Udhampur, May 14
Though the result of the Bhaderwah Assembly byelection is yet to be announced, Congress candidate Mohammad Sharief Niaz is accusing the coalition partner NC of sabotaging the election. Niaz has alleged that NC leaders openly campaigned for PDP candidate Sheikh Mujib Ali.

Niaz has earlier blamed his own party men for joining hands with the BJP to communalise the situation before the polling.

In a written complaint to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and in charge of Jammu and Kashmir affairs Prithivi Raj Chouhan, Niaz had alleged that NC leaders worked overtime to ensure his defeat..

“Instead of campaigning in my favour, a majority of NC leaders and workers campaigned for the PDP candidate. I request your good self to discuss the matter at the highest forum of senior leaders of both the parties for the smooth functioning of the coalition regime in the state,” Niaz complained in the letter to the party highcommand.

Niaz, who contested the seat that was vacated by former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, said some senior NC leaders arranged polling agents for the PDP candidate on the polling eve on April 23. In his letter, he also mentioned the names of some NC leaders. He alleged that at Bhalesa NC workers had worked for the BJP, while at Bhaderwah they were with the PDP candidate.

During the Lok Sabha elections, Congress workers in the Jammu region had complained about the indifferent attitude of NC workers. Similarly, NC workers had also accused Congress workers of not working for their candidates on the other side of the Pir Panjal.

In the Bhaderwah Assembly segment, the Congress and the NC have been arch rivals. But after the formation of the coalition government, the NC leadership had announced to support the Congress candidate from this seat. Despite assurance from the party leadership, NC workers supported either the PDP or the BJP in the elections.

Srinagar, May 14
With elections over, all major political parties await the results with bated breath. Despite the presence of NC president Farooq Abdullah in the fray from the Srinagar constituency, the result of the Baramulla seat, which went to the polls yesterday, is most keenly awaited. 

The decision of Sajjad Lone to become the first major separatist leader to break away from the secessionist pack and fight elections has brought the north Kashmir constituency national attention and his presence probably made more news than all other events in these elections in the state.

“I expect to win. You can see people are with me,” he told journalists as he showed ink mark on his finger outside a booth in Handwara.

Political commentators, however, believe that grassroots politics is a different ball game and it would be interesting to see if Lone is able to make inroads into this NC bastion, which the party has won in all elections except in 1996 when it did not contest.

If he succeeds, which is against odds despite his claims, then it may prompt more separatists to consider their political future.

The other two seats in the valley are also significant. The NC has made concerted efforts to break the PDP citadel in south Kashmir since Omar Abdullah took over as Chief Minister.

The low turnout in Anantnag and relatively higher polling in NC pockets has made interesting the fight between senior NC leader Mehboob Beg and PDP’s Peer Mohammad Hussain. If the NC is able to make a dent in this PDP bastion, it will be a severe setback for the main opposition party in the valley.

What the NC hopes to do in Anantnag, the PDP has been trying to achieve in Srinagar. Prominent Shia leader and PDP MLA Moulvi Iftikar Ansari has tried to give Farooq Abdullah a close fight by attempting to consolidate his sect’s votes in his favour.

Jammu, May 14
All arrangements have been put in place to ensure the smooth counting of votes in the two parliamentary constituencies in the Jammu division on May 16. The counting will also take place for the Bhadarwah Assembly constituency where byelection took place along with the parliamentary elections.

The Bhadarwah Assembly seat had fallen vacant after Ghulam Nabi Azad got elected to the Rajya Sabha

For the Jammu parliamentary seat, which is the largest parliamentary constituency in the state, 600 personnel have been deployed for counting. The entire process will take place in the two adjacent complexes of MAM College and Government Polytechnic College, Jammu, where 20 counting halls have been set up.

The counting of votes in each Assembly segment will be done in a separate counting hall with an assistant returning officer to supervise the counting process.

Likewise, for the Udhampur parliamentary constituency, 400 counting staff will be deployed in 17 counting halls set up at Degree College, Kathua.

As many as three persons will be deployed at each table for the tabulation of results and their transmission to the assistant returning officer, who after compilation will send trends to the returning officer and media centres.

Jammu, May 14
Nearly 500 employees of the Social Forestry Department today served an ultimatum on the NC-led government to bring back officials attached with the Director Social Forestry and the Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu, by May 19. They threatened to go on a relay fast if the government failed to meet their demand.

