RS Pura, March 19
It was a historic day for 146 families of Pakistan refugees, who migrated during Partition, as they were given compensation, but still the historic wrong done to them and their forefathers continued to rankle them.

The state government finally cleared the claims of land compensation of families, which were forced to migrate here from different parts of Pakistan during Partition, by distributing cheques for Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh today. But this has only opened old wounds and added to bitterness.

For, these families were promised land here in lieu of land lost in Pakistan. But due to limited availability, those left out were promised a Rs 12,000 lump sum compensation in 1947. Calculating it in today’s context, the amount would surely cross Rs 1 crore.

“Had our forefathers been paid Rs 12,000 in their times, succeeding generations would have benefited. Now, after 62 years they have paid us and that too just this much,” said Raja Singh, the de facto sarpanch of Simbal camp (No fresh elections have been held and he is continuing on the post since 2001).

Amrik Singh, a social worker, explained, “In 1947, the government announced 16 kanals for a family of one or two persons, 24 kanals for a family of three and 32 kanals for a family of five or more. Due to paucity of land, many eligible families were told that they would get cash compensation instead. But none got it.”

“If you consider land prices of those days, a person could have bought several kanals in the open market, but today what can you buy in Rs 1.5 lakh,” asks Raja Singh.

Revenue and Relief Minister Raman Bhalla, who distributed the cheques, agreed the historic wrong was still hurting. “I am personally not satisfied with the compensation, but something is better than nothing. I am the first minister to have got the compensation enhanced and paid.”

Bhalla said with early assistance three generations of displaced families would not have suffered, but he could help only when he became the minister. “I have been taking up the issue earlier also and now we would send a revised proposal to the central government.”

Though the number of such families was 42,000, the government claims it has the record of 4,000 families only. Sarpanch Raja Singh said this was because the government did not maintain the record properly. However, Bhalla said he was giving another opportunity to people to fill requisite forms again.

Rajbagh, March 19
About 1,000 farmers blocked traffic on the Jammu-Pathankot national highway for over three hours here today.The farmers from several villages falling in Hiranagar, Rajbagh and Paharpur areas blocked the highway around 11 am today in protest against, what they claimed, a government decision not to release water from the Ujh barrage into the canal before March 31.

“We have met the Deputy Commissioner of Kathua, Sanjeev Verma, thrice, but water for irrigation has not been released into the canal since January 14, aggravating the miseries of farmers in Samba, Kathua and Hiranagar areas,” said Jaswant Singh, Kathua district president of the Rashtriya Kissan Sangthan.

While crops had been damaged completely, vegetables, in the absence of moisture in the soil, were facing a severe threat, he said. “The department had released water into the canal on March 15 last year, on March 10 in 2008 and March 5 in 2007, but this year the government at the expense of farmers had decided not to release water before March 31,” said Jaswant Singh.

Shouting slogans against the coalition government, farmers blocked the highway bringing vehicular movement to a grinding halt. Senior officers from police, revenue and irrigation departments rushed to the spot and tried to pacify agitating farmers.

SDPO, Borders, Sukhdev Raj Bhasin, SHO, Rajbagh, Kaushal Kumar, Irrigation Department Executive Engineer AK Koul, Kathua Tehsildar Avtar Singh, Hiranagar Tehsildar (Settlement) Subhash Sharma and Hiranagar Tehsildar (Territorial) Surinder Bhagat tried to pacify the farmers, who refused to lift the blockade.

However, after the Revenue Department officials assured them about the release of water into the Ujh canal by 11 am tomorrow, the farmers started dispersing.

Though a strong posse of police personnel was present at the protest site, government officials saved the situation and engaged the farmers in parleys and eventually convinced them to lift the blockade.

However, a large number of vehicles remained stranded on the ever busy highway for over three hours, causing hardships to daily commuters and others.

Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Kissan Sangthan threatened to block Lakhanpur’s gateway to the state tomorrow, with the help of farmers from Vijaypur and Samba areas if the government failed to release water by 11 am tomorrow.

