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Turmoil in Valley
Arts stream: Limited seats disappoint students
Zojila Tunnel
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Troops lend a helping hand to pilgrims
Faith drives this 70-year-old Delhi man to undertake yatra
Omar’s statement on opening Uri route decried
Governor’s rule in state sought
Guru Charan Singh, a sadhu from Kaithal in Haryana, near the Amarnath cave shrine. Tribune photo: Anand Sharma
Arora biradari to meet on July 18
Local Muslims serve water to pilgrims
Pak attacks border post, BSF jawan killed
BSF jawan killed in Pak firing
MC passes 81 building cases
CM visits Anantnag
2 pilgrims die of cardiac arrest
Mirwaiz stages sit-in
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Daily breadwinners, students hit the hardest
Tejinder Singh Sodhi Tribune News Service
Srinagar, July 6 Shabir Ahmed, an auto-rickshaw driver, who used to leave his house early in the morning as whatever he earned during the day helped him sustain a family of seven, but for the past 10 days he could not earn even a single penny. “The strike and the curfew have broken my backbone and if the situation continues my entire family will starve. I don’t have enough money left to support my family,” a dejected Shabir said.
The student community in the Valley is also among the worst sufferers, as since the eruption of tension 10 days ago, schools and colleges have not been functioning and even the Board of School Education and Kashmir University have postponed examinations. “For the past 10 days schools are not functioning across the Valley and we don’t know how long this protest (strike) is going to continue. The future of students is at stake,” said Muzaffar Hussain, a schoolteacher. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah too has expressed ‘serious concern’ over the strike affecting the education of children. “Hartals and law and order disturbances mar the educational career of the students thereby affecting their career prospects,” Omar said. The state government too has suffered losses to the tune of crores of rupees and the economy of the state has suffered a serious blow due to the tension. “All government offices are shut, shops and business establishments are closed. If we calculate the losses, these will run into crores of rupees,” a senior state official said. Patients too are suffering as they are unable to go to hospitals and with the closure of medical shops they are unable to get medicines. Housewives too have been facing problems due to the shutdown, as they are unable to find eatables and ration. “Everyone in the house is fed up eating pulses and cereals but what to do we have no option,” said Gurmeet Kaur, a resident of Allouchi Bagh.
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Arts stream: Limited seats disappoint students
Jammu, July 6 The admission committee of the college says it is offering subjects only after assessing the aptitude of the students. However, the main reason behind it is the limited number of subjects and seats in the arts stream. The college has 180 seats in the science stream and 240 in the arts stream, and the latter is witnessing a huge rush this year. “Students in the arts stream have to pay comparatively a less admission and monthly fee,” said a group of students, adding that “we have a limited choice here. Even in the arts stream the college is not offering basic subjects in humanities like sociology, psychology and history.” In the absence of a government degree college, candidates from adjoining tehsils have been disappointed, as they are not getting subjects of their choice. Students maintained that they were not getting admission in other degree colleges on the plea that there were colleges at Sunder Bani and Nowshera. Government degree college at Nowshera is yet to get infrastructure and adequate staff, they said. “If a degree college is opened at strategically located Siot, it can cater to three tehsils, including Nowshera and Sunder Bani,” Bhagwan Dass, a local senior citizen, said. He said a local organisation, All Party Joint Action Committee, had been voicing the concern since long but the demand for a government degree college remained unfulfilled. “A team from Jammu University recently conducted an inspection and assured of increasing existing seats. We are still waiting for the approval,” DN Sopori, principal of Swami Vishwatmanand Saraswati Degree College, said. |
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Ansari’s help for starting work sought
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, July 6 In a memorandum submitted to the Vice-President during his visit to Ladakh, Akhoon said the Ladakh region consisted of twin districts of Leh and Kargil. He added that due to climatic and topographic conditions, the region remains cut off for six months from the rest of the world. The construction of the tunnel would ensure round the year road connectivity to the twin districts of the Ladakh region with the rest of the country. According to an official spokesman here, Akhoon pleaded for the upgrading of the airport of Kargil, adding that during winter there was no air transport between Kargil to Srinagar, Jammu and Delhi except some Army flights, which only catered to the needs of the security forces. He said the people of the area were in a great need of basic necessities like medicare and other essentials. The minister also stressed the need for opening of the Kargil-Skardu road. He added that it would help not only in boosting trade between Ladakh and Skardu regions but would also allow the displaced families to meet with each other. Akhoon also called for the construction of the Parkachik Hydro Power project over the Suru river at Suru, which would generate over 100 MW to meet the local power requirements.
