Jammu, March 4
The issue of discrimination with the Jammu region created pandemonium in the Assembly as members of the BJP, Jammu State Morcha (JSM) and the Panthers Party corned the government on meting out step motherly treatment with this region.

Infuriated over the remarks of a minister and unsatisfied with the reply of the government, members of these parties later staged a walk out from the House.

First on the issue of sanction grants for the development of tourism in the state and later on discrimination with migrants of Jammu, the members grilled the government and charged the coalition with meting out step motherly treatment.

The pandemonium was created in the House when Minister of Tourism Nawang Rigzin Jora was giving reply to the question of Mohammad Sharief Niaz about the steps taken by the government for the development of tourism.

Intervening in the debate, Panthers Party MLA Harsh Dev Singh, quoting official figures, said total 92 lakh tourists had visited the state last year. Out of these tourists, 82 lakh visited the Jammu region only, he said and pointed out that despite influx of such a huge number of tourists, this region had been ignored while sanctioning funds for the development of tourist infrastructure.

Coming down heavily on the government for discriminating against the Jammu region, Harsh Dev pointed out that an amount of Rs 300 crore had been sanctioned for the preservation of the Dal Lake and a whooping sum of Rs 2,200 crore for the Wullar Lake. “It is a glaring example of discrimination that there is no mention of Mansar and Surinsar lakes of the Jammu region,” he shouted.

As Harsh Dev was quoting figures, he was also joined by his party colleagues, JSM and BJP members.

All Jammu-based opposition parties blamed the coalition of meting out stepmotherly treatment to the Jammu region. Amidst the pandemonium, the Tourism Minister passed a remark against the agitation MLAs. Though the minister’s remark was later expunged from the proceeding of the House, the agitating members resorted to shouting slogans against the government and later staged a walk out from the House.

Similar situation was emerged when Panthers Party MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia raised the issue of distribution of relief to the migrants of this region. He alleged despite directions from the Supreme Court, the state government was not giving relief to the Jammu migrants on par with the displaced people from Kashmir. He said a large number of people had left their home and hearts in late 90s due to terrorism and had taken shelter in different areas of the Jammu region. He regretted that the government had adopted different parameters in providing relief.

He was also joined by JSM MLA Ashwani Sharma, who regretted that the government was even discriminating with the migrants.

Udhampur, March 4
Consensus emerged at a one-day workshop organised here today to discuss the modalities for the preparation of Economic Opportunity Development Plan (EODP) to develop holy Devika at Udhampur town as pilgrimage tourist destination. The idea received nod due to almost central location of Udhampur in the tourist circuit comprising of Vaishno Devi shrine, Sudhmahadev and Maantalai.

Highlighting the purpose of the workshop, the District Development Commissioner, Udhampur, said the purpose of this workshop was to discuss the background of economic opportunity development plans and what was actually required to make the town eligible for funding of infrastructure under the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Scheme.

During the workshop, threadbare group discussions were held, especially focusing attention on accommodating futuristic urban growth, including opportunities for economic growth, infrastructure development, capacity building and institutional arrangements for Udhampur town’s economic uplift, including tourism.

Assuring all help to the consultants, the District Development Commissioner appointed Additional District Development Commissioner Udhampur as nodal officer of the district for providing any information to the Consultancy as and when asked for the time-bound preparation of the EODP for Udhampur town. He also directed the district heads concerned to keep every information readily available as and when required by the nodal officer.

President, Municipal Council, Udhampur, Ashok Gupta, Additional District Development Commissioner Ram Rattan Sharma, DHV Project Support Consultants, J&K Urban Sector Development Investment Programme (JKUSDIP), Chief Planning Officer, H.H. Dutt, Superintending Engineer, Hydraulics, N.K. Rohmetra, Executive Engineers of PHE, PWD, PDD and UEED, District Officers, presidents of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Beopar Mandal, Bar Association attended the workshop.

Srinagar, March 4
A senior BSF officer, who was suspended in connection with the killing of 16-year-old Zahid Farooq of Brein in Nishat, was arrested by the police here today.

The Commandant of the 68 Battalion of the BSF was held for allegedly ordering the killing of the teenager on February 5 while his convoy passed from the area where a group of young boys were playing cricket.

A senior BSF officer said: “The police had requested the BSF to send Commandant RK Birdi to record his statement to the police station. He went there in the morning,” the officer said.

The Special Investigation Team constituted to probe the killing of Zahid Farooq had earlier also questioned some BSF personnel in this connection.

“Some officers were called earlier for recording their statements and Commandant Birdi was called as part of the questioning,” the officer said.

The Commandant was later taken into custody by the police at Kothi Bagh police station. The police said Birdi had been arrested on charges of murder and destruction of evidence. “He has been booked under Section 302, 109 and 201 of the RPC,” a senior police officer said.

