Nagrota, June 24
BJP activists led by MLA from the Nagrota Assembly constituency, Jugal Kishore, today blocked the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway here for over an hour pressing the coalition government not to cancel the order of allotment of forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).

The protesters led by the BJP MLA shouted anti-government slogans and disrupted traffic movement for more than one hour, causing immense hardships to daily commuters, pilgrims and tourists.

The road linking the Kashmir valley with the country witnessed a beeline of vehicles which were stranded for over an hour.

The BJP activists also burnt effigies of the People's Democratic Party patron and former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussian Beig and National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah.

They accused these leaders of communalising the entire issue for the sake of votes. Later talking to mediapersons, Jugal Kishore said any decision to rescind land allotment order would not be tolerated.

He said, if the government rescinded the order then the BJP would launch a nationwide protest for hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus. “Any such step would be dealt with severely,” he added.

It may be mentioned here that the issue of transfer of forest land to the SASB has snowballed into a controversy with the valley witnessing violent protests against the government move.

Valley-based political parties and separatist outfits feel that the land allotted to
the SASB would be used to change the Muslim-majority status of the Kashmir valley and the erection of permanent structures in the forest area would disturb the ecological balance.

Jammu, June 24
The controversy over the diversion of nearly 800 kanals of forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) for construction of pre-fabricated tents and toilets for pilgrims does not appear to be near-resolution.

The PDP leadership has criticised the shrine boards’s move and its patron, Mufti Mohd. Sayeed, has not only demanded that the transfer deed be cancelled but the issue of a separate board be also reviewed. Not only the PDP but the land transfer issue has been criticised by the National Conference (NC) and the separatists.

In fact the same issue has been instrumental in bringing the hardliners among the separatists, led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, and the moderates headed by Molvi Umar Farooq, on one platform.

Before leaving for Islamabad as head of a three-member Hurriyat delegation, Molvi Umar Farooq said that he would apprise the Pakistan government of the current situation in Kashmir in the context of the controversy over the diversion of forest land to the shrine board.

N.N. Vohra, who takes over as the Governor next week, has a ticklish issue to fina a solution to, especially as head of the Amarnath Shrine Board.

The PDP leadership seems to be so much enraged by the recent remarks of principal secretary to the Governor, Dr Arun Kumar, at a press conference, that Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig, dubbed him as a “disgrace for the government, bureaucracy and his parents.”

As such Vohra will have to first decide whether he wishes to retain Dr Arun Kumar as his principal secretary.

Then he has to examine all the issues pertaining to the yatra raised by the PDP, the NC and the separatists which include the demand for curtailing the yatra period.

He has to examine whether allowing several lakh pilgrims to trek to the mountain cave could disturb the eco-system and cause pollution.

Political analysts and constitutional experts are of the opinion that the disbanding of the shrine board should have the approval of the state legislature even if the Governor issues a notification.

They say that the new Governor may not be in a position to curtail the yatra period since several lakh pilgrims had already registered themselves for the yatra.

As far as the cancellation of the transfer of land to the shrine board was concerned, it had to be done by the Cabinet, not by the Governor.

The new Governor can, at the most, inform the Government that the board may not require land to be diverted to it for constructing pre-fabricated tents and toilets on a temporary basis.

And those who know N.N. Vohra say that as a seasoned bureaucrat and as chief negotiator of the Government of India on Kashmir, he would be able to sort the row.

Srinagar, June 24
Commercial establishments and several schools were forced shut by protestors in Srinagar as protests intensified over the transfer of forest land to the Amarnath Shrine Board after CRPF firing on a stone-pelting mob killed a 37-yead-old man and left two injured yesterday in Nowhata locality in downtown, separatists’ stronghold.

Hundreds clashed today with the police at different places in the valley. Reports from various places put the numbers of injured anywhere between 50 and 60, even though officials said they were not in a position to verify it.

“Let the reports come from all places, then we can make an assessment,” SSP Afadul Mujtaba said.

They attacked government offices at several places in the valley. Police stations and CRPF bunkers were especially targeted by them.

Some abandoned police booths were burnt and violent agitators targeted the traffic. Police had to fire bullets at some places, including in Ganderbal district, and tear-shells at several places, to disperse the crowd.

The controversy over land transfer, which was sparked off by some reportedly provocative statements from the board's CEO Arun Kumar, has forged a rare sense of unity in the separatists camp.

Both factions of the Hurriyat Conference have fuelled public anger, claiming the outgoing governor Lt Gen SK Sinha (retd), who is also the board's ex-officio chairman, was conspiring to change the demography of Muslim-majority Kashmir.

Coalition partner PDP only gave legitimacy to separatists' allegations when deputy chief minister Muzaffar Beigh said his party was forced by the Congress to agree to transfer of land.

The police today put SAS Geelani, firebrand leader of the hardline Hurriyat, and Shabir Shah, who is aligned with its moderate faction, under house arrest. Geelani had managed to give the cops a slip yesterday and led a protest march later.

