Jammu, November 4
Activists of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of the BJP, disturbed a press conference of separatist leader and chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party Shabir Shah here today.

The BJYM activists damaged the furniture, microphones and other material after forcibly entering the venue of the press conference. Shah,who was released unconditionally yesterday was criticising the BJP leadership for opposing talks with separatist leaders when the BJYM workers, led by their state unit president Munish Sharma, barged into the room and started raising slogans. They also rushed towards Shah, who was immediately surrounded by his supporters. The activists kept on raising slogans against the separatist leader.

“We will not allow the soil of Jammu to be used for propagating secessionist ideology and anti-national activities”, the BJYM president Sharma said while trying to break the cordon around Shah. Amidst total chaos and confusion, the police rushed to the spot and rescued the separatist leader. The protesters were taken to a nearby police station.

Later, Shah addressed mediapersons and termed the incident as unfortunate. He said those opposing the restoration of normalcy were responsible for the trouble.

When asked whether the government was behind it, he said many forces were acting against peace in the state as the prevailing turmoil suited them for furthering their petty political interests. “I don't take it seriously. These were hired workers. I request all parties not to play politics," he said, and reminded the BJP that it was during the regime of Atal Behari Vajpayee that a dialogue process was started and K C Pant was appointed interlocutor. “I fail to understand why BJP leaders have been opposing a dialogue with separatists”, he asked.

Shah was optimistic about the visit of President Barak Obama and suggested that the USA should felicitate a dialogue between India and Pakistan by involving the people of Kashmir.

Meanwhile,BJP state president Shamsher Singh Manhas has defended the action of the BJYM activists. In a statement issued after the incident, he criticised the irresponsible and casual approach of the government in releasing Shah on the eve of the festival season of the minority community. He said the conduct of the government was all the more deplorable as it had allowed him to hold a press conference in Jammu, where people were feeling agitated due to the recent utterances of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the Assembly.

Srinagar, November 4
Describing the current drive of the government to cancel the allotment of shops and business premises as political vendetta, the PDP has said such methods are being adopted to create an impression of “artificial normalcy”.

In a statement issued here today, PDP general secretary and former minister Mohammad Dilawar Mir said while on the one hand, the business community of Kashmir suffered huge losses on account of the government’s inability to handle the situation, on the other hand, they were being hounded out of their legally allotted properties.

He said nearly 5,000 families faced financial ruin as a result of the “politically motivated” plan to evict them from their shops which they had been occupying for decades.

“The government is out to create more unemployed people in Kashmir even as it talks of providing employment to the youth,” he added.

Mir said going by the political record and traditions of the National Conference, it looked that the party was trying to evict the present owners to allot the shops to its own workers, musclemen and relatives. Flimsy reasons were being given to throw out the present allottees of the shops that were owned by different government organisations and departments, he added.

Referring to the open and large-scale unauthorised constructions going on in Srinagar, Mir said this was not possible without an official nexus and patronage. He said a senior minister from Srinagar was directly responsible for allowing constructions even on the Dal Lake. Instead of attending to this lawlessness, the government was attacking soft targets in order to settle political scores, Mir said. 

Jammu, November 4
When the people enjoy bursting crackers, dancing to the latest Bollywood numbers and eating different delicacies, nearly 3,500 officers and men of the state Fire and Emergency Services are on guard to ensure a safe Divali for everybody.

“For the past 25 years, I haven’t celebrated even a single Divali with my family, since on this day, my men and I are always on job to ensure a safe Divali,” RS Sodhi, Director of the Jammu and Kashmir Fire and Emergency Services told The Tribune.

“Though our families miss us on Divali, we certainly derive a sense of satisfaction when the festival passes off without any major fire incident. It gives us immense pleasure,” he added.

The state has 154 fire stations, which have been put on high alert since October 30.

On every Divali and New Year eve, the department also stops sanctioning leave to its staff.

“It has become a routine for us. On every Divali and New Year eve, we stand guard to protect lives and properties and hence the question of getting leave doesn’t arise at all,” said Sodhi.

On the day of Divali, the department gets at least 60 calls of fire incidents from districts like Jammu, Kathua, Samba and Udhampur.

“We have already placed our men and machinery, including fire tenders at Parade Ground and Apsara Ground-the two major places in the capital city where crackers’ stalls are put up for sale every year,” he said.

Sodhi said the focus of the department remained Hindu-dominated areas of the Jammu province where the festival was celebrated with great enthusiasm.

