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Where visiting cards are
offered to connect to God
Youth’s Death
CM’s remarks irk Panun Kashmir
Khadi board officer caught taking bribe
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Show of strength by Cong dissidents
2 arrested with charas
Omar favours Srinagar-Muzaffarabad rail link
Pak national nabbed
2 youths posing as militants held
Militants regrouping in Sopore
MC safai karamcharis ‘engaged’ at councillor’s house
‘Adopt precision farming’
3 of family buried under avalanche
Jairam Ramesh coming today
CII team meets Commerce Minister
Educational tour flagged off
Workshop on faculty training
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Where visiting cards are
offered to connect to God
Patnitop, February 1 Many who don’t have visiting cards write their names and addresses on pieces of paper, including envelopes, available there, along with their special wishes. “Those whose wishes are granted return for thanksgiving and remove the visiting cards as well as the letters to God. This is done to make way for others to put the cards,” explained Raj Kumar, temple priest. The trend began five or six years ago, he revealed.“It probably started when a devotee put his visiting card with a wish written on it. Soon, others followed and many returned to say their wishes had been fulfilled”, he said. Doctors, engineers,teachers, bank managers and some journalists have also tagged their cards. At first, it looks like a marketing gimmick. But when one finds “chunris” attached, one realises the extent of belief. A devotee from Rajasthan wants to own a shop. He pleads:“Please help me in my business so that I can become the owner of a shop”.There is another insurance agent from ICICI Prudential who wants to become the best employee with the maximum policies. Though most of the wishes are related to jobs, a few are regarding the male child. Legend has that an “ichhadhari nag” used to live in the jungles of Patnitop.He often came to the temple in the garb of a saint known as Baba Gumah and disappeared after granting the wishes of the devotees. For some, the legend is 10-century-old while for rationalists, this is
nothing but mumbo jumbo and superstition. |
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35 injured in Srinagar clashes
Ehsan Fazili Tribune News Service
Srinagar, February 1
The youth, Wamiq Farooq, died at the SKIMS after he was hit by a tear gas shell in the Rajouri Kadal area of the downtown yesterday. The police has suspended the Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), who ‘had fired the shell in a negligent and careless way’, while further action was being taken, the police here said. “Following the unfortunate death of Wamiq Farooq yesterday, an ASI was placed under suspension for not having taken adequate precautions while firing a tear smoke shell towards a mob pelting police vehicle with stones at Domepora Rajouri Kadal jurisdiction of Nowhatta police station,” the police spokesman stated. Stray incidents of stone throwing occurred at Maisuma, Safakadal, Kawdara, Nowhatta and Rainawari in which six policemen were injured while showing utmost restraint while controlling the unruly mob, the police said. Tension gripped Rainawari and adjacent areas today when the body of the youth was taken to his home from the police control room before the last rites. This evoked protests in Rainawari and Khanyar areas, while the police fired in the air at Rainawari to disperse the demonstrators. It also resorted to a cane-charge and tear gas shelling in other areas like Rajouri Kadal and its adjoining localities in the downtown, apart from the uptown localities of Maisuma and Dalgate. Agitated demonstrators took to the streets at Maisuma near Budshah Chowk in the central Lal Chowk, Dalgate and the downtown localities. Shops and business establishments remained close and intermittent clashes between the angry demonstrators and the police took place. Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has called for a general strike in the valley tomorrow in protest against the alleged human rights violations in the valley, particularly with reference to the Rainawari youth’s killing, damage to houses during the encounter in Sopore where militants managed to escape, and several other such incidents. The Mirwaiz and other separatist leaders, including Shabir Ahmad Shah and Nayeem Ahmad Khan, condemned the targeted killing of the youth in the city yesterday. Both Shabir and Nayeem were kept under house arrest to prevent them from visiting Rainawari to attend the last rites of Wamiq Farooq.
