Srinagar, January 1
Hectic activities are under way in the National Conference, which is set to lead the next coalition government, to work out the modalities of the coalition arrangement.

NC president and Chief Minister designate Omar Abdullah returned to New Delhi today to hold meetings with senior Congress leaders.

He arrived here from New Delhi yesterday after his party and the Congress agreed upon the new coalition.

According to reports, Omar Abdullah would be sworn in as the Chief Minister in Jammu on Monday. The two coalition partners would decide the Deputy Chief Minister, to be a Congress member from the Jammu region, within a couple of days.

Before his departure, Omar Abdullah addressed party workers and supporters who called on him at his Gupkar residence here today. Addressing the visitors, Omar said that priorities of his government would be to ensure development to end poverty. He said the people of the state, particularly in the valley, suffered mental, physical and economic losses during the past two decades. He reiterated his stand to provide jobs to the educated youth and create income avenues for the poor. He also assured the people basic facilities like road connectivity, drinking water, power and education and healthcare.

Srinagar, January 1
Having been relegated to the opposition, the PDP, the second largest party in the Assembly, is weighing all options to play its role while it is determined to pursue its agenda of self-rule for peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue.

The party, with 21 seats in the recently concluded elections, will be in the opposition after its earlier coalition partner Congress joined hands with the NC in the formation of the next government in the state.

The PDP led by its patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is meeting here tomorrow to work out its future strategy. It will deliberate upon various issues related to the party’s role in the new scheme of things. “We will be deliberating upon how to be relevant in the changing scenario,” a PDP leader told The Tribune here today.

Its self-rule document, withdrawal of troops and revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) continue to be the main agenda. Party leaders are of the opinion that the PDP’s agenda did not suit the Congress and the NC. It is believed that there have been two main reasons for the Congress not to have an alliance again with the PDP. These include the next Lok Sabha elections and emergence of the BJP at a large scale in Jammu region in the recent Assembly elections.

Sources in PDP said that in view of the skirmishes with the Congress, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed did not try to have a coalition arrangement again with the Congress. “There was no such exercise”, the party sources said, even as these admitted that a section of the Congress leaders were in favour of an alternative coalition arrangement instead of the Cong-NC arrangement which has now taken shape. In view of the new scheme of things the PDP would be heavily criticising the Congress which has been its coalition partner for nearly six years between 2002 and 2008.

Jammu, January 1
Condemning the police for lathicharging and teargassing party activists, the BSP today demanded a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of two party activists, who, the party claimed, “died of injuries sustained by them in police action at Kunjwani Chowk”.The BSP claimed that Bodh Raj Yogi and Girdhari Lal, both of Arnia, had died in police action. The party also demanded government jobs to next of kin of the deceased party workers.

They also demanded immediate transfer of Jammu DC Mandeep K Bhandari and SSP Manohar Singh.

The party also demanded a repoll in the Bishnah assembly constituency.

Over 30 persons, including 12 cops, sustained injuries after a mob led by BSP’s defeated candidate from Bishnah, Dr Kamal Arora, resorted to stone pelting and blocked the Jammu-Pathankot highway for nearly three hours at Kunjwani Chowk here yesterday.

Addressing mediapersons here, state BSP president Tulsi Dass Langeh condemned “brutal” police action that left one party activist dead and 15 others injured.

“We demand Rs 10 lakh compensation to the families of Bodh Raj and Girdhari Lal ,” said Langeh, adding that the state government should also pay Rs 5 lakh ex gratia each to the 15 injured party activists.

He claimed BSP workers led by Kamal Arora were trying to highlight grave injustice when the police unleashed a reign of terror beating them up with batons and then firing tear gas shells, he said.

“Kamal Arora too sustained a fracture in his leg,” he said, adding that strict action should also be initiated against the ‘erring’ police officers.

Accusing polling staff in Bishnah of bungling, Langeh also requested the Election Commission to hold a probe and order a repoll in the entire Bishnah assembly constituency.

Independent candidate Ashwani Kumar Sharma had been declared winner from Bishnah.

