Jammu, October 11
Even as mystery shrouds the recovery of greyish powder from some abandoned boxes near the MLA Hostel on the Mahatma Budha Marg on October 8, sources said the police suspended a special police officer (SPO), Mohammad Rafiq Tak, today. Tak, a resident of Gandoh, was picked up from Gandoh in Doda district yesterday.

They said the SPO was earlier posted at Akhiarpur police post under the jurisdiction of Gandoh police station in Doda district. After establishing the involvement of Tak, he was suspended till further orders, the sources added.

MK Sinha, DIG (Doda-Ramban range), expressed ignorance about the incident and said, “It would be better to talk to the SSP in this regard.”

Meanwhile, the police brought four persons, including the SPO, who were arrested from Gandoh in Doda district yesterday, to Jammu for further investigation. However, the kingpin, a suspended SPO, Mehboob Ahmed Dar, is absconding. Dar could reveal whether more persons were involved in the incident, the sources said.

Besides, three more persons, namely Munib Ahmed, a resident of Gandoh, Munir Ahmed Malik, alias Munna, a resident of Drodhi village in Gandoh, and Ram Prasad, a resident of Basant Nagar, had also been detained, they added.

However, all senior police officers remained tight-lipped over the incident.

Srinagar, October 11
Life returned to normal in the Kashmir valley today with chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani not giving a strike call.

Schools, colleges and other educational institutions reopened while banks and other government offices functioned normally.People visited markets in large numbers and there were traffic snarls in certain areas.

The authorities, too, did not impose any restrictions and there was no curfew in any part of the Valley. “ The situation during the day remained peaceful by and large,” said a police officer.

He said miscreants attempted to disrupt peace by resorting to stone throwing at the security forces in the Murran area in Pulwama, but were chased away and the situation brought under control. However, no one was injured in the action.

Meanwhile, people in the Valley seem to be fed up with frequent shutdowns and restrictions.

“Today the unrest in the Valley has completed four months. It was on June 11 when a teenager was killed by a tear gas shell and restrictions were imposed. Since then, we have been confined to our houses either because of the strike or the curfew,” said Ghulam Hassan, a shopkeeper.

He said while more than 100 people have lost their lives, the Valley has suffered a heavy loss due to the closure of business establishments.

“The fruit business has suffered huge losses. People associated with the tourism industry are on the verge of starvation. Thousands of people working for private companies and in shops and hotels have lost their jobs and have no means to earn their livelihood and support their families,” said Imtiyaz Sheik, a government employee.

Srinagar, October 11
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah heard grievances and received various memoranda at a public durbar here yesterday.

Addressing a deputation, he said a massive programme had been launched across the state for equitable development. “Our focus is on making good the losses incurred on the development front due to the law and order situation in parts of the Valley”, he said, and added the administration had been sensitised to redouble its efforts in realising various targets and ensuring benefits to the people.

The Chief Minister said peace was imperative for all kinds of economic activity and sustained development. The efforts initiated by the government to enhance the employability of the youths and ensure more jobs in the private sector received a setback in Kashmir due to the law and order situation.

“Many programmes launched by private investors were at a standstill. We are endeavouring to persuade the business houses to re-start their projects”, he said.

Omar Abdullah sought the people’s cooperation in general and the cooperation of youths in particular in his efforts to lead the state towards progress and political stability.

Omar said besides upgrading facilities in the health, education, communication, water supply and power development sectors, another initiative had been taken regarding employment. “A scheme to engage 50,000 youths in various government and semi-government organisations has been started and the scope of the Sher-e-Kashmir Employment and Welfare Programme for Youth (SKEWPY) expanded to bring more unemployed persons under its purview”, he said.

Meanwhile, Omar yesterday approved the release of Rs 670 crore for speeding up the construction of roads and bridges under various schemes in the state.

The Chief Minister also released Rs 118 crore for the acquisition of land and structures to expedite the construction and widening of roads and completion of various ongoing schemes. This includes an additional Rs 58.10 crore for clearing liabilities on various works.

Omar Abdullah also approved Rs 41 crore for the tourism sector to speed up the completion of various projects.He also released Rs 9 crore for the revenue sector to meet the financial requirements.

The Chief Minister expressed the hope that the departments concerned would ensure judicious use of funds and timely completion of various works.

“The ultimate aim of the administration should be ensuring benefits of the schemes to the public. Every effort needs to be put in place to accomplish development targets within the prescribed time”, he said, and added every rupee spent should be accounted for and the monitoring of spending and physical progress made a regular and essential feature of the functioning.

