Jammu, September 1
Nearly 28 students were injured, including six seriously, in the first major clash between college students and police personnel here today.

The students were protesting inside Government Gandhi Memorial Science College against the state government, demanding setting up of the central university in Jammu.

The clash took place when the students were trying to assemble outside the college premises for conducting peaceful rally.

Pratap Singh Jamwal, state president of the Jammu Justice Students Federation, who was leading the protest demonstration, said: “When we tried to assemble outside the college premises, the police restored to lathicharge, following which students started pelting stones over them.”

Meanwhile, the executive council of the Jammu University Teachers Association (JUTA) today started a peaceful dharna in front of the Vice-Chancellor Secretariat, demanding implementation of the UGC Sixth Pay Commission Report in toto.

The dharna would be staged on every alternate day. The JUTA appealed to the Chancellor and the Pro-Chancellor of the university to implement the Sixth Pay Commission Report in toto, which includes the age of superannuation of teachers from 60 to 65 years, allowances as per the HRD notification, full pension after 20 years of qualifying service and increase in the earned leave as applicable to the central universities.

Samba, September 1
Even as the Central University Andolan Samiti (CUAS) has drawn fresh battle lines to ensure that the proposed central varsity comes up near Badori, Suchani and Rajinderpura villages, people here have also decided to take a plunge into the agitation to take it to a logical conclusion.

It may be stated here that last year the government had identified 4,000 kanals for the purpose near Badori, Suchani and Rajinderpura (Bagoona) villages, situated close to the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway. Further, a tubewell was also dug in Raya but abandoned midway for inexplicable reasons.

“There is resentment among the villagers, including youths, over the double standards of the coalition government,” said Yogeshwar Singh Jamwal, sarpanch of Suchani village, who is also the president of 37 panchayats in Vijaypur and Bishnah. Once the CUAS intensifies the agitation, we would stoke the fire, he said.

The villagers were angry with the dilly-dallying tactics of the government and the situation could take an ugly turn anytime, added Jamwal.

The Prime Minister had announced the central varsity for Jammu and we won’t let it go anywhere else at any cost, he added. Rajinder Jamwal, a student leader and president of the People’s Revolutionary Movement (PRM), who had played a significant role in the Amarnath land agitation last year, was being roped in, he said.

“We have evolved a consensus and within a couple of days we will come up with a coordination council to take the agitation to a logical conclusion,” Jamwal said.

This correspondent found the elders in Rajput-dominated villages of Badori, Rajinderpura, Suchani, Raya, Gurah Salathia, Nathwal, Sangwal and Smailpur educating youths about the indispensability of the central university.

Meanwhile, CUAS convener Justice (retd) Paviter Singh told The Tribune that the CUAS had started framing committees in various districts, tehsils and villages to intensify the agitation. Besides, the CUAS would approach ministers seeking their final word after the Assembly session was over, he added.

Srinagar, September 1
At least five persons, including a boy, were injured here today when the police fired tear gas shells and used water cannons to disperse a rally by striking employees of the State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC), demanding the release of their salaries pending for past five months.

The rally came four days after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah convened a meeting of state officers and called for formulating a well thought-out roadmap for strengthening the SRTC and making it a viable and profitable unit.

Accompanied by their family members, including children, the employees, who have been on an indefinite strike for the past over one week, took to the streets outside the SRTC headquarters and marched towards the State Assembly, officials said.

Security personnel initially resorted to a baton charge and then used water cannons on the protesters, who were raising slogans against the authorities, after they ignored the police call to disperse.

Five persons were injured in the police action evoking strong resentment among the protesters, some of whom pelted stones at the police, they said, adding that over 12 employees have been taken into preventive custody.

Meanwhile, a spokesman of the SRTC Employees Union said: "The march was peaceful and aimed at inviting the attention of the government and the legislators sitting in the Assembly." "We have been without salaries for the past five months. We are unable to meet our daily needs, leave aside the school fees of our children," the spokesman said. — PTI

Srinagar, September 1
Very much like its beginning, marked by below-the-belt allegations and acrimonious oral duels between the Treasury and opposition benches, the budget session ended on an unpleasant note today after having a surprising smooth run in between.

The PDP walked out in concluding hours, when party leaders are supposed to share their experiences of the session with the House, as ruling party members objected to a political speech being made by its president, Mehbooba Mufti.

