Jammu, October 29
The district administration, though, did a cosmetic exercise banning the high-intensity firecrackers and the State Pollution Control Board tried to create awareness via the media in the winter capital, a student of Class 10 died and 12 sustained injuries in incidents involving firecrackers on Diwali.

Official sources said Pankaj Kumar of Udhampur died when a cracker burst in his hands. Twelve persons were brought at the emergency block of Government Medical College (GMC) with injuries on their hands and faces, they added.

They said five elderly people were also brought at the GMC after they complained of heart palpitation and heartaches.

Dr J.R. Thappa, a psychiatric in Government Psychiatric Diseases Hospital, said three to four children were also brought at the hospital OPD today, who got frightened by the bursting of crackers. Aged below 12 years, they developed phobic symptoms, he said.

A SPCB official said we did our best issuing notices through the media, including FM radio, to sensitise people but our endeavours had a little impact.

Jammu DC Mandeep K Bhandari candidly admitted that he too had come across complaints of using high-intensity crackers. “We issued orders banning the sale and purchase of these firecrackers but somehow they sneaked in,” he said.

Bhandari said the administration had clamped Section 144 of the CrPC, wherein among other things ban on sale of high intensity crackers was there.

Meanwhile, Diwali was celebrated with full zeal and enthusiasm in Jammu despite the bad impact of the fall in financial market worldwide.

But remains of the firecrackers gave a filthy look to the city today. “People burst crackers at night but in the morning nobody bothered to clear the burnt crackers,” said Manoj Majumdhar, a resident of Satwari. Veena Razdhan, a resident of Talab Tillo, said: “Nobody came in the morning to clean the roads.”

Srinagar, October 29
Three days after unveiling its self-rule framework for resolution of the Kashmir issue, the PDP decided to participate in the forthcoming elections and released the manifesto here yesterday. The manifesto has its thrust on “self-rule” for resolution of the Kashmir issue and governance and developmental agenda.

The PDP, which had earlier expressed reservations over participation in the forthcoming elections as the situation was not conducive for such a process, looks at the process as a responsibility to prevent further disenfranchisement of the people. “By taking it as a responsibility, we will be able to create opportunities for dialogue, debate and dowhat the people of J&K want: facilitate, promote and institute a resolution paradigm and a decentralist alternative to the present setup”, Mehbooba Mufti states in her message to the voter.

In the 2002 elections, only three years after its constitution, the PDP bagged a respectable number of 16 seats in the 87-member State Assembly, relegating the National Conference to the opposition after 27 years. The NC then got the largest number of 28 seats while the Congress with 20 and PDP with 16 seats agreed upon a coalition arrangement.

While the slogans of “healing touch policy”, “disbanding of SOG” of the police and “peace with dignity” led the party to make inroads into the bastions of the National Conference, mainly in the Kashmir valley, the self-rule framework is the party’s political mantra this time. Self-rule has certain distinguished features, including non-application of Article 356 in Jammu and Kashmir, an elected Governor, reduction in troops, and economic integration and people-to-people contact with PoK.

Referring to the developments that had taken place after the PDP-led coalition government during the past six years, Mehbooba Mufti held that the people now could “travel and trade across the Line of Control, thereby starting the process of making the border irrelevant. It is the start of unification of the two parts of Jammu and Kashmir”, the message on the manifesto said.

Commenting on the party’s participation in the elections, Mehbooba Mufti held that it was a “commitment to a cause; the cause of fighting the system from within”. She added that the party was emboldened by the success during three years in power with only 19 members. “Imagine what we can do on our own. Our agenda this time is to restore confidence in the political process by establishing self-rule, involving more people more often in decision-making that affects their lives and overhauling the way that the government and legislative system work to make them more representative of the people of J&K”.

Jammu, October 29
The BJP, Panthers and PDP have decided to contest on more seats in the ensuing Assembly elections than they did in 2002. The Panthers has released the list of candidates for 59 constituencies and within a week, it is going to select candidates for the Jammu west, Jammu east, Gandhi Nagar and Kalakot constituencies. This means the Panthers will field candidates in 63 constituencies when in 2002, it had contested on 36 seats and won four.