The government was committed to accomplishing its development agenda in letter and in spirit. “Our endeavour is to reach out to every area, especially the far-flung and backward pockets, for equitable and balanced development”, he said, and asked the departments concerned to make public service a benchmark for their functioning.

“At the end of the day, your performance will be judged by the success of the works and satisfaction of the people in the regard”, he told officers.

Srinagar, October 11
Rejecting the stand taken by Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind (JuH), a powerful body of Deoband clerics, on the state, separatists today said Kashmir was an internationally recognised issue and should not be viewed from the Hindu-Muslim angle.

They, however, welcomed Jamiat’s stand seeking revocation of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

“We do not view the Kashmir issue from the Hindu-Muslim angle. It is a political issue which needs to be resolved,” moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq said.

He said Kashmir was an “internationally recognised dispute” and the problem could be resolved through a dialogue among India, Pakistan and leadership of the state.

Mirwaiz welcomed the clerics’ stand seeking revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. He also appreciated the concern shown by them over “violation of human rights” in the Valley.

JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik said the JuH was issuing such statements out of compulsion and it would be better for them not to dabble in the Kashmir issue.

“It is their compulsion to issue such statements and we can understand that. It would be better for them to stay away from the Kashmir issue,” Malik said.

The JuH has said the state’s future lies with India and the interest of Kashmiri people is not separate from those of Indian Muslims.

Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani said the Ulema had turned a blind eye to historical facts with regard to Kashmir.

This had raised a question mark on the credibility of the Kashmir Conference organised by it on Sunday, he said. “The basic problem was ignored and instead thurst was given to issues which are the outcome of this long-standing problem,” he further said. The hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman said the JuH should have highlighted the reality without taking sides.

“It is impossible they are not aware of historical facts with regard to Kashmir,” he said. — PTI

Srinagar, October 11
National Conference (NC) President and Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah today convened a meeting of senior NC leaders and legislators at the Nawa-e-Subh complex here today.

It was attended by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and party general secretary Sheikh Nazir Ahmad and followed a core group meeting held under the chairmanship of Dr Farooq Abdullah here yesterday. The NC President directed the cadres to be ready for the panchayat elections. The meeting also discussed in detail the prevailing situation in Kashmir in the wake of the killings during the past four months.

Those who attended it included leaders of the Kashmir province, several office-bearers and legislators in addition to district and block level presidents.

Jammu, October 11
A debate on the image of the police, “Police Ki Chhavi”, was organised by Vijay Singh Sambyal, Commandant, IRP-8th Batallion, here today.

According to a statement issued here, the function was organised at the Armed Police Complex, Channi Himmat . IGP,AP/IRP, Ravinder Kotwal, was the chief guest.

Students of Bal Viraj Bhawan School, Khanpur Nagrota; Government Higher Secondary School, Channi Himmat; Government Middle School (GMS), Channi Rama; GMS, Channi Himmat, and Sahara School for Mentally Retarded and Handicapped Children participated in the function.

The best debaters were given prizes. The students presented a cultural programme and some skits on national integrity and patriotism.

The chief guest distributed uniform cloth among 60 poor students. Similarly, physiopharpic equipments were distributed among special children/ handicapped children of Sahara School.

Jammu, October 11
Even as Amitabh Bachchan celebrated his 68th birthday today, his two lookalikes in Jammu did what they have been doing for the past many years on the day - celebrating his birthday with much fanfare.

For Ashok Gupta, who runs “Amitabh Pan Bhandaar” in Raghunath Bazaar, and Surinder Kumar, an autorickshaw driver,the Big B is like a demigod. They worship the star to such an extent that they not only walk and talk like him, but dress up and support a hairstyle like him.

Today they celebrated the legendary actor’s birthday by cutting a cake and distributing it among their friends and customers. With mediapersons visiting them, especially photographers, since morning, they were nothing less than local heroes.

Gupta, who started celebrating the Big B’s birthday 33 years ago, had to skip it last year due to the death of his wife and father. Wishing Amitabh a long life, he said he liked the star due to his versatility. Ashok makes a collage of Amitabh’s pictures on his birthday every year and displays it in his shop.

Surinder Kumar, who supports the trademark Amitabh French-cut beard, also said he liked the actor because of his truthfulness, “I think he speaks from his heart and is humble.”

Surinder, a father of three sons, said many taunt him for copying Amitabh’s style, but he wanted to live the way he wanted to.

Have they met the man of their dreams? Ashok tried to meet him twice when Amitabh visited Jammu.“But security men didn’t let him go near him,” he revealed.