Jammu, March 19
The Centre and state governments have formulated a number of policies for the rehabilitation and return of Kashmiri Pandits to their native places, but not even a single migrant has so far returned to the valley since their displacement.

This was admitted by the government in the state Assembly today. In a written reply to a question of Hakeem Mohammad Yasin, Minister of Revenue Raman Bhalla said a package of Rs 1618.40 crore had been sanctioned by the union government for the return and rehabilitation of the Kashmiri migrants to the valley. “The state government has also accorded approval to the scheme vide Government Order No Rev/MR/141 of 2009 dated 26.10.2009”, Bhalla said.

Giving the details of the scheme, Bhalla said 3000 supernumerary posts had been created, exclusively for Kashmir migrants willing to return to the valley. These posts had already been referred to the recruitment agencies and the process for the selection of these posts was on, he said.

When the member asked how many migrants had so far returned to the valley, the reply of the minister was in the negative. “So far, no Kashmir migrant, including Kashmiri Pandit, has returned to the valley”, he admitted.

On the new recruitment policy to encourage return of migrants, the minister made it clear that the posts had been created for all registered Kashmiri migrants, including Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims and not exclusively for Kashmiri Pandits.

When asked about the quota for those Kashmiri Pandit youths who had not migrated from the valley, the minister said no separate quota had been fixed for the those Pandit youths who had stayed back in the valley. He, however, made it clear that internally displaced families, including Kashmiri Pandits, who had not migrated but were dislocated internally within the valley due to security reasons shall also qualify for the posts created for the migrants on the basis on their merit.

Srinagar, March 19
The situation continued to remain tense in Sopore town of Baramulla district for the third consecutive day today as the police had to fire several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse protesters who were demonstrating against the death of a local youth, Tanvir Ahmed, allegedly in police firing on Tuesday.

Sources said 10 persons were injured when the police resorted to a cane-charge on the agitators. The situation in the town was tense following the strike call, as a large number of local residents, including youths and women, came out on the streets in protest against Tanvir’s death.

Shops and business establishments in the town remained closed and government offices also witnessed a thin attendance.Traffic also remained off the roads.

The police had to resort to a cane-charge and fire tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. “Prohibitory orders were in place in the town for the third day today. But when some mischievous elements tried to disrupt the law and order in the town, we had to use a mild force,” a senior police officer said.

He said the police fired tear gas shells and cane-charged the protesters.The agitators alleged that Tanvir was killed in police firing after some militants attacked a patrol party at the Sopore bus stand on Tuesday evening. Two persons, including a special police officer (SPO), were killed and four others injured in the shootout.

The police said Tanvir died after he was caught in the exchange of fire between its personnel and the militants.

The locals also alleged that after the firing, the police arrested three traders — Fayaz Ahmed, Irshad Ahmad and Ali Mohammad — and tortured them. “Since militant activities have increased in the area, the police has been harassing locals. It picks up local traders and beats them up without any reason. This has badly affected our livelihood,” said Ghulam Mohammad, a local trader.

Sumbal, March 19
To curb the menace of stone throwing by protesting youths in various parts of the Kashmir valley, the CRPF has adopted a novel way to keep them busy in ‘productive’ activities.Besides holding civil action programmes in which the force tries to mix with local youths, the CRPF organised a T20 cricket tournament and distributed cricket gear among youths to dissuade them from indulging in stone throwing on security personnel and other anti-social activities.

A T20 cricket tournament was organised by the 45 Battalion of the CRPF in the Sumbal area of Bandipora district in which a large number of local teams participated.

“Youths here don’t have access to much sports facilities, so we decided to organise a cricket tournament. We have also given them sports kits that will keep them occupied so that they could lead a better life,” said Sonal Kumar, Commandant of CRPF’s 45 Battalion.

He said it was the moral duty of the force to help the youths channel their energies into creative activities, which could be beneficial to the Kashmir valley and the country as well.

Sonal said in the past too the force had been extending a helping hand to the youths of the area and it would continue with this gesture in the days to come.

