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BJP opposes move on cross-LoC trade
Bus service between Poonch, Rawalkote on
Pay relief to victims’ kin: Panthers
Gujjars seek relief package
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Mirwaiz threatens ‘jail bharo’ stir
Kashmir IG among 14 IPS officers shifted
’93 Mumbai Blast
Poll is EC’s prerogative: Farooq
Foreigners keep tourism boat sailing
Police interviews on Sept 20
Samiti leaders felicitated
Move on family quarters for CRPF jawans with Centre
Vocational institute offers IT diploma
Red Cross donates goods to GMC
Dogri’s inclusion in curriculum hailed
Child labour rampant
Gen Sapru arrives in Jammu
Slaughterhouses, a stinking saga for residents
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BJP opposes move on cross-LoC trade
Jammu, September 8 State BJP vice-president and spokesperson Hari Om said that “cross-LoC trade will not only help the secessionists to implement their nefarious anti-India agenda, but also adversely impact the economy of Jammu which is Kashmir's economic lifeline and hub of all activities". He said the cross-LoC trade would automatically mean three things - no reliance on Jammu, no reliance on New Delhi and a major onslaught on Jammu's economy as cross-it would directly impact inter-regional trade. The demand for cross-LoC trade by the separatists and the mainstream political parties of Kashmir was part of a well-knit conspiracy to dilute the sovereignty of the country over Kashmir. "All Kashmir-based leaders, separatists or mainstream are one because they see in the cross-Loc trade an invaluable opportunity that could help them achieve what they could not during the past 62 years" he said. He said his party would not allow the Union Government to go ahead with cross-LoC trade and make it a major election issue He also appealed to the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) and other Jammu-based trade organisations to oppose the idea. However, the party, he said, would welcome the idea of the Suchetgarh-Sialkot road being reopened for trade purposes. |
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Bus service between Poonch, Rawalkote on
Jammu, September 8 The service was suspended on August 25 due to curfew restrictions after communal clashes broke out in Poonch over the Amarnath land row. Instead of fortnightly, the bus service would now be available weekly for the passengers, sources said. “The quota of passengers travelling on monthly basis has also been increased to 480 to clear the pending lot, who wanted to travel across the border”, sources said, adding, the weekly bus service would now accomodate people, who could not travel to Rawalkote in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) due to the curfew. — UNI |
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Pay relief to victims’ kin: Panthers
Jammu, September 8 In a press statement issued here today, state president Bansi Lal Sharma said the party held a dharna at mubarak mandi, opposite the DC’s office, to divert the attention of Governor N.N. Vohra and other functionaries towards the delay in the payment of ex-gratia relief to those who were killed in the land row stir and at Chinore. Meanwhile, a memorandum was also submitted to the divisional commissioner, Jammu, in which they demanded release of all those who were arrested during the mass movement, compensation to the families of those who had scarified their lives, Rs 5 lakh to all injured persons and Rs 20 lakh to the kin of Kuldeep Dogra, Sanjeev Singh, Sunny Padha, Dr Balwant Rai and Narinder. |
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Gujjars seek relief package
Jammu, September 8 In a charter of demands addressed to Governor N.N. Vohra, the delegation of the Gujjars United Front and the Gujjar Bakerwal Conference stressed that immediate steps be initiated to provide relief to the displaced families. They claimed that approximately 100 nomadic families were hit hard during the agitation, adding that they were forced to live without shelter in many parts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts. They requested Pandey to address the problems of “marginalized” nomads on priority. Gujjar Front president Mohammed Anwar Chowdhary and secretary-general of the Gujjar Bakerwal Conference Bashir Khatana said “the state government has not paid any heed to our grievances and has miserably failed to address our genuine problems,” they added. They said that hundreds of livestock, include buffaloes, cows, sheep, goats, horses and camels belonging to Gujjars in Jammu, Kathua and Samba were either missing or had perished during the agitation but no compensation had yet been been given to the affected families. Poor families had lost their sole source of livelihood during the agitation but the administration had not done anything to rehabilitate such families. The deputation also submitted a list of aggrieved families along with a plan for rehabilitation of nomads. |
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Mirwaiz threatens ‘jail bharo’ stir
