Srinagar, September 3
The separatists have called for a bandh on September 6, giving a fresh push to their movement, which came to a halt after a government clampdown on August 24, a day before ‘Lal Chowk chalo’ march.

The Hurriyat-led Coordination Committee prepared a draft in a meeting with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and then met Syed Ali Shah Geelani at his residence and then announced its programmes.

The committee tried to clear confusion over post-4 pm shutdown and asked shopkeepers to follow it till Monday when they would meet again to decide their future course.

Earlier, the government put Mirwaiz and JKLF leader Yaseen Malik under house arrest while Geelani was discharged from hospital.

Official sources said they tried to prevail upon moderates like Mirwaiz and Malik for not taking and irreversible confrontational course and keep window of reconciliation with the government open. They made a similar call to Geelani, they said.

The calls for peaceful protests from the separatists have been of help to the government in this regard even as they have made it clear that they would not tolerate any more frontal attack on Indian sovereignty.

Srinagar, September 3
Militants opened fire at a CRPF patrol party last evening, killing a constable and injuring two civilians, the police said today.

The police said militants started firing on a 182 Battalion party on duty in the market area of Pulwama town in south Kashmir. CRPF constable Sheikh Kamran, who hails from Mumbai, was critically injured and succumbed to his injuries soon after.

The police said militants took away the service rifle of the deceased constable as his colleagues ran for safety.

Two civilians, Mushtaq Ahmad Mir and Imran Lone, who were also injured in the firing, have been admitted to hospital. Their condition is stable.

Meanwhile, the police arrested two locally trained militants belonging to Al-Badr and Lashker from the Wader and Mawar areas in Handwara.

The Handwara SP said the nabbed militants were Shabir Ahmad Magray of Pulwama, who belonged to LeT, and Shabir Ahmad Magray of the Al Badr outfit.

The police said Shabir was working for Tamim Ahmad, a Pakistani who is Al-Badr commander for north Kashmir.

The police said the nabbed militants were involved in a number of subversive incidents in Baramulla, Kupwara and Handwara districts.

Jammu, September 3
With the resolution of the Amarnath land row after over two months of agitation, the political parties here have started making the moves in view of the forthcoming Assembly elections.

While the BJP, a constituent of the Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti, is maintaining a low profile, its arch rival the Congress is giving the credit to its Central leadership for finding out an amicable solution to the vexed issue.

The reasons behind the BJP not going gaga over the land restoration to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) could be more than one.

First, the move may be a part of the BJP's
efforts to dispel the notion that it was
spearheading the agitation.

Throughout the agitation the party had a tough time countering appeals from various quarters to call off the stir.

It had to clarify time and again that it was a constituent of the samiti, which has over 30 outfits under its umbrella.

Secondly, given the sensitivity of the issue, the party does not want to be seen as the one gaining political mileage out of it, as it would send a wrong message to the common masses.

On the other hand, the Congress, which found itself in a soup in Jammu region after the revocation of the land diversion order, is making all efforts to convey to the people that it is the party’s Central leadership that ultimately resolved the issue as per their aspirations.

The Congress leaders, who were at the receiving end of the people’s ire after the start of the agitation, chose to side with the people in the later stages of the stir in view of the forthcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

They not only came out of their homes and participated in protest march but also camped in New Delhi to apprise their Central leadership of the ground situation.

Interestingly, many of the senior Congress leaders, who extended their support to the agitation, were the ones who took part in the Cabinet meeting in which the land revocation order was passed.

Meanwhile, among the regional players, the National Conference seems to be better placed in Jammu region, as its high command has endorsed the agreement signed between the Governor’s panel and the samiti.

However, the Jammu-based PDP leaders are finding themselves in a spot after their supremo Mehbooba Mufti flayed the agreement, terming it “unilateral.”

Both these parties were on the target of the protesters throughout the agitation due to the utterances of their top leaders Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah.

Jammu, September 3
Though the Amarnath land row has been resolved, polarisation on regional lines over the issue has widened the wedge between the two regions of Jammu and Kashmir.

Rajiv Gupta, a student of Jammu University, said: The land row has given rise to a lot of bitterness among the two regions. I think the equation between people of the two sides would never be the same."

Pleading anonymity, a professor in social sciences based in Srinagar, said: "I don't know about the others, but the issue has definitely strained my relations with my friends in Jammu. We studied together in Jammu University before I got a job in Srinagar. Though we have been in touch since then, I can sense the acrimony that has crept into our relations in the past couple of months."

