Jammu, December 13
Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla said about 1,800 educated Kashmiri Pandit youths had been given appointment orders and a good number of them had joined duty in their respective places of posting in the Valley.

According to an official statement issued here, the minister said instructions had been issued to the authorities concerned that the appointed youths should be posted keeping in view the situation.

Bhalla said 628 Kashmiri Pandit youths would be posted in Anantnag, 164 in Srinagar, 175 in Baramulla, 201 in Kupwara, 135 in Pulwama, 111 in Budgam, 93 in Shopain, 38 in Ganderbal, nine in Bandipora and 141 in Kulgam districts.

He said the people of Kashmir were eager to receive their migrant brethren. He added that the Kashmir people were known for communal amity and religious tolerance.

The minister said the government had also initiated various measures for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants in the Valley.

He stated this after releasing 327 volumes of ‘Vijeshwar Panchang’-2011 written by Pandit Omakar Nath Shastri at a function held here.

Bhalla said the government had constructed residential quarters for the rehabilitation of the migrants at Sheikhpora, Budgam, Mattan, Anantnag, Veesu, Qazigund and Hall in Pulwama district.

He said the residential quarters at other places would also be developed on modern lines by providing all infrastructural facilities to the migrants. Bhalla said the candidates selected in Baramulla and Kupwara districts would be given accommodation in Baramulla in the first phase and in the second phase the quarters would be constructed in Kupwara. For Srinagar and Budgam districts, the quarters were being constructed at Sheikhpora.

The minister said 4,218 flats being constructed at a cost of Rs 335 crore at Jagti in the Nagrota Township were nearing completion and the allotment would be made to the displaced families by 2011.

Pandit Omkar Nath Shastri, who is the author of Panchang, appealed to people to give due respect and protection to the Kashmiri Pandit youth who had joined various departments in the Valley.

Srinagar, December 13
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today appreciated efforts of the Baramulla administration in pooling resources to meet development targets in the district, despite disturbances and hoped that by working with efficiency, dedication and making a good use of the present weather conditions, all targets would be achieved.

He also announced an additional Rs 3 crore for the district, which would be in addition to Rs 98.51 crore already earmarked for the Annual Plan.

The Chief Minister announced Rs 1.50 crore for the PHC, Palhalan, and Rs 1.5 crore for Baramulla town. He also said Rs 50 lakh would be provided to a district having less than five constituencies and Rs 1 crore to the one having more than five constituencies.

Omar said it was significant that at today’s district development board meeting, MLA, Sangrama, Basharat Bukhari, had put on record that development activities remained apace, particularly essential services like the CA&PD, PHE, power, education, health and rural development.

He said the departments continued to provide basic developmental and welfare facilities to the people of the district. The Chief Minister said the repair of roads undertaken by the R&B Department during the recent turmoil was worth noticing.

He said powers for the re-appropriation of funds had be delegated to the chairmen of the District Development Boards,and added the chairmen would conduct a review of their respective districts in January. Omar advised all department heads and district heads to establish a close rapport with the people for redressing their grievances on the spot.

He stressed they should conduct tours of their respective jurisdiction to get a feedback regarding the projects. He said coordination and better people-administration links gave better results on the ground.3 crore for development of Baramulla 

Jammu, December 13
The police resorted to a mild lathi-charge outside the ancient Raghunath Temple to disperse a mob led by president of the Panthers Party Balwant Singh Mankotia.

The agitating mob, which had blocked the Hari Market Road, demanded that apart from the main entrance to the temple, other gates should also be reopened. Except the main entrance, other gates were closed following two suicide attacks by militants in March and November 2000.Following the attacks, the state government had deployed CRPF personnel for maintaining security.

Led by Mankotia, over 500 activists from the Panthers Party, the Kranti Dal, the Bajrang Dal, the Shiv Sena and the shopkeepers at Hari Market started protesting around 11 am in front of the temple. The protesters blocked the road and tried to open the gates after which the police resorted to the lathi-charge.

Talking to The Tribune, Mankotia said, “We had demanded reopening of all the gates of the Raghunath Temple and eviction of security forces from Tara Daramshala on the temple premises, which is meant for pilgrims. Around 12 organisations and their activists had assembled outside the temple this morning to protest against the casual response of the state government to their demand. The party had submitted a memorandum to Jammu Divisional Commissioner Pawan Kotwal on October 25 in this connection.

“If the government can remove bunkers from Srinagar, where militants had recently struck at Qamarwari, then keeping with the religious sentiments of Hindu community why they can’t open the gates of the historic temple,” asked Mankotia.

