Srinagar September 20
The police and civil administration have made arrangements to ensure smooth flow of traffic and provide adequate supplies of essential commodities in the valley on Id-ul-Fitr tomorrow.

The district officials inspected various markets to ensure the availability of essential commodities, display of rate lists fixed by the authorities and other services.

Some shopkeepers have been booked for the violation of the Essential 
Commodities Act.

Meanwhile,the main congregations to offer Id prayers will be held at the Eidgah and the Hazratbal shrine apart from other mosques and shrines across the valley.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq will address the congregation at the Eidgah after which Id prayers will be offered and the namaz at the Hazratbal shrine will be offered.

For the past one week, there has been a heavy rush of shoppers in the market places in the summer capital and other major towns of the valley.

The heavy rush led to an unprecedented hustle and bustle in the central Lal Chowk area during the past many days.

Jammu, September 20
Putting a question mark on the skills of the Jammu police, the State Forensic Laboratory has stated that the weapon allegedly recovered in the Amandeep murder case was rusted and no shot was fired from it.

The cops, who had recovered the weapon, could have easily noted this owing to their experience in field or training but that was not the case. The state government had already suspended six cops, including ex-SSP, Jammu, and five others in the case. The police amended the murder FIR last night by incorporating the allegation of tampering with the evidence. However, the name of the cops responsible for tampering will be added after the investigation.

Newly posted Jammu SSP Basant Kumar Rath on his first day of joining told mediapersons today that he would provide a transparent and effective change in the police investigation, especially in the Amandeep murder case.

The police image has taken a beating in the case due to the allegations of tampering with the weapon allegedly used in the crime.

The state government has also ordered the constitution of a special investigation team under the Kathua DIG in the case.

Meanwhile, the mother of the deceased (Amandeep), who is also the main eyewitness of the murder, alleged that the cops were even telling her to name a person who had not shot her son.

“The police tried to confuse her in giving her statement so as to shield the main accused, son of a prominent businessman.”

The FIR states that 25-year old Amandeep Singh, son of ex-MLC Deepinder Kour, was shot dead allegedly by Jatinder Singh, son of Choudhary Nagar Singh, a prominent businessman, on August 29.

Former NC legislator Deepinder Kour (now a PDP leader) told The Tribune, “I had complained that certain cops had taken money to save the main accused, Jatinder Singh, alias Raja.”

“The police was trying to project Royal Singh as main accused and Jatinder Singh as co-accused so as to save the latter,” she said.

She regretted that despite being an eyewitness to her son’ murder, the police tried to confuse her so as to get a statement that could provide a safe passage to Jatinder Singh.

The PDP leader admitted that former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed had assured her to take up the case at the highest level.

Srinagar, September 20
Welcoming the decision of the Union Industry and Commerce Ministry to declare Srinagar and Anantnag districts as towns of export excellence, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCC&I) has said the decision taken under the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) would boost various aspects related to handicraft industry.

A spokesperson of the industry body said the step would give a fillip in capacity building, export promotion projects for marketing and also special finance assistance under the ASIDE (Assistance to States for Infrastructure Development of Exports) scheme.

“By declaring Srinagar and Anantnag as towns of export excellence, the Government of India has recognised efforts of not only the artisans, but also those of export community of Kashmir, particularly of these two districts,” he said.

The spokesperson added that power supply should to be stabilised through additional transformers and assistance should be given for setting up common facility treatment centres housing all facilities.

“The state government can take benefit by creating new export promotion industrial parks/zones and also by meeting their requirements for capital outlay. This needs to be complemented by developing infrastructure.

This would connect production centres with ports and supplement them by setting up inland container depots and container freight stations,” he stated.

The KCC&I has already submitted capacity building projects like the comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme and the Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme. The same are likely to be expedited in an easy manner following the declaration of the Union Commerce Ministry to give export excellence status to Srinagar and Anantnag.

The chamber believes that by giving higher allocation of market development assistance and market access initiative schemes, the exporters will get help in conducting market studies as well as market surveys.

According to the spokesperson, these initiatives would help in setting up showroom/warehouse for specific international trade fairs, organising displays in international departmental stores, public campaigns and brand promotion.

“The government will provide financial assistance to the tune of 25-100 per cent for organising various business activities. Also, assistance would be given in organising trade fairs and buyer-seller meet abroad as well as financial assistance for travel grant to exporters,” he added.