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CM’s remarks irk Panun Kashmir
Jammu, February 1 According to a statement issued here, Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo, president of the PK said at a time when India had begun to see merit in the assessment of the nationalist forces that the dialogue and cross-border terrorism could not go together, the statements of the political leaders of the state pleading for a dialogue with Pakistan was intriguing. He said the government was ought to give a clear message that it was serious about tackling terror and no dialogue was possible till a credible action was taken by Pakistan. Chrungoo further said the Kashmiri Pandit community had been watching with serious concern the attempts of the government to showcase the so-called return of the community to the valley under the garb of economic packages. He said the resettlement of the Kashmiri Pandits was purely a political issue and need not be confused with economic rehabilitation or humanitarian issues. Their resettlement in Kashmir was possible only when a compact, complete and full geographic, political and economic dispensation in their separate homeland would be given to them. |
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Khadi board officer caught taking bribe
Jammu, February 1 The official has been identified as Mohammed Zaman, District Officer of the board in Rajouri. An official release said, Mohammed Farooq of Kewal village in Budhal tehsil had lodged a written complaint at SVO police station here alleging that Zaman was demanding Rs 5,000 as illegal gratification for sanctioning a loan worth Rs one lakh to his brother Manzoor Ahmed for the establishment of a barber shop. The SVO registered a case and a team of SVO officials were deputed to visit Rajouri. Zaman was caught red-handed while taking bribe from the complainant. The tainted money was seized from his possession in the presence of independent witnesses. He was arrested. |
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Show of strength by Cong dissidents
Jammu, February 1 To display their strength, the dissidents headed by Tara Chand today organised a massive rally in Udhampur . Although, Minister for Roads and Buildings (R&B) Ghulam Mohammad Saroori was conspicuous by his absence, all other rebel leaders attended the rally which was organised by Udhampur District Congress Committee president Brij Mohan. Saroori, sources said, had given his consent to attend it, but he was pre-occupied with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and could not reach there. “ The absence of Saroori doesn’t mean that our faction is disintegrating”, a dissident leader told The Tribune and added that before the rally, the minister had sounded the Deputy Chief Minister about his inability to attend the function. “ Our faction has been gaining strength with every passing day as some leaders belonging to other faction have also expressed their solidarity with our cause to save the Congress from defectors who have virtually hijacked the party”, another dissident leader disclosed. Besides Deputy Chief Minister, former ministers Jugal Kishore Sharma, Choudhary Garu Ram and Abdul Gani Vakil also attended the rally. A prominent rebel leader, R S Pathania, who has been suspended from the party for contesting the assembly election as an independent, also spoke. Pathania, a loyalist of Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, had contented the assembly poll as a rebel candidate from the Ramnagar segment and had secured 12000 votes while the Congress official nominee got only 1400 votes. Although the dissidents did not utter even a single word against Soz, they gave all credit to Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad for strengthening the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir. Further, all speakers committed to carry forward the task initiated by Azad as the overall development of the state could be possible only by adopting programmes and policies pursued by the former Chief Minister. The speakers repeatedly praised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for strengthening the party in the state. |
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2 arrested with charas
Jammu, February 1 A police officer said the duo was walking on the road at about 2:30 am and after seeing the police they tried to flee from the spot, but both were nabbed by the police party. It said the accused had been identified as Anil Kumar (37), a resident of Dohana Morh, and Gokul Kumar (26), who belongs to Bhopal and was temporarily residing at Phalan Mandal. A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered against the accused. Sub-inspector Darshan Singh, in charge of the Chatha police post, said, “In the preliminary interrogation, it seems that the accused are new in this illegal practice.” A senior police officer said investigations were on to expose the modus operandi through which the contrabands were getting circulated in the region. |
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Omar favours Srinagar-Muzaffarabad rail link