Members of the Kashmiri Pandit community, who were forced to flee the valley in 1990s following the eruption of militancy, echo similar views.

"The issue has exposed the real face of Kashmiri leaders. If they cannot hand over a mere 800 kanals of land for Hindu pilgrims visiting the holy cave shrine during the Amarnath yatra, how one can expect them to throw open their arms to our displaced community," wondered Sumit Bhat, a resident of the Muthi migrant camp.

The business community here is also sour about the way the issue of "economic blockade" was raked up by the Kashmiri leaders.

"They were raising a hue and cry about the protesters blocking highways and shortage of essential commodities in the valley, which was not the case. Even the government said that there was no economic blockade. On the contrary, people in Jammu were grappling for essential supplies on account of continuous shutdowns and curfew," said Raj Sharma, a grocery shop owner.

However, there is also a section of society which feels that the people from the two regions should not allow any issue take a toll on their relations.

"Though it was a sensitive matter, the people on both sides of Pir Panjal agreed that the Amarnath yatra should continue as before and pilgrims should be provided the best facilities. We should set aside our differences and focus on the points on which we can build our relations stronger," said Manjeet Singh, a Gandhi Nagar resident.

Udhampur, September 3
Buoyed over the "victory" of the Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti on the land row, government employees of Jammu region have decided to launch an agitation against stepmotherly treatment meted out to them by the successive state governments.

A meeting of employees was held at Udhampur today to devise a strategy to launch a decisive struggle for their just and genuine rights.

More than 20,000 employees of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department of the Jammu region have been struggling to get salaries at par with their counterparts in the Kashmir valley.

This disparity between employees of both regions was repeatedly taken by politicians as well as trade unions during the past six years but to no avail.

Intuc, labour wing of the Congress which remained in power for more than five years, today warned to revive the agitation, which was suspended following an assurance by then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.

"Except assurances nothing concrete has been done by the government to bring employees of the Jammu region at par with their colleagues of the Kashmir valley", regretted Som Nath, senior Intuc leader and president of the PHE Employees Union.

Terming disparity between the salaries of employees of the Jammu and Kashmir regions as a glaring example of discrimination, Som Nath said: "It is a mockery that employees working in the Jammu region have been getting a meagre salary of Rs 500 per month but colleagues in Kashmir in the same post draw Rs 2100 per month".

The Intuc leader said the employees would take up the issue of discrimination with Governor N.N. Vohra for earlier solution.

Furthermore, daily wagers with seven years of service have been regularised in the Kashmir valley, some employees in the Jammu region have been awaiting regularisation for the past 15 years.

Udhampur, September 3
To pay homage to the soldiers who laid down their lives fighting for the country, medical fraternity of the Udhampur Military Station organised a lyrical programme titled “Ek Shaam Shaheedon Ke Naam”.

Reputed artists of the state participated in the programme which was held on Saturday evening. Col D.K. Kachari, PRO, Northern Command, said: “The programme was about saluting the soldiers who guarded the frontiers and who sacrificed their life for the nation.”

The evening was filled with lyrical description of a soldier’s life by Col V.P. Singh, famous poet and an accredited artist of Doordarshan, All India Radio and other TV channels. Col Kachari said Singh had presented numerous such programmes paying homage to the “veer jawans.”

A similar show was also organised at the Command Hospital for the admitted patients, PBOR and families of the hospital.

Col V.P. Singh has had the singular honour of the release of his book of poems titled “Rakthanjali” which was written during the Kargil war, at the hands of the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

The programme was interspersed with patriotic songs sung by artistes of the medical fraternity of the Udhampur Military Station.

GOC-in-C, Northern Command, Lt-Gen P.C. Bhardwaj was also present along with other officers and jawans.

Srinagar, September 3
Kashmiri Pandits, Muslims and others who have migrated to other parts of the country because of turmoil in early 90s will continue to be treated as ordinary residents of their respective places in Kashmir for inclusion, retention of their names in the voter electoral roll of the constituency concerned.

The deputy chief electoral officer of the Jammu and Kashmir, reacting to media reports, said the Election Commission of India has notified that migrated Kashmiri Pandit electors under Section 36-A (2) and Section 70 (C) of the Jammu and Kashmir Representation of People's Act 1957 are still eligible for vote in their respective constituencies.

He said special arrangements were made for them to exercise their right of franchise at the time of election through postal ballot or by setting up of polling stations.

He said their names were allowed to be incorporated in the electoral rolls, summarily revised from time to time.

Regarding the registration of non-permanent residents in the voter lists for Assembly polls, he said instructions had been issued to District electoral officers to delete the names of non-permanent residents which had entered by mistake in the list.

