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Snow halts valley
BJP manifesto released
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Just 3 women among 102 candidates
Polls 2008: Jammu & Kashmir
Farmers distraught over DAP shortage
Pak girls ‘being trained’
in PoK camps
Removal of posters ordered
Anti-encroachment drive claims trees
This woman sits dejected as JDA staff remove encroachments in Jammu on Friday.
Tribune photo: Anand Sharma
6 hurt in grenade blast in Kupwara
‘Promote girl education’
ATS keeps state police guessing
Website launched
Children’s Day
ABVP organises rally
JU MoU with UK college
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Snow halts valley
Srinagar, November 14 There was hardly any traffic on the roads as snowfall continued till afternoon and conditions remained overcast and rather cold. All flights scheduled for and from Srinagar were cancelled as a thick blanket of snow blanketed the runway, an airport official said.
Two special Air India flights scheduled to fly close to 300 pilgrims to Jeddah for Haj were also cancelled. Officials have also cancelled all examinations and said new dates would be announced. The Srinagar-Leh National Highway was closed but traffic was plying on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the official said. “I don’t remember when was the last time that Srinagar received such a snowfall in early winters. We are still preparing our heating arrangements. It has come as a surprise,” a hotel manager said. To give credit where it is due, the state administration in a statement four days back had forewarned people about likely worsening of weather. Temperature in Srinagar for the first time went below zero in this winter. Ski resort of Gulmarg received close to two feet of snow. Roads leading to several parts of the border district of Kupwara, like Tangdhar, Keran and Karnag, were closed. Officials said opening of the roads depends upon the prevailing weather conditions. UNI adds: Heavy snowfall coupled with disruption of power and road communication in the Kashmir valley today affected the distribution of daily newspapers and transmission of electronic media. According to reports, distribution of more than 40 English and Urdu newspapers were hit. The functioning of the media offices --- foreign, national and local news agencies --- was also affected owing to total power failure since early this morning. The entire valley was plunged into darkness today as the Power Development Department (PDD) failed to restore the power supply affected by snowfall. The power supply to the entire valley snapped after transmission lines were damaged due to snowfall, first during this season. The PDD, however, restored the power supply to some essential services and VIP areas. The residents of almost entire Srinagar city, including Badshah Nagar Natipora, Rainawari and Dalgate, alleged that the PDD has failed to meet the challenge.
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Poll arrangements affected
Gurez , November 14 PDP candidate Nazir Ahmad Bhat urged the authorities to defer the polls in the constituency in view of the bad weather conditions. He said the heavy snowfall in remote areas of the constituency would hamper the voters’ turnout. Abdul Aziz Wani, candidate of the Democratic Party (Nationalist), said the decision to hold polls at this time of the winter was not right. The bad weather conditions, which have already cut off the area from rest of the valley by road, continued to remain cut off by air today. Senior EC officials who were scheduled to arrive here to take stock of the situation and poll arrangements could not arrive. The administration is still waiting for over 100 presiding and polling officers from the Kashmir valley for deployment across 25 polling stations in the constituency. |
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Weather aborts separatist rally
Srinagar, November 14 Heavy deployment of the security forces, especially in downtown areas and around TRC ground, were quite visible in the morning but as snow continued and as it became clear that Geelani was not arriving, they also eased up. "We withdrew our forces from many places as people were already indoors due to bad weather," a CRPF official said. There was hardly any separatist movement on the ground in response to Geelani's call and, at most, there was some sense of anticipation in the early hours when things were still uncertain. With most of separatist leaders, particularly those affiliated to extremist Hurriyat faction of Geelani, already behind bars, there was hardly any mobilisation of supporters. A Geelani aide said they would announce a new date for their rally soon. |
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Parties beat cold to campaign in Leh
Leh, November 14 The workers and supporters of political parties, especially from the Congress and
LUTF, beat the cold to keep their campaigns going. Meanwhile, the LUTF organised a public meeting at Polo Ground in Leh today, where thousands of people from Kharu and Saspol villages
attended. Thupstan Chhewang, LUTF candidate from Leh and the sitting MP from Ladakh, attacked the Congress for discriminating with the region.
Tsering Dorjai, chief executive councilor of the LAHDC, highlighted the achievements of
LUTF-led council of the LAHDC.