Earlier, the BSF authorities had handed over constable Lakhvinder Kumar to the police after an internal inquiry by the BSF found that the bullet that killed Zahid was fired from his service weapon.

“We have sufficient evidence that the Commandant had ordered to shoot the boy and he had also played a role in changing the original weapon that was used in the crime,” the police officer said.

Meanwhile, a local court today ruled that since the commandant had surrendered before the police, his anticipatry bail had become infructuous. It also remanded him in police custody for two days.

Jammu, March 4
As members were not unanimous on the demand of withdrawal of troops and revocation of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA), a resolution moved in the Assembly by Opposition PDP members was rejected by the House.

Interestingly, ruling party member Mir Saifullah has also supported Bills of the Opposition PDP but BJP, Panthers and JSM members strongly opposed any move to withdraw troops at this juncture.

Initiating the debate in the Assembly, PDP member Nizad-ud-Din Bhat termed the AFSPA as draconian and harsh. He admitted that the situation was entirely different when such laws were imposed in the state but now the situation had changed and such laws had lost their relevance and were undermining the normal functioning of the democratic system. He said stray incidents of militancy in different parts of the state was not the parameter to assess the situation. He termed the AFSPA as an impediment to the peace process initiated by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and further carried forward by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“This Act is a contrast to the bigger agenda of the peace process.So, there is need to revoke such Acts to exhibit sincerity to the peace agenda”, he said, adding that the AFSPA was an irritant to the whole process of reconciliation.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also supported the demand for the withdrawal of troops and revocation of the AFSPA. She, however, suggested that this process should be started from the district level as an experiment. The Working Group headed by the present vice-president had also recommended withdrawal of troops and revocation of the AFSPA, she said. CPM member MY Tarigami also supported the demand.

She added that the Prime Minister had himself announced in November 2004 that the situation had improved and there was need for gradual reduction of troops from Kashmir.

Panthers Party member Harsh Dev Singh while opposing such demands, said the situation was not conducive to take some steps. He pointed out that first time in the past 15 years, the government could not unfurl the National Flag at the Lal Chowk of Srinagar and this spoke about the pressure of terrorists.

“There is an extraordinary situation in the state which requires extraordinary laws”, he said, adding that terrorists could not be nabbed with normal civilians laws.

He further said the local police was neither professional nor psychologically prepared to take on the militants.

BJP leader Prof Chaman Lal Gupta and JSM member Ashwani Sharma opposed any move to withdraw troops. They said the situation was not ripe to completely hand over the security to the police.

Later in his reply, Minister of Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Sagar said the government had already initiated the process in this regard so there was no need to press for such resolutions. As the PDP members were adamant on voting on the resolution, the resolutions were rejected in the House by the voice vote.

Srinagar, March 4
The CRPF, apart from its anti-militant operations in the valley, is engaged in various civic action programmes and development activities to win the hearts of the people in the militancy-hit areas.

Two such programmes were held at Awantipora and Khellan in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, during the past two days, which included a permanent ghat for public on the Jhelum at Awantipora and distribution of sports items among students at
Khellan.

In this connection 130 Bn of CRPF located at Awantipora, responding to the demand for locals constructed two bathing complex and a permanent Ghat at Ghatpora
Mohalla at the cost of Rs 38,000.

The Ghat was inaugurated by Anil Minz, CO, 130 Bn CRPF, which was attended by senior police and civil officers and prominent citizens on Tuesday. Speaking on the occasion,Minz said the CRPF was always ready to help people.

Under the programme, the 130 Bn CRPF also distributed various sports items worth Rs 12,000 to students of Government Middle School, Khellan village.

The CRPF is also planning to distribute water storage tanks worth Rs 50,000 to various schools located in the interior areas of south Kashmir, in March and April, a spokesman said.

This would help in solving the hygiene and sanitation problems being faced by thousands of schoolchildren in the area, he added.

Srinagar, March 4
Cold conditions revived in Jammu and Kashmir as upper reaches of the state received heavy snowfall, while the plains were lashed by rains.

Srinagar received 7.1 mm of rains and settled at a minimum temperature of 4.4°C, while Jammu recorded a low of 15.2°C, the Met office said.

Batote, Kupwara and Kokernag received heavy rainfall, while upper reaches of Gulmarg and Pahalgam, both hill resorts, were lashed by snowfall.

Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded 12 mm of snow and was the coldest place in the valley with a low of minus 2.5 °C.

Pahalgam in south Kashmir which received 25.8 mm of rains recorded a minimum of .3°C.

Qazigund and Kokernag in south Kashmir registered rainfall between 3.2 to 16 mm with a low of 3.5°C and 3.2°C, respectively.

Batote, Banihal, Bhaderwah and Katra in Jammu also received rainfall.

Kargil and Leh in frontier region of Ladakh continued to reel under intense cold with a low of - 4°C and - .8°C. - PTI