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Poor voting in Budgam rural areas
Might of democracy at play in Ladakh
Two Hizbul ultras killed in Doda
Pak SIM cards seized
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Sikh bodies to support Jammu bandh
Kishtwar Mishap
HC orders release of detainee
MLAs Hostels
Farm technology plan for Kishtwar
Leh areas face power crisis
Varsity exams rescheduled
Displaced Kashmiri Hindus hold protest
2 killed, 24 hurt in mishaps
Rajesh Gupta on yatra advisory panel
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Poor voting in Budgam rural areas
Srinagar, May 7 As compared to the Assembly elections in the aftermath of the Amarnath land agitation, same enthusiasm, however, was missing. NC president and candidate from Srinagar Farooq Abdullah cast vote in Sonwar here this morning. He also cast vote for the Sonwar Assembly constituency, which also saw byelections today. Farooq had won from Hazratbal and Sonwar constituencies in the Assembly elections. While he had vacated the Hazratbal seat, he resigned from the Sonwar seat following his election to the Rajya Sabha in February. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah along with his wife Payal Abdullah also cast vote at the Sonwar polling station today. In polling at several places, mainly across rural areas of Beerwa, Budgam and Chadoora in Budgam district and those in Kangan and Ganderbal areas, the response was lesser compared to the Assembly elections, while it was more in the adjoining areas. Even as many voters came out in the Soibugh area of Budgam district, many others boycotted the elections not on the separatists’ call, but for the lack of basic infrastructure in the area like dilapidated roads, lack of power and water supply and employment opportunities. However, many voters in these areas were optimistic over their participation in the elections. “There has hardly been any development in the area,” said a voter at Sehpora in the Beerwa constituency of Budgam district. Out of the total 1,061 voters, 458 voted at one polling station at 11.30 am, while the polling had started at 7 am. Meanwhile, in a rare case, four generations of a joint family voted at the Raiara Yach polling station in the Khansahib Assembly segment of Budgam district today. They included Fatah Bhatti, accompanied by his 70-year-old son Qadir Bhatti, 50-year-old grandson Rashid Bhatti and great-grandson Gula Bhatti, 25. |
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Might of democracy at play in Ladakh
Polling staff
airlifted The process of airlifting of polling staff , security personnel and election material for the inaccessible polling stations of the Ladakh parliamentary constituency started from today from Leh. In the first batch, the polling staff and election material for Yulchung, Skumpata and Lingshet polling stations were airlifted today along with some of the staff. Polling staff and election material for Dipling, Lingshet, Nyraks and Fotoksar polling stations will be airlifted tomorrow, subject to favorable weather conditions.
Leh, May 7 “It’s an exercise where Indian democratic machinery is in full swing,” Rinchen Tudup, Chief Planning Officer, Leh, says. Ladakh is India’s largest parliamentary constituency, its area is much more than that of Kashmir and Jammu divisions with five Lak Sabha seats put together, but its population density is among the thinnest. There are many villages with population in two digits and two nearest villages in many areas are many kilometres apart. And polling staff are reaching everywhere, somewhere by foot, somewhere riding ponies and somewhere by the air. A world apart from the typical crowded chaos of Indian urban life, Ladakh also seems to be living in another era when you compare its rather difficult but overwhelming polling exercise with that in other places. A senior government official says they would be cut-off with dozens of polling booths as the telephonic or mobile networks have not reached these far-off places. They have therefore tied up with nearby Army or ITBP posts and a “runner” would pass on the relevant information to senior polling officials. Polling staff, including security personnel, would have to walk 40 km to reach polling station in Hanker, 30 km to reach Markha and the list of such stations is not short. Many polling parties would spend a week in polling duty and fend for themselves whether it is cooking food or braving bone-chilling Ladakh cold. In polling stations like Thukjey Gonpa, polling staff may outnumber the total electorate of six persons. Many parts of this high-altitude region like Zanskar, which is one of the four assembly segments of this parliamentary seat, are still snowbound and the authorities apprehend that they may have to press in many more sorties to complete pre-poll arrangements.