He said directions had been given to take necessary action against the officers and officials found guilty of incorporating names of non-state subjects in lists. — UNI

Srinagar, September 3
The markets in Srinagar throbbed with activity, ignoring the call by a section of the separatists for evening shutdown.

Normal life went with its usual pace in Kashmir for the second consecutive day. Schools and colleges were open and transport service operated at its maximum.

Confusion prevailed regarding the separatists' call for a bandh after 4 p.m. and most of the shopkeepers ignored the call as they seemed keen to make up for the lost business for over a month.

"I am not sure. Some leaders had asked us to function normally while many others insisted that we down our shutters in the evening. There is no united call and no big leader has said anything so far," Shabir Dar, a trader, said.

There were no reports of any violence, barring some slogan-shouting by groups of people in Sopore and Baramula.

As yesterday, rush of people could be seen in busy market places which have come to life after a long gap. Many offices which had not opened yesterday in anticipation of some trouble opened today.

On the positive side, trade has got a major boost with the resumption of normal traffic on the highway.

Hundreds of trucks are getting loaded in fruit mandis in Srinagar and Sopore. Moreover, with Eid approaching, traders want to push business volume.

"We have been the worst sufferers in the past three months of trouble. Lakhs of people in Kashmir depend upon fruit business for their livelihood," Ghulam Moiuddin, an orchard owner in Sopore, said.

Srinagar, September 3
The infrastructure facilities on this side of Line of Control for cross-LoC trade between Jammu and Kashmir and Pak-occupied Kashmir are near completion, Governor N.N. Vohra said.

Vohra also held a review meeting yesterday to assess works going on the infrastructural facilities at Salamabad near Uri, which is almost complete.

While 95 per cent of the required work for raising pre-fabricated structures providing warehousing, immigration and customs facilities, scanning units and weighing bridges have been completed, the sprucing up of the 12-km border stretch from Salamabad to the Kaman Post is proceeding at a good pace, an official spokesperson said.

The first six kilometres of the upgraded double-lane road has been blacktopped.

The Governor directed that the remaining stretch should be positively completed by October 7.

He said the infrastructure raised at Salamabad would be used for starting the process of trade through Muzaffarabad, work on the required additional facilities should be simultaneously taken up.

For this purpose, he directed the officers concerned to set in motion the land acquiring process immediately so that the required infrastructure and facilities were completed on a timebound basis.

He also stressed the need for creating adequate infrastructure facilities at Chaka-da-Bagh in Poonch for commencing trade through Poonch-Rawalkote road.

He designated State Industries & Commerce Department as the nodal agency for the trans-border trade and announced a budgetary grant of Rs 3 crore - Rs 2 crore for creating facilities at Salamabad in Uri and Rs 1 crore for Chaka-da-Bagh in Poonch.

He also asked for time-bound action to acquire an additional area of 34 kanals at Salamabad for augmenting the infrastructure facilities.

PTI adds: Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra today made a surprise visit to two hospitals and announced a special grant of Rs 2 crore for the current financial year to commence work on a 200-bed new block of Lal Ded Maternity Hospital.

Taking note of the congestion in Lal Ded Hospital, Vohra announced a special grant of Rs 2 crore for the current financial year to begin work on a 200-bed new block.

The Governor, who visited Lal Ded Hospital and the Bone and Joints Hospital here this morning, assured that funds would not be any constraint for this project.

The blueprint for a Rs 15.86 crore five-storeyed block has already been prepared.

The proposal for constructing an additional block for Lal Ded Hospital with IPD, OPD and diagnostic services has been awaiting approval of the government.

The government is contemplating another 400-bed maternity hospital on the outskirts of the city.

The proposal is pending with the Centre and Vohra said he would take up the issue with the Health Ministry.

The Governor also agreed to an additional allocation of Rs 1 crore for clearing liabilities on account of purchase of drugs.

Vohra also visited Bone and Joint Hospital at Barzulla in uptown city and discussed the problems of the hospital with the commissioner, health and the medical superintendent.

Vohra visited Bone and Joint Hospital at Barzulla uptown city and discussed problems of the hospital with the commissioner, health and the medical superintendent.

Jammu, September 3
The two-month-long shutdown in the Jammu region has retarded pace of execution of projects assigned by the state government to the Police Housing Corporation.

The erstwhile government headed by Ghulam Nabi Azad, had, for the first time, allotted several development works that were to be completed by the Public Works Department and Roads and Buildings, to the Police Housing Corporation.