Exploiting the occasion and brushing aside rules and proprieties guiding it, Mehbooba turned to a markedly political discourse after offering thanks to Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone for his fairness and the Assembly staff for their hard work. She said she had been repeatedly called “anti-national” by the NC for demanding revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and speaking against human rights violation by the security forces. “All parties are following our agenda now,” she said.

As she harked back to the PDP’s agenda and allegations levelled against her party, Education Minister Sham Lal rose in protest when she broached the issue of last year’s Amarnath land controversy, claiming how her party refused to budge despite being courted by the Prime Minister, Finance Minister and the National Security Adviser. “This is most unfortunate. I want to know if any rule allows her to make a political speech,” Sham Lal asked the Speaker.

Despite Lone’s request to keep her speech apolitical, Mehbooba insisted on replying to CM Omar Abdullah’s accusations and retorted that “we are politicians”. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar said it was “undignified” of the opposition leader as allegations were traded among them.

PDP members walked out after Lone cut her short and asked BJP leader Chaman Lal Gupta to speak. Cutting across party lines, senior leaders, including CPM MLA MY Tarigami, Independent Ashwani Sharma, Balwant Singh Mankotia of the Panthers Party and Choudhary Aslam of the Congress, criticised Mehbooba’s speech and the PDP walkout.

Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather said he had never seen the opposition walkout on the last day of a session in his 30 years in the Assembly.

Earlier, as the government tried to introduce and pass pending Bills in hurry on the last day, MLAs from Kupwara demanded that the Bill banning inter-district recruitment for district-cadre posts be introduced as promised earlier. Only after Sagar’s assurance that the government would take measures as soon unanimity among members is reached that work was resumed. However, Langate MLA Engineer Sheikh Rashid walked out accusing the government of “betrayal”.

Srinagar, September 1
Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone today adjourned the Assembly sine die as the House passed seven government-sponsored Bills in a day of hectic work.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar also put a copy of the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Rules, 2009, in the House for discussion amidst objections from Harsh Dev Singh of the Panthers Party that the government had committed a “lapse” by tabling the RTI Bill on the last day of the session even as the rules governing this Bill demanded that it be presented as early as possible for discussion among members.

Sagar said he did agree with Harsh Dev’s contentions “to some extent” but said the government would not cause unnecessary delay in turning the Bill into law.

The Bills passed by the House included an amendment to the Jammu and Kashmir State Finance Commission Act, 2006, and increase in the emoluments of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker of Legislative Assembly, Chairman and Deputy Chairman of Legislative Council was also passed. Bills regarding amendments to the J&K Consumer Protection Act and the Code of Criminal Procedure, Samvat 1989, were also passed.

Giving the details of business during the session, Lone said as many as 958 questions, including 545 starred and 413 un-starred, 860 written replies, 318 supplementaries, three short notice questions, eight government Bills, 139 calling attention notices, 2,727 cut motions and 101 private members resolutions marked it.

He said during debates and discussion 11 hours and 12 minutes was given to the NC, six hours four minutes to the Congress and six hours nine minutes to the BJP. PDP members walked away with the maximum allocation of time by speaking for 15 hours and 30 minutes, an indication of Lone’s fairness, which came in praise from one and the all today. Even Independent MLAs like Engineer Sheikh Rashid and Ashwani Sharma got close to one hour and 25 minutes each.

Jammu, September 1
The move of 150 families of Kashmiri Pandits to forcibly occupy one-room tenements at Nagrota camp, yet to be allocated to anyone, took another turn today with 12 of them returning the keys to the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (RRC).

However, the state government today pasted a notice on the one-room tenement building stating the occupation was illegal and monetary relief to Kashmri migrants and House Rent Allowance (HRA) of the government employees, who were part of the occupying group, will be at stake.

The Kashmiri Pandit families had broke open the locks of tenements left vacant by the Kashmiri Pandit migrants who were allotted two-room houses. The Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (RRC) confirmed that 12 trespassers returned their keys to him yesterday.

Moti Lal, prominent member of the migrants whom the RRC blamed as chief troublemaker along with Chand Ji Khair, said: “We are in touch with some ministers and will apprise them about the entire development. We will not let any one throw out the shed dwellers from these tenements.”