On May 9, a bloody clash took place between the police and the Gujjars at Karnaila Chak in Belicharana, as the latter had encroached upon 10 hectares belonging to the Social Forestry Department. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had ordered an inquiry into the incident the next day.

Further on May 13, Regional Director of Social Forestry Upender Pachnanda and DFO Roop Avtar Kour were attached with the Director Social Forestry and the Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu, respectively.

Describing the attachment of Pachnanda and Roop as a raw deal to the officials, who performed their duties under rules, the agitating employees said the amateurish act of the government had demoralised them, particularly the field staff.

Piranditta, divisional president of the Social Forestry Association, said without going to the bottom of the incident the government acted in haste in attaching the two officials. The officials were performing their duties and that too after informing the higher authorities.

The officials had urged the nomads to vacate the department’s land. But when their repeated pleas fell on deaf ears they informed the higher authorities and also reported the matter to the police, he said. They (Gujjars) even attacked the police party, which was accompanying the department officials, said Piranditta. 

Srinagar, May 14
Mian Altaf Ahmad, Minister for Forest and Environment, said today that the state government had initiated many steps to deal with timber smuggling and also for preservation of environment in the state.

Altaf Ahmad was addressing a meeting of senior officers of his department convened to review activities of the Forest Department at the divisional level.

He admitted that timber smuggling had been a matter of grave concern and said the Forest Department and the Forest Protection Force had confiscated 1.40 lakh CFT timber during the current year so far, which would be distributed among the needy consumers soon. As many as 145 vehicles were also seized.

The meeting took several decisions to ensure enforcement of the existing laws in order to stop the loss of precious timber and allied herbal and medicinal plants on account of illegal timber trade.

Officials said the Forest Protection Force would hand over the seized timber to the Forest Department within one month so that it could be distributed among the needy.

About seized vehicles, the minister said he would take up the matter with the Advocate- General for use in the Forest Department.

It may be mentioned that Kashmir, home to a variety of trees and herbs, has seen a steady loss of its green wealth in the past two decades and a clique of politicians, government officials and smugglers is accused of illegally feeling and selling valuable timber as the civil administration had almost collapsed during militancy.

Leh, May 14
Due to declaration of the Nubra valley, a famous tourist spot in Ladakh, as one of the restricted areas, tourists are only allowed to visit some parts of it after obtaining an inner-line permit from the district administration in Leh.

Additional Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Mohd Hanif said: “Inner-line permit has not been issued to the tourists from May 9 to 14 as a measure to maintain smooth movement of polling staff and security material through the Khardongla pass.

It will start as usual from May 15 and the tourists can visit the Nubra valley if the weather conditions permit it.” The Khardongla pass is the only gateway to the Nubra valley, which depends on the weather conditions.

Tundup Dorjai, director of Overland Escape, a travel agent in Leh, said: “Stopping of issuance of inner-line permit arbitrarily by the district administration has created inconvenience to our clients and also suffered business losses. Tourism in Ladakh is seasonal only.”

All Ladakh Tour Operator Association (ALTOA) president PT Kunzang said: “The ALTOA and Ladakh Taxi Union jointly met Deputy Commissioner AK Sahu in this regard and asked him to cooperate with them in the elections.”

Jammu, May 14
The Panun Kashmir announced the formation of its women’s wing - The Daughters of Panun Kashmir - today. The formation of the wing was made in a large convention of nearly 100 women activists and attended by leaders of the Panun Kashmir and its convener Dr. Agnishekhar.

National spokesman Virender Raina while announcing the formation of wing said the women’s wing would be headed by Kirti Kalla, and other members of the committee would be Ranjana Dhar, Sushma, Venica Kaul, Phoola Kaul, Neelam and Gudi Jogi.

The newly formed committee decided to enrol women activists throughout the country to spread the political consciousness among the Kashmiri Pandit community and mobilise the youth of the community.

Kirti Kalla said the women’s wing would strengthen the socio-cultural fabric of the community by working at the grassroot-level and inculcate the pristine Kashmiri Pandit values in the youth.

The committee will device strategies to carry forward specific social and political programs for the overall emancipation of the Kashmiri Pandit community.

Kirti Kalla said: “The Kashmiri Pandit diaspora needs to preserve its distinct cultural identity to fight for homeland in Kashmir. Special emphasis is laid on the preservation of language and rituals of the community.”

Jammu, May 14
Activists of the NSUI yesterday held a protest at Jammu University demanding the establishment of a grievance cell in schools and at the offices of zonal education officer (ZEO) and chief education officer (CEO).