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BJP manifesto released
Jammu, November 14 State BJP president Ashok Khajuria, senior BJP leaders Chaman Lal Gupta and Nirmal Singh released the manifesto here today. The BJP dubbed political power for Jammu as the “need of the hour, as the people can no longer bear with Kashmir-centric politics”. The party promises to set up a delimitation commission to give Jammu its due share. Interestingly, the abrogation of Article 370 hasn’t got its due place in the manifesto the way it has been raised by the party in the past. When confronted over the issue, Khajuria said the issue was close to the BJP’s heart and was very much a part of its national agenda. On Ladakh, the BJP said though hill development councils had been formed in the region, but funds placed at their disposal were not enough even to meet the basic needs of the people there. “We share Ladakhis’ perception that only the UT status to Ladakh can redress their grievances,” the party said. Contesting a sizable number of seats from the Kashmir valley too this time, the BJP has also focused on the plight of Kashmiris. The BJP asked the valley’s Muslims to emulate their community members in the rest of the country and reject their traditional leadership. Regarding resolution of the Kashmir issue, the BJP simply said it was for “total integration” of the state with the country. To deal with the issues of regional imbalance, the BJP plans to set up provincial councils in all three regions with adequate administrative and financial powers, besides the authority to decide about the use/control of land. It also promises to appoint a high-powered commission and issuance of white paper over the issue. On terrorism and separatism, the BJP plans to bring in stringent norms and implement “one constitution and one flag”. The BJP promises citizenship rights to the refugees from West Pakistan and reservation of five Assembly seats each for PoK refugees and Kashmiri pandits. The other key features of the BJP manifesto are employment to jobless youth, Rs 1,000 monthly stipend for unemployed youth, 33 per cent quota for women in the Assembly, implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission report, reintroduction of tax holiday for industrial units for 10 years, free elementary education to all, and improving infrastructure in Jammu, Srinagar and other towns. Rules out pact with NC, PDP
Senior BJP leader Nirmal Singh said the party would not forge any alliance with the traditional parties like the National Conference and the PDP. “We are contesting around 70 seats in the state and hope to get a majority on our own.” He said the BJP promised GDP (Growth, Development and Protection) to the state. Sounding upbeat, Chaman Lal also asked if the PDP with 16 seats and the Congress with 20 could form the government then why not the BJP. Highlights
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Just 3 women among 102 candidates
Jammu, November 14 Polling in the 10 constituencies of Bandipora, Leh, Kargil and Poonch districts will take place in the first phase on November 17. Tabassum Bano and Sarita Sharma are the two women contestants from Jammu division in the first phase of polls and both will contest from the
Poonch-Haveli Assembly constituency. Gowsia Bashir, who is seeking a mandate from the Bandipora constituency as an independent, is the lone woman candidate from the Kashmir valley. While Tabassum will contest the polls as the Panthers Party candidate, Sarita will contest on the Bharatiya Chaitanaya Party ticket. There is no woman contestant in the fray from the Ladakh region in the first phase of elections. The women wing of the Pradesh Congress Committee has already voiced its concern over what it claimed “utter neglect of women candidates in the allotment of party tickets”. It has therefore decided to take up the issue with Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Though the BJP, NC and Panthers have given a mandate to some women candidates, their miniscule number conveys that women still have to go a long way in getting their due share in the male-dominated state politics. In Bandipora, 27-year-old Gousia Bashir has attained the distinction of being the first women candidate to turn the tables against her male counterparts contesting the polls from the constituency. In the last 53 years no women candidate had contested the polls from the Bandipora constituency. For brightening its political fortunes, the BJP has also nominated Shilpi from the Bishnah seat. Shilpi is the wife of deceased Kuldeep Dogra who immolated himself during the Amarnath land row agitation. By giving her the mandate, the BJP wants to exploit people’s sentiments. Similarly, the NC has fielded Sakina Itoo from the Noorabad constituency of Kulgam district and Shameema Firdous from the Habbakadal seat in Srinagar. |
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Simplicity rules in Poonch
Shariq Majeed Tribune News Service
Poonch, November 14 These outfits are targeting even those who can’t come to rallies; hence ‘nukkad’ meetings and door-to-door campaign are the order of the day in three Assembly constituencies --- Poonch-Haveli, Mendhar and Surankote. Besides, the leaders along with workers brave threat from militants by campaigning late into the night, even in rural pockets where security remains a cause of concern. “I start at 6 am and address more than 12 public meetings before going door to door in the night hours,” says sitting Surankote MLA and NC candidate Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, while taking a round near Seri Chauhana at around 10 pm. The area was once a hot bed of militancy and the terror factor looms large till date. “In this scattered and low density population, people expect to be requested for their votes in person. So, after I address public meetings, I am also personally meeting voters in the hinterland along with my supporters from the area,” he says. Besides banners and posters, the Congress campaign uses rhymes and slogans to reach out to voters for garnering support for senior Congress leader and former MP Choudhary Muhammad Aslam, who is also a prominent Gujjar leader in the areas like Bufliaz, Chandimarh and Surankote town. In the same constituency with predominantly Muslim voters, BJP candidate Abdul Aziz Bhat uses a hired small passenger vehicle fitted with loud speaker to address the voters. He stops at every habitation along the road in Surankote and starts giving speeches even if there are no listeners. The candidates in Poonch-Haveli and Mendhar too have put in their hearts into the campaign before it ends.