Acting tough on migrants who took control of vacant tenements, the commissioner said: “It is necessary to take stringent action against those who took laws in their hands. Unfortunately, the police is hobnobbing in this case which is clear from the fact that despite the complaints lodged by the assistant commissioner, it did not lose much time in releasing the accused involved in breaking the locks within two hours of arrest.”

He expressed satisfaction that people were realising their mistake as 12 of them had returned their keys to him.

Jammu, September 1
Just a couple of days after Chinese helicopters allegedly intruded into airspace on Indo-China border in Ladakh, Pakistan violated the ceasefire agreement when its troops opened fire at an Indian post in Balnoyi village in Poonch district, killing a soldier of the Gorkha Regiment just past midnight last night.

“Pak troops opened unprovoked firing, killing Lance Naik D B Gurung in the Mendhar sector of Poonch district,” said Brig Gurdeep Singh of 16 Corps.

“It is a ceasefire violation and we will strongly take it up with Pakistan,” he said, adding that a flag meeting would be held soon. Though the motive of the firing was yet to be established, it could be to help infiltration, he said.

Army spokesperson Lt-Col Biplab Nath said Pak soldiers fired around five to six bursts (150-200 rounds) but Indian troops exercised maximum restraint firing a few rounds despite the soldier’s death.

The martyr, belonging to 2/5 Gorkha Regiment, was a resident of Siliguri in Assam.

A major infiltration bid took place in Samba two weeks ago, allegedly with Pak abetment but the incident was not termed as ceasefire violation even though heavy firing had reportedly taken place then.

Udhampur, September 1
Investigation into the Rs 39.5 lakh scam in Jammu and Kashmir Bank took a new turn today when the cashier, who was allegedly absconding after swindling the money, told the cops that before leaving for his native place he had handed over the keys of the chest to his colleague. The cashier has also deposed that the cash was deposited in the chest with approval of the officials concerned.

Cashier Mohammad Iqbal Lone was arrested this morning from his native place of Marwah, Kishtwar, and taken to Bhaderwah for further investigation. During initial questioning he ruled out his involvement in the fraud, claiming that he was not “absconding” as stated by his colleagues but had gone to his village due to illness. Bhaderwah ASP TR Katoch said: “We are questioning four employees of the bank, including Mohammad Iqbal”.

As much as Rs 39.5 lakh was found short in the Bhaderwah branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank on Saturday when employees counted cash. Earlier, it was alleged that cashier Mohammad Iqbal Lone, absconding since Friday, had committed this fraud. Lone climed having left the bank after handing over the keys of the chest to another employee, Zaffar Hussain Shah, on Friday, informing the latter that he was going to his native place as he was not feeling well.

Jammu, September 1
The CBI has registered a case of forgery and fraud against Anan Sharma, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Oil Tankers Association. Official sources said the CBI booked Anan Sharma for purchasing a petrol pump sanctioned by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to a woman at Domana on the outskirts of the city here.

The woman had been given the petrol pump under the category of physically challenged persons and backward classes, they added. The sources said Sharma forged her signatures on the documents posing that the filling station was being run by the woman at the time of inspections by the IOC officials.

He also managed to get the contract of eight trucks for a year for transporting petrol from Ludhiana to Leh by forging her signatures on the documents of the IOC, they added.

KL Raina, ASP, CBI, confirmed to The Tribune that a case stand registered against Sharma.

Srinagar, September 1
The government has lifted the ban on the export of basmati, which was imposed in April last year, with immediate effect. This would benefit about 36,000 farming families, mostly in Jammu district.

Qamar Ali Akhoon, Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD), announced this in the Legislative Assembly here today.

He said 24 members of the Assembly on July 29 had raised the issue of the ban on basmati exports and he had assured them that the government would take a suitable decision during the current Budget session itself.

A notification to this effect lifting the ban on the movement and distribution of basmati outside the state was issued yesterday, the minister said. The quality of basmati of Jammu is rated among the best in the country.

Qamar said the ban was found to be anti-farmers, as they were made to sell the crop to the shellers within the state. He explained that nearly 32,000 hectares in Jammu was at present under the cultivation of basmati and the average yield per hectare was about 27 to 29 quintals.

The expenditure incurred on the cultivation of Basmati per kanal was assessed at Rs 1,200, whereas the basmati was being sold within the state at the rate ranging from Rs 1,500 to Rs 1,800 per quintal. It used to be sold at a price ranging from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 per quintal in the absence of the ban on Basmati exports.