The activists protested against the educational authorities for not being able to control the growing incidents of sexual harassment of girl students by some teachers in educational institutions.

The protesters blocked traffic on the main road for some time and raised slogans against the education authorities.

Addressing the gathering, state president of the NSUI Abdul Rashid Choudhary lambasted the educational authorities for adopting a casual approach toward the culprits.

Abdul appealed to the Director, Board of School Education, to organise a one-month orientation course for newly appointed teachers to educate them about right behaviour with students, particularly girl students.

He said the authorities should organise awareness workshops and student meetings to create awareness to curb misbehaviour with girl students.

Meanwhile, Abdul said the NSUI would launch an awareness campaign in educational institutions against such crimes.

Jammu, May 14
The Akhnoor police today arrested husband Rajesh Verma and father-in-law Satpal Verma under charges of cruelty and abetment to suicide following the death of Hema Rani, a newly married woman, in the local Government Medical College (GMC) late last night.

She was allegedly set on fire by her in-laws in Akhnoor yesterday. The mother-in-law is yet to be arrested.

Married four months back to jeweller Rajesh Verma of Raja Bazar in Akhnoor, 26-year-old Hema of Janipur had sustained 90 per cent burns.

Jagdish Verma, uncle of the deceased, said: “After the death of my niece, her in-laws fled from the hospital and we cremated the deceased at Jogi Gate crematorium here this morning.”

The victim’s father, Krishan Lal Verma, had lodged a written complaint with the Akhnoor police against the in-laws late last night.

Ever since her (Hema’s) marriage in December last year her in-laws used to allegedly harass her, he said.

A team of forensic experts had already lifted samples from the bathroom where Hema was allegedly set on fire, a police officer said. He, however, said that there had been no dowry-related accusations by the family of the deceased in the complaint, adding that the girl was allegedly harassed on the grounds of her ailment.

The autopsy of the deceased was conducted this morning at the GMC after which the body was cremated.

Jammu, May 14
Special Excise Mobile Magistrate, Jammu, Sunit Gupta has initiated a judicial inquiry into a complaint filed by Iftikhar Khan Salaria against IGP, security, Ashok Kumar Gupta, DIG, security, Kamal Saini, SSP, security, Johny Williams, SSP, Jammu, Manohar Singh, Dy SP SD Chauhan, SHO, Nowabad, Arun Jamwal, deputy custodian Parshotam and constable Nishant.

Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Jammu, YP Bourney had directed a judicial inquiry into the matter under Section 202 of the CrPC.

Salaria and his family had been forcibly evicted from a piece of land near the Indira Cineplex by the state police in presence of senior officers.

The aggrieved family had staked claim over the land, which they say was allotted to them by Late Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah along with other Muslim families displaced from the border areas during 1947.

The CJM directed Sunit Gupta to conduct an inquiry into the allegations levelled in the complaint and file his report within three months.

Till now three witnesses of the complainant have deposed against the accused - Ashok Kumar Gupta, Kamal Saini, Johny Williams, Manohar Singh and others.

Udhampur, May 14
Following a large number complaints that government employees are not attending offices in far-flung areas, District Development Commissioner, Reasi, Sanjeev Verma, during a meeting of district heads of various departments, today underscored the need for punctuality in attendance, besides accomplishing targeted works.

Residents of far-flung areas have complained that the functioning of government departments is being badly affected as employees usually remain absent. It was due to these complaints that Verma deputed some officers to conduct surprise visits in the remote areas.

AT today’s meeting, Verma reviewed the performance of various departments, besides directing officers of the agriculture, horticulture and animal and sheep husbandry departments to submit proposals for projects to his office immediately.

He ordered the superintending engineers of the PWD and the PMGSY and the Additional DDC to ensure the completion of the Dewal Bagga road, already completed up to 9th km, besides the Dhyangarh-Dharan road under the PMGSY be also made traffic-worthy.

The District Social Welfare Officer was also directed to rationalise the nutritious diet system at all anganwari centres and revive non-functional anganwari centres at the earliest.

Jammu, May 14
Dr Adit Gupta, Joint Director of the Model Institute of Education and Research (MIER), has received the prestigious Endeavour Executive Award of the Australian Government this year.

The award is the Australian government’s internationally competitive, merit-based scholarship programme This award will enable Dr. Gupta to pursue teaching and research activities in his area of specialisation with the Australian government sponsorship.

He will be visiting the Curtin University of Technology, Perth, for a period of three months from June to August in this regard.