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JKDPN candidates
Jammu, November 14
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Farmers distraught over DAP shortage
Jammu, November 14 Ranbir Singh, a farmer from Samba, alleged: “The DAP stock supplied to the dealers was already inadequate. Now the dealers are trying to cash in on the shortage and are selling it in black. With this the situation has become all the more difficult for us.” Ranbir said a 50 kg bag of DAP normally costed Rs 510 but the dealers charged Rs
600. Triloki Nath, a farmer from Vijaypur, said: “I want to cultivate wheat crop on half of my 5 acre land. However, as DAP is not available, I don’t know what to do. These are crucial times and if it rains, we would not be able to cultivate any crop.” He lamented that 90 per cent of his paddy crop got ruined in the hailstorm last month and he had to shell out money to get his field cleared for the next crop. Distraught with shortage of DAP, many farmers are heading towards neighbouring
Punjab. Girdhari Lal, a farmer from Kathua, said: “I procured three bags of DAP from a border village, half of which falls under Punjab. Also the prices there are very less as compared to our state. I paid only Rs 430 for a bag of DAP.” Lal said if the state government was unable to cater to the farmers’ demand, it should allow them to procure the same from Punjab. “There should be no toll tax on vehicles transporting DAP from Punjab to our state,” he demanded. Another farmer Shyam Singh said the government should make sure that there was an adequate supply of DAP in the state. It should also keep an eye on dealers who supply DAP to farmers and should cancel the licences of errant dealers. Meanwhile, the director, Agriculture, could not be contacted. |
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Pak girls ‘being trained’
in PoK camps
Jammu, November 14 Asiya Malik, 24, wife of a Pakistani soldier, was arrested by the BSF at the Dadil forward post along the LoC in the Sunderbani belt of Rajouri district yesterday, intelligence sources said. During interrogation, Asiya revealed that Pakistani girls were being trained in the handling of weapons, explosives, jungle warfare and sabotage activities in two militant training camps (MTCs) in the Bhimber and Kotli areas across the LoC in PoK. Asiya said she received arms training in Bhimber MTC, where around 80 girls were also being trained, while another 25 were being trained at Kotli MTC. She said the girls would be sent in groups of 10 to 12. Asiya’s husband Sajad Ahmed is a havildar in the 129 unit of the Nikial base Army unit, while her cousin, Muzamil, is a militant commander of the Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT). Asiya said she was tasked to conduct recce of the LoC to find safe infiltration routes and security deployment patterns. She also told the interrogators that Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI, was “financing” these training camps, where recruits came from various countries, including Saudi Arabia. According to Asiya, the Pakistani army was backing infiltration in the state from across the LoC and Major Musa and another Pakistan army officer, Talat, visited the camps and LoC infiltration bases, sources claimed. Meanwhile, a case has been registered and Asiya will be sent to the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) for questioning.
— PTI |
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Removal of posters ordered
Jammu, November 14 "All political parties should immediately remove the unauthorised posters or otherwise the DEOs or returning officers (ROs) would get them removed and cost involved for the purpose would be debited to the election account of the candidate concerned," district election officer Ajay Khajuria said. He also advised political parties to desist from using plastic banners as the Election Commission has banned their use. A committee has been constituted for granting permissions for advertisement in TV channels and cable networks.