Jammu, January 1
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has hailed the understanding reached between the NC and the Congress for government formation in the state. It sought proper representation for the Sikhs in the state Cabinet.

In a press statement issued here today, the party said Omar Abdullah’s experience of having worked in the Union government as Minister of State for External Affairs coupled with handling party affairs in the state as its president would come handy in good governance.

The SAD hoped the government would pay more attention to the problems of the minorities, particularly of 1947 refugees from the PoK.

They said the main cause of the non-resolution of refugee problems was the non-effective representation of refugees in the state legislature.

The SAD demanded that a proper representation should be given to the Sikhs in the Cabinet to help resolve their problems.

They appealed to Omar Abdullah that 24 Assembly seats should be reserved for refugees from the PoK in proportion to population that migrated to this part of the state in 1947.

Jammu, January 1
Various Sikh organisations under the banner of the Sikh Sangat, Jammu and Kashmir, have demanded the resignation of T.S. Wazir from the post of president the J&K State Gurdwara Parbandhak Board.

Wazir had contested the state Assembly elections from Gandhi Nagar on the National Conference ticket, but was defeated by Congress candidate Raman Bhalla.

“A majority of the Sikhs have rejected him in the Assembly elections, as they voted in favour of Raman Bhalla. Now, on moral grounds Wazir should resign from the post of the board president,” said Sukhdev Singh, chairman of the Sikh Sangat.

He said the community was angry with Wazir as he had “unlawfully” ousted the elected District Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Jammu, and had “undemocratically” appointed an ad hoc committee.

“He did not obey the high court direction and refused to reinstate the elected DGPC,” Sukhdev Singh alleged. The members of the Sikh Sangat also asked Wazir to resign from the post of member of the Legislative Council, as they alleged that he had used “muscle and money power” to get votes.

Srinagar, January 1
Parts of the world famous Dal Lake, near banks were frozen due to severe cold as the minimum temperature dipped to 3.2°C, about 1.2°C below normal in the city.

However, famous tourist resort of Pahalgam, base camp of the holy Amarnath cave in south Kashmir, recorded the coldest night in the valley after the minimum dipped to -7.4°C this morning.

Because of open sky during the night, the minimum temperature was recorded at 3.2°C this morning, resulting in severe cold.

A UNI correspondent, who visited the world famous Dal Lake this morning, saw parts of the water body frozen near banks.

Shikarawalas were seen breaking the frozen surface in the lake.

This is for the first time this winter that parts of the lake were frozen, they said.

However, the frozen parts started melting as the day progressed because of sunshine.

It was in 1965 when a jeep crossed on the frozen surface of the lake from one end to another. However, in late 80s the lake was again frozen and this time children were seen playing cricket and ice hockey on the surface.

Last year, too, the frozen parts became the most attractive tourist spot for local and foreign tourists.

Official sources said the cold wave may intensify because of clear weather in the absence of western disturbances (WD).

There is no trace of the WD from the Arabian sea through Afghanistan and Pakistan, they said, adding that because of clear weather during the night, the minimum temperature goes down.

A weather office spokesman told UNI that the world famous tourist resort of Pahalgam recorded the coldest night after the minimum temperature dipped to -7.4°C this morning.

Nights in the Ladakh region also remained cold as the minimum temperature remained minus five to -15°C.

Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, also witnessed the coldest night after the minimum temperature fell to -15°C. — UNI

Jammu, January 1
As many as 153 police officials have been awarded with the DGP's commendation medal and certificate for their meritorious service.

These officials have been honoured for their hard work and dedication exhibited during 2008, a Police Department press note said here today.

IG (Vigilance) Gopal Reddy, five SPs, 18 DSPs and two chief prosecution officers (CPOs) are among the recipients, it said.— PTI

Jammu, January 1
In what could be termed as an “embarrassment” to security forces, a 20-year-old girl has reportedly crossed over to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) to meet her mother.

The report of the missing girl has come as a shock for the security forces deployed at the LoC, which claim that they have been on high alert after the Mumbai attack and repeated infiltration attempts by armed insurgents from across the border.