He said the response to the T20 cricket tournament was tremendous and teams from various parts of the valley participated. “Around 24 teams from different parts of the valley took part in the tournament and the final match was won by a team from Safapora, which defeated a team from Sumbal,” another CRPF officer said.

The participants also expressed happiness and said the

CRPF should organise more such events so that the valley youths could use their energies in constructive activities.

“Sport unites people and we are grateful to the CRPF for organising such a tournament. During the tournament, we got an opportunity to interact with security men and we came to realise that they are here for us and we should also cooperate with them in maintaining peace and tranquillity in our beautiful valley,” said Mohsin Ahmed, a participant of the tournament.

Jabbar Ahmed, an elderly resident of the area, who had come to watch the tournament, said, “We have seen a lot of bloodshed. Many young people, who indulged in stone throwing, have lost their lives. We should give them such avenues so that they can contribute towards nation building.”

Jammu, March 19
The Assembly today witnessed noisy scenes and pandemonium on the issue of giving compensation to residents of the border areas who got displaced from their native places during the Operation Parakaram after Kargil intrusion and their land was occupied by the authorities for defence purposes.

MLAs belonging to the border belt of the Jammu region entered into a verbal duel with the ruling NC member from Gurez, Nazir Gurezi, who also wanted to highlight the problems of his area.

After creating pandemonium in the House for quite some time, members of the BJP, Panthers Party and the Jammu State Morcha (JSM) staged a walkout from the Assembly.

When Minister of Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Sagar was replying on behalf of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on the question of Suchetgarh MLA Choudhary Sham Lal, other members belonging to the border areas also stood up and shouted slogans when they didn’t get satisfactory reply.

While quoting the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the previous Congress-PDP government, he said it was very much mentioned in the document that the alternative land be provided to the inhabitants of the border areas, who falls under the range of Pakistani firing.

Echoing the similar views, Panthers Party leader Harsh Dev Singh regretted that the government had promised to give compensation to those farmers whose land had been mined during the tension on the border. “No compensation has been given to the border people so far,” he shouted. His stand was endorsed by BJP member Jugal Kishore Sharma.

All BJP, Panthers and JSM members started shouting slogans and amidst the din, the BJP, Panthers and JSM members staged a walkout from the House. Later, Gurezi also staged walkout from the Assembly.

Jammu, March 19
Students of private schools clinched top honours in the Class VIII (Terminal Test 2) examination of Samba district, results of which were declared today.

However, government-run schools also salvaged some pride when Ashwani Sharma of Government School, Vijaypur, figured among the toppers, securing 222 marks.

While the district-wise announcement of results of Class VIII (Terminal Test 2) started from Samba district today, results of Jammu district would be declared in the first week of April.

Ashwani Sharma of Vijaypur secured 222 marks and five students from private schools of Samba and Vijaypur, namely Ashwani Kumar, Hitakshi Sharma, Meetika Sherma, Rohit Krishan and Sachin Ganotra, clinched the first position by securing 237 marks each.

In government schools, Sajodha Charak of Vijaypur got the second position by securing 216 marks, while Surinder Kumar of Purmandal bagged the third position by securing 214 marks.

In private schools, two students, namely Aakash Ravgotra from Vijaypur and Taruna from Samba, clinched the second position by securing 236 marks each.

The third position also went to two students, namely Kushal Sharma and 
Shubham Slathia, both from Vijaypur. They secured 235 marks each. Total pass percentage was 91 per cent in the entire district.

However, pass percentage of the government schools was again well below the private schools.

As per records, the total pass percentage of the government schools was 83 per cent, while the private schools recorded an impressive 98 per cent.

Jammu, March 19
In its efforts to exploit the growing differences between the ruling alliance partners, the NC and the Congress,on certain issues, the PDP has started targeting the former to further fuel the brewing dissension.

The PDP has been exploiting all opportunities to attack the NC for “ignoring” its partner while taking important policy decisions. Not only in the Assembly, but also outside the House, the PDP is avoiding an attack on the Congress and targeting the NC for the failure of the government.

The PDP has reasons to attack the party for taking “unilateral” decisions as Congress leaders have been sulking over the way some important decisions were taken by the government by neglecting them.