“We have nearly 1,000 men across the Jammu province, out of which I think 99 per cent have not celebrated Divali with their families since a long time,” he said.

To respond to any contingency on Divali, the department, besides manpower of 3,500, have 350 fire tenders and 250 portable pumping units.

Pampore, November 4
From the end of October every year,hundreds of people belonging to different villages near the township on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway are engaged in plucking saffron flowers from the fields every morning.

A majority of the farmers from the 32 nearby villages own the saffron fields spread over 5187 acres between Pampore and Lethpora on the national highway.

“This is a lucrative crop and needs delicate handling”, says Abdul Jabber Dar of Pattal Bagh village,near here, whose family members are engaged in saffron harvest. But he is worried whether he will get a good price because despite government assurances, a systematic sale system is yet to be introduced. The sale and purchase of this costly spice takes place only through agents and brokers.Better prices and a better quality can be ensured only through the intervention of the government, which should take up the marketing of saffron, he points out. He purchased four kanals about eight years ago with the hope of a good turnover. “Let the government constitute a saffron mandi like fruit or vegetable mandis”, he opines.

Nearly 10 lakh people of 226 villages are dependent on saffron cultivation, mainly in the Pampore area of Pulwama district and three other adjacent districts of Anantnag, Budgam and Srinagar in the Kashmir valley. Parts of the Kishtwar area in the erstwhile Doda district of the Jammu region,which are close to the Kashmir valley also produce saffron, reveals Ghulam Mohammad (Pampori) Bhat, president of the All-J&K Saffron Growers and Dealers Association here.

Saffron cultivation, which has its origins in Iran and Spain, was introduced in the carevas of the Kashmir valley 1460 years ago, Bhat said. The annual crop used to be around 35000 to 40,000 kg, which had drastically come down to 10,000 -12,000 kg during the past 10 years, he said. “This has been because of drought, pollution and disease”, he told The Tribune.

To revive the saffron industry, the Centre early this year approved a four-year National Saffron Mission for the state at a cost of Rs 376 crore. It was kickstarted by setting up the first of its kind Saffron Multiplication Seed Corms (SMSC) Nursery over 20 hectares at the Seed Multiplication Farm, Allowpora, Shopian last month.

The mission also aims at checking the elements responsible for selling fake saffron that brings bad name to the state’s industry. The state government has entrusted Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K), with the job of making a comprehensive project for proper scientific implementation of the National Saffron Mission.Bhat seeks a speedy implementation of the mission and completion within the next four years.

Jammu, November 4
With Divali tomorrow and US President Barack Obama visiting India from Saturday, the security forces have been put on a high alert.

Sources in intelligence agencies told The Tribune that they had sufficient inputs of a terror strike, particularly in the winter capital. “We have inputs of a terror strike and hence nothing is being left to chance”, sources in the CRPF told The Tribune. A strict vigil was being maintained at crowded places and vital installations to ward off any untoward incident, they added.

There had been a lull in militancy-related activities because of the relentless counter-insurgency operations by the security forces, but at the same time “we have inputs that ultras will try to disrupt peace in Jammu”, said sources.

Some intercepts in Poonch district sent to militants from across the Line of Control (LoC) revealed the desperation on part of their handlers, who had asked them (militants active in Poonch and Rajouri districts) to step up violence, they added.

“Going by the intercepts, we certainly anticipate a spurt in militancy, for which all the security agencies have upped their ante against anti-national elements”, said a senior police officer. In the temple city, which had always remained on the terror radar of various militant outfits, “we are going for random checks at various check-posts and have also set up additional check-posts in the capital city”, he added.

Divulging details, he said cops in mufti had also been deployed at crowded places like the railway station, the bus stand, the airport, Raghunath Bazar, Raghunath Temple, Gandhi Nagar Market, Purani Mandi, Jain Bazar, Lakhdata Bazaar and Parade Ground. “We have also deployed cops in sufficient strength at Parade Ground and Dasehra Ground near Apsara Cineplex where fire-crackers have been put up for sale”, he said. The entire Jammu and Kashmir Police has also been asked by DGP Kuldeep Khoda to remain in a state of preparedness in the backdrop of President Obama’s visit.

When the then US President Bill Clinton had visited India in 2000, the Chittisinghpura massacre had taken place where 40 Sikhs were killed by ultras, who were wearing Army fatigues to malign the security forces. 

Jammu, November 4
The Jammu Province People’s Forum (JPPF), a conglomerate of various local social, cultural and trade organisations, has extended its support to the bandh call given by the BJP on November 8.

