Jammu, November 25
Almost six decades have passed when lakhs of families belonging to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) migrated from their native place when Kabailis backed by the Pakistan Army launched an attack on them.

Recalling the horrendous period, AS Chedi, 72, a PoK refugee, said, “The days of 1947 turmoil are still fresh in my memories. I cannot forget the day when my 35 relatives, including kids, women, youngsters and elders, were brutally killed before my eyes by the Pakistan Army.”

Narrating the tragic event, Chedi said, “We lived in the Mughalwali Batala locality of Tehsil Bhimber, Mirpur. I was just 8-year-old then. The families living in the locality were petrified because of the sudden attack.”

“We left our houses and property to save our lives. Finally, we reached to Jammu where we got shelter. The government allotted land to some families and we were among them. We were allotted around 4 kanal in the city,” said Chedi.

He added, “The future of our children is still lying in obscurity. In the absence of property, we are unable to take education loan to continue further studies of our children.”

The tragic story of Sham Singh Chib, 65, another PoK refugee, is not different from that of Chedi. However, Chib could not manage to get even some land or other assistance from the government after migration in 1947.

Chib is a vegetable seller and presently lives in Khour tehsil, which falls near the Akhnoor area. He is the only earning member of his family.

Emotionally surcharged, Chib, who migrated from Sehiara locality of Aknoor, said, “I cannot forget how they killed my elder brother Baldev Singh Chib.”

“After his death, we family fled from our native place and came to Jammu to protect our lives,” he added.

He said the implementation of the Wadhwa Committee Report could help to minimise the woes of PoK refugees to some extent.

Jammu, November 25
Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma yesterday appreciated the supervisory mechanism of his department and said because of it the state secured the first position in a recent survey conducted by a leading national magazine in providing primary healthcare facilities to its people.

The minister in a media interaction held here appreciated the team of supervisory doctors and encouraged them to continue with their work with the same dedication and zeal. He also directed them to keep their mobile phones on round-the -clock.

“Senior doctors must attend to grievance calls of the patients as well as attendants. It can save precious lives besides reforming the government health sector if complaints were dealt with without delay,” the minister said.

Flanked by Minister of State for Health Javed Ahmed Dar, Sharma also counted the achievements made by his department under centrally sponsored programmes like the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the Indian System of Medicines.

The minister gave details about the addition in the number of ambulances in the existing fleet as well as expansion of healthcare facilities across the state.

He said the process of equipping all districts hospitals with at least two ventilators was also under way.

“During the past two years, we have strived hard to make the system accountable. As part of the process, many doctors have been appointed, especially in the peripheral hospitals. Efforts are going on to provide better services to people,” the minister said.

Prominent among others who were present on the occasion included Director of Health Services AK Shrama, NRHM Director Yash Pal Sharma, Medical Suprintendent of the Rajiv Gandhi Leprosy Hospital, Gangyal, Ravinder Kahjuria and district medical officers of the province. 

Jammu, November 25
A Division Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir has permitted the state and functionaries of the police department to initiate a probe against the respondent, a constable who has been dismissed from service, for her misconduct in accordance with law.

“The respondent’s dismissal from service, without holding the requisite inquiry into her misconduct, as required by rules governing the service, cannot be justified, for such a course additionally violates the principles of natural justice. The view taken by the Single Judge, in this regard, does not, therefore, warrant interference with,” held the bench comprising Justice JP Singh and Justice Hasnain Masoodi.

The bench has upheld that portion of the judgment of a Single Judge, whereby the appellant’s orders dated June 24, 2006, and November 11, 2008, were set aside directing her reinstatement into service forthwith. Nilofar, a constable in the Jammu and Kashmir Police, was removed from service by the Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, on June 24, 2006, for unauthorised absence from duty.

On suffering dismissal of her appeal before the Deputy Inspector- General of Police, Kashmir, she resorted to the writ jurisdiction of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir at Jammu, wherein, the impugned orders were set aside while directing her reinstatement forthwith, with no entitlement to salary for the period of absence, finding that the dismissal was illegal in the absence of any inquiry into the misconduct.

