Jammu, April 3
Work remained affected in all government offices across the state as 4.50 lakh state government employees today went on a four-day strike till April 6. Though the strike, on the first day, crippled the government functioning across the state, essential services like hospitals, health, water and power sectors continued to operate.

The Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) had given the strike call. The protesting employees have been demanding the payment of arrears as per the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations, release of Cost of Living Allowance (COLA), release of 5 per cent HRA, raising the retirement age from 58 years to 60 years and regularisation of services of daily wage and contractual employees.

The EJAC held its main protest rally at Government SMGS Hospital here, where several employees assembled and shouted slogans against the government. Several leaders of the EJAC, including Pardeep Kumar, Mohammed Gafoor Dar, Ram Kumar Sharma and others addressed the agitating employees.

Later talking to The Tribune, EJAC leader Mohammed Gafoor Dar strongly castigated the government for its “non-serious” approach.

“If our demands are not conceded by April 6, we would be compelled to devise a new strategy to pressurise the government to deliver the promises it had made to the employees last year. We have the option of going on an indefinite strike also,” Dar said.

Regularisation of daily wage employees and increasing the retirement age didn’t involve any financial implications, but the government was non-committal on these two demands also, he added.

This evening a cabinet sub-committee comprising five ministers and headed by Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather has invited EJAC leaders for another meeting.

It may be stated here that parleys between the government and the representatives of employees in the past few days failed to break the ice. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had already approached Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee with a request to dole out the money to the state.

Jammu, April 3
The state government will have a comprehensive drug policy soon to check the sale and stock of spurious drugs. The formulation of the policy is nearing completion, said Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma.

While replying to a question by members in the Legislative Council, Sham Lal said as of now the state had no drug policy. However, sharing the concern of members against the sale of spurious drugs and drug abuse, he said the Drug Controller’s Organisation had been reactivated by appointing 78 drug inspectors, who had been put in place in various health blocks in the state for intensive market checking. “The existing drug-testing laboratories are also being upgraded,” he added.

He said, “Rules have been framed under which doctors shall now prescribe medicines on salt basis and not on the trade name of a drug manufacturing company. This measure will help check the alleged practice of commission taking from drug companies by the doctors.”

The Health Minister further said the state had an effective mechanism to deal with the drug trade by virtue of strengthening of the Drugs Controller’s Organisation with intelligence and legal cells and a proper surveillance system. The Union government had also laid guidelines for efficient communication networking with respect to inter-state movement of the spurious drugs, he added.

He said the Drugs and Food Control Organisation of the state had already launched a helpline along with a website of the department for projecting the day-to-day activities and redress the grievances of the public. Raids were being conducted in the state by pooling staff from different districts so that there was no proliferation of spurious drugs, he added.

Sham Lal said, “The Drugs and Food Control Organisation has tested 884 legal and 37 informal drug samples in year 2008 and out of which 33 were declared substandard and in year 2009, 1,172 legal and 73 informal drug samples were tested and out of which 37 were declared as substandard.

Srinagar, April 3
This Easter foreign tourists won’t be allowed to go in the famous shrine of Rozbal, which, according to a belief, is the grave of Jesus Christ.

After this shrine in the old town of Srinagar city became one of the most visited tourist destinations, mostly by foreigners, as they believe it is the ‘grave of Jesus Christ’, the shrine management has banned foreign tourists from entering the shrine.

According to the local Muslim belief, the Rozbal Shrine in the old town holds the mortal remains of a medieval Muslim saint Yuz Asaf, but some bestseller books, ‘Christ in Kashmir’ by Aziz Kashmiri and ‘Jesus lived in India’ by Holger Kersten fanned the belief that Jesus survived the crucifixion and died in Kashmir at the age of 120.

The belief was further strengthen when the shrine found its entry into the latest edition of the international travel guidebook ‘Lonely Planet’ making it one of the ‘must visit’ tourist destinations in India.

‘“We have locked the shrine for foreigners, who were engaged in blasphemous activities. They believe that Jesus Christ was buried here, which is totally false,” a manager of the shrine said.

Even though the controversy about the shrine being the burial place of Jesus Christ is not new, as the belief had existed since the late 18 century, these days the shrine has started getting much coverage in the western media as the ‘grave of Jesus Christ’, which is rejected by the church and the local Muslims.