Identified as Niseera Bi, a resident of Kerni village in Poonch district, she reportedly crossed over to the PoK to meet her mother Zabida, who had crossed the LoC in 2006 and was now living in the PoK.

Kerni village is located adjacent to the LoC and according to police sources the girl was reported missing from her house and later investigation confirmed that she had crossed over to the PoK.

“Her mother Zabida had crossed the Line of Control three years ago and she was living here with some of her family members. However, she was allegedly not being looked after well”, the sources said.

“Despite high alert and increased vigil on the LoC, a 20-year-old girl can cross over to the other side of the border, then it must be a cakewalk for highly trained and motivated terrorists”, said a police officer in Poonch, requesting anonymity.

Jammu-based PRO of the Ministry of Defence S.N. Acharya said, “The Army has reports that this girl had gone missing from her house in Kerni village of Poonch, but we have no reports that she had crossed the Line of Control.”

He said, “The Army is looking into the issue and search for her was going on.”

Jammu, January 1
Though the admission process for all 75 colleges across the region concluded on December 10, Jammu University today again came out with an advertisement for filling vacant seats.

Recently, BEd colleges have cropped up as “major business ventures”. As of now, there is only one Government BEd College against 74 private colleges across the region, while there are 144 private BEd colleges in the entire state.

Last year, private colleges witnessed a big decline in the number of candidates from outside the state. These colleges are facing an acute business crisis because of the decreased student strength that has compelled the varsity to restart the admission process.

“In view of the availability of seats in some private colleges of education affiliated with Jammu University, the counselling-cum-admission to the BEd course for session 2008-2009 has started from January 1 till 8,” said a varsity notice advertised in newspapers.

But as a matter of fact, the admission was still going on even after the process was officially over. “Now, as admissions are over in Rajasthan, I have come here,” said a BEd aspirant at the bus stand, who was flanked by agents from some private colleges and was negotiating.

Some of the colleges are taking candidates promising them that they won’t have to attend all classes or worry about attendance. All they have to do is to pay some extra bucks even for “some help in the examination hall”.

At present, the admission to Government BEd College, that is administered by the J&K Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BPEE), besides the MIER and some other colleges is over and the classwork has started.

Meenakshi Kilam, director, Colleges Development Council, said she did not know the exact number of vacant seats. “The annual exams were supposed to be held on August 30 last year. However, the exam dates would be decided after keeping in view 180 days classwork this year.”

Srinagar, January 1
Under the Horticulture Technology Mission (HTM), the Department of Horticulture, Kashmir, for the first time has arranged a week-long tour programme for orchardists outside the state.

Official sources said during the tour, the orchardists would visit Horticulture University, Solan, Agriculture University, Palampur, the Advanced Centre for Horticulture Development and Maitra Ramban.

The tour envisages to acquaint the orchardists with modern technologies adopted by various research organisations for the development of horticulture in temperate regions, they said.

The farmers will get an opportunity to have an interaction with scientists, researchers and experts on various subjects of modern fruit cultivation.

The programme aims to adopt a modern package of practices for the cultivation of fruit crop in the state.

The group of orchardists was flagged off today from Raj Bagh here.

Meanwhile, a horticulture awareness camp was held at Vattapora, Bandipora, today in which 120 progressive farmers of the area participated. — UNI

Srinagar, January 1
The Police here today claimed to have solved two cases of thefts, including one involving the theft of a loaded truck with computers and other electronic gadgets worth over Rs 70 lakh, while two burglars have been arrested in a separate case.

SSP, Srinagar, Afad-ul-Mujtaba said this at a press conference here today.

He said the recovery was made on the basis of a complaint by truck owner Sajad Ahmad Wani that his truck loaded with goods like UPS batteries, shoe boxes and copper utensils worth Rs 68.50 lakh was stolen from the Batamaloo Bus stand on December 25.

The truck was recovered from Budgam district three days later, the police said. Two other burglars were arrested from the Nishat area and had been identified as Feroz Ahmad Bhat and Fida Hussain Dar.