Addressing a public meeting in the Marh Assembly segment yesterday, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti’s speech was confined only to attacking the NC for taking “unilateral” decisions while formulating some important policies.

“What to say of involving the Opposition in the bigger agenda of development, the ruling NC even ignored its coalition partner in taking important policy decisions,” she said while pointing towards the decisions which were taken by the NC without taking its partners into confidence.

She reminded the people about the coalition government of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in which the Congress was also a partner. In her efforts to exploit the differences, she said the PDP-Congress regime had set vibrant and progressive standard of government in which all regions and sub-regions were equally involved. She, however, said the present government had failed to carry forward that standard.

Jammu, March 19
The Bar Association, Jammu, today held a protest on the court premises after suspending the routine work against the alleged highhandedness and brutal torture of advocate Jyoti Saroop at the checking point by SHO Ajay Jamwal and his team of constables. The normal functioning of the court remained suspended throughout the day against the atrocious act of the police.

Rajesh Thappa, secretary of the Bar Association, Jammu, while addressing the lawyers during the protest, issued a strong warning to the police to desist from adopting anti-people and anti-advocate approach by using third degree to thrash the innocent and unarmed respectable citizens of society.

As per the press note issued by the Bar Association, Jammu, it demanded immediate suspension of the erring official to be tried according to the procedure established by the law. 

Jammu, March 19
Governor NN Vohra today called for creating an enhanced awareness about the central and state-sponsored schemes for promoting the welfare of ex-servicemen and their dependants so that they could take full advantage of these initiatives.

The Governor, while addressing the Rajya Sainik Board meeting at Raj Bhavan here today, emphasised that all possible channels need to be mobilised to generate awareness among the ex-servicemen, particularly those living in the remote areas, about the welfare schemes which are aimed to benefit them.

He said hand bills should be got printed in Hindi, English and Urdu languages, giving full details of the welfare schemes, and widely distributed.

Likewise, hoardings may be installed at identified places and electronic media should be effectively utilised for generating larger awareness.

Vohra said ex-servicemen rallies in larger number should be organised in the remote and far-flung pockets of the state to disseminate the required information from time to time. “We should effectively safeguard and promote the interests of our ex-servicemen and their families,” he stressed.

He said the Army could also organise coaching classes for the youth, who want to join defence services. He observed: “We have a large resource and repository of ex-servicemen with rich experience, skills and technical expertise in different fields.”

The Governor said wherever required, the possibilities should be explored for constructing boys and girls hostels for the wards of the ex-servicemen to facilitate their education. He asked for expediting the land acquisition process for construction of such facilities to avoid time and cost overruns.

The Governor, who is also the president of the Rajya Sainik Board, reviewed the progress registered in providing employment opportunities to the ex-servicemen, enforcement of reservation rules and construction programmes of the board etc.

Jammu, March 19
Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have emphasised the need for evaluating the possibilities of organising Red Cross melas-cum-raffle draws at the district level to generate resources for giving impetus to the Red Cross activities across the state. They were addressing the 165th managing committee meeting of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), J&K branch, here this afternoon.

They also laid emphasis on the larger involvement of NGOs, private sector, industry and business and people at large in the activities of the Red Cross.

The Governor, who is the president of the IRCS, J&K branch, said the resources generated by the Red Cross from different sources should be utilised judiciously, productively and in a transparent manner.

He appreciated the discernible improvement made in enhancing collections for launching various activities of the Red Cross and called for bringing further improvement. Continuous endeavour had to be made to mop up resources for this noble cause, he added.

Vohra called for associating the Health Department in a big way in organising various training programmes for Red Cross volunteers and its other activities.

Omar said his government would provide all possible support for augmenting resources for giving awards to Red Cross volunteers, who do a commendable job.

Referring to volunteers trained by the Red Cross, he said after identification the police would issue identity cards to them for facilitating their work in the hour of need.

The Chief Minister called for formulating an action plan of the activities of the Red Cross and reviewing its implementation regularly to achieve the desired results.