In his book published in 1981, Kersten wrote that during the years of Jesus’s life from the age of 12 to 30 he had travelled to India and studied Buddhism and after surviving the crucifixion he again returned to India and lived in Kashmir as a Muslim saint.

A few years ago a US national was forced to leave Kashmir after she wanted the locality to be put under curfew so that she could exhume the body and conduct tests.

Speaking to The Tribune, Dr Fida Hussnain, a renowned historian, who authored “A Search for Historical Jesus”, said, “Only a scientific investigation, including a DNA test, can bring the facts forward. In my book I have mentioned that the visit of Jesus to India is mentioned in the Bhavishya Mahapuran written in 115 AD.”

A US-based Christian sect called the Church Universal and Triumphant is also a supporter of the belief that Jesus lived in Kashmir, but is not of the view that he died here.

Srinagar, April 3
Residents of the Kashmir valley, who used to travel from one part of the valley to the other by train, have shown resentment over the blasting of the railway line by militants.

People here say those who blew up the railway line harmed the interests of the common people and they could not be their well-wishers.

A powerful IED, believed to be planted by the militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen, blew up a part of the railway line in the Kakpora area of Pulwama district on Thursday night.

“The attack on the railway line was an unfortunate incident and those behind it could not be the friends of the people of Kashmir,” said Tariq Ahmed, a bank employee, who travels by train from Baramulla to Anantnag daily.

People say that even though the attack was aimed at deterring them from travelling by train, they would continue to use railway services as a reply to those who did this ‘unpardonable act’.

“This is an unpardonable act. For decades we wanted a railway network and when we got one they want to sabotage it. The train service in Kashmir will boost the economy of the valley, besides enabling people travel from one place to another in less time and money,” said Mohammed Ashraq, a resident of Srinagar, who frequently travels by train.

Ever since its inauguration on October 11, 2008, the train in Kashmir has been an instant hit as most people in the valley had seen the train for the first time. As per the statistics available, more than 6,000 people travel by train daily in Kashmir.

In 2003, militants kidnapped and killed a railway engineer and his brother, threatened workers to stop work on the railway line. However, the work continued.

Meanwhile, the authorities have intensified security for the railway line. DGP Kuldeep Khoda too has assured the chairman of the Railway Board that proper security would be provided to take care of the railway property in the Kashmir valley.

As per sources, around 1,600 state police personnel, 800 CRPF personnel and 350 personnel from the RPF guard the 119 km railway line round the clock.

“We have increased vigil. But it is not possible to make a jawan stand at every inch along the line,” IG, CRPF, MC Asthana said.

Srinagar, April 3
Ever since mass migration of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley about two decades ago, it was a nostalgic experience for Satish Munshi and his wife Bubli when they visited their native place at Nunnar, Ganderbal, about 25 km from here, today.

For Bubli, it was her second visit after 2004 to the area ever since she got married to Satish, as the couple along with other members of the Kashmiri Pandit community got an overwhelming response from Munshi’s old neighbours.

The couple reached here yesterday from Jammu along with a group of 11 members from four families and two other individuals under the aegis of the India Peace Centre (IPC), Nagpur, as part of its endeavour towards the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the valley.

According to director, IPC, Nagpur, D John Chelladurai, who is heading the delegation, the pain of Kashmiri Pandits living away from their native place for the last 20 years has been a matter of deep concern for right thinking people. “We want a peaceful passage for the Kashmiri Pandits to get back to their native place. But the dream continues to elude them,” he said.

As part of its concern for humanity, justice and peace, the IPC has been working for the last five years through various forms of interactive sessions to promote a dialogue between the valley community and the Kashmiri Pandit community. Such an interaction was organised here last evening and was attended by the visiting Kashmiri Pandit members and the IPC members and the valley community members.

The members observed that the initiative taken by the NGO should have instead been taken by the representatives of the two communities to clear the subtle feeling of mistrust. And when Satish Munshi, who had been teaching in a Srinagar school for 16 years prior to migration, returned from his native place today and was virtually in tears. “I became younger by 30 years on this visit. It was a nostalgic experience. We had Kheer and Kehwa after a long period at my place,” he said.