He lashed out at the NC-Congress coalition government for allegedly maintaining double-standards on issues of the Jammu region. “If government can provide Personal Security Officers (PSOs) to every second politician on political considerations then what is the problem in re-opening the gates of the temple with requisite security arrangements,” he quipped. Mankotia along with other leaders from various organisations was arrested and then police resorted to lathi-charge on the remaining activists.

Udhampur, December 13
The police has launched a round-the-clock helpline at Katra police station for Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims.

DIG, Udhampur-Reasi Range, Gulzar Singh Slathia launched the helpline today in the presence of SSP, Reasi,Anand Jain, SP, Katra, Shiv Kumar Sharma, SDPO PN Tickoo and SHO Arun Jamwal. The DIG also felicitated Sheru, an employee of the Katra hospital, and Shamsher Singh, an ambulance driver of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, for their commitment and dedication to duty.

As per police officials, the helpline number 9796822100 will be monitored 24x7 by the police at the Katra CCTV control room. The number will be displayed at all important locations in Katra town, the base camp of the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, the 14-km track and Vaishno Devi Bhawan, besides hotels, lodges and shops. The pilgrims can approach the police through 
the helpline.

The need for such a facility was being felt for long due to the great rush throughout the year and problems like pilgrims, especially children, women and old persons, sometimes losing contact with other family or group members.

Besides general security concerns, there have been cases of pilgrims misplacing their luggages or requiring immediate medical help. A prominent local resident and hotelier Shiv Kumar Sharma felt that the facility could be of immense help to the pilgrims. Last year, 82 lakh pilgrims visited the shrine and this year the figure was expected to touch 
one crore.

It is pertinent to recall that the shrine has already been put on the list of sensitive places for security reasons. Governor NN Vohra had in February inspected the security arrangements from the Banganga entrance to the shrine and various development projects, which are located along the entire track to the shrine.

He had given instructions regarding the tightening up of the security arrangements, immediate replacement of baggage X-ray machines and the urgent installation of a high capacity scanner to check building materials carried on mule backs etc. 

Jammu, December 13
Responding to the public demand with regard to the restoration of the 1999 position near the border and the proper rehabilitation of people living in border areas, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand today reiterated the government’s resolve to de-mine all cultivable land along the border with Pakistan and make the peasants self reliant and prosperous.

Tara Chand was interacting with people during an extensive tour of the Khour block here today. During his visit to various villages, including Badwal, Gigrial, Dahlan and Raeyan, Tara Chand said since the people living near the border had no other source of income than agriculture, the de-mining of land should be done on a war footing to usher in a fresh green revolution in the area.

Referring to the water-logging problem during the monsoon, the Deputy Chief Minister announced a mega drain project to be started shortly for which the sanction had been given by the Central government. He also announced the construction of several roads in the block, including Matyawas to Badwal, Barmana to Seouni, Kanni Dhaki to Kala, Bakore to Datyal via Prangla and Barore to Sensor, which would be constructed at a cost of Rs 8 crore.

Tara Chand said tenders were being floated for the early execution of works so that people living in the periphery were connected with towns and cities. Responding to several other demands raised by the people on the occasion, the Deputy Chief Minister directed the officers concerned accompanying him to construct a compound wall and take up the filling of the local park in Badwal village.

He also asked the revenue authorities to conduct a fresh survey of the block to identify the beneficiaries under the BPL and the IAY, and centrally-sponsored schemes so that only deserving persons were provided with the benefits.

Stressing coordination among government agencies in the implementation of developmental and welfare schemes, Tara Chand appealed to the people to pay electric bills and allied taxes to the government so that it could use it for the progress and prosperity of the state.

Referring to the unemployment problem, he said the government was organising Rozgar Melas for creating awareness among the unemployed youth for setting up of their own income generating units in their areas.

He said the process of filling vacancies in various departments was being undertaken by the SSRB and other recruiting agencies.

Udhampur, December 13
The working of the Municipal Committee (MC), Doda, has come under fire from residents for its failure to maintain cleanliness. The residents alleged that MC officials were constantly neglecting their duty.

The residents of Mohalla Irfan Abad in Ward No. 11 are particularly sore over little attention being paid to cleanliness in their locality in the heart of the town.

This has resulted in filthy conditions in the area to the extent that the stench of garbage makes it difficult for people to cross the area.

Such a situation has the potential of breeding diseases.

But the MC officials have allegedly failed to pay heed to public complaints.

A resident of Mohalla Irfan Abad, Farooq Ahmed, alleged that the Sanitary Inspector of the MC, Doda, had never visited this locality.