Srinagar, September 20
A new comprehensive langar policy is being formulated for next year’s Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir in view of the feedback received during the annual pilgrimage in the past years.

Chief executive officer of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) RK Goyal said here yesterday the concerns and suggestions of organisations setting up langars during the yatra period would be duly taken into account before finalising the new policy.

For this purpose, the board is organising an interactive workshop in which the charitable organisations that operate langars would participate on October 27 here.

“The new policy is likely to be announced by the close of this year and the authorisation letters will be issued by January 20 next,” Goyal said.

While recognising the role of the langars in the conduct of the annual pilgrimage in the Himalayan region, the CEO observed that establishment of these would be allowed at various identified locations strictly as per the envisaged requirements.

The board, he said, would rationalise the number of langars at the base camps of Baltal and Nunwan at the holy cave and at each of the other designated locations en route the cave shrine. The new policy, aimed at further improving and streamlining the langar facilities, would inter-alia take care of the interests of pilgrims and other stakeholders and service providers.

A uniform location-specific approach would be adopted to move towards a transparent policy regime in respect of all the langars, Goyal maintained.

In a communication addressed to the organisations setting up langars during the yatra, the CEO has advised them not to enroll members or receive and collect any donations for establishing the langar facility during the next year’s yatra till they have received the board’s permission to establish one or more langars.

Jammu, September 20
All Party Migrant Co-ordination Committee (APMCC) said the constitution of an Apex Committee to monitor the return of Kashmiri migrants to the valley was a golden opportunity for the state government to prove its credibility before the Kashmiri Pandit community.

According to a statement issued here today, APMCC chairman Vinod Pandit said his organisation would participate in the meeting of the Apex Committee as it was only through a dialogue process that the real intention of the government could be gauged.

He said his organisation would not hesitate in withdrawing from the Apex Committee if it was found that the government was not serious in solving the real problems of the Kashmiri Pandits.

“It was for the first time in the past 20 years of exile that the government has constituted a committee comprising of Kashmiri Pandit leaders,” Vinod said.

He added that the issue of employment, relief enhancement, temple bill, problems of traders, issue of Kashmiri Pandit youth, encroachment of temple and shrine property, autonomous development board and establishing Shardha Peet University were the basic issues that need to be discussed with the government before deciding anything on their return.

Jammu, September 20
In connection with the 5133rd birth anniversary of Maharaja Agrasen, the Aggarwal Sabha of Jammu and Kashmir organised a function here today.

On the occasion, a hawan and puran ahuti was performed amid the chanting of hymns.

A cultural programme was also held.Meritorious students were honoured on the occasion.President of the Aggarwal Sabha, J&K, Dewan Chand Bansal welcomed the gathering.

Rajouri, September 20
As many as 12 persons died of an unknown disease in border areas of Nowshera here in the past two weeks whereas more than 50 suspects have been admitted in various hospitals across this border district yesterday.

Even as the block medical officer, Nowshera, has said the disease is spreading in other areas outside its epicentre, the deputy director, Health Services, Jammu said this disease was not communicable and was due to consumption of polluted water.

The disease was first reported from the border area of Bhawani, Nonial, Jhangar, Chowki, Langar and Ganiya of Nowshera, but is now spreading to the adjoining areas of Kalakote and Sunderbani.

Sources in the Health Department said 12 persons had died due to this unknown disease in the past two weeks. They said the deceased include a couple from Ganiya village, two persons from Nonial village, a student and a housewife from the Langar area.

Confirming the disease, block medical officer (BMO), Nowshera, Rajinder Singh Samyal said a majority of suspects complained of high fever and jaundice. “We received nearly 15 patients in the past one week and admitted more than 25 suspects since Friday.

We have also referred some patients to Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu. Only today we referred a housewife from Garan village to the GMC since her condition was quite serious.”

District health officer Sadiq Khan said some cases had been reported from Kalakote and Sunderbani tehsils also. He said the department had launched a household survey in Nowshera and other areas and the report would probably come out within five days.

Deputy director, Health Services, Jammu, AK Verma said there was nothing to worry and the situation was under control. “Though the exact cause of the disease is not known yet, it could be polluted water. We have asked the Water Supply Department to use bleaching powder to clear the water and request people also to use the same in their water tanks.”

Udhampur, September 20
Daily wage and contractual employees engaged by various government departments have been bearing the brunt due to delay in the release of funds under the plan scheme.