A meeting of the JPPF was held today under the chairmanship of Paviter Singh. The JPPF appealed to the people of Jammu, in general, and the traders and transporters, in particular, to make the bandh a grand success, to carry a message and befitting a reply to the “anti-national forces” in Kashmir.

The forum observed that a right message must reach the Central government and interlocutors on the state that any move which weakensthe state’s integration with India would be opposed by the nationalist people of Jammu.

The forum regretted that the interlocutors had totally ignored and disregarded the aspirations of the people of Jammu.

It observed that the bandh should also carry the message of Jammu people’s strong resentment over the “apathetic attitude” of the authorities in the state and central governments with regards to making the Central University of Jammu functional, by appointing a local scholar as its Vice Chancellor.

It warned that any further neglect of the sentiments of Jammu people will lead to an agitation of the level that was launched by the people here in 2008 over the Amaranth yatra land row.

The prominent among those were present in the meeting included Narain Singh, president, Rajput Sabha; Sunil Sethi, president, Bar Association, Jammu; Inderjeet Khajuria, Kuldeep Luthra, PS Katoch, Rakesh Kesri and Prakash Sharma.

Jammu, November 4
The Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages in collaboration with the Centre for Women Studies, University of Jammu, organised a workshop on gender, culture and languages at the KL Sehgal Hall here yesterday.

Pam Rajput, member of the University Grant Commission, was the chief guest whereas Prof Lalilt Magotra, president of the Dogri Sanstha, Prof Poonam Dhawan, director of the Centre of Woman Studies, University of Jammu, shared the presidium.

Prof Dhawan, while speaking on the aim and objectives of the workshop, said the academy could play a significant role in achievement of women empowerment in all spheres of life.

Prof Lalit Magotra said India had a very rich cultural heritage, where women commanded respect. “However, in the present times, there is a dire need to change mindsets and attitudes towards women for the betterment and development of healthy nation and society as well,” she added.

Dr Bibhuti Ubbot, a speaker, stressed on social justice and equality for women. She also emphasised that men should demonstrate the values, known in women and create an ideal society.

Savita Bakshji, additional secretary of the Academy, in her address of welcome , said no society could be healthy if women were not respected. She further said the Academy was committed to the cause of women empowerment and would make an effort to promote social equality for women.

Dr Arvinder Singh, additional secretary of the Academy; Neeru Sharma, chief editor of Hindi Sheraza; Dr Sudhir Mahajan, senior drama instructor of the Academy; Shamima Akhtar, additional secretary of the Academy; Dr Gian Singh additional secretary (Editorial) and Dr Priyanka Katoch, assistant professor, Centre for Women Studies, University of Jammu, were also present.

Jammu, November 4
Harsh Dev Singh, working chairman of the Panthers Party, has urged the state government to take up the issue of upgrading Government College of Engineering and Technology (GCET), Jammu, to the level of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) on the pattern of Kashmir Engineering College, which has been upgraded and accorded the status of NIT, with the union government. He said during the last budget session, “we were assured that the process would be initiated but no action was taken on the same”.

According to a statement, Singh further said the college was being neglected and deprived of several facilities, including the creation of infrastructure, provision of necessary faculty, framing rules, introduction of career advancement scheme, creation of promotional avenues and extension of the benefits of the Sixth Pay Commission.

He added that the college was established more than a decade ago and it was unfortunate that even the recruitment rules had not been framed as yet.

In the absence of the recruitment rules, the faculty and other staff of the college was deprived of the career advancement schemes and other promotional avenues.

It was surprising to see that the practicals of students were being conducted in private engineering colleges due to non-availability of requisite labs and other facilities.

Singh further expressed his concern over the poor faculty position as out of the sanctioned strength of 71 teachers only 27 posts were filled on a regular basis.

Giving details of the staff provided in the GCET as per the reply in the Assembly,out of 14 professors only three were appointed. Likewise, out of 24 assistant professors’ posts,only eight were available and against 33 lecturers posts only 16 lecturers were posted in regular establishment.

Jammu, November 4
There has been a sharp increase in the poisoning cases in the Jammu region.

On an average, three to four cases of poisoning are reported to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) here daily.

As per official records of the hospital, 90 such cases were reported in October.

Besides,the number of deaths due to poisoning, too, increased as 10 persons lost their lives last month.

A police officer at the GMCH police post said earlier they had never seen such a large number of poisoning cases.

