Katra, June 17
The suspension of the Amarnath yatra from Jammu for the past two days due to the bad weather has led many of the stranded pilgrims to proceed on yatra to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.

A long queue of pilgrims was seen at the ticket counter for the Vaishno Devi yatra at Katra today. Sources said similar long queues were witnessed during the past three days.

So heavy was the rush that the yatra pass office was closing at 1 pm. “Mostly by 1 pm, the maximum quota of allowing 30,000 pilgrims to proceed to the Mata Vaishno Devi temple is finished. Hence, we can’t issue tickets to more pilgrims,” said a shrine board official.

Ram Swarup Sharma from Kaithal, who was to proceed on the Amaranth yatra yesterday morning with 10 of his relatives, said they changed their plan due to continuous problems stalking the Amarnath yatra.

“We didn’t have time to wait till the route to Baltal was cleared. So we thought we should take the blessing of Mata Vaishno Devi.”

The rush is causing management problems. While queues at times cause traffic jams, the pilgrims without ticket have to wait till 5 am the next day for the opening of the ticket counter.

“It seems we are unlucky. First the Amarnath yatra was delayed. Instead of sitting in the Amaranth Yatri Bhawan for two days, we thought we should avail the opportunity to pay obeisance at the Vaishno Devi shrine, but here also we are waiting for our chance since yesterday morning,” rued Mohit Chauhan from Jaipur.

Hira Lal from Gurgaon said he had been standing in the queue since morning and had no hope of getting the yatra pass today.

“There are no sheds to shield us from searing sun. The administration can give us tickets for the next day or even later so that we can take a hotel room. We don’t know how much time we will have to wait for.”

Police sources said the long queues may bring good business for the shopkeepers, but it was a huge trouble for them to manage them.

Srinagar, June 17
While 7,592 pilgrims paid obeisance at the Amarnath shrine on the first day of the commencement of the annual pilgrimage yesterday, another batch of 4,500 pilgrims left the Baltal base camp and paid obeisance at the sanctum sanctorum today.

It was mainly cloudy in Baltal and around the shrine area throughout the day today, while chopper services between Baltal and the shrine had to be suspended later due to bad weather.

The traditional Pahalgam route is not through yet as this track is still under heavy snow at several places between Sheshnag, Mahagunas Top and Panjtarni.

At the request of the Board, a 21-member team of the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering left Pahalgam yesterday for conducting reconnaissance of the entire track, a SASB spokesman said.

This team is likely to return by June 20 and submit a comprehensive report to the Board regarding the feasibility of opening the track to the pilgrims.

The SASB has accordingly advised all pilgrims who had registered for the traditional Chandanwari holy cave route and have not left for the state, to wait for a further advisory from the Board and commence their journey only after the track is declared safe and opened for the yatra.

Meanwhile, a porter died and two others got injured due to a landslide at Kachimoud in Railpathri, near Brarimarg, on the track between Baltal and the holy cave this morning, the police here said.

The porter was identified as Ghulam Rasool Wani from the Kangan area of Ganderbal district. Another porter among two injured, was identified as Reyaz Ahmad from Rajouri district of the Jammu region. He has been shifted to the hospital for treatment, the police said.

Minister for Health, Horticulture and Floriculture, Sham Lal Sharma today reviewed the yatra arrangements at a meeting of officers and representatives of the SASB and other agencies held at Pahalgam and Chandenwari.

He asked the agencies designated for organising the yatra to gear up their efforts to facilitate the yatra from the traditional Pahalgam-Chandanwari route at the earliest.

The minister took stock of the facilities at the Nunwan camp at Pahalgam and asked the authorities to ensure adequate accommodation, safe drinking water, eatables and proper sanitation in and around the camp.

Jammu, June 17
A deputation of the Youth National Conference Migrant Cell, led by Jatin Bhatt, met Minister for Forest Mian Altaf Ahmad at the Summer Secretariat today.

It apprised the minister about the problems being faced by the migrant Kashmiri Pandits residing in Jammu. Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner Vinod Koul was also present on the occasion.

Regarding the demand of the completion of a migrant township at Jagti, Nagrota, Koul said the first phase of the township comprising 2,000 tenements would be completed by October.

On the demand for an increase in cash relief being given to the migrants, he said the Relief Department had written to the Centre about it and the demand would be met within next 2-3 months.

Bhatt also demanded the implementation of the Prime Minister’s employment package, augmentation of power supply to migrants’ colonies, ration supply to migrant government employees, and improvement in sanitation and roads in migrant camps.

He said, “The minister told us that the Chief Minister himself would oversee the issue of the employment package soon after he finishes with the Cabinet expansion.”

Altaf Ahmad assured the delegation that he would talk to the officers of the department concerned to take care of the road and sanitation problems, besides arranging extra water supply for the Purkhu camp. He also assured of opening a ration depot at Purkhu, a long pending demand of the camp residents.

Koul also informed that the problems of migrant government employees, who were not getting ration supply, would be resolved, and the matter would be brought to the notice of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Surjit Singh Slathia and the Director Food and Supply.

The problem of long power cuts in various camps was also discussed and it was decided that a fixed schedule of power cuts should be implemented.

Danew Kandimarg-Kulgam, June 17
People living in remote areas complain of general weakness as they have no access to medical facilities. They demand medicines for overcoming it at medical camps.