Aggrieved by the judgment dated May 20, 2010, of the Single Judge, the state filed Letters Patent Appeal arguing that since it had failed to file response to the writ petition and held no inquiry into the alleged misconduct of the respondent, liberty be allowed to proceed against her in accordance with the law for the same.

The Division Bench, while partly allowing the Letters Patent Appeal, observed, “We, however, see no justification to refuse liberty to the appellants to proceed against the respondent afresh for her misconduct after following the procedure laid down in the rules, therefore, governing the service, for invalidity of the punishment for not following the rules, would not deprive the employer of his prerogative to proceed against the neglectful employee after following the rules.”

Jammu, November 25
The Tourism Department will soon conceptualise a comprehensive plan for the development of a unique and distinctive “Harmony Park” over the Tawi River in the vicinity of the upcoming Sidhra golf course.

It will symbolise religious harmony and brotherhood among various religions.

The basic concept for the park shall be imbibed from the spiritual garden and “Garden of 5 senses” developed by former President APJ Abdul Kalam in Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The direction in this regard was given by Minister for Tourism and Culture Nawang Rigzin Jora, while inspecting the site of yagyashala being organised by Sant Bal Yogeshwar to pay homage/tributes to martyrs of the nation through special hawans to be represented by the people from all religions.

The minister directed Director of Tourism, Jammu, RK Verma to consult Sant Bal Yogeshwar for the development of the proposed park.

Meanwhile, as many as 48 families of 26/11 victims, including those of police officers of the Special Task Force (STF) like Hemant Karkare, will arrive in the city on November 28 to take part in a “Sarva Dharama Maitri Mahayagya”.

Besides 70 families of Kargil martyrs, including 37 from the the state, 33 others from across the country would also take part in this mahayagya, which began today and will conclude on December 5, said Sant Bal Yogeshwar, who is organising this religious congregation for the 19th time.

He added that the mahayagya was being organised to pray for peace, brotherhood and communal harmony in the country and people from all religions would participate in it.

He added, “As many as 25 families from Mumbai and 23 from New Delhi, who have lost their near and dear ones in the worst-ever terror attack in Mumbai, have confirmed their participation in the mahayagya this year and will also join 21 kund mahayagya ceremony.”

It is to mention here that earlier Sant Bal Yogeshwar used to invite just Kargil martyrs’ families in these mahayagyas, but this time martyrs’ families from other states, too, have been invited to attend the ceremony.

Explaining the events to be held in the mahayagya, he said a sant sammelan would also be organised from November 28 to 30, in which nearly 1,000 sadhus from across the country would participate. Besides this, special prayers would be held for peace to the souls of martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the nation.

Recitations of the Bhagwad Geeta, the Bible, the Quran and the Sri Guru Granth Sahib will be held in the mahayagya to spread the message of communal harmony and brotherhood, said a member of the core team of organisers, Arjun Singh Jasrotia, father of Ajay Jasrotia, a Kargil war martyr.

Sunder Bani, November 25
The trend of turning government schools into political platforms by ruling coalition parties continues unabatedly.

This time the venue was Government Boys High School, Siot, and the main attraction of the event were Congress leaders, including Sports and Medical Education Minister RS Chib and MLC Ravinder Sharma.

A group of jubilant political workers of the Congress had already gathered on the school premises since morning along with some over-enthusiastic teachers of the school. Buntings displaying election symbol of the party, too, were put on along the main entrance of the school.

To welcome the MLC, minister and the team of senior officials of his department, students were queued up along both sides of the entrance to the school. Studies remained disrupted for at least two and half hours. Later, some students were seen serving water, juice and dry fruits to the minister and his cavalcade.

Before arriving at the school, the minister made a halt at the government guest house in Sunder Bani, where a large number of government employees, especially teachers, were present to give a rousing reception to the minister and make the event a grand success.

Reports said sports activities in many schools remained paralysed as sports teachers from government schools across the district attended another function at Nowshera, where the minister was the chief guest.