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Troops lend a helping hand to pilgrims
Pahalgam, July 6 Army personnel have been deployed at the high reaches and they have set up posts on hilltops to keep an eye on the movement of militants. On the other hand, BSF jawans have been deployed on the route of the holy cave and they are not only ensuring a safe passage for the pilgrims but are also providing hot water to them. BSF personnel are also helping the pilgrims at some risk-prone areas and carrying aged pilgrims on their shoulders. CRPF personnel have also been given a tough task. They have been tasked to manage everything in all base camps. Each and every activity in the base camps comes under their purview. “We have to make sure that everything goes well at the base camps. We have to provide accommodation to the pilgrims and also have to keep a check on the fare of tents,” said Rameshwar Singh, Assistant Commandant, CRPF, at the Sheshnag Base Camp. Besides, the state police is assisting these forces in performing their duties.
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Faith drives this 70-year-old Delhi man to undertake yatra
Amarnath Cave, July 6 But one thing common among most of the pilgrims was that they had no wish (mannat) in their minds. A family, which had come from Delhi to pay obeisance at the cave shrine, said, “Though we are too weak to perform the yatra, we come every year and this is the seventh consecutive year of pilgrimage. Our whole family has come,” said Shashi Bhushan, a chartered accountant from Delhi. He further said, “I take rest for a week at my home after the yatra, as it is really tiring for a person like me in his mid-seventies. “I am an old person, so I take a pony to travel. My children are young and energetic and they walk the traditional Pahalgam route to have darshan of the Ice Lingam,” added Shashi, who was waiting for his family while sitting near the shrine in bitter cold. He also shared his last year’s experience when he suffered a fracture in his right leg while returning to Pahalgam when a ponywalla hit him and he fell on the track. Still he showed courage and came for the pilgrimage this year again. “We have the blessings of ‘Bhole Baba’ and have no fear in our minds. We come here every year as it gives us peace,” Shashi said. Meanwhile, his family reached the cave shrine and had darshan of the Ice Lingam of Lord Shiva. |
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Omar’s statement on opening Uri route decried
Jammu, July 6 Even as the PDP has not reacted, Jammu-based political groups, especially the BJP and the Panthers Party, have taken a serious note of the statement of Omar on the issues that fall under the purview of the Centre. “To hide his failure, Omar has been giving such statements just to play to the gallery,” said BJP state president Shamsher Singh Manhas. Panthers Party leader Balwant Singh Mankotia termed the statement as an attempt to divert the attention of people from the prevailing situation. “Kashmir has been boiling and Omar is giving irrelevant statements that have nothing to do with the situation,” Mankotia said, suggesting that instead of indulging in such utterances Omar should assess the ground situation and take concerted steps to control it. Omar had yesterday argued that for attaining peace a direct contact between the people of Jammu and Kashmir and those living on the other side the LoC should be allowed. Manhas said: “A people-to-people contact is desirable but it is the Centre’s prerogative to set a procedure for felicitating this and it is not a Chief Minister’s job to speak on the issue. It is best for the Chief Minister to leave this to the Centre.”
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Governor’s rule in state sought
Jammu, July 6 In a letter to the Prime Minister, Bhim Singh has sought his immediate intervention to save the Valley from any further violence and deaths. He also said the government led by Omar Abdullah was non-functional, inefficient and corrupt. Among other things, Bhim advocated for imposing the Governor’s rule for six months so that alienation among people could be removed. He also wrote that after studying the situation in the Valley for three days and speaking to political sections, he had concluded that no political party or individual was capable to take over the administration at the moment. “A short spell of Governor’s rule may be utilised to work out an acceptable and viable combination for the formation of the next government,” he said. Bhim Singh further said, “Any delay in taking an appropriate decision may prove dangerous for the national security and helpful for enemies.”