Srinagar, September 8 Addressing a press conference at his Nigeen residence here this afternoon, Mirwaiz condemned the use of force on protesters across the valley and demanded an immediate end to this undemocratic phenomenon. He alleged that the state had been acting tough on protesters adding that the police and paramilitary forces were raiding the residences of youth and indulging in harassment of the inmates. Mirwaiz, giving details of those arrested from different areas of the valley, said the youths were being targeted and harassed in fresh action. He claimed that a number of youths from different districts in Kashmir had been identified by the police and raids were being conducted to arrest and torture them. Referring to the National Security Advisor’s recent statement regarding the death of APHC leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz, the Hurriyat chairman asserted that Sheikh was killed in firing from an SLR of the police. He said arrested APHC leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, who accompanied Sheikh during the march to Muzaffarabad on August 11, was eyewitness to the killing. He said Shabir Shah was taken into custody because he was the only eyewitness to the incident. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also demanded opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote roads across the LoC for trade purposes and daily movement of people from either side. That would only help the bridge the gap between the people on either side of the LoC, he added. |
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Kashmir IG among 14 IPS officers shifted
Srinagar, September 8 Dilbagh Singh, IGP, CID, has been transferred and posted as IGP, Traffic, vice Mohammad Amin Shah, who has been transferred and posted as IGP, FSL/Telecommunication. L.T. Mohanti, IGP, Home Guards and Civil Defence, has been transferred and posted as IGP, Human Rights. Dr. B. Srinivas, IGP, Operations, North Kashmir Range, Baramula, has been transferred and posted as IGP, Kashmir. Ravinder Kotwal, IGP FSL/Telecommunication, has been transferred and posted as MD, Police Housing Corporation, Jammu and Kashmir. Farooq Ahmad, MD, Police Housing Corporation, has been transferred and posted as IGP CID. Niyaz Mehmood, DIG, Railways, has been transferred as DIG, South Kashmir Range, Anantnag. Abdul Subhan Lone, DIG, Central Kashmir range, Srinagar, has been transferred and posted as DIG Armed Police, Kashmir. K.K. Saini, Director, Civil Liaison, Home Department, has been transferred and posted as DIG, Rajouri-Poonch Range. P.R. Manhas, DIG, Rajouri, has been transferred and posted as DIG Home Guards-Civil Defence. Munir Ahmad Khan, DIG, South Kashmir Range, Anantnag, has been transferred and posted as DIG, Central Kashmir Range, Srinagar. Abdul Gani Mir, DIG, Armed Police, Kashmir, has been transferred and posted as DIG, North Kashmir range, Baramula. |
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’93 Mumbai Blast
New Delhi, September 8 This is the saga of Riyaz Ahmed Lone who has been living in Kathmandu since 1983 and is married and settled in the Himalayan kingdom for over two decades. Lone and another person were picked up by the police in Kathmandu last week and questioned over his “role in Mumbai blasts” after which he was put on a plane to New Delhi. The CBI was informed about their arrival after which a team reached the airport and detained Lone and the second person who was identified as Abdul Salim Gazi Gani, also wanted in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts. Lone informed the CBI that he was not the person whom they were looking for but the agency sleuths went about their task and shifted him and Gani to Mumbai and put in a jail. He informed the court also that he was not the person they were looking for. In the meantime, the CBI also began checking his background and found that it was a case of mistaken identity and that the person sent from Kathmandu had no links with the blast case or for that matter any case. A resident of downtown Srinagar, Lone had migrated to Nepal in 1983 and set up a small shop selling Kashmiri handicrafts. He married a local there and the couple have a 14-year-old son. — PTI
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Poll is EC’s prerogative: Farooq
Srinagar/Jammu, September 8 “Any decision on conducting the Assembly elections is prerogative of the Election Commission”, Farooq said here today. He was addressing party workers on the occasion of the 26th death anniversary of his father at the latter’s mazaar at Naseem Bagh near Hazratbal. Farooq reiterated his party’s demand for the grant of internal autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir. While the BJP had favoured the conduct of elections on schedule, the PDP had opined that time was not ripe for holding the elections due to the prevailing scenario. Congratulating Asif Ali Zardari on being elected as the President of Pakistan, Farooq said he hoped Zardari would help resolve the Kashmir issue like that of his predecessor, Pervez Musharraf. Farooq said opening of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road would help boost the Kashmir resolution, and favoured all facilities to the traders’ community on either side of the LoC. Blaming the PDP for the present scenario, Farooq said its two ministers - forest minister Qazi Mohammad Afzal and law minister and Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beigh - were responsible for the turmoil. He said it was for the first time that the situation had turned like that of 1947. Farooq blamed the PDP for creating communal tension in the Jammu region and warned the BJP of playing communal politics saying India belonged to people of all religions. Farooq asked the Hurriyat-led coordination committee in Kashmir to desist from the politics of general strikes and take into consideration people’s economic problems. Meanwhile, the Jammu wing of the National conference observed the 26 death anniversary of its founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah today. The anniversary function was attended by various senior party leaders. PTI adds: Farooq Abdullah today said elections would be held whenever the Election Commission decided. “It will not be decided by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq or Yasin Malik,” Farooq said. Farooq also appealed to the separatists to withdraw their agitation, which he said were harming the people of Kashmir. “Geelani sahib, hold talks with Pakistan and hold talks with India for resolving the Kashmir issue. But we should not ask for something that is impossible”, Farooq said referring to the separatists’ demand for “right to self-determination.” Farooq said strikes and violence did not affect the separatist leaders who lived in palatial houses, but the poor on the streets. |