Jammu, January 1
Even as the NC and the Congress found the lost bonhomie after 1986 entering into an alliance to form the government, the Congress’s “old chum” PDP felt that had there been no Amarnath land dispute, the PDP and the Congress would have surely hit the bull’s eye.

For the first time ever the PDP slotted two Assembly seats from Jammu region in the 2008 elections.

The party wrested one seat each from the NC and the Congress in Mendhar and Darhal, respectively, two seats in the Muslim-dominated twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch.

However, it could not win even a single seat from the Hindu-dominated areas of Jammu region, which has 37 Assembly constituencies.

While many believed that the Amarnath land dispute propelled the BJP and the PDP to new heights at the expense of the NC and the Congress, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said: “Had there been no land dispute erstwhile, the coalition partners, viz, the Congress and the PDP would have surely put up a much better performance.”

She, however, expressed satisfaction over the party’s foray in Jammu region saying that it is a good beginning. “Our vote percentage too has increased impressively compared to the 2002 elections,” she added.

She attributed the upward swing in the PDP’s popularity graph to what she claimed “unblemished” tenure of her father Mufti Mohammed Sayeed as Chief Minister, “who soothed the people with a healing touch policy”.

On the PDP’s dismal performance in Jammu, particularly in Hindu-dominated areas, she blamed former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad for the “unwarranted” land row that eventually worked against the party.

Azad attributed the entire mess to the then PDP ministers, Qazi Mohammed Afzal and Muzaffar Hussain Beig, when fact of the matter was that Mufti Mohammed Sayeed had revoked the controversial order, she said.

“The PDP had been depicted as culprit in Kashmir and Jammu regions because of the unwarranted controversy,” she said.

A political analyst said ever since 2002 the PDP had been working in Jammu region to strengthen its roots. Land agitation acted as a catalyst to trigger the pent-up anger among the people of Jammu, who felt politically discriminated and, hence, the BJP made major gains while the PDP, which is being seen as a Kashmir-centric party, had to content with two seats.

Jammu, January 1
Making a record of sorts, veteran Gujjar leader Choudhary Mohammad Aslam of the Congress and former NC minister Abdul Rahim Rather will enter the newly elected Assembly as six-time MLAs.

Aslam, a former MP, won from the Surankote Assembly constituency in Poonch district and Rather was victorious from Charar-e-Sharief in Budgam district.

Aslam had earlier won elections as a Congress candidate from Mendhar segment in 1967 and 1972 and Surankote in 1977, 1983 and 1987.

However, he lost in Surankote in 2002 to former NC minister Mustaq Bukhari. The highly influential Gujjar leader this time defeated Bukhari by 2,051 votes, polling 28,102 votes.

Several time minister and considered close to former Chief Minister Sheikh Abdullah, Abdul Rahim Rather defeated PDP candidate Gulam Nabi and won for the sixth time from Charar-e-Sharief in central Kashmir.

The 64-year politician had won elections from this seat in 1977, 1983, 1987, 1996 and 2002 without any break.

Former deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma failed to make it to the 11th Assembly as a six-time MLA. He had won assembly elections in 1972, 1977, and 1983 from Basholi in Kathua and 1987 and 2002 from Jammu east.

Other notable winners are Ali Mohmmad Sagar of the NC, elected from Khanyar (Srinagar district) for the fifth time in a row since 1983, and another Gujjar leader Mian Altaf, who won the Kangan seat for the fourth time in a row from 1987 . — PTI

Jammu, January 1
Three persons were killed and 14 were injured in different road accidents in Jammu region in the last 24 hours, police reports here today said.

“Two persons died on the spot, when a truck in which they were traveling, met with an accident at Shawas Ishtiyari Padder and rolled down about 700-800 feet on the bank of Chenab river,” police sources said.

Two persons died while two were injured. The identity of the deceased is yet to be ascertained.

Meanwhile, a motorcyclist died, when his two-wheeler met at Busain Morh in Kathua district.

Meanwhile, 12 persons were admitted to the hospital after they sustained injuries in different road accidents in Jammu city and its outskirts. — UNI