Srinagar, February 1 “It is very necessary to establish people-to-people contact for ensuring everlasting peace and tranquility, besides turning these borders and lines as abode of love and mutual friendship,” the Chief Minister said. He was addressing a public meeting at Aloosa in the border district of Kupwara in north Kashmir today after laying the foundation of a 220-metre-long bridge being constructed over Khemal Nallah at an estimated cost of Rs.6.85 crore. Omar said: “We are very eager to connect the hearts of people and promote friendship and love between the two countries”. He prayed for translating this dream into reality and said the matter regarding rail link between Kupwara-Baramulla and Kupwara-Tangdhar besides Rajouri-Poonch and Doda was taken up in a meeting held recently at Jammu with the Railway authorities. He said the Baramulla-Kupwara rail link project report was ready and release of funds was needed for the purpose. He said PCC president Saif-ud-Din Soz and Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy and NC president Farooq Abdullah had also taken up this matter with the concerned authorities. The Chief Minister said no doubt that after passing through turmoil during the past two decades, which has adversely affected development, Kashmir had not remained a developmental issue only. All aspects, including political, had to be addressed for everlasting peace and tranquility. He said the coalition government in the state and the Centre had already initiated measures to resume the dialogue process so that a lasting solution of the issue was found, which would help to develop the state on all fronts. Referring to the unemployment problem, the Chief Minister said that government had already announced an employment package to tackle this problem on various fronts. Minister for PHE and Irrigation Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Minister for R&B GM Saroori, Advisor to the Chief Minister Mubarak Gul, Ministers of State Nasir Aslam Wani and Javaid Ahmed Dar, MP Sharif-ud-Din Shariq and MLA Kupwara Mir Saifullah also spoke on the occasion. |
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Pak national nabbed
Jammu, February 1 Zaffar was arrested when he had entered the Indian territory. Sources said during preliminary questioning by the BSF Zaffar claimed that he crossed the border mistakenly. Though Zaffar said he had come to cut grass for his cattle and entered the Indian territory inadvertently, the possibility of his being an agent could not be ruled out, said the sources. The BSF has seized a sickle from his possession. |
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2 youths posing as militants held
Jammu, February 1 The villagers reported the incident to police who immediately launched a search operation and arrested two members of the gang. The two were identified as Mohammad Mustaq and Mohammad Shabir, they said, adding a hunt was on for other members. —
PTI |
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Militants regrouping in Sopore
Srinagar, February 1 As per intelligence sources, a large number of militants have regrouped in the town and are waiting for an ‘appropriate time’ to launch attacks to revive dying militancy. Sources say to intensify militant activities in the Kashmir valley following last year’s ‘record decline’ in militancy-related activities, the Pakistani handlers of militants were planning fresh attacks and the militants had chosen Sopore town as safe haven due to its dense population. “It was because of an increase in militant activities in Sopore that the administration was forced to declare it a separate police district,” a senior police officer requesting anonymity said. In the past fortnight, the town has witnessed two fierce encounters between the security forces and the militants and in both incidents the militants managed to give the security forces the slip. “It was after the attack on police station in the town in which a policeman and a civilian were killed that the administration decided to create a separate Sopore police district. Yesterday’s encounter in which a top Harkat commander was involved proves that militant activities have increased in the town,” the officer said. The Army too says there has been an increase in militant activities in Sopore town and the two recent encounters have proved that militants are trying to consolidate their position in the Kashmir valley. However, speaking to The Tribune, DGP Kuldeep Khoda said, “In the recent past, encounters were initiated by the security forces and not the militants. So, we can’t say that there has been an increase in militancy-related activities.” About the reports of the increased presence of militants in Sopore town, he said, “Sopore has been carved out as a separate police district from Baramulla and it now has a separate SP and a DSP (operations) to carry out the anti-insurgency operations.” “The militants keep on moving and, yes, they could have come to Sopore, but we are launching operations on specific information to eliminate them. We have to minimise collateral damage and take care of civilians and they (militants) in sometimes take advantage of this and manage to escape,” Khoda said. |
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MC safai karamcharis ‘engaged’ at councillor’s house
Jammu, February 1 Expressing resentment against Handoo, Gill said the councillor had engaged seven safai karmcharis namely Madan Lal, Rozi, Parveen, Pooja, Radha, Seema and Sonu for cleaning her house ahead of the Shivratri festival. “The corporation has deputed around 22 safai karamcharis in her ward for maintaining sanitation, but she has engaged some of them for her domestic work,” alleged Gill. The union president further alleged that the councillor had also appointed her husband as the supervisor of the ward and the corporation would pay Rs 3,300 per month to him. Gill warned that the union would continue to raise its voice against the unlawful act of the coucillor. Meanwhile, Handoo said Gill was levelling false allegations against her and she had not engaged any safai karamchari at her house. She alleged that Ravinder Sharma, sanitary inspector of the MC, was provoking Gill against her, as Sharma wanted her to provide employment to his men in her ward. Mayor Kavinder Gupta said the matter would be throughly probed, as such an act was against municipal rules and action would be taken against the guilty. |
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‘Adopt precision farming’
