Pindi (Bishnah), April 12
On the eve of the polling during the first phase of the panchayat elections, candidates have been using all their resources to lure voters in their respective areas. Though the elections are being held on the non-party basis, senior leaders have been openly campaigning and holding meetings in different areas to garner support for their candidates.

Contrary to the claims of the authorities of keeping a check on the means being adopted by the candidates to convince voters, influential candidates in some areas have been distributing liquor and money to poor people. In the border belt of the Bishnah sub-division, influential candidates have been brazenly trying to exploit poor people by distributing liquor and money to them. During a visit to Alla, Kotla, Pindi, Changia, Pasgal, Chak Majra and Pasgal panchayats, a number of people complained about influential candidates distributing liquor in their areas.

“Although educated people of our area are aware of their rights, the candidates, with strong financial background, have been trying to influence poverty-stricken voters by distributing liquor and money to them,” alleged Ravi Kumar Bhagat, a resident of Pindi village. Ravi, a postgraduate unemployed youth, regretted that the authorities have failed to take action against those who had been indulging in such illegal practices to influence voters.

During a visit to Pasgal village, some people were seen standing at the main chowk, campaigning for a candidate in an inebriated condition. “It being Ramnaumi today, all liquor shops are closed but these people have consumed liquor given to them by candidates for whom they are campaigning,” said Dewan Chand, an octogenarian, while pointing towards a group of people standing in the chowk.

Not only liquor and money, candidates are also not hesitating from playing the caste card to garner votes. On the eve of polling, rural areas have been virtually divided on caste lines, thanks to campaigns launched by the candidates during the last fortnight.

The authorities, on the other hand, have made all arrangements for the elections tomorrow. The polling will be held from 8 am to 2 pm and the counting will start at 3 pm.

In the Samba block, of the total 242 polling stations, 60 have been declared as hypersensitive and others as normal.

“We have declared these 60 polling stations as hypersensitive keeping in view the rivalry between the candidates,” said Assistant Commissioner, Samba, KK Sidha. In the Bishnah block, of the total 284 polling stations, only three have been declared as hypersensitive.

Meanwhile, for the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, women have been deployed on polling duty. “As many as 90 women have been assigned election duty,” said Sidha.

Udhampur, April 12
Governor NN Vohra, who is the chairman of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, today visited the holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi and inspected various ongoing development schemes of the shrine board. He performed the “purna-ahuti” of the “Shat Chandi Maha Yagya” at the bhawan and prayed at the sanctum sanctorum for peace and prosperity in the state. He was accompanied by his wife, Usha Vohra, Raj Kumar Goyal, Chief Executive Officer of the shrine board, Dr Mandeep Bhandari, Additional CEO, Jagjit Kumar, DIG, Udhampur-Reasi Range, Keshav Ram Chaurasia, SSP, Reasi, and the board officers concerned.

Keeping in view the felt need for creating additional accommodation for the increasing number of pilgrims, Manokamana Bhawan--Phase II at the bhawan, which provides free of cost accommodation for around 500 persons, and a bhojanalya facility were recently thrown open to the pilgrims. Two multi-storied buildings, the Ashirwad Complex at Katra having 480 beds capacity and the Parvati Bhawan at the main bhawan with a capacity of around 150 beds, are likely to be completed this year and the work on the 400-bed Kalika Dham in Jammu is commencing shortly. Besides, a 172-bedded Dormitory Complex at Adhkuwari is also nearing completion. A major scheme of about Rs 14 crore for augmenting water supply to the Bhawan area is likely to be commissioned within next four months.

For the safe and smooth flow of the yatris, the work is already going on to widen the relatively narrower stretches of the existing track and re-tiling of all portions of the track, which have got worn out. For the convenience of the on-foot pilgrims, the relatively wider portions of the track are being segregated, by installing dividers, to create separate lanes for the yatris and for the movement of ponies. The shrine board has also contributed to the cost of the state government’s project to widen and improve the Katra-Banganga Road.