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Foreigners keep tourism boat sailing
Srinagar, September 8 Although there is hope that the tourist inflow will increase during the Pooja holidays ahead, the number of foreigners coming here have remained constant since June last. Foreign tourists on the newly created tourist circuit --- Delhi-Srinagar-Kargil-Leh --- have been visiting the state throughout, much to the relief of those who depend upon tourism. “There has been a record number of foreign tourists on this circuit till now”, officials said. Officials said it could be because foreigners were not aware of the prevailing situation in the state. What virtually stopped the flow of domestic tourists to the valley was the trouble in Jammu due to the highway blockade, frequent bandhs and imposition of curfew. It also adversely affected the flow of pilgrims to the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu, where from a considerable number of tourists turned towards Kashmir. The officials said it had been worse in the Kashmir division after the “Muzaffarabad Chalo” march on August 11, resulting in the death of senior separatist leader, Sheikh Abdul Aziz and nearly 30 others in the stir. The first phase of initial curfew and mass demonstrations at Pampore, TRC grounds and Eidgah reverberated with Azadi slogans and hoisting of Islamic and Pakistan flags. The second phase from August 24 was marked by the imposition of curfew spanning over nine days to prevent the Lal Chowk march by separatists on August 25. Officials said these developments restricted the flow of tourists to the valley, which earlier had commenced on an optimistic note, with the opening of the Tulip garden in March. “There is hardly any tourist… all houseboats, and even hotels, are vacant”, Mohammad Azeem Tuman, president, Houseboat Owners Association, said. Tuman said by August end, the number of foreign tourists had also declined drastically due to curfew imposition for about 10 days. Tuman said tourism had been “virtually buried”, adding, the situation was similar during the Kargil war in 1999. A tourism department official said: “There is only hope that tourist inflow will increase, mainly from West Bengal and southern parts of the country during Pooja holidays next month.” “Domestic tourists usually visit during September-October. Now we can only wait and watch as people’s impression about the state is bad”, the official said. The official said: “Another factor is the forthcoming Assembly elections. If elections are held within the next couple of months, it may also adversely affect the tourist flow to Kashmir”. |
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Police interviews on Sept 20
Srinagar, September 8 A notification issued by the police headquarters (PHQ) on Monday said the written test of candidates for the post of constable (operator), which was scheduled for August 17, 2008, would now be held on September 20, simultaneously at Jammu and at Srinagar. The venue of the examination was at Amar Singh College, Gogji Bagh, Srinagar, for candidates belonging to the Kashmir province, including districts of Leh and Kargil and University campus, Jammu, for candidates belonging to the Jammu division. It may be recalled that, besides interviews in different government departments, the Kashmir University and state board had postponed their examinations in August. — UNI |
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Samiti leaders felicitated
Jammu, September 8 The function started with observance of one-minute silence in memory of the people who laid down their lives during the agitation in Jammu The leaders felicitated on the occasion included convener of the Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti Leela Karan Sharma, president of the Jammu Bar Association B.S.Slathia, besides other leaders of the samiti. |
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Move on family quarters for CRPF jawans with Centre
Jammu, September 8 “Though the concept was already there in the CRPF’s group centres we have been exploring the possibility for our jawans as well,” they said. “In militancy-infested state jawans can’t keep families at their respective places of posting but they can be allowed the facility in group centers,” they said, adding that there had been no orders from the Ministry of Home Affairs as yet. A senior CRPF officer said after a spurt in the incidents of fratricide and suicide among CRPF jawans, remedial measures in varied forms like yoga classes, meditation, frequent interaction between officers and jawans, besides liberal leave, were initiated. In the past over one year the measures have certainly helped in containing the incidents to a considerable extent but the root cause is problems at the domestic front, he added. Sources said 14 battalions of the CRPF having an approximate strength of 15,000 jawans and 150 officers were currently posted across the Jammu region, seven in Doda and the remaining seven in Rajouri, Poonch, Jammu and Kathua districts. Some CRPF jawans said that problems like denial of leave, family life and protracted duty hours, besides harsh treatment by some officers, sometimes led to such incidents. However, it has been reliably learnt that a specific battalion posted in Udhampur has not recorded even a single such incident in the past over three years.