A cross-section of people told The Tribune that the latest shrine board controversy is the symptom of a deep mistrust of locals towards the governor.

Since his taking charge in 2003, the board has been seen actively taking steps to expand the yatra, including increasing its duration to two months.

The fact that the board, constituted by the previous NC government, is autonomous and not accountable to the state legislature has made many believe that it is a “parallel government”.

Provocative statements from BJP leaders in Jammu, who threatened to snap supplies to Kashmir, have not helped matters.

Srinagar, June 24
Two legislators of the PDP have filed a breach of privilege motion before the Chairman Legislative Council against Arun Kumar, chief executive officer of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).

This action, according to a PDP spokesman, had been initiated against Arun Kumar because of his “objectionable remarks” during a press conference at Raj Bhawan on June 17.

Murtaza A. Khan and Sayed Basharat Bukhari are the two legislatures who filed the breach of privilege motion.

The spokesman alleged that the language used by the CEO amounted to undermining the authority and constitutional position of the state legislature.

The privilege motion has taken evidence from Kumar’s remarks challenging the authority of the legislature by saying the Governor heads the state legislature and that they (Raj Bhawan) have to see if the legislature has the power to issue recommendations to the Governor and the shrine board.

The PDP legislators have also taken a strong note of Kumar’s statement describing the transfer of forest land to the SASB as permanent.

Murtaza A. Khan said Arun Kumar who challenged the authority of the legislature was a public servant and was holding a position that has been created by an Act of the legislature.

His remarks tend to undermine the authority of the legislature and attract punitive jurisdiction of both Houses of the legislature, he added.

The police said the Sumo was coming from Baltal to Srinagar when it collided with a Santro near Nilgrat. — PTI, TNS

Srinagar, June 24
The state government has facilitated setting up of the first ever ice-cream factory in the Kashmir valley with the brand name - Dairy Foods.

“This ice-cream factory has created lots of opportunity for employment. We get dealers, distributors and vendors. From one dealer we get about 100-150 other sub-dealers. So lots of job opportunities have been generated,” said Ravi Kumar, in charge of the Dairy Foods ice-cream factory.

The ice-cream factory is located on the outskirts of Srinagar in Shalteng, an industrial area developed by the Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Development Corporation (SIDCO). Local residents are cheerful about the setting up of the first ever ice-cream factory here.

“In our industrial complex at Shalteng, they get all facilities. The whole area is an industrial estate, where there are proper roads, proper drainage system. So this infrastructure is nice. I came to know that they have started making ice-creams there and their turnover is expected to be in the range of Rs 70 lakh (Rs.7 million),” said Sajjad Qadri, general manager of the Jammu and Kashmir State Industries Development Corporation (SIDCO).

The ice cream comes in nearly two dozen varieties which include Vanilla brick, Pista, Choco bar, Oranges Choco feast and others.

Earlier, people had no choice but to buy ice cream of other brands ferried from outside Kashmir. However with the arrival of Dairy Foods, residents are more than pleased to patronise their own home brand.

“Its product is very nice and there is a lot of demand. Customers are coming back for more. It is for the first time in Kashmir that we are making ice cream in Shalteng,” said Ishfaq Ahmed, a shopkeeper.

With temperatures soaring here, there couldn't have been a better timing for the entry of Dairy Foods in Srinagar.

This is a Rs 2.5 crore project. I have spent Rs 1 crore on the project and the market of our ice cream is very good.

The workers working in the factory are very happy because these units are helping them fulfil their domestic needs. Twenty workers from Jammu and Kashmir are working here,” said Mushtaq Ahmad, the factory owner.

“I thank the government for providing me land for the project at reasonable rates,” Ahmad added. — ANI

Srinagar, June 24
The All-India Shiromani Akali Dal has proposed to set up a World Sikh University in south Kashmir under private sector to provide world-class education to students.

This was disclosed by Jaswant Singh Man, leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal, at a press conference here today. Jaswant said the university would be set up at Tral in Pulwama district.

He said this decision was taken at a state-level convention headed by state president of the All-India Shiromani Akali Dal, J.S. Shan, held at Tral.

Jaswant said the Rs 500 crore World Sikh University would be funded by 36 lakh Sikhs settled abroad.

He said the university would provide education based on the lines of Oxford and Cambridge. Jaswant said students could study a wide variety of courses in medical education, engineering, social science, law, education, technology, bio-technology and inter-religious studies of world religions.

This would provide the finest standards of education with the combination of native and European studies in various fields.

Jaswant said Sikh leaders had already held meetings with state Congress president and Union water resources minister, Saifuddin Soz, G.N. Siddiqui and Abdul Ghani Madhosh for the purpose.

He informed that a top-level delegation was also scheduled to meet Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.