Similar scenes were witnessed at a medical camp organised by 9 Rajputana Rifles here today. People living in Kulgam and adjoining areas took part in the camp. Some of them came along with their cattle and were treated at the camp.

“We live in a remote area and we don’t have much veterinary facilities available here. We have an allopathic dispensary, but the veterinary centre here is of little help to us,” says Mohammad Akbar Chopan, a resident of Laragam.

During the camp, people generally complained about worms and general weakness. “People complain about worms. Since they do not have access to nutritious food, they are weak and also complain about general weakness. For this, we prescribe vitamins in form of tablets and syrups,” says a medico while treating patients during the camp.

Colonel Yadav, a veterinarian, says since cattle graze in the open they consume worms and fall prey to diseases. “As the cattle are left in the open, they consume worms. Weakness is also common among animals here,” says the veterinarian.

Colonel JS Mann, 2 Sector RR, says the aim of such camps was to bring civilian doctors and people on a platform so that medical facilities were made available to the latter. He says such medical camps are being organised under the Operation Sadbhavana so that benefits accrue to common masses.

Children could be seen running hither and thither on the Higher Secondary School premises here, the venue of the medical camp.

Dr Syed Shabir, chairman of the Jammu, Kashmir Ladakh, Charitable Organisation, says he along with his counsellors has come to treat people in this remote area.

“People are not aware about health and hygiene. As such, we take part in such camps and provide treatment as well as counselling,” says Dr Shabir.

Srinagar, June 17
Parts of downtown Srinagar witnessed protests over the slapping of stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) on a boy who locals alleged was only 14. A few woman activists affiliated with the Hurriyat faction headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani also took out a march, leading to the detention of some of them by the police.

Small protests occurred in Rainabari as locals alleged that police had arrested 14-year-old Nayeem Ahmad Dar under the PSA for pelting stones. Their allegations could not be corroborated.

The PSA allows police to keep the accused behind bars for two years without bringing formal charges, though it can be challenged in courts.

Woman members of the separatist group, Jammu and Kashmir Mass Movement, led by its chairperson Farida Bahanjee took out a procession condemning the alleged rape and murder of two Shopian women and demanded the withdrawal by troops from Kashmir.

They were prevented by the police from marching towards the United Nations Military Observers office and detained some of them. These protests, though, did not affect the normal life much.

However, Shopian witnessed bigger protests, especially by women, over the rape and murder of two women, a crime which remains unsolved. The police had to fire tear gas shells in Pulwama to contain the crowd. The south Kashmir district of Shopian remains shut as a mark of protests against the crime.

Srinagar, June 17
Militants shot dead a 50-year-old widow inside her house in Sopore town of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, a police spokesman said today.

Reshma Jan, a bank employee, was shot by the ultras from pointblank range inside her house, 55 km from here, late last night, the spokesman said.

Jan, who received a bullet each in the head and chest, was rushed to hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries, he said.

One of her daughters Shameema and her husband are working in the Police Department and the family had shifted to Sopore from Kupwara about six years back, official sources said.

They said after the death of her husband Abdul Majid Khan, a bank employee, Jan was given a job in the bank on compassionate grounds.

The motive behind the killing was not known immediately, the sources said, adding that the police had registered a case.

Srinagar, June 17
The police has solved the murder of a man, whose body was found dumped in paddy fields at Panzinara in Sumbal on June 13, with the arrest of his friend who killed him as he was unable to repay money borrowed from the deceased, police said today.

The police said it traced the abandoned cycle to Mohammad Yusuf of Panzinara who was incidentally also the last person to have been seen with the deceased. Yusuf was called for questioning where he admitted to have murdered the deceased.

Investigation carried out so far has revealed that the accused had borrowed Rs 50,000 from the deceased which he had not been able to repay. Abdul Gani used to pressure him for returning the money.

Unable to manage the amount, Yusuf hatched a conspiracy and told him he had got a contract for filling up a marshy land at Mirgund in which Gani would be his partner.

On the fateful day, both left together on the bicycle and Yusuf managed to prolong their departure till dark. Yusuf then assaulted the victim with an axe and killed him.

Jammu, June 17
As part of a drive to instill work culture in the government offices in the state, Minister for Forest Mian Altaf Ahmad today conducted surprise visits to several offices of the Forest Department and found employees absent from duty.

The minister visited the office of the Regional Director, Pollution Control Board and IWDP, Hills (Camp Office), Forest Department at Transport Yard, Narwal, and found maximum employees had not turned up even after 8:30 am. The camp office of Environment and Remote Sensing, at Transport Yard, Narwal, was found locked.

Taking strong notice of the absence of employees in the offices, the minister ordered to give the absent staff a one-day salary break and also sought explanation from them.

He directed the staff to be punctual and refrain from absenteeism, adding that they should justify the salaries they are earning by performing their duties honestly.

He told the employees that the visit was a forewarning for them to mend their ways and if anybody was found absent without permission or shied away from responsibilities, strict action would be initiated.

Jammu, June 17
While demanding convening of the budget session of the Assembly and early opening of the central university in Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) today has decided to protest in front of Raj Bhawan on June 20.

This decision was taken at a meeting held here today under the chairmanship of Harsh Dev Singh, MLA, vice- chairman of the party.

Harsh Dev Singh said the party had taken note of the intentions of the coalition government to shift the central university from Jammu to Kashmir.

The government, he rued, had also failed to identify the locations for 15 colleges announced by the Centre.