Satish’s wife, who had not visited the native place of her in-laws before migrating from the valley, feels equally nostalgic but is shaky when asked about her desire to return to the valley. “I wish to come back. But I feel there is some threat. I cannot move through the lanes of my city where I was born and brought up. When the stage comes that there is no such feeling I would love to be back in my place”, she said.

Jammu, April 3
A middle-aged widow allegedly running an illegal nursing home and involved in illegal practices of abortions and female foeticide was arrested from her ‘clinic’ in Akhnoor today, the police said.

Retired multi-purpose health worker Surinder, a native of Pathankot, was putting up at Akhnoor after the death of her husband and was allegedly doing abortions in lieu for Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 at her nursing home, which she was operating from a rented accommodation, it said.

The police said the accused had been arrested and investigations were on to nab agents involved in this illegal activity. It added eight women were also caught from the illegal nursing home, as they were admitted to the clinic for abortions. The eight women were sent to the sub-district hospital for treatment.

Akhnoor DSP Mushtaq said, “We are interrogating the arrested women that how they came into contact with Surinder,” adding that all admitted women were being medically examined. However, the DSP expressed surprise over the absence of any sonography machine at the clinic.

SHO, Akhnoor police station, Gian Chand said, “Acting on specific information, a raid was conducted and the illegal nursing home was unearthed. A case under Sections 419, 420 and 312 of the RPC and Section 4 of the Medical Termination of the pregnancy Act has been registered.”

It has been learnt that the pregnant women were coming from far-flung areas for aborting their pregnancies at this nursing home. The SHO further said no foetus was recovered from the spot.

Jammu, April 3
With the killing of 16 Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists in various encounters in the Rajouri-Kalakote-Reasi area in the past one week, the biggest ever anti-terrorist operation in the state --Operation Khoj-- is over.

However, at the same time, the Army lost six of its soldiers in different gun-battles with the terrorists in dense jungles of Rajouri district from March 27 to April 2.

“With the elimination of 16 Lashkar ultras, the biggest ever anti-terrorist operation - “Operation Khoj - has come to an end,” General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Uniform Force, Major-Gen MMS Rai told mediapersons in Reasi this afternoon.

Operation Khoj was launched to seek and destroy Lashkar ultras, that meant that they were being hunted all the time, Major-Gen Rai said. He attributed the success to close coordination between various counter-insurgency forces. He, like other Army officers, also claimed that the slain terrorists had come from Pakistan and owed allegiance to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba.

The documents and other incriminating material seized from slain ultras established that they belonged to the LeT and had come from Pakistan, said Major-Gen Rai. To another query, he said seizures made from the site of encounters had clear markings of Pakistan-based companies. He also referred to Thoraya satellite phones and GPS systems with Pakistan’s registrations recovered from them saying a normal person could not acquire such gadgets from the open market without fulfilling certain norms.

However, the officer evaded a direct reply when asked whether the group had infiltrated from Pallanwala sector on March 23 and travelled up to Rajouri. “We are investigating to know from where they had sneaked in,” he said.

Jammu, April 3
The government has taken up the matter of diversion or re-appropriation of funds without any proper allocation done by the then District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO), Srinagar, Irshad Ahmad Sofi with the Accountant General’s office.

The case is under examination for initiating appropriate proceedings against the retired officer, Minister for Social Welfare Sakina Itoo said in reply to a question by Altaf Ahmad Wani in the Legislative Council here today.

She said during the year 2005-06, an amount of Rs 66.45 lakh had been drawn from the treasury by the then DSWO, Srinagar, for providing pension to the registered beneficiaries of Tehsil Srinagar, Ganderbal and Kangan under the Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS) and the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme.

The minister further said Rs 62.32 lakh was advanced to the tehsil social welfare officer for the disbursement of the amount drawn. The remaining amount of Rs 4.12 lakh was retained by the then Srinagar DSWO. She said, “An amount of Rs 6.87 lakh was returned by the Tehsil Social Welfare Officer, Srinagar, Ganderbal and Kangan as unspent. An amount of Rs 2.62 lakh has been remitted into the treasury and the total amount diverted, re-appropriated works out to Rs 9.86 lakh.

She added that Rs 9.86 lakh had been diverted or re-appropriated by the then Srinagar DSWO towards incidental charge like printing of forms, computerisation of lists and schemes without approval of the competent authority. She said the amount also included Rs 6.02 lakh for printing material, Rs 2.08 lakh for computerisation of departmental schemes and Rs 1.76 lakh for other related works.