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Kaithal sadhu cycles to cave shrine 10th time
Amarnath Cave, July 6 Guru Charan Singh, a resident of Naina village in Kaithal district, is all set to enter his name in the Limca Book of Records for he is not doing this for the first time. Earlier, he had come to Amarnath on his bicycle nine times. Guru Charan started his journey on June 17 and after paying obeisance at the Vaishno Devi, Shiv Khori, Budda Amarnath, Sudh Mahadev, he reached Pahalgam on June 29. From there he started his journey to Amarnath on his bicycle that has a speaker, two baskets and a temple. He carries a trident in his hand while riding the bicycle but does not accept money from anyone. “The Barfani Sewa Mandal in Kaithal gives me money every year for the pilgrimage. Earlier, I faced hardships, but now the Almighty has made everything fine,” Guru Charan said. “It is only due to the blessings of Lord Shiva that I can ride the bicycle on such a difficult terrain,” he added.
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Arora biradari to meet on July 18
Jammu, July 6 According to a statement issued here today, a hawan and a bhandara would be organised on the auspicious day of Guga-Devta Poojan on July 18. Meanwhile, KK Arora, patron of the Jammu and Kashmir Arora Bans Sabha, criticised the ban imposed on three local newspapers by the state without serving any notice on the owners of the newspapers. KK Arora, the patron of the the Jammu and Kashmir Arora Bans Sabha, appealed to the Jammu and |
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Local Muslims serve water to pilgrims
Pissu Top, July 6 Term it the promotion of secularism or devotion of Muslims towards Lord Shiva, they are offering water to the pilgrims in the snow-covered mountains. They have not only pitched their tents en route the cave but also play religious tracks of Lord Shiva on their music systems. “Bhole Baba belongs to all and we have full faith in him,” said Mohammad Akram Khan, who is offering water to the devotees on their way to Pissu Top. Another Muslim devotee of Lord Shiva, Abdul Rashid, said, “I am too weak to go to the cave so I thought to serve the pilgrims.” “Every year we wait for the yatra to begin so that we could provide assistance to the pilgrims, who come from all over the country,” said Akram. A bottle of mineral water is available at Rs 30 here, which, otherwise, is available at Rs 10-15 in plains. |
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Pak attacks border post, BSF jawan killed
Jammu, July 6 The Pakistan troops opened fire late last night, killing Sultan Ali, a BSF jawan, said a senior BSF officer. Indian soldiers retaliated and the firing ended in the wee hours today. Meanwhile, the Pakistan troops fired at another forward Indian border outpost along the LoC in the Krishnaghati sector in Poonch district late last night. However, the Indian troops guarding the LoC did not retaliate. A senior defence officer said o casualty reported.
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BSF jawan killed in Pak firing
Jammu, July 6 The Pakistan troops opened fire late last night, killing Sultan Ali, a BSF
jawan, said a senior BSF officer. Indian soldiers retaliated and the firing ended in the wee hours today. Meanwhile, the Pakistan troops fired at another forward Indian border outpost along the LoC in the Krishnaghati sector in Poonch district late last night. However, the Indian troops guarding the LoC did not retaliate. A senior defence officer said there was no casualty reported. |
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MC passes 81 building cases
Jammu, July6 The meeting was held at the MC office under the chairmanship of Commissioner Mubarak Singh. According to officials, the cases passed today would generate a revenue of around Rs 17 lakh for the MC. Around 91 cases were examined and out of these 81 cases were cleared. Besides other members, the meeting was attended by the Joint Commissioner (Works) and the Senior Town Planner of the MC. |
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CM visits Anantnag
Srinagar, July 6 Omar chaired a meeting of the prominent residents of Anantnag to get a feedback about the recent incidents and also invited suggestions from them to maintain peace. He said, “I am here to listen to you and get the first hand information about the events that caused the law and order problem and resulted into loss of lives.” —
TNS |
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2 pilgrims die of cardiac arrest
Srinagar, July 6 According to information, Sugna (68), a resident of Bangalore, died at Panjtharni and Subraminyam Karapa (63), a resident of Inoora, Andhra Pradesh, died near the Amarnath cave shrine. Meanwhile, 69,006 yatris had darshan of the Shiv Lingam hitherto. Sources said of these, 34,072 had darshan of the Shiv Lingam via Pahalgam while 35,079 had darshan from Baltal route. Today, 9,799 yatris left from Nunwan-Pahalgam and Baltal base camps for darshan. |
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Mirwaiz stages sit-in
Srinagar, July 6 |
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