Officials from the Sports and Education Departments were reluctant to comment if there was an official order directing them to attend the functions.

During his interaction with the students, teachers and some political workers at the school, the minister and the MLC promised Rs 2 lakh each for the boundary wall of the school.

The minister also announced two cricket kits, one volleyball kit, one football kit and one badminton kit for the school.

Meanwhile, villagers submitted a memorandum of demand to the minister seeking upgradation of the school.

Srinagar, November 25
Upholding the BSF plea that its Commandant and constable accused of killing a teenaged boy in unprovoked firing were on “active duty”, a local court today transferred the case to the General Security Forces Court (GSFC).

Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Srinagar Yashpal Bourney ordered the transfer of the case, related to the killing of 16-year-old Zahid Farooq allegedly by BSF commandant RK Birdhi and Constable Lakhvinder Kumar in the Nishat area of the city in February this year, to the GSFC.

“In view of the notification issued by the Central government with regard to disturbed areas in the country, including the state, the security forces are to be treated as being on active duty in any part of these states,” Bourney said while announcing the order.

“The notification is for a period of three years and the occurence has taken place within that period. This court has no option but to transfer the case to General Security Forces Court,” the judge said.

Special Public Prosecutor AA Teli said he would go through the entire order before a decision was taken on challenging it in a superior court.

Farooq was killed in a firing incident by the troops of 68 Battalion BSF on February 5 this year. While Kumar was handed over to the police in February, Birdhi surrendered before the police in March this year.

The court, however, rejected the plea of the BSF counsel M Fazili seeking immediate custody of the accused, who were present in the court. “You can take the custody of the accused anytime after they complete the formalities at the place of their lodgement (Central Jail) till today,” Bourney said. — PTI 

Jammu, November 25
At least 15 daily wage workers of the Power Development Department (PDD) were injured when the police cane-charged them here this morning.

The police resorted to a cane-charge after the protesters locked all PDD offices in the city to intensify their agitation.

Though the protesting workers termed it a case of highhandedness, the police said the protesters tried to block roads at Janipur, Kachi Chawani and the Canal Road around 10 am when people travel to reach their offices or workplaces.

Tarun Gupta, president of the Daily Wage Workers’ Association, said, “It is a clear case of police highhandedness as it lathi-charged us without any provocation. It is our right to protest to get our demands fulfilled and we will fight for our rights.”

After the incident, the agitating workers also started approaching other unions and associations to get their support.

The protesting PDD daily wagers are demanding the regularisation of the services of around 3,000 workers who have completed seven years of service in the department.

They had earlier met Minister of State for Power Shabir Khan and Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister BB Vyas. They had been assured of a meeting with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, but in vain. 

Jammu/Srinagar, November 25
Reacting to the manhandling of the chairman of the moderate faction of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, at Chandigarh this morning, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said it was bound to happen and attributed it to the people’s reaction to policies being propagated by separatists.

Interacting with mediapersons after attending a symposium at Jammu University, Omar observed that the incident was the result of the programmes and policies being pursued by the group.

Omar said:“It is the reaction of the people to their policies and programmes and it was bound to happen. I don’t condone it”.

Omar, however, hastened to add: “We are proud of our democracy. It’s a matter of ideas and ideologies. We have always given liberty to the people of different opinions to express their views.”

When asked whether it was high time for the Hurriyat Conference and other separatist groups to change their policies, Omar remarked, “I am not going to use the media to send a message to the members of the Hurriyat Conference. If I have to say something, I would tell them in person.”

Describing it as undemocratic,various separatist and other political and social organisations have condemned the manhandling of the Hurriyat Conference chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, at a seminar in Chandigarh today.

The police here, however, allayed the rumour that the Mirwaiz was injured and stated it was “totally false”. “The Mirwaiz is safe and the miscreants have been arrested”, a police spokesman said here.

Condemning the incident, the Kashmiri Pandit Sangharash Samiti (KPSS) said the vandalism by some right-wing Hindu groups under the KP banner was aimed at widening the gap between the Kashmiri communities. In a statement, Sanjay K Tickoo, president of the KPSS, said the role of the UT Administration and the organisers should also be put under the scanner.