Surinder worships Amitabh but does not want to go to Mumbai to meet him specially. “I have heard and seen on TV that there is always a long queue outside his house. Many return disappointed failing to even have a glimpse of him. I don’t want to be disappointed. God will arrange a sudden meeting if I am lucky,” he said.

Jammu, October 11
Ramban and Batote towns got 14 streetlights, which were formally inaugurated by local MLA Ashok Kumar today.

While six lights were installed in Ramban town, eight lights were installed in Batote town. The streetlights were funded by the Urban Local Bodies Department, Jammu.

The six streetlights installed in Ramban town cost Rs 1.62 lakh each while out of the eight lights installed in Batote town, five cost Rs 1.09 lakh each and remaining three cost Rs 1.62 lakh each.

While addressing the gatherings, the MLA said in the recently concluded Assembly session he highlighted the demand for the tehsil status to Batote, ex-gratia relief to the family members of the accident and fire victims and the problems of the educated unemployed youth of Ramban district.

He said he also highlighted the need for the supply of clean drinking water to the people of Ramban and the speedy completion of town projects, especially sewerage, lanes and drains in these towns.

The MLA also asked the officers of the Municipal Committee of Batote to provide benefits under the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme to deserving persons only.

He expressed concern over the slow pace of wok on road projects in the area and sought the setting up of a fruit mandi as well as the creation of a post of veterinary assistant surgeon at Batote.

Meanwhile, Abdul Majid Sheikh, general secretary of the Contractors Association, demanded the early release of the pending payments of the contractors for constructing the Patnitop-Sanasar, Dam Top-Gagla, Trungal-Gagla, Assar-Thanda Pani and Batote-Gami roads.

Jammu, October 11
The first phase of the Display Your Talent 2010-11 started at the Gymnasium Hall of Jammu University here today.

The 13-day talent show begin with a Flower Arrangement Competition, which was inaugurated by Prof Varun Sahni, Vice-Chancellor of the university.

Mehak Bakshi, a student of Government Women College, Parade, clinched the first position in the Flower Arrangement Competition. Though the competition was tough, Mehak arranged roses and green herbs and leaves in a beautiful way. The second and third positions were clinched by Mobeen Sayeed from Government Women College, Gandhi Nagar, and Rajni from Government Medical College, respectively.

The Certificates of Merit were awarded to Kanwar Iqbal from Government Medical College and Ritika Pathania from the Department of English, Jammu University.

Around 24 students from various colleges and departments of the university participated in today’s competition.

While addressing the students, the Vice-Chancellor highlighted the need for active participation in extra-curricular activities. He said these activities were important to develop a spirit of competition as well as togetherness.

Sahni stressed upon the young students to work hard in their respective fields. The function was organised by the Department of Students Welfare of the university.

The Director, floriculture, KK Sharma, Dr Raj Kumar, an artist, and Sandhra Malhotra, Principal of Government School, were among the adjudicators.

Prof NK Tripathi, Dean Students Welfare, said the department would make efforts to provide all kinds of assistance and facilities to the students for displaying their creative pursuits.

Srinagar, October 11
Students in the Kashmir valley these days are caught between the devil and the deep sea as their syllabus remains incomplete while examinations are approaching. They are worried now as they are unable to attend schools while the date sheet is out.

The government had announced to open schools across the Valley from September 28 after a break of more than three months due to strikes and the curfew. But since then, there have been only a few occasions when the schools opened.

“After the date sheet came out, we were hoping to cover some of the syllabus. But due to the prevailing situation, we haven’t been able to attend the school since then,” said Rubeena, a Class XII student of a private school in Srinagar.

As the government appealed to the parents to send their wards to the school recently, chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani asked the parents not to do so.

However, worried about their wards’ future, parents held protest demonstrations in various parts of the Valley, asking the government and the separatists to keep education out of the ambit of strikes and curfews.

“Children have been bearing the brunt of the unrest. They are on the verge of losing their academic year. But nobody seems to be bothered and everyone is adamant,” said Nazir Ahmed, a local resident.

Parents say the education of children should not become a prestige issue between the government and the separatists.

Meanwhile, some private schools across the Valley have started giving assignments online to their students to complete some of the remaining syllabus.

“We have put assignments online and students have been asked to download the same and work on them. Their examination papers would be set from the assignments itself,” said a Principal of a private school in Srinagar.

“We are caught between the devil and the deep sea and we know that at the end of the day we are going to suffer,” said Rubeena.