These employees have not been paid salaries for the past more than six months due to the non-availability of funds. Even salaries for July and August of regular employees of some departments have not been released.

As there is a remote chance that the salaries will be released within a week, employees in Udhampur and Reasi have to celebrate Id and Navratras without festivity.

Five months have passed after the current financial year began, but funds under the plan scheme are yet to be released because the meetings of the District Development Board (DDB) for Udhampur and Reasi districts are yet to be convened. 

Funds under the plan will be released only after the approval of the developmental projects in the DDB meetings. Contractual as well as daily wage employees engaged in these projects have been bearing the brunt of the inordinate delay in convening the meetings.

On the one hand, the poor employees have been facing hardship due to delay in the DDB meetings, on the other all developmental activities have virtually come to a standstill due to the non-release of funds.

Important to note that vital departments like the Public Health Engineer (PHE), the Power Development Department (PDD) and the Rural Development Department (RDD) have been functioning with the help of daily wage and contractual employees. 

These temporary employees, who have been getting a meagre amount as salaries, are considered as the backbone of these departments.

“How long we will continue to work without salaries?,” rued Ravinder Singh Slathia, leader of the Daily Wagers Union of PDD. He said most of the daily wage workers were on the verge of starvation, as they had not been paid salaries for the past six months.

Ashok Singh, District Treasury Officer (DTO), Udhampur, admitted that salaries that fall under the non-plan component had been released, but wages under the plan component were yet to be released.

Notwithstanding the claims of the authorities, sources disclosed that salary bills worth Rs 10 crore of different government departments, which falls under the plan component, were still pending in different treasuries in Udhampur district alone.

Udhampur, September 20
Formation of Village Education Committees (VECs), reportedly in the house of Panthers Party (PP) MLA and former Education Minister Harsh Dev Singh, has taken a political turn as Congress workers have taken up the matter with Pradesh Congress Committee chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz and Education Minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed.

As the issue is taking political colouring, the authorities have started damage control exercise. While DC (Udhampur) Ajay Khajuria has maintained silence over the issue, Chief Education Officer (CEO) SK Gandotra has expressed ignorance over the matter. “There is a provision in the Act that the VECs should be constituted with consultations of the MLAs concerned,” he said, while quoting Order No 640 of the Education Department. He, however, said the VECs should be constituted only on the directions of the MLAs.

According to sources, the DC has taken note of the allegations and has ordered an inquiry, to be headed by Chief Education Officer. Also, reports have been sought from Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs), who had allegedly gone to Harsh Dev Singh’s house to seek his consent to form the committes.

Under Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan, formation of the VECs was must to monitor functioning of government schools in rural areas. According to a government order, these committees should to be constituted by the ZEOs in collaboration with village headmasters after calling general meetings of respective villages in the presence of local panchayats.

After getting information that names of VEC members were finalised at the residence of sitting Panthers Party MLA, Congress workers decided to settle scores with those who were still working on the directions of Panthers Party leaders. 

A general meeting of office-bearers and executive members of the Youth Congress was held at Ramnagar wherein Mulkh Raj, senior vice-president of the Pradesh Youth Congress, was critical of the Education Department in convening a meeting of thte ZEOs at the house of Harsh Dev Singh.

He said politicisation of education has been brought to the notice of the PCC chief and the Education Minister and action would be taken against those officials who have been working on the directions of the Opposition.

Jammu, September 20
Though the office of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (RRC) has got back keys from 150 Kashmiri Pandits, who had forcibly moved in vacant one- room tenements (ORTs) in Nagrota, the RRC is now planning to act tough with such families which have not yet vacated the tenements.

RRC Vinod Kaul said it was after he filed an FIR against Moti Lal, senior leader of the Kashmiri Pandits, who allegedly instigated people to defy the law and take possession of vacant houses that the others started depositing the keys with the RRC office.

“This act of defiance also spoiled the chances of those people who otherwise were supposed to get these houses but joined hands with the leader and took law in their hands,” he said.

Moti Lal said nothing came out of the investigation being carried against him and he came clean from charges of bribery, but the RRC said the police was yet to take action against him.

Amidst all this drama, people who rushed to grab vacant homes in a bid to have better living, are now distraught. Sheetal Kaul, a housewife, said since her family came from bifurcated families she should have been allowed to retain the house. 

He criticised the ministers and bureaucrats, who were declaring that roads would be in proper condition before the Darbar Move and said that the condition of roads remained deplorable and created problems for people.