Jammu, April 3
Several students appearing for the Class XII exams held a demonstration under the banner of the Jammu Joint Students’ Federation (JJSF) on the premises of the J&K Board of School Education (JKBOSE) here today.

The students along with their parents and leaders of the JJSF raised slogans against the JKBOSE this morning. They were protesting against the out-of-syllabus questions in mathematics paper B that was held on March 31.

The protesting students said the question paper distributed in centre no. 201, 202 and some other centres were not in sync with the curriculum. They alleged that the questions of nearly 30 marks in the paper were out of syllabus.

“The school board authorities have been committing grave mistakes in the conduct of examinations. Despite several instances of paper leak, the board has failed to identify even a single employee of the board involved in such practices. It means that board officials are involved in the scandal,” state vice-president of the student organisation Partap Singh Jamwal alleged.

Later, a delegation of protesters, including student leaders, called on the chairman of the board and said the chairman had assured to take necessary action within three days.

Jammu, April 3
The state government has ordered for ventricular-equipped ambulances so that patients from remote areas could be transported timely to Jammu or Srinagar hospitals.

In the first phase, these ambulances will run in some selected district hospitals on a trial basis, Minister for Health Sham Lal Sharma said this in the Legislative Council here today.

In a reply to a question by TS Wazir of the NC, who wanted to know if an emergency situation arises in any part of the state were the district hospitals equipped with ambulances to transport the patients, the minister said only those cases were referred to Jammu or Srinagar that required super specialist interventions.

Sham Lal further said the government had already placed orders to purchase critical-care ambulances to Swaraj and Force Track companies. He added, “Each pre-equipped ambulance will cost around Rs 25-30 lakh. Earlier, the department was using fabricated buses ‘jugaars’ for the purpose.” The minister further said these ambulances would be equipped with all modern facilities like oxygen, cardiometer, perambulator and other gadgets by the company itself.”

As a result, the minister said, there would be a marked improvement in the health sector and many lives would be saved. “A number of persons lose their lives on way to the hospital, referred from the remote areas to Jammu or Srinagar,” said the minister.

Again, Wazir wanted to know how much time the government would take to purchase new ambulances, the minister assured the House that within six months one ambulance would be given to each district hospital and three vehicles would be kept in surplus for the most accident prone areas like Ramban, Rajouri and Doda.

Sham Lal said, “The department has already got funds of Rs 7 crore for this purpose. Earlier, the funds were causing hurdles and now with the availability of funds two teams have been constituted under the director health services, Jammu and Srinagar. They will further tell us their requirements.”

Meanwhile, Amrit Malhotra wanted to know if the government had prepared any list of unauthorised nursing homes operating in the state. If yes, then what action has been taken against them. The minister replied in the affirmative and said in Jammu division, 11 and in Kashmir division 22 nursing homes had been sealed after found unauthorised and the department had already taken action against them and the matter was sub judice before the High Court.

Nurboo Gialchan also raised a related query about how many posts of surgeons were lying vacant in Leh district, the minister accepted the fact that there was a big shortage of surgeons and said, “At present 56 posts of doctors, nine specialists, 32 assistant surgeons and 15 dental surgeons are lying vacant in the district. The government is preparing a policy to fill the posts and suggestions from all parties are welcome.”

Jammu, April 3
The Tithwal Brigade of the Army today dedicated well-furnished rooms built at Government Middle School, Jhangar, to children of Rajouri district.

Under the Operation Sadbhavana, the Tithwal Brigade has launched low-cost, but high-impact projects to create bonhomie between common people and the Army.

The project was inaugurated by the Commander of the Tithwal Brigade in the presence of sarpanch, teachers, villagers and schoolchildren. On the occasion, schoolchildren also presented a cultural programme.

While addressing the gathering, the Commander of the Tithwal Brigade assured people of full support from the Army. He also made people aware about the help provided by the Army for better education to poor children in the schools like Army Goodwill Public School in Rajouri.

The Army was ready to sponsor children and people should encourage and motivate their wards for the same, he said. The Commander of the Tithwal Brigade along with officials from the civil administration and the education authorities also carried out a tree plantation drive. Later, he also interacted with schoolchildren.