Party general secretary Harsh Dev Singh said: “We have decided to contest on 26 seats in the Kashmir valley.”

The BJP leadership will clear the list of candidates of over 60 constituencies during a meeting in Delhi on October 31.

A panel of names for each constituency has already been submitted to the party high command. In the 2002 elections, the party had contested on 58 seats and bagged only one.

Party chief Ashok Khajuria said the number of NJP ticket-seekers was so large that “we forwarded the entire list to the party high command.”

Khajuria said he would visit Delhi in connection with the party meeting on October 31.

Riding high on the concept of self-rule, the PDP has plans of contesting on all 87 seats. In 2002, the party had contested on 59 seats and won 16, all from the Kashmir valley. Party general secretary Nizam-ud-Din Bhat said the list of candidates for the 87 seats would be released within a week.

When asked the reason for contesting on more seats than they did in the 2002 elections, both Khajuria and Harsh Dev said “we have been encouraged by the response of people to our pre-poll rallies.” Both agreed that since other parties had also decided to contest on more seats than they did in 2002, a large number of constituencies were going to witness a multi-cornered contest.

While Harsh Dev said “it will be the Panthers versus the rest in most of the 37 constituencies in the Jammu region,” Khajuria hoped that the BJP will be able to register a better performance than it achieved in 2002 as the party played a positive role during the land row agitation.

Srinagar, October 29
As the poll process has formally begun with the notifications out for the first two phases, the Awami National Conference of former Chief Minister Ghulam Mohammad Shah has announced its decision to contest all seats.

This decision was taken with a view to providing good governance and bringing to an end the administrative chaos in the state, a party spokesman said here. The ANC, which is contesting the elections for the first time after 22 years, has also reaffirmed its commitment to resolving the Kashmir issue through tripartite talks and the intra-Kashmir dialogue model presented by the party in 1998.

“The ANC believes that elections are no substitute for resolution of the Kashmir issue”, he added.

“In solidarity with the suffering masses, the JKANC vows to work for the uplift, restoration of security to life, property and honour and provide a pro-people administration to nurse them”, it has stated.

Referring to the plight of people in Kashmir, the former Chief Minister has said that efforts for time-bound resolution of the Kashmir issue have to be made very vigorously under a timebound programme, and on the other hand, an honest, just and pro-people administration is to be put in place. 

Jammu, October 29
Following its worst performance in the last Assembly election, the NC is now hoping to bounce back to power with a clear majority and regain the largest space in the state’s electoral politics.

Having its stronghold in the Kashmir valley, the party put up a dismal show in the last election retaining only 28 of the 57 seats that it had won in 1996 poll.

Also the voting percentage of the party went down from 34.79 per cent to 28.23 per cent. The NC was its impressive best during the late 70s and early 80s.

In 1977 polls, the party emerged victorious on 47 out of the total of 76 Assembly seats, while in 1983 elections, it again won 46 out of 76 constituencies.

Later, the party entered into an alliance with the Congress in 1987 and its tally reduced from 46 to 40. Its share of voting percentage also declined from 47.29 per cent to 32.98 per cent.

The NC, however, returned to power in 1996 with a thumping majority, securing 57 of the 87 Assembly seats and polling 34.79 per cent votes.

Its downfall came in the last Assembly polls when the party managed to retain only 28 seats, of which 18 came from its stronghold of the valley.

As far as the NC’s region-wise performance was concerned, the party put up its best show in Kashmir in 1977 when it won 93 per cent of its total seats from the valley (39 out of 47) and polled 61.43 per cent votes.

In the Jammu region, the party’s best performance came in 1996 elections when it won 14 out of the total of 37 seats in the province.

Prior to it the party had maintained its tally of 7 in the region in 1977, 1983 and 1987 elections. In Ladakh region too, 1996 Assembly polls proved to be the most successful for the party as it won three out of the four Assembly seats there.