The All-Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) chairman, Jagmohan Singh Raina,while condemning the attack, said everybody had a right to express himself in a democratic country.He urged the government to book all those involved.

PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, condemning the incident, said the roughing up of a prominent religious and political leader of Kashmir was highly condemnable, which had to be disapproved by anyone believing in the freedom of speech.

The JKLF chairman, Mohammad Yasin Malik, has also condemned the incident.

Supporters of the Mirwaiz took to the streets in protest against the incident. As the news spread, shopkeepers in old city areas like Nowhatta, Rajouri Kadal and Gojwara downed shutters and soon groups of youth raising slogans poured onto the roads. They went around many localities and indulged in stone throwing on police and paramilitary forces, official sources said.

Jammu, November 25
An expert group of the Government of India, headed by Chairman C Rangarajan, today convened a high-level meeting to discuss matters relating to the formation of a comprehensive employment plan for the youth of the state.

The Rangarajan Committee has been constituted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to explore employment opportunities for the youth of the state.

Chief Secretary SS Kapoor, Principal Secretary Planning and Development Khurshid Ganai, Principal Secretary, Finance, Sudhanshu Pandey; Principal Secretary to Chief Minister BB Vyas, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Pawan Kotwal; Chairman, Federation of Industries and President, AOI, TS Reen; Co-Chairman, Federation of Industries and President, BBIA, Annil Suri; and Chairman, Chamber of Commerce and Industries, YV Sharma were present in the meeting.

Rangarajan, while speaking on the occasion, said the committee was in the state to explore the possibilities of increasing employment opportunities for the youth.

He said yesterday the committee held meetings with representatives of Agriculture and Horticulture at Srinagar and also had a meeting with the Chief Minister.

Today, the expert committee convened a meeting with representatives of Industries and Chamber of Commerce. The committee is also looking at adequate training and skill development among the youth of the state.

He said the committee would also examine the scope of creating employment avenues outside the state for the local youth. The committee will submit its report to the Government of India after deliberation at New Delhi.

The industrial representatives demanded refund of 100 per cent central excise duty, incentives to existing industrial units, income tax exemption to existing units, refund of overflow of cenvat credit and restoration of grace period. They also suggested that the state youth be employed in Central PSUs, one-time grant for land acquisition, development of power grid to feed industrial units and transport subsidy on finished goods, etc.

Jammu/Srinagar, November 25
Dr C Rangarajan, Chairman of the expert group set up by the Prime Minister to prepare a comprehensive job plan for the unemployed youth of Jammu and Kashmir, held discussions with Governor N. N. Vohra at Raj Bhavan here today. Rangarajan held wide-ranging discussions with the Governor in regard to the formulation of the plan.

The Governor focused on various sectors like agriculture, horticulture, poultry, dairy farming, industry, handicrafts and tourism which possess a huge potential through appropriately designed interventions for generating employment avenues for the youth.He observed that for effective and time-bound action to implement the Central and Centrally-aided programmes, all of which would not only contribute to development but also to job creation, there was need for putting in place a job plan to effectively address the issue of unemployment on a short, medium and long-term basis to secure the desired outcome.

He added that skill upgradation of the youth as per the present and futuristic job market trends could go a long way in enhancing their employability. The Governor was of the view that such a holistic approach could make a difference as far as addressing the problem of unemployment was concerned.

Meanwhile, the expert group called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah here last evening. It discussed matters relating to the formulation of a comprehensive employment plan for the youth. While identifying the areas with a higher employment potential, the Chief Minister focused on the unemployment problem as one of the most important issues requiring attention, an official spokesman said.

Omar said the state government had launched a multi-pronged policy to address the unemployment crisis, underlining the urgent need for initiatives by the Central government in this regard to help expand the job orbit for the youth of the state.

The Chief Minister also underscored the importance of giving necessary boost to sectors capable of providing jobs and generating wide-ranging economic activities. 