— PTI |
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Anti-encroachment drive claims trees
Jammu, November 14 As part of a demolition drive to remove illegal encroachments near the Railhead complex in the Bahu Plaza area, JDA bulldozers uprooted several trees. The JDA launched the demolition drive this morning along with a heavy police force after a local court ordered the removal of encroachments from the area. However, residents of the area blamed the JDA for failing to serve them any notice in this regard. "We have been living in this house for the past 60 years and the JDA didn't give us any notice. JDA staff came here early morning along with a heavy police force and gave us only a few minutes to take out our belongings before the house was demolished,” said Darshana Devi. But what shocked Darshana the most was that her seven-month pregnant daughter-in-law was dragged by JDA workers when she refused to vacate the house. JDA vice-chairman Pandurang K. Pole said "The land had been acquired by the JDA long ago and the court had finally ordered the removal of encroachment." He claimed that notices had already served on the residents. He added that no tree was uprooted. When told that there were photographs of the trees being uprooted, he refused having any information in this regard. |
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6 hurt in grenade blast in Kupwara
Srinagar, November 14 The police said occurred on the road, injuring civilians and a police officials. They have been identified as Liaqat Ali, Ghulam Nabi Bhat, Zaheer Khawaja, Mudasir Ahmad Mir, Ghulam Mohiudin Mir and head constable Ghulam Nabi. Mir was later shifted to SMHS hospital in Srinagar. PTI adds from Jammu: The security forces today foiled a plan of militants to trigger blasts during electioneering and seized 8 kg of explosives, one AK rifle in Poonch district, which goes to the polls in the first phase on November 17. On a tipoff, troops busted a hideout in the Pajalgali area of Poonch and seized 8 kg of explosives, besides some detonators and other items for making IEDs to trigger blasts during campaigning in the district, officials sources said. The troops also seized one AK rifle and 20 rounds from another hideout in the Pathana Tir area near Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district, they said. |
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‘Promote girl education’
Jammu, November 14 Addressing students and staff at a function organised at Women's College Parade ground by the Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam Welfare Society in connection with Children's Day, she said educating a woman meant educating a family. She said those already associated with the prestigious job of spreading education among the poor should lay more stress on girl education. Children enrolled with the welfare society presented a cultural programme on the occasion. Earlier, society president Ved Kumari Ghai in her welcome address said besides managing academic education, the society arranged vocational training in various traits for in-home students. |
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ATS keeps state police guessing
Jammu, November 14 The police picked up V.K. Kapoor, the CA of Pandey, but he was released after nothing incriminating was found during questioning. He was let off as no formal communiqué was received from the ATS, said the police. “We haven’t arrested anybody and the ATS has so far not contacted us,” IGP, Jammu range, K. Rajindera told The Tribune. Jammu SSP Manohar Singh said: “We have no information in the case as the ATS has shared no information with us." When asked to comment on the reports suggesting the presence of the ATS team in Jammu, Singh said: “I have no information whether it has arrived or it is arriving or has already finished the task here.” |
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Website launched
Jammu, November 14 In his presidential remarks, JU vice-chancellor Amitabh Mattoo said: "Three regions, including Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh might look different because of geographical factors but had striking commonalities acquired through age-old association among the people that till date unifies them culturally and politically." Mattoo said the varsity centre was a treasure house showcasing Sufi tradition of the Kashmir valley, the Duggar ethos of the Jammu region and Ladakh's Lama Culture. |
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Children’s Day
Jammu, November 14 The Government Higher Secondary School, Domana, organised symposium, cultural activities, group and patriotic songs. The railway officers organised a fancy dress competion in which students of Government High School, West colony, Jammu and United Public School, Chhanni Himmat, participated. Students of Ranbhir Higher Secondary School, Government Higher Secondary School, Paloura, Green Land School had similar fun-filled day. |
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ABVP organises rally
Jammu, November 14 The student organisation had been demanding improvement in the quality of education in Jammu region. It has also demanded implementation of the Singhal committee report in relation with the CET aimed at engineering and medical streams. It has also sought a Central university as well as sports and IIT college for Jammu. |
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JU MoU with UK college
Jammu, November 14 This would result in the establishment of an energy institute at Jammu University, enabling teaching, training and research in the field of geosciences, primarily in the field of petroleum geology, natural hazards etc. An MoU was signed by Prof Michael Worton, Provost (Academic and International), University College, London, and Prof Amitabh Mattoo, Vice-Chancellor of Jammu University here on November 12. Technical support for this collaboration will be provided by Eni-Agip, the sixth largest oil company in the world.
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While much is said about preserving environment, the Jammu Development Authority
(JDA) uprooted full-grown green trees in the name of removing encroachments here today.