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Two Hizbul ultras killed in Doda
Udhampur, May 7 Defence sources said on specific information about the presence of suspected militants in the Desa area of Doda, the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) launched a search operation in the Pudrani area of Desa early this morning. As soon as the security forces reached the hideout, the militants resorted to indiscriminate firing on them. In the ensuing gun battle, the RR personnel killed one militant, who was later identified as Farooq Ahmed. He was active in the Desa belt for the past four years. The sources said some militants managed to escape from the encounter site, but were chased and engaged into a gun battle in the Ghabri area of Desa. In an hour-long encounter, the security forces eliminated another militant who had managed to escape. He was identified as Sadiq Rather, a local militant active in the belt. Reports said an injured militant managed to escape. The entire area had been cordoned off to track down the escaped militant. The sources said the slain militants were tasked by the top Hizbul“commanders” to make fresh recruitments, as the outfit had been facing a shortage of cadres. |
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Pak SIM cards seized
Jammu, May 7 “Though self-styled operational commanders of different militant outfits like the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) had already been provided with satellite phones, the recovery of two Pakistani SIM cards from Surankote in Poonch district and eight SIM cards from Doda recently show that the ISI has started providing Pakistani SIM cards to militants at the lower level in areas close to the border and the LoC,” sources in the counter-insurgency wing of the state police told The Tribune. Of late, Pakistan had raised two temporary towers in its territory very close to Kanachak and Khour areas in Akhnoor sector so as to expand their network, besides using high-tech cameras to keep surveillance on our activities, they added. They said the ISI kept shifting these towers mounted on vehicles to different locations to keep an eye on our activities. The recovery of 10 Pakistani SIM cards in Surankote and Doda, they said, the ISI had been doing so to keep in touch with and issue diktats to militants at the lower level near the border. However, security forces, including Army, had successfully detecting such conversations, leading to the elimination of militants in the recent past, including some dreaded ultras, they added. Defence sources said Pakistan had raised towers in Kotli and Mirpur areas of the PoK, but we could not object to them. The towers were well within its territory, but their frequency might have been increased to expand the network and keep in touch with local militants operating in the state, they added. They, however, admitted that in areas close to the border and the LoC, Pakistan’s mobile phone network was being
intercepted. |
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Sikh bodies to support Jammu bandh
Jammu, May 7 A meeting was held by various Sikh organisations under the banner of Bhai Kanahiya Jee Nishkam Seva Society chaired by Mohinder Singh. The participants in the meeting expressed their full cooperation and support for the bandh call announced by various social and political organisations. The Sikh living in the Swat valley were asked to pay ‘jazia’ levied on the non-Muslims under the Islamic law, otherwise they would be ousted from their property. The failure of the members of the Sikh community to pay the tax aggravated the Taliban, who destroyed the houses of 11 Sikh families and occupied their business establishments. “We strongly condemn and express our deep anguish over the undemocratic and inhumane action of the Taliban,” Mohinder Singh said. He said: “We appeal to the Pakistani government to take steps to safeguard the Sikh community who had decided to stay back in Pakistan during the Partition and also appeal the Indian government to take up the issue with their Pakistani counterparts.” “The Sikhs should not become a victim of collateral damage.
The Pakistani government and the army should save their property and lives as they are loyal
citizens of Pakistan who have been living there for centuries,” said Kirpal Singh, Sikh leader, in
Jammu said. Meanwhile, the state wing of the Nationalist Congress Party has also extended its full support to the Jammu bandh call given against the atrocities being committed against the minority Sikh community living in the tribal areas of
Pakistan. |
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Kishtwar Mishap
Kishtwar, May 7 In the meeting of prominent citizens, which was convened by Tara Chand, local people minced no words in attacking the authorities and blamed the government for the tragic road accident. One after another, all speakers attacked the government for its casualness in checking the deaths of innocent people in accidents. Residents were also annoyed due to discrimination with regard to sanctioning of ex-gratia relief for the accident victims were concerned. “It is regrettable that the government is even discriminating against the people of this region while sanctioning ex-gratia relief,” a youth rued. Even MLAs of the NC and the Congress could not control themselves and regretted that the government failed to fulfil the promises made to people. Infuriated over the non-serious approach of the authorities, Congress MLA from Inderwal GM Saroori reminded that after the February 25 road accident near Pul-Doda, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had announced to take some concrete steps to stop recurrence of such tragedies. Emotionally-charged son of Subash Sharma, a lecturer of Government Higher Secondary School, Palmar, who was killed in the accident, lamented that he had lost three members of his family in different road accidents. “Had the authorities deployed additional passenger vehicles in this belt, my father would have been saved,” he said. MLA, Kishtwar, Sajjad Kitchoo, who has been camping in the town since Monday, made it clear that he would not allow plying of passenger vehicles on the Palmar road until the track was repaired. He also threatened to take the fight onto the streets. Tara Chand called for speeding up the process of commissioning of SRTC buses, besides making arrangements for plying additional minibuses along different routes in the districts. As the locals pointed toward plying of condemned vehicles, Tara Chand directed the authorities concerned to tighten the verification procedure of all passenger vehicles. He assured that all old and outdated vehicles would be phased
out. |
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HC orders release of detainee