“We have never seen his face. For us he is an alien who might have visited the area during night when the residents are asleep,” he said, taking a dig at the official apathy.

The residents also alleged that no sweeper had ever visited the area regularly.

The dust and garbage in the middle of road had become a cause of inconvenience to the residents and those passing through the locality.

They apprehended the continuing neglect might give rise to some epidemic that may engulf the surrounding areas as well.

Strangely, all this is happening despite a cleanliness drive launched by the District Development Commissioner (DDC), Doda, Farooq Ahmed Khan, a week ago.

He had then visited all wards of Doda town, but quite intriguingly he failed to visit this ward.

The residents appealed to the district administration to immediately intervene and take stern action against the erring officials, failing which they would resort to an agitation.

The DDC could not be contacted despite several attempts.

Udhampur, December 13
ADGP, Home Guards, Civil Defence and Auxiliary Police, J&K, S Gopal Reddy said today that due to their dedicated and sincere efforts in organising activities, the Civil Defence unit, Udhampur, bagged the top ranking in the state.

Reddy was addressing an impressive gathering of Civil Defence wardens, volunteers, NCC cadets and NSS volunteers at the valedictory function of a six-day training camp under the Pilot Project on Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) organised by the Civil Defence Organisation, Udhampur, here.

DIG, Udhampur-Reasi Police Range, GS Salathia; SSP, Udhampur, Surinder Gupta; Divisional Commandant, Civil Defence, Abdul Gani Choudhary; Additional SP Bupinder Singh; Deputy Controller, Civil Defence, Bodh Raj; Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Deepak Kumar; and Chief Warden Surinder Khajuria were also present.

The ADGP exhorted the officers and wardens of the Civil Defence to work with a missionary zeal to make the organisation more vibrant in every nook and corner of the district. He also lauded the district police for extending all cooperation in holding such programmes from time to time.

Reddy added that during war, natural calamities and other similar emergencies, the Civil Defence Organisation had traditionally played a vital role in mobilising people and helping the civil administration in a big way.

In his address, DIG Salathia highlighted the role of the Civil Defence Organisation in educating people about the diverse issues of pubic interest, disaster management and community policing. It was due to the sincere efforts of the Civil Defence organisation and the police that the gap between the police and public had minimised to a greater extent, he said while assuring all out help from the department in terms of more such collaborative programmes.

Complimenting the Civil Defence Organisation, Udhampur, for conducting a training course under the COPS Pilot Project for the Civil Defence volunteers of the district, the SSP expressed hope that such programmes would go a long way in strengthening the Civil Defence movement in the whole district.

Dr Deepak Kumar delivered a guest lecture on stress management on the occasion. Warden Swatantra Dev Kotwal conducted the proceeding of the programme, while Deputy Controller, Civil Defence, Bodh Raj presented the vote of thanks. The ADGP also gave away certificates, cheques and identity cards among 55 volunteers, who received COPS training in the district.

Jammu, December 13
Asking the BJP to refrain from misleading the people by raking up divisive issues, Political Adviser to the Chief Minister Devender Singh Rana said the state was a symbol of communal harmony and politicians must not play politics of religion and region in the state.

He said nobody should divide the people on regional, religious or communal lines. Rana, who was addressing a gathering at Nagrota here where a large number of BJP workers joined the NC, said the BJP should play a role of constructive opposition and refrain from vote bank politics by raising divisive slogans.

“The unity of the people of the state cannot be compromised with and parties like the BJP will not be allowed to disturb the communal amity and traditional brotherhood in the state,” he said.

“The prosperity and progress of the state lies in the traditional harmony between all sections of the society that Jammu and Kashmir symbolizes since ages,” he said and added that the state’s coalition government under the leadership of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was determined to further strengthen this characteristic of the state and cement the bonds of love between various sections of the society.

He said the state government had initiated massive and comprehensive development plan to reach out to every area in the state for equitable development and wellbeing of the people.

Rameshwar Dutt, block president, Dansal, and Som Nath Khajuria, both NC leaders, also addressed the gathering. Those who joined the NC after resigning from the BJP on the occasion included Capt (retd) Parkash Chand Sharma, Isher Das Sharma, Tara Chand Sharma, Rattan Baru, Raj Kumar Sharma, Prem Khajuria, Ajay Sharma, chairman Bishan Dass Sharma and others.

Jammu, December 13
Leader of the BJP Legislature Party and Jammu West MLA, Chaman Lal Gupta, today reacted to the statement of Home Minister P Chidambaram and some other leaders that Kashmir was a political problem and its contours would emerge in the near future. Gupta regretted that certain leaders in New Delhi had little knowledge about the geography of Jammu and Kashmir and were overacting as Kashmir experts.

