has just three rooms,” says a parent of a student, asking not to be named. “If the government is really interested in giving quality education to the students, it needs to provide adequate infrastructure in the schools,” he adds. Facing the heat, the students of this school say their studies have been badly hit due to shortage of classrooms. They add that though the problem continues to haunt them for major part of their academic calendar, it gets worse during adverse weather conditions when two to three classes run in a single room. “It is quite difficult to study here but we have no other option. The other government schools are located far away,” says Muhammad Ameen, a fifth standard student. “We are poor and cannot afford to study in private schools who charge heavily from the students,” the child adds. Senior Congress leader and MLA Jehangir Mir says he has already proposed to the government to provide the nearby land for the construction of more classrooms. A.K. Raina, director, School Education, Jammu, talking over the phone tells The Tribune that the shortage of classrooms is because of the fact that they don't have government land for construction of new rooms. “As soon as the govt provides the land, we will start construction of classrooms so that students don't suffer,” he adds.
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‘PDP-Cong alliance has survived odds’
Srinagar, May 18 The PDP also hoped that the alliance would continue for the resolution of the Kashmir issue, restoration of peace and development of all regions of the state. But success in this regard would depend on the cooperation and understanding from both sides. These observations were made at a meeting of the political affairs committee (PAC) of the PDP headed by its patron and former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today. The meeting was attended by party president Mehbooba Mufti, Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig, Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, Abdul Aziz Zargar, Tariq Hameed Karra, Dilawar Mir, Qazi Mohammad Afzal, T.S. Bajwa, Ved Mahajan, Haji Nisar Ahmad Khan, Master Tassaduq Hussain, Sardar Rangil Singh and Peerzada Mansoor Hussain “The PAC has observed that despite many hurdles between the PDP and the Congress, the alliance has worked fairly well during the last five-and-half years,” he said.
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Schools’ upgrade leads to Cong-Panthers clash
Ramnagar, May 18 It was only after the intervention of the police that both the warring factions were separated and situation was brought under control. The Congress-led coalition regime has recently ordered upgradation of two middle schools namely Government Middle School Bagodh and Government Middle School Badholi as high schools. As the order was issued by the state government, the Congress workers under the leadership of general secretary of the Pradesh Youth Congress (PYC) R.S. Pathania organised a function to take credit of the upgradation of these institutes. As soon as the function started, some activists of the Panthers Party allegedly thronged the venue and claimed that the schools have been upgraded because of the efforts of local MLA Harsh Dev Singh. They warned the Congress leaders against politicising this issue. The Congress workers strongly countered these claims and asserted that as Congress headed the present regime, the credit should go to the party for fulfilling demands of the masses. Both the rival groups resorted to slogan shouting against each other. In the melee some miscreants reportedly attacked R.S. Panthania. The Congress workers resisted the attack. It was only after intervention of the police the situation was brought under control. Pathania charged the police with shielding the culprits involved in attacking him and other Congress workers. He warned to launch a stir if the police failed to take action against the culprits. R.S. Pathania later told The Tribune that schools were upgraded all due to the efforts of Congress workers who had put forth this demand before Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. He alleged that the JKNPP workers tried to take undue political mileage of the decision taken by the Congress-led government.
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College row surfaces again
Poonch, May 18 The local PDP leader, whose party is an ally in the coalition government, along with the protestors raised slogans against the coalition government. After getting the news of the blockade, Rajouri deputy commissioner and SSP reportedly held a meeting with the protestors asking them to call off their protests.
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Varsity starts student assistantship programme
Udhampur, May 18 The SMVDU has initiated a unique Student Assistantship Programme (SAP) to inculcate work culture and competitive spirit among students and also to implement them. A spokesman of the university said SAP had been launched for the first time in the state by any university at this scale. Under SAP, the university would provide financial assistance in terms of full tuition fee wavier, besides, cash assistance of Rs 100 per month during the semester to the top 5 per cent students in various disciplines. The programme aims at preparing students for challenges of the job market by generating academic competition and inculcating work culture at the same time. Sponsored research and development projects are being executed by the faculty in all disciplines. The Department of Biotechnology has sponsored the establishment of Bioinformatics Centre at the School of Biotechnology. The State Department of Environment and Forest has funded the establishment of a herbal park. The State Forest Research Institute has approved two projects
related with the National Bamboo Mission. The SMVDU has also signed MoUs with leading national and international institutes like IIT Delhi, Indian Institute of Intergrative Medicine, Jammu, Aachen University and Bochum Universities of Germany, Orel State Technical University in Russia and Kun Shan University, Taiwan. |
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Hizbul top gun nabbed
Srinagar, May 18 Handwara SP Haseeb Mughal said they received information regarding the presence of militants at Chak Sanzipora village and launched a joint operation with the 30 RR of the Army. During the operation, security forces came under heavy fire from the trapped militants. One militant tried to conceal his arms ammunition in the nearby bushes and planned to escape from the cordon, the police said, but was nabbed, while some of his associates managed to flee. One AK 47 rifle, three magazines, 43 rounds of ammunition, two UBGL grenades and one Chinese grenade was recovered from the spot. The militant had been identified as Shaheen Ahmad Malik, alias Sajada. The Pak-trained militant is a Batallion commander of the HM. The police said he was a local resident and was active in Mawar, Qaziabad and Guloora area of Handwara for nine years. —
TNS
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More sports clubs need of hour: Gill
Srinagar, May 18 “We need to constitute more sports clubs in rural areas so that the hidden talent is channelised for the overall development of the society, state and the country,” Gill said at inauguration of the annual conference of Jammu and Kashmir Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) here. Gill also lauded the youth of the state for their aptitude in sports and assured that liberal assistance would be provided by his ministry for promoting sports activities in the state. He said special attention should be given to rural areas which lacked infrastructure and suggested that the youth there could take to football as the sport required nominal infrastructure. Referring to Santosh Trophy national championship football, commencing here next week, Gill wished that the Jammu and Kashmir team to lift the trophy. — PTI
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3 die in road mishaps
Srinagar, May 18 A tipper hit two persons, Ghulam Hassan Lone, 66, and Ghulam Mohd Bhat, 60, of Waghama in Anantnag. Lone died on the spot while Bhat was seriously injured. The police has nabbed the accused driver. In another accident, 10-year-old Fancy Jan was hit by a motorcycle and she succumbed to her injuries in the SMHS hospital, Srinagar. In the third incident, driver Inder Singh, a resident of Kathua, was killed when his truck turned over on the national highway near Urnhal. — TNS |
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Handicrafts expo from May 27
Srinagar, May 18 This was decided at a meeting presided over by industries and commerce minister Nawang Rigzin Jora. The meeting was informed that the exhibition would continue for a period of 15 days and remain open for visitors from 4 pm to 9 pm on all working days and 2 pm to 9 pm on Sundays and other public holidays. The hours between 2 pm to 4 pm have been fixed for business. Dr. Pawan Kotwal, secretary, industries and commerce said such exhibitions would be held regularly in view of the tourist season. As many as 148 permanent and pre-fabricated stalls would be established in the exhibition by various government departments and private
organisations. |
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Beli-Charana (Jammu), May 18
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