The NC had faced stiff competition from the Congress in the Jammu region and the PDP in the Kashmir region in the last Assembly polls.

However, with the Congress and the PDP facing anti-incumbency factor and also the Amarnath land row causing damage to both the outfits, the NC may improve its tally in Jammu as well as Kashmir regions this time.

Srinagar, October 29
Normal life remained paralysed in Baramulla as shops and business establishments in the town remained closed for the sixth consecutive day today against the alleged highhandedness of security forces.

However, skeleton transport started plying in the town, which witnessed violent clashes between angry mobs and security forces over the past five days resulting in the killing of a youth and injuries to many others, officials said.

Meanwhile, no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the town today and senior police officers are monitoring the situation, they added.

The police officials, who held a series of meetings with the locals, have assured them that the youths who have been arrested would be released and an inquiry would be conducted into Sunday's firing incident.

The sources said the situation was tense in the town but under control.

As the relatives of the deceased youth Irfan Ahmad Akhoon were observing his “Chelum” (fourth day after burial), the shopkeepers did not open their shops as a mark of protest against the killing.

Several people visited the house of the deceased at Jalal Sahib in the town since this morning and offered their condolences to the bereaved family.

Akhoon, a university student, was killed when CRPF personnel opened fire to chase away a stone-pelting mob protesting the alleged excesses by the security forces at Cement bridge in the town, 55 kms from here on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, on Sunday. — PTI

Jammu, October 29
Following the start of the cross-LoC trade from Uri-Muzzafarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote routes on October 21, a delegation of the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) is likely to visit PoK in the second week of November.

JCCI president Ram Sahai said they had sent their papers to the Pakistan Embassy for approval. He said the visit would help the traders from Jammu identify the market for their products and also to zero in on the products they would like to import from PoK. 

Srinagar, October 29
Even though the infiltration from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) has come down, troops remained on high alert to foil any attempt by militants to sneak into this side from across the border, a senior Army officer said.

Talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of wreath-lying ceremony at the martyrs’ memorial at the Headquarters of 15 Corps here, Lt-Gen Mukesh Sabarwal said the number of infiltration attempts from the PoK had come down as compared to previous years.

He said militants attempting to sneak into this side were also less this year.

However, Gen Sabarwal said attempts were still being made to send more militants into this side before the infiltration routes closes due to snowfall.

“Though the number of infiltration has come down this year, but we have not lowered guards,” he said, adding that the troops were still on high alert to foil any such attempt.

Besides intensifying night and foot patrolling, fencing and installing latest equipment has helped to curb the infiltration menace to quite an extent.

Since the election schedule has been announced, militants will again try to sneak into this side to create trouble during the poll process.

Gen Sabarwal said the main task for militants was to create trouble and they would try it here also. Asked if there was any direct input suggesting that the militants will try to disturb the poll process in the valley, the GOC 15 Corps said there was so far no such report.

However, he added that the militants would try to create problems. He said the security forces and the state police were strong enough to foil such designs.

On the role of the Army in the ensuing Assembly elections, he said, “Our main task is to guard the borders besides provide security to common people at our place of posting.” “We will provide secure atmosphere to people and it is for them to take part in the elections to elect representatives of their choice,” he said. — UNI

Jammu, October 29
The J&K High Court has directed the state government to consider release of ex gratia relief to legal heirs of Baldev Singh, Chatter Singh, Bharat Singh and Kesho Ram, members of a village defence committee, who were killed in a militant attack on January 6 and 7, 2002, in terms of the government order No. 762-GAD of 2001 dated July 11, 2001, minus the amount already paid to them by the DC, Ramban.

The court further directed the government to process the case of legal heirs and dependents of the four deceased for jobs on compassionate grounds. The petitioners were also held entitled to relief for the damage caused to their property on the basis of assessment made by the Ramban ADC, the court told the Doda deputy commissioner. The respondents were directed to complete the whole exercise and pass appropriate orders within three months.