The idea behind this was to ensure timely completion of these projects.

With the creation of eight new districts in the state, the corporation had been allotted construction of college buildings at 10 places.

Besides this most of the hospital buildings at the district level were taken up by the corporation. The corporation had been also allotted construction of office buildings in the new districts.

A senior functionary of the Police Housing Corporation today said: “We complete several buildings within the stipulated time which had encouraged Azad to transfer more projects to the corporation.”

He said during the last two months of shutdown in the Jammu region hardly any progress could be achieved.

He said: “We may be able to resume work on the projects within a couple of days.”

In reply to a question the police officer said: “Nothing can be said about the work progress in the Kashmir valley where the situation continued to be fluid.”

Asked whether the corporation was given some new projects, he said soon after Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned on July 7, which was followed by the imposition of Governor’s rule, “no new project had been allotted to the corporation.”

“We are keen to complete those projects which had been allotted to us,” he added.

Jammu, September 3
Dismissing the petition of former BSF lance naik Sham Lal, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court upheld the order passed by the authorities after he tendered resignation from the service.

The petitioner has accused the respondents-Union of India of adopting coercive methods to get his signatures on blank papers and accepting his resignation without pensionary benefits through order dated January 10, 2001.

The high court said there was no iota of evidence against the respondents. The petitioner had tendered resignation due to fear of conviction under the BSF Act, the court added.

Sham Lal joined as constable in the Border Security Force on July 20, 1986 and was promoted to lance naik while being posted in the 126th Battalion.

During his posting with the battalion, a case under Sections 19-A, 22-E and 26 of the BSF Act was registered against him when he was found absent without prior permission from battalion headquarters on October 8, 2000, brought liquor in the unit the next day and found drunken on December 5 in the same year.

Chargesheet was framed against the petitioner and the second-command was directed to record evidence against him.

While recording of evidence was in progress, the petitioner approached the Staff Officer of the unit and requested for early acceptance of his resignation as he expressed unwillingness to serve due to domestic problem.

The resignation of petitioner was accepted and accordingly recording of evidence was withdrawn.

Jammu, August 3
Various Sikh organisations in the state today urged the government to carry out the delimitation exercise in the state so as to give the Jammu region its due share.

These bodies today held a meeting at Digiana Ashram here and released a statement appealing the voluntary organisations and philanthropists to donate food and essential commodities to the poor and needy who have witnessed tough times during the two-month-long agitation.

They also asked the Central government to compensate the losses suffered by traders, transporters and other sectors of the state during last two months.

All the members who participated in the meeting hailed the agreement between the Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti and the government.

They said that the agreement was beneficial to both Jammu and Kashmir.

The SAD (A) welcomed the release of Kashmiri leaders Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Yaseen Malik.

Jammu, September 3
The Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art and Culture has chosen nine eminent poets, critics and writers for the Lifetime Achievement Award 2008 for their works in different languages and dialects spoken in the state.

The state government-instituted awards for excellence in literature would be conferred on these personalities on the recommendations of a three-member jury in each language.

Instituted in 1966, the award carries a cash prize of Rs 51,000 besides a memento, a citation and a shawl.

While mystic Kashmiri poetess Bimla Raina has been chosen for her book ‘Lel Meani Nazri’, the Award for Dogri has gone to renowned theatre personality Mohan Singh for his book ‘Dogri Rang Manch’.

Raina’s book is based on the Vakhas of 12th Century spiritual saint Lal Ded, who is still considered as a symbol of composite culture of Kashmir.

Academy PRO Dr Javed Rahi said the book ‘Badalto Door’ by Babu Noor Mohammad Noor was adjudged the best amongst the books written in Gojri this year.

‘Uss Paar’ by Raja Shahid Shujaat was chosen the best in Pahari dialect. The book pertains to the life of those separated Paharis, now living on the other side of the Line of Control (LoC).

Urdu book ‘Dasht Main Door Kahin', authored by Dr Shafaq Sopori was chosen to be this year's best book in the state language, while as Anila Charak’s Hindi book ‘Nange Paon Zindgi' was adjudged the best written in the national language.

Rahi said the best book award in Punjabi went to Saran Singh for his book ‘Taway Da Tabber’. Tsewang Rigzin’s book ‘Drug Pa Chi Tar Jung Tsul’ was considered the best in Ladakhi.

‘Enchanting World infants', written by eminent physician Dr K.L. Chowdhary was adjudged the best book written in English.

Academy secretary Zafar Iqbal Khan Manhas said that the award distribution function will be held shortly in Srinagar.