Srinagar, February 1 “You should remain updated with services being provided by University and the Meteorological Department through newspapers, radio and television from time to time,” said Prof Alam while addressing farmers during an inaugural session of a day-long farmers awareness programme at the university. The Vice-Chancellor suggested farmers to adopt precision farming developed by Indian scientists to alleviate risk factors. He observed the valley remained in dormancy with low or no production during the winter period, resulting in low food and vegetable production and scarce feed for livestock. “Protected farming is need of the hour and only alternative for boosting production,” he stressed. He asked farmers to remain in close liaison with the Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) to obtain knowledge on every subject and follow weather bulletin given by nodal officers. The main objective of the programme was to make farmers self-reliant by informing them about effective weather and climate risk management for sustainable use of natural resources for agricultural production and to develop interaction between farmers and scientists. A comprehensive programme related to climate, weather and farmers was prepared, presented and discussed in detail by experts. The programme would help raise awareness of farmers about current advances in provision of weather and climate information for facilitating operational decisions on farm. Prof BA Khanday of Division of Agronomy and Nodal Officer informed participants about the role of the university in dealing with climate and weather issues related with crop production and productivity. Sonam Lotus, in charge, Meteorological Services, spoke about functions of the department with special reference to agriculture. Two manuals, ‘Measurement of Rainfall’ and ‘25 Years of Rainfall Data of Srinagar District’, were released by the Vice-Chancellor on the occasion and five plastic rain gauges were distributed to programme coordinators of KVKs for installation in the field of progressive farming. |
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3 of family buried under avalanche
Jammu, February 1 He said a rescue operation with the Army had been launched in the area. “This is a remote area having no cellphone connectivity and a team has gone there to rescue them. But no report has been received yet,” he said. —
TNS |
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Jairam Ramesh coming today
Jammu, February 1 Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will be the chief guest. Minister for Forest and Environment Mian Altaf and Minister of State for Forest Shabir Ahmed Khan will also participate in the function. |
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CII team meets Commerce Minister
Jammu, February 1 The major issue raised was that of income tax. At the time of announcement of industrial incentives in 2002, two major benefits were promised by the union government, i.e. exemption from excise duty and exemption from income tax, the CII chairman told the minister. Recently, the Commissionerate of Income Tax in Jammu had raised demands worth approximately Rs 500 crore on the ground that the amount of exemption given in respect of excise duty was not eligible for the benefit of deduction, which is allowable under section 80IB of Income Tax Act, 1961, in respect of the profits derived from industrial undertakings, he said. This demand has been raised by slapping income tax upon the industrial units, which were otherwise exempted from the purview of payment of income tax by disallowing the exemption and imposing it on the amount equivalent to the exemption of Central excise duty. Puri told the Minister that this was not fair and the matter should be taken up with the union government. Considering that the government decision was pending on the subject, the Income Tax Department here should be instructed not to press for the recovery of tax, so as to give immediate relief to the affected units, he demanded. The other issues that were discussed were denying of rebate benefit to export and deemed export from units in the state, disparity in availing of central excise exemption between new units and existing units (which undertook substantial expansion), removal of entry tax, (reduction in rate of vat imposed on diesel, exemption of work contract tax/service tax, 3 per cent interest subsidy, provident fund, continuation of VAT remission, removal of toll tax on fuel, consumables and packaging material, obtaining of quarterly certification from DIC, reduction in stamp duty on land, SSI units executing contracts on turn-key basis, incentives for energy saving schemes, price preference, issue related to agro industries, entry tax on earth moving equipment. The Minister gave a patient hearing to the issues put up by the CII delegation and suggested that finance related issues should be taken up with the State Finance Department. All the industrial issues projected would be examined on file and implemented on merit, he said. |
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Educational tour flagged off
Srinagar, February 1 The tour aims at fostering brotherhood, feeling of unity and creating awareness of our nation’s multi-faceted identity. Students would be visiting historical and religious places along with premier institutes of India at Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Ajmer. Students will also be shown how international call centres and a five-star deluxe hotels function. Special arrangements have been made for the touring students to witness para jumps at Agra. |
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Workshop on faculty training
Jammu, February 1 Wipro resource persons from Bangalore, Hyderabad and Delhi are participating in the workshop. Wipro professionals will interact with the college faculty to cover Dale Carnegie, High Impact Teaching Skills (HITS) module, Cambridge module and Mission 10 X Learning Approach (MXLA). The Mission 10 X programme is aimed at increasing the employability of engineering graduates by training the faculty in using an innovative teaching methodology. |
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Visiting cards are not for this world only. Some use these to connect to God.
At Baba Gumah Nag Mandir in Patnitop, thousands of visiting cards are tagged on grills, gates and trees of the ancient temple.