He said the organisation would also take up the issue with the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Jammu, June 24
BSF troopers today foiled an ex-filtration bid at Chakroi near Nawapind in the R.S. Pura sector, close to the international border, and arrested a Bangladeshi national.

However, three accomplices of the arrested Bangladeshi national, managed to escape under the cover of darkness.

The nabbed Bangladeshi national has been identified as Qamru Mian, 40, a resident of Habibganj in Sillat district.

Intelligence sources told The Tribune at around 3.30 AM, BSF jawans of the 110 Battalion, noticed some suspicious movement near the international border at Chakroi in Nawapind village.

BSF troopers spotted four persons and challenged them, but they ignored the warning. The troopers then fired seven rounds in the air. Taking advantage of darkness, all four persons fled from the spot.

However, during search operations this morning, one of them was nabbed from an Army bunker at around 7 am.

During sustained questioning, the arrested Bangladeshi national divulged his identity as Qamru Mian of Habibganj, who along with three others was trying to ex-filtrate
to Pakistan.

BSF Jammu Frontier DIG (G) J.B. Sangwan, while confirming the incident said, “A group of four Bangladeshi nationals tried to cross over to Pakistan but the ex-filtration bid was foiled by BSF jawans.”

“The arrested Bangladeshi national divulged that they were four in number and when BSF jawans opened fire, all of them beat a hasty retreat,” he said.

The DIG informed that a hunt had been launched to nab the remaining three Bangladeshi nationals.

Jammu, June 24
Independent corporator from ward number 52, Jaswant Singh Soodan was today elected as the chairman, health and sanitation committee, of the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC).

Similarly, Congress corporator from ward number 31, Neelam Kumari was elected as the chairman, social justice committee, of the 71-ward JMC.

Elections to the two-key committees of the JMC were held today under the chairmanship of Mayor Kavinder Gupta.

In a straight contest for the post of chairman of the health and sanitation committee, independent candidate Jaswant Singh Soodan defeated his rival Satish Sharma, a Congress corporator from ward number 56, by a margin of one vote.

Soodan secured five votes, while Satish Sharma managed four. Former chairman, health and sanitation committee, Manmohan Singh was the presiding officer for
the election.

Similarly, for the post of chairman of the social justice committee, Congress corporator Neelam Kumari secured six votes, while her rival candidate Pardeep Mankotia, an independent corporator, secured only three. Senior BJP corporator Narsingh Dass was the presiding officer during the election.

It may be mentioned here that the nine-member health and sanitation committee has four Congress, three BJP, one National Conference (NC) and one independent candidate, while the nine-member social justice committee has three Congress, two BJP, one NC and three independent candidates.

Jammu, June 24
Industrial units in the state have alleged that the apathetic attitude of the state and the Central government towards industries had hampered industrial growth and about 150 units were on the verge of closure.

A statement issued by the federation of industries said ever since the Centre reversed the industrial incentive package given to the state, industrial units had been striving hard to survive.

Annil Suri, chairman of the federation said “A ray of hope was seen when Union finance minister issued a notification were some relief was announced.”

However, he alleged that benefits were given to only one cement unit, whereas all other units were left out.

Jammu, June 24
Senior National Conference leader and MLA from Surankot, Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, has termed the attitude of the state government towards the demands of the striking clerks of various department as “callous”.

In a statement issued here, Bukhari said the demands of clerks were not unjust or beyond the competence of the government.

He said the ongoing strike had paralysed work in almost all government office’s much to the disadvantage of the public.

“The anti- employee policies by the present coalition regime had forced employees to protest. If dues were paid to these employees on time, they would have never adopted such a way,” Bukhari said.

He added, “The government should not stand on prestige, break up its silence, come forward, listen to the genuine demands of the striking employees and concede to it.”

Jammu, June 24
Blowing the trumpet of greater autonomy, provincial president of the National Conference (NC), Ajay Sadhotra, today said regional autonomy to three regions of the state would alone address aspirations of the people.

Addressing a party meeting here at the party headquarters, Sadhotra said, “The NC is committed to protect the rights of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.”

The party had always stood for the equitable development of all regions of the state and is committed to promote secularism and weaken communal forces in the state, he said.

Once again describing autonomy as the only viable solution to the Kashmir problem, he said, the NC would also guarantee regional autonomy to all three regions of the state so as to address aspirations of the people.

Sadhotra said political parties, which were dividing the people of the state on communal lines, needed to be isolated.

He appealed to all political parties to exercise restrain and not indulge in petty politicking for electoral gains at the cost of communal harmony.

“The time has come when people must be aware of the nefarious designs of the political parties, which were playing the communal card”, he said.

He appealed to the party workers to educate the people to stay away from such parties. He castigated the present coalition government for ignoring the interests of unemployed youth, farmers and government employees.

He would speak on “Non-state armed groups and India’s response in Jammu and Kashmir” and elaborate on the PDP’s policy of political reconciliation and healing touch philosophy at the conference.