Counsel for the petitioners argued that as the four who had died in the militant attack were members of a VDC constituted pursuant to orders of the J-K Governor during the latter’s visit to the area after militants killed 22 persons in a attack in August, 2000, they were entitled to ex gratia relief, besides relief for the damage caused to their property in the militant attack.

S.C. Gupta, AAG, however, submitted that although the deceased had been discharging the duties assigned to VDC members and arms too had been issued to them yet their dependents/legal heirs may not be entitled to relief as the VDC of which the victims were members did not have requisite government sanction when militants had attacked the area.

Jammu: The ripples of recession in the aviation industry have started surfacing in the Jammu region as all the training institutes of cabin-crew and hospitality have enrolled all-time low candidates this time.

Most of the institutes are running short of students and have yet not concluded admission process. Jasleen Mohial, centre head, Frankfin Institute of Air Hostess Training, said: “While it’s encouraging that the international players are entering into the domestic aviation sector yet the present slump has forced students to explore options.” However, she was quick to add, “Four of our candidates have got selected in a Gulf-based airline. Skilled labour need not worry as it is the fate of unskilled labour that hangs in the balance due to recession.”

Ashutosh Mahajan, branch director of Air Hostess Academy, said, “We generally offer one-year diploma course in aviation and hospitality management course besides a two-year diploma in global aviation and hospitality management course. Last year we started our batches in April but due to the agitation the admission process got delayed.”

Mahajan expressed hope that in the wake of 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, the government would put in a lot of efforts to revive the industry.

“So far the government has failed to acknowledge the role of the aviation industry in economy and has not started damage-control measures,” he said.

Pawnesh Sharma, director, Fame-Service Training Academy, said, “Students need not worry as the industry will shortly experience boom,” adding, “Experienced and skilled labour has bright career as they can switch over to other service sectors like BPO call centers and hotel industry etc.”

Jammu, October 29
A special team of professionals from UP has been hired to rid the Mubarak Mandi complex, an epitome of Dogra cultural heritage, of monkeys. The complex is being renovated to upgrade it as a major tourist destination at an estimated cost of Rs 53 crore.

The Wildlife Protection Department (WPD) has rounded up more than 200 monkeys since October 22 and deported them to Nandni wildlife area on the national highway connecting Jammu with the Kashmir valley.

Several other areas of the old city, especially Panjtirthi, Parade, Peer Mitha, Talab Khatikan and areas like Bhawe, Janipur and Talab Tillo face the problems created by the overgrown population of monkeys.

WPD range officer Som Nath said:" We have so far caught 225 monkeys and released them in the Nandini forest area."

The step has been taken to provide safe access to the visitors who otherwise avoid visiting certain portions of the heritage complex, including Tosha Khanna and Gole Ghar etc, fearing monkeys.

Welcoming the move residents of adjoining areas stated that the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) had failed to relieve people from herds of monkeys and demanded that such drives should be undertaken in the entire city to rid it of monkeys.

Jammu, October 29
Jammu University vice-chancellor Prof Amitabh Mattoo has advocated a five-point approach for making higher education easily available to students in their respective places.

The five-point approach suggested by Mattoo is based on five ‘Es’ - education, employment, economy, enlightenment and empowerment.

“What I believe is that through these five E’s - providing education for all, creating employment for our youth, benefiting economy, enlightenment and empowerment through education - we can do wonders for our society”, Mattoo said.

He said: “I believe that knowledge is power and it is only through education that one is able to give a sense of freedom to the youth.”

The university has so far established four regional campuses in the region, including Bhaderwah, Poonch, Udhampur and Kathua. The aim of setting up campuses at various parts of the state was to provide higher education to students from far-flung areas at their doorstep.

Mattoo said: “We hope that through these campuses, we'll be able to offer such programmes which will ensure 100 per cent employability. I believe that five languages need to be taken care of for the future of the student community. English, computers, mathematics and universal human values like tolerance etc need to be taught and then there is our mother tongue”, Mattoo said.