Jammu, May 7 After his release from the jail, the petitioner was detained under the provisions of the Public Safety Act, 1978, pursuant to orders dated November 15 (2007) of the District Magistrate, Ramban, on grounds that various inputs and information made clear that the detainee was active in militancy-related activities and had established links with various banned-militant organisations. The HC while quashing the detention order observed: “The admitted position being that the detainee was booked for having committed offences for which the FIR was registered. The particulars justifying the detention being lacking has, thus, prevented the detainee from making an effective representation against his detention. The grounds of detention appear to be duplicate copy of the police dossier shows that the detaining authority has not applied its mind while passing the detention order. The right to be communicated the grounds of detention flowing from Article 22 (5) of the Constitution of India and right to be supplied all material on which the grounds are based also flowing from right given to detainee to make a representation, are fundamental infirmities from which detention order suffers. In view of the above discussion, this petition deserves to be allowed.” The petitioner had thrown challenge to detention order inter alia on the grounds that the detention order was the replica of the police dossier and the grounds of detention were vague and indefinite. |
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MLAs Hostels
Jammu, May 7 Among the illegal occupants was a PRO of a sitting-minister, who also had been asked to vacate the two-room quarter in the MLAs hostel here in total contravention to rules. The illegal occupants in both hostels reportedly owe around Rs 40 lakh to the government. Talking to The Tribune, legislative Assembly secretary Mohammed Ramzan said the illegitimate occupants, including the PRO, had been told to vacate the rooms. However, Ramzan attributed the genesis of unethical practice to the Hospitality and Protocol Department, which he says “has accommodated political workers, migrants from the Kashmir valley, government employees and some journalists. The Speaker had already taken up the matter with the government, he said. Ramzan said: “Arrears have to be recovered from such occupants, but first they have to be worked out considering ground realities.” A widow, who lost her husband in the militancy, might not be able to remit huge arrears and, hence, such cases would be considered on compassionate grounds, he said. Official sources told The Tribune that the PRO of the sitting-minister, who has been asked afresh to vacate the two-room quarter here, had been withdrawing HRA against rules. Not only this, another employee, a section officer in the Legislative Assembly, too, had been given rooms in the MLAs Hostel, and at the same time availed HRA, they added. They said the violation of rules in the MLAs Hostels had become a routine affair and serving notices to the illegal occupants was just an eyewash. |
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Farm technology plan for Kishtwar
Udhampur, May 7 The DDC also called for involving the private sector and NGOs in the awareness campaign to achieve the desired results in the district. He was addressing the maiden meeting of the governing body constituted for the effective implementation of ATMA. Dr. M.P Gupta, sate resource person, familiarised the participants about the aims and objectives of ATMA. He spoke at length on various components of the scheme. |
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Leh areas face power crisis
Leh, May 7 Tsering Paljor, assistant executive engineer, Leh, Power Development Department (PDD), said power supply in these areas was affected due shortage of diesel for the village’s diesel generator at the Indian Oil Corporation depot in Leh. He, however, expected that it would be restored within a week with the reopening of the Leh-Srinager highway. Tsewang Rigzin, councillor from Nubra, said there was only one IOC depot for these three regions, making lives more miserable for the residents here. The PDD transports fuel for these regions on daily basis and the Nubra valley is dependent on the Khardong pass. Public distribution stores in Leh are also facing ration scarcity since March. Tsering Dolker of Nimo village, 35 km from Leh, said: “For the past four months the ration store in our village is out of stock. This time we bought the ration from the Leh market, but is not possible every time.” |
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Varsity exams rescheduled
Jammu, May 7 According to an official statement issued here today, the B.A/B.SC/ B.Com / BBA/BCA part II annual 2009 examinations would now be held on May 10, BAMS (second-year professional) on May 21, BAMS (third-year professional) on May 19 and MTM(second semester) on May 21. All other things like venue, timings remain the same as notified earlier. |
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Displaced Kashmiri Hindus hold protest
Udhampur, May 7 The protesters later handed over a memorandum to the Udhampur Deputy Commissioner in this regard and demanded that the names of all eligible voters should be included in the electoral rolls. Addressing the gathering, leaders of the displaced Kashmiri Hindus alleged that their names had been deleted from the voter lists as part of conspiracy. They demanded a high-level probe to ascertain how names of genuine voters were deleted from the rolls. They further alleged that it was part of the game plan to debar the displaced community from participating in the democratic process. Meanwhile, of the total 144 electors, 81 migrant voters today cast their votes for the Srinagar-Budgam LS segment at Udhampur. For the Sonawar Assembly segment, only two migrant voters exercised their right to
franchise. |
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2 killed, 24 hurt in mishaps
Jammu, May 7 Mool Raj of Man Mela was reportedly knocked to death when a BSF truck collided with his motor cycle at Supply Morh near Birmapul in Rehmbal. His wife was critically injured and admitted to the hospital. In another mishap, Anil Kumar of Daskal Akhnoor died while his sister Kanchan Devi sustained injuries when a truck collided with his motor cycle at Manda in Akhnoor. A motorcyclist hit and injured a child at Dehari in the Ramnagar area. The injured child was hospitalised. A truck collided with a minibus at Maheshwar in Samba, injuring eight passengers. Similarly, 13 others sustained injuries in different road accidents. |
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Rajesh Gupta on yatra advisory panel
Srinagar, May 7 The Governor had constituted a 13-member advisory committee on April 22 to advise the shrine board on logistical and other arrangements required for the smooth conduct of this year’s Amarnath Yatra. The first meeting of the yatra advisory committee is scheduled for May 9 here, an official spokesman said. |
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