Official records revealed that women outnumbered men in such cases. Most of them were newly weds and belonged to the remote areas.

Doctors, too, accepted the fact that such cases had become quite frequent here and a majority of those who consumed poison were below 30.

A senior doctor at the GMCH said the emergency ward received three to four cases of poisoning everyday. These included both accidental intake of poison as well as attempted suicide.

He added, “Only 25 to 30 per cent were accidental in nature, but a majority of the cases were of attempted suicide.”

The hospital authorities, however, attributed the cases to factors like consumption of hooch, pesticides or insecticides, snakebites, food poisoning or overdose of drugs.

A renowned psychiatrist, Dr JR Thapa, said: “Depression is the main cause behind the sudden increase in such cases. Mostly housewives take tablets of calmpose, diazepam and celphos. They even consume phenol tablets to take such an extreme step.”

He added, “Proper counselling of the victim after he/she is discharged is necessary to ensure that there is no repetition of such an act.”

He suggested that insecticides and pesticides should be used cautiously and life-threatening drugs like calmpose and diazepam should not be allowed to be sold over the counter.

Srinagar, November 4
Normalcy was restored across the Kashmir valley today in response to a call given by the hardline Geelani faction of the Hurriyat Conference,which is spearheading the agitation by issuing protest calendars after every 10 days.

There were no curfew restrictions in any part of the Valley, the police said. All shops and business establishments across Srinagar and other major towns were open and there was a heavy traffic in the city. Educational institutions, government offices and banks functioned normally and there was a heavy rush of shoppers in markets in the Valley. Traffic cops had a tough time maintaining smooth flow of traffic and removing snarls at various places.

The restrictions, however, remained in force in the Palhalan and Sheeri areas in Baramulla district of north Kashmir. The movement of people was not allowed in these areas, reports said. Even employees were not allowed to go to their duties as the restrictions were strictly enforced to prevent any trouble. The two areas on the Srinagar-Uri road leading to Muzaffarabad across the LoC have witnessed trouble recently. Palhalan village on the highway, about 30 km north of here, has been under restrictions for the past over four weeks after the curfew remained in force in the village for over a month following the death of at least eight persons in clashes.

This is for the first time during the past several weeks that the hardline Geelani faction has declared two consecutive days of normal life. It recently amended the calendar by giving a relaxation of one day tomorrow on an appeal of the Sikh community on the occasion of Divali.

Jammu, November 4
Students of Kartar Public School, Barnoti, Kathua, here today celebrated Divali by organising rangoli competition on the school premises.

Engineer Nirmaljit Singh Amn, chairman of Kartar Educational Trust, was the chief guest. Ritesh, programme executive of J&K Media Network, too, was present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Nirmaljit Singh Amn appreciated the students who participated in the competition.

Speaking about the importance of colours in life and the depiction of the various moods of life, he said colours had their own importance and meaning when they are used in various medium of expressions like painting, drawings and rangoli. The students who participated included Vidhushi Rajput, Sanampreet Kour from Kaveri house; Riya Verma, Arti Sharma from Pir Panchal House; Sakshi Sharma, Viva Bharti and others from Hawra House; and Nancy Bandral, Neha Kumari and others from Saraswati House. — TNS

Jammu, November 4
Governor N N Vohra has extended greetings to people on Divali.

In a message of felicitations, the Governor said the festival symbolised the triumph of truth and righteousness over falsehood and of good over evil and reminds us of the civilisation ethos of our country.

The Governor hoped that the festival would further strengthen communal harmony, brotherhood, amity and secularism, which were the hallmark of our glorious composite cultural traditions and would be a harbinger of peace, progress and prosperity in the state.

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has greeted the people on the eve of Divali. In his message, the Chief Minister expressed hope that bonds of love and brotherhood between different sections of the society would strengthen and the tradition of celebrating festivals in amity become stronger.

He also wished the wellbeing of the people, prosperity of the country and peace and development in the state. 

Jammu, November 4
The police claimed to have arrested three drug-peddlers and seized 10 kg charas from their possession at Panthal, near Katra, yesterday.

The police said while patrolling the area , it frisked the three while they were wandering around a nullah and seized charas from their possession. The accused have been identified as Rumal Singh, Rashid, both residents of Kun Drodiyan village in Katra, and Javed Ahmed, a resident of Anantnag.

Arun Jamwal, SHO, Katra police station, said: “A case under the NDPS Act has been registered and the three have been arrested.”