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Vocational institute offers IT diploma
Jammu, September 8 With this, the long-pending demand of students would be fulfilled. The course will be a two-year diploma with 80 seats. The institute is being directly run by the ministry of human resource and development. It offers various vocational and academic courses to students at a comparatively lesser rates. Institute coordinator Rakesh Trakroo said: “Two sessions are held annually. The first is in June-July and the other in November-December.” The vocational institutes are offering courses in computer, skin and beauty, dressmaking, embroidery and others. All courses range from six months to a year. The minimum qualification for these courses is matriculation. On completion of these courses, students are also assisted in job placement. Trakroo said the diploma in IT would brighten the job prospects of students. Trakroo said after completing their courses, students went in for bachelor courses in BSc (IT), BCA, BBA and others. The institute has also tied up with NGOs and government agencies for funding the higher education of students. |
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Red Cross donates goods to GMC
Jammu, September 8 “The consignment is a goodwill gesture by the Red Cross and has nothing to do with the land row agitation,” said Principal of GMC Hospital Rajinder Singh maintaining that there was no shortage of essential drugs or any other healthcare material in the region. The consignment was brought from Switzerland, which was received by Dr Rajinder Singh in the presence of other staff of the hospital. The consignment included antiseptic solution and medical goods like cotton and gloves etc. The second consignment of medical goods is also due soon, Dr Rajinder Singh added. |
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Dogri’s inclusion in curriculum hailed
Jammu, September 8 “Discrimination against the language has already inflicted huge loss to the Dogra psyche but it’s a positive development that Dogri has been included in the curriculum of all newly-opened colleges. It will certainly give a new lease of life to the language”, remarked Sahitya Academy award winner and octogenarian Dogri poet, Yash Sharma. Sharma urged the youth against shying away from their mother-tongue. He appealed to students and scholars to carry out research works in the language and contribute in enriching its literature. “Dogri even today is awaiting poets and writers like Tagore, Maxim Gorky, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Shakespeare and P.B. Shelly etc”, Sharma said. “Youngsters should step forward and carry forward the legacy of Denu Bhai Pant, Ved Pal Deep, Madhukar and Kishan Smailpuri etc”, he said. Meanwhile, the Dogri Sanstha has hailed the government's decision and expressed hope that it will revive the language. President, Dogri Sanstha, Lalit Mangotra said it was their long-standing demand as Dogri was already being taught in the existing three colleges of Jammu.
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Child labour rampant
Jammu: Though the Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act, 1986, is in force in the state, there are hundreds of children less than 10 years of age, working as ragpickers in Jammu.
These children collect rags from various points across the city and later sell them to scrap dealers at meagre prices. Besides collecting rags from roads, lanes and by-lanes, these children also collect rags from the dustbins of the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), which usually remain filled with garbage. The dustbins of the JMC are also placed outside some private hospitals and nursing homes, in which hospital waste is dumped. As such, these children are exposed to hospital waste, which poses a threat to their health. Not only are these little ragpickers working in unhygienic conditions, but they are also prone to dangerous diseases and infections. “There is a government ordinance prohibiting cigarette shops from transacting sales with children below the age of 18 years. If children are to be kept away from dealing with rags, a similar government order is required prohibiting rag dealers from transacting any business with these children. Steps should be taken to identify such children and rehabilitate them in children's homes”, Amita Charak, an M. Phil student, said. One can find little children working in dhabas, tea stalls and in restaurants. These are also employed as domestic servants by the civil society. Meanwhile, labour commissioner B.D. Sharma, refused to comment on the issue. |
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Gen Sapru arrives in Jammu
Jammu, September 8 Jammu-based defence PRO Lt-Col S.D. Goswami said: “Lt-Gen Sapru was received by Major-Gen D.L. Chowdhary, GOC, Tiger Division and Lt-Gen Vinay Sharma, GOC, Rising Star Corps.” Lt-Col Goswami said the Army commander’s visit was very significant especially with mounting reports of terrorists’ concentration camps across the border waiting to cross over. “Owing to these reports, the Army commander is likely to hold discussions with senior commanders and review the measures taken to counter the nefarious designs of the infiltrators”, Lt-Col Goswami said. |
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Slaughterhouses, a stinking saga for residents
Jammu, September 8 Sandya, a resident of Dogra Hall said, “During the summer season, foul smell emits from this slaughterhouse and one cannot sit on the terrace in the evenings. The condition becomes worse during the power cuts when the mosquitoes add to the foul smell problem.” The crows pick up the waste from the slaughterhouse and often throw it on our rooftops, she added. Mohammad Arif, resident of Gujjar Nagar, aired similar views. Joint Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, J.S. Tondon said, “These two slaughterhouses were constructed in 1947 when there were no residential colonies. I agreed that the method of slaughtering animals in these two slaughterhouses is primitive but we can’t reallocate these slaughterhouses at present. We have decided to equip them with modern technology, which will provide relief to the residents of the surrounding colonies to a great extent.” “Moreover, we have decided to purchase land at Chathta for construction of slaughterhouse, which will be equipped with modern technology,” he added.
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Srinagar, September 8