“This is bound to create complications than solutions to the problems. The problems, created by them, were not only affecting the people of Jammu and Kashmir but the entire country,” Gupta said. He was addressing a meeting of party workers in Jammu West here. Gupta averred that Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India and its future was not negotiable. “The main problem is the failure of the dispensation to implement the law of the land and not being able to act under the oath of the Constitution, which they are the product of,” he added.

Gupta pointed out that the Valley was just one-tenth in geographical area of the state and that its population was less than half of the entire state. Moreover, the entire Kashmiri population, including over 5,00,000 Pandits and others, were not separatists but the Congress leadership had never taken looked into the ground realities, he said.

Instead of strengthening pro-India forces, these leaders patronised separatists and semi-separatists. Their approach has been Kashmir centric infected by communal virus, he alleged. He said that Jammu was enslaved and Ladakh was being extended a raw deal and in fact, which was the main problem.

Jammu, December 13
On the ninth anniversary of the attack on Parliament, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today reiterated that the law should take its own course in the Afzal Guru case.“My stand on the Afzal Guru case is clear. Though the Opposition has been mounting pressure, we should allow the law to take its own course,” Omar told reporters after attending the J&K Youth Exchange Programme - 2010,organised by the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan at Jammu University here.

On the panchayat poll, Omar said it would be contested on a non-party basis. “We want that the exercise is carried out on a non-party basis to ensure the maximum participation”. There would be no scope for party politics in the elections. “We want to ensure that good candidates take over as sarpanches and panches to ensure effective governance”, he said.

Against the backdrop of separatists’ call to boycott the panchayat elections, Omar said the poll had nothing to do with the core issue (Kashmir). Earlier, Omar flagged off a contingent of over 400 youth on a tour of various states under the youth exchange programme.

Speaking at the function, he described the youth participating in the programme as ambassadors of the state and expressed confidence that they would depict the rich cultural ethos, communal amity and brotherhood before the people in various states.

“There are several misgivings about Jammu and Kashmir in the minds of people outside the state and the same is the case here”, he said, adding such exchanges would remove these reservations and bring people closer to each other.

Srinagar, December 13
A sessions court today rejected a revision petition filed by the Army against an order of a subordinate court, seeking to try armymen involved in the Macchil encounter case in a general court martial.

Principal District and Sessions Judge, Baramulla, Gousun Nisa Jeelani rejected the petition,Public Prosecutor Shahid Ali Shah told PTI.

The court also directed the Army to present the accused in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sopore, on December 24, he said.

On July 15, the CJM had rejected an application, seeking the transfer of the case to the Army so that the accused could be tried in a general court martial.

While rejecting the application, CJM Kauser Qureshi, in his order, had said the trial of the case in relation to the said accused was necessary to be conducted by a civil court.

The same day, the police had charged 11 persons, including a Colonel and two Majors of the Army, with the murder of the three youth.

Nine army officials and two civilians were charged under Sections 302 (murder), 364 (abduction), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intent) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) for the killing of the three youth,who belonged to the Nadihal area of Baramulla district, in an alleged fake encounter in April.

Reyaz Ahmad, Mohammad Shafi and Shahzad Ahmad were allegedly lured by a former SPO Bashir Ahmad Lone and his accomplices to Macchil on the pretext of getting them high-paying jobs in the Army and later handed over to Army for Rs 50,000 each.

Later, the trio were allegedly shot dead in a staged gunbattle near the LoC and dubbed as Pakistani infiltrators. The case came to light when the police found discrepancies in the FIR lodged by the Army unit and launched an inquiry. The personnel against whom the chargesheet has been filed include Col D K Pathania of the 4 Rajput Rifles, Major Opendra Singh, Major Maurya (Adjutant), subedar Satbir, hawaldar Bir Singh, sepoy Chadra Bhan, sepoy Nagendra Singh, sepoy Narendra Singh and Abbas Hussain Shah of the Territorial Army. — PTI

Srinagar, December 13
Protests were held in Baramulla against the arrest of two youths by the paramilitary forces today.People blocked the Srinagar-Baramulla National Highway demanding the release of the detained youths.

In Bandipore district, protests were held against the alleged abduction of a woman at Chaliavan village.

The residents of Chalivan said Bibi Jan was abducted when she was rearing animals in the compound of her house.

Meanwhile, protests were held at Aripanth in Budgam against the alleged thrashing of a man by the security forces.