Jammu, November 25
As the Delhi Police today brought the dreaded Pakistan terrorist, Mohammad Abdullah Inqlabi, to Rajouri on a transit remand, the local police on his disclosure busted one of his hideouts and seized some arms from it.

Confirming the seizure of arms from Inqlabi’s hideout in the Rich Baghla forest area in Rajouri, SSP, Rajouri, Romesh Jalla said, “During interrogation at the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC), Inqlabi disclosed one of his hideouts. Then hideout was busted and some arms were seized.”

Though the sources further claimed that the police also arrested three accomplices of Inqlabi, the SSP outrightly denied it. He said, “So far we have not arrested any other person in the case. The Delhi Police today brought him to Rajouri and we interrogated him along with our Delhi counterpart.”

The SSP said one AK-47 rifle, four magazines of AK-47 with 20 rounds, one grenade and one pouch was seized from the hideout.

Inqlabi, a Divisional Commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, was arrested from Delhi after a short encounter on November 15.

As he reached Rajouri, Inqlabi was taken to the Joint Interrogation Centre, Rajouri, where the police interrogated him to verify the statements given by his wife Shahnaz and father-in-law Bashir, the sources said.

Jammu, November 25
In a major decision, the state government today ordered the withdrawal of nearly 1,000 CRPF personnel from Srinagar town, besides the removal of 10 more bunkers as part of its peace initiative to make life easy for the people of the state.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah cleared the proposal this evening after assessing the law and order situation in the Valley, which has seen a violent summer this year, official sources said here.

According to the sources, 10 more bunkers would be removed from Srinagar city, raising the number of bunkers removed to 26 since October 5.

A plan has been worked out by the local police with the CRPF in consultation with the security agencies for the withdrawal of one battalion of the CRPF (1,000 personnel) from the city, a move which is seen in tandem with the Chief Minister’s promise of reducing the footprints of security personnel in the civilian population if there is an improvement in the situation. Earlier, as per the decision of the unified headquarters, 16 bunkers were to be removed.

The CRPF has been assisting the state police in the maintenance of law and order in Srinagar and other towns and its personnel are manning the bunkers dotting the city. — PTI

Jammu, November 25
In a major setback to the already decimated Pak-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, the security forces today shot dead three LeT militants, including a self-styled commander of the outfit, in the Morah Bachai area of Surankote tehsil in Poonch district this evening.

The day-long encounter ended around 5.30 p.m this evening. Sepoy Gurpratap Singh of the 16 RR also sustained bullet injuries in the gunbattle, which started around 8 a.m. However, he is stated to be out of danger.

The slain militants included Abu Ali, a self-styled commander of the Lashkar and a hardcore militant of the LeT, who has been active in the border district of Poonch for the past 15 years, Poonch district SSP, Manmohan Singh told The Tribune over phone.

Not only he had been active for the past 15 years,but also Ali was an expert in making and planting IEDs, said Singh. In fact, he was responsible for the maximum number of IED blasts in Poonch district, added the SSP.

He described the killings as a big achievement for the security forces.

“For the past five days, we have been chasing them from the BKG sector in Poonch and in fact, had a brief exchange of fire with them five days ago, injuring one of them”, he said.

One of Ali’s two slain associates was identified as Abu Hamza while the identity of the third militant was yet to be ascertained, he said.

The bodies were being brought from the upper reaches of Morah Bachai to Surankote town, he said.

When contacted, Brigadier-General Staff of the 16 Corps, Brig Satish Dua said, intercepts during the encounter revealed that the militants belonged to the LeT.”So far, we have recovered three AK-47 assault rifles, three rucksacks and some other ammunition from the site of the encounter”, said Dua.

Official sources said earlier when the security forces comprising troops of the 16 and 20 Rashtriya Rifles, the CRPF and the police were fortifying the cordon around the jungle,the militants opened fire from their automatic weapons, injuring sepoy Gurpratap Singh.

The injured soldier was evacuated to a hospital while additional reinforcements were rushed to the area to neutralise the militants, they added. Senior Army and police officers rushed to the scene to supervise the operation.