Leh, September 1
The state government employees of Leh district today observed a mass casual leave in protest against the mysterious death of a school headmaster, demanding free and independent inquiry into the incident.

The headmaster was also a Buddhist monk Tashi Dorjey at Zangalpura in Kulgam district. He was found dead in his rented room on August 14 under mysterious circumstances.

Government schools in the district remained closed in support of their demand. The strike is called by the All-Ladakh Government Employee Association, Leh. Thousands of employees of the state government in Leh gathered at Government Girls Higher Secondary School and observe two minutes silence to expressed solidarity with the kin of the deceased.

Latter, they presented a memorandum to the government through Leh Deputy Commissioner AK Sahu and urged to conduct free and fair investigation in the case. They also urged the government to transfer the case from Kulgam to Leh district and give government job to the next kin of the deceases.

They alleged that the Director of School Education, Kashmir, misused his power by transferring innocent Ladakhi in militancy-infested area where local Kashmiris are reluctant to go. The association also urged the government to conduct fair trail of unfair dealings of the director.

Leh, September 1
The 15-day annual Ladakh Festival began with usual fanfare in Leh today. Union Tourism Minister Kumari Selja inaugurated the festival, which witnessed a large number of foreign and domestic tourists.

The inaugural function started with a cultural procession, in which various troupes of artists in colourful costumes presented cultural events of different regions of Ladakh. The procession started from Chubi village and passed through various markets of Leh town. It finally culminated at the Polo ground, where an impressive cultural function was held.

The Tourism Department organises the festival to extend the tourists season and attract more and more tourists to the region.

Speaking on the occasion, Selja said the discovery of India “starts from Ladakh” and the Centre had invested a good amount of money to develop Ladakh as one of the tourist destinations in the country.

She, however, said there was a lot to be done in the sphere of infrastructure development to tourists convenience facilities.

Highlighting the central projects for the promotion of tourism in Ladakh, the minister said Rs 4.97 crore for the development of tourist destinations and Rs 4.59 crore for the development of tourists facilities in and around Leh town had been sanctioned in the past few years.

“To develop skillful manpower locally, the Centre has also helped set up a food craft institute in Leh and Rs 2 crore has already been sanctioned,” Selja said

Later, state Tourism Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora, while talking to reporters, said the state government was stressing on exploring new tourist spots.

Jora said, “The ministry is working on seven development authorities for the Jammu region and the declaration of a heritage zone and a spiritual destination for Ladakh.”

Srinagar, September 1
The 15-day Ladakh festival that got underway in Leh today would also feature an ‘abilities mela’. The mela being organised by the People’s Action Group for Inclusion and Rights (PAGIR) would aim at altering people’s perception about physically challenged persons.

Mohammad Iqbal, president of the PAGIR, said the theme of mela was based on a unique concept called Jungwa Shungskyob (meaning protecting four elements -- earth, water, fire and air).

He said the ultimate aim of the mela was to bring about a change in the perception of people towards the physically challenged. “We want people to play their part and help in integrating the physically challenged into the mainstream and include them in development agendas,” he added.

Recognising that economic empowerment was the first step towards social empowerment and inclusion, Iqbal said, “It will engage people with disability to hone their creative skills to transform waste paper and cloth into handicrafts for decoration and items of daily use.” “The products made by physically challenged people are expected to generate interest and support from society,” said Iqbal, himself differently abled.

Srinagar, September 1
Renowned environmentalist Sundarlal Bahuguna here today launched his campaign to protect the environment in Himalayan states and gave “3As” mantra to people to stop glaciers from decline and fight global warming.

Austerity, afforestation and alternatives to industries and crops depending heavily upon water were required to reverse the damages the environment had suffered due to dams, felling of trees and increasing human intervention in nature, Bahuguna, much feted for his chipko movement to save trees in Uttarakhand, told mediapersons.

Bestowed with Padma Vibhushan, Bahuguna said Gangotri, the glacier feeding the Ganges, was not even half of its former size and it had resulted in the receding water level in country’s rivers.

He touched upon the issue of rising temperature in Kashmir, which witnessed rather hot summer this year with temperature hovering above the normal, and poor condition of water bodies.

“I will travel across all Himalayan states so that we could set our agenda before taking up issues with the government.