Significant measures are being taken to enhance the safety and security of the pilgrims. This includes decongesting the track, shifting of the electric substation at Bhawan, re-location of the Banganga Check Post, operationalisation of the Hathi Matha Check Post and the construction of a new pony stand at the bhawan. The commissioning of a new tunnel to the sanctum sanctorum, taking forward two ropeway projects, initiation of a new dedicated pony track from Banganaga to Adhkuwari, engaging the services of the IIM, Ahmedabad, to improve the management of the queue systems are some of the more significant projects initiated during the past one year.

The board has shown high sensitivity towards environmental concerns. In this regard major plantation drives were carried out to improve the green cover. During summer and winter last year around 50,000 and 30,000 saplings, respectively, including forest species, rhizomes, horticulture and flowering plants, were planted in the shrine area.

In keeping with its environmental-friendly commitment, conscious efforts have been made by the board to switch over to non-conventional energy sources and take various measures to conserve energy. Among these, energy efficient lights have been installed to replace the conventional lights on the entire track. Under the Special Area Demonstration Project Scheme of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the board has successfully implemented a solar water heating plant at Katra and a solar power plant at the bhawan. Under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, four solar water heating systems and two solar power plants of 20 KW are being installed.

The large quantity of mule dung on the tracks is a nuisance and has also been the cause for avoidable accidents. After effective consultations, the work has commenced to establish a four-tonne per day mule dung based bio-gas plant. For ensuring effective solid waste management and water/waste-water management, the board is at presently finalising time-bound projects, which are based on studies that the board has got conducted through TERI.

The shrine board has placed a major focus on treating the slip prone areas for enhancing the safety and security of the yatris. Over 1,800 metres of shelter sheds have been constructed/re-laid with 18 gauge sturdy CGI sheets to reduce the impact of the shooting stones and landslides. As a long-term measure, in order to put in place a fool-proof system to protect the yatris from the shooting stones/landslides, a consultancy has been engaged for the stabilisation of vulnerable zones between Katra and the shrine. This work has been entrusted to Tehri Hydro Development Corporation.

To deal with any catastrophe/disaster situation, the shrine board has got capacity building and disaster management and preparedness training programmes carried out through expert agencies. More than 500 personnel drawn from the shrine board, CRPF, police, PHE and fire services have so far been trained. Three disaster management task forces, comprising well trained employees of the shrine board, have been constituted to take effective steps in any disaster situation. Disaster management stores have been established and made functional. In-house training is now being provided to train the entire staff of the Shrine Board in this area of preparedness. Medical facilities have also been augmented at various locations along the entire track.

For ensuring fire safety, a comprehensive plan for effective fire fighting measures in the area has been got conducted through the Fire Services Department and work for the installation of fire hydrant systems at Adhkuwari and the augmentation of the existing system at the bhawan has already started and one 20,000 gallon reservoir to be used only for fire fighting purposes has already been constructed at Adhkuwari.

Besides, a 50,000 gallon reservoir at the bhawan has also been reserved exclusively for fire fighting. Fire extinguishers have been installed at various sensitive locations in the shrine area. Last year, an area of 225.46 kanals were treated by controlled burning. Besides, fire lines were also created around the major establishments of the shrine area and an area of 81,338.75 sq mts have been thus covered. This has contributed to a major reduction in forest fires during last summer. Action in this regard has already been initiated for summer 2011.

As a part of its social responsibility, apart from supporting a range of activities like the establishment and renovation of educational institutions, places of worship, public places like cremation sheds, financial assistance to various philanthropic and social organisations, the shrine board has commenced work to construct a multi-purpose sports stadium at Katra, which will cost about Rs 11 crore. Further, a number of self help groups are being assisted by providing a market for their products that accounted for a sale of more than Rs 50 lakh in 2010-11. The shrine board has so far invested about Rs 170 crore in establishing and running Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University and spent over Rs 61 crore to establish a speciality hospital at Kakriyal.

The establishment of Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Gurukul at Charanpaduka last year shall contribute immensely to the revival of traditional vedic education. Besides vedic education, the students in this residential gurukul are provided free education from Class VI to XII. The selection of the second batch of students for admission to the gurukul has been finalised recently.

Jammu, April 12
Peeved over the decrease in the duration of the annual Amarnath Yatra to 46 days this year, the Baba Amarnath and Baba Buda Amarnath Yatri Niyas launched a signature campaign here today.

This year, the yatra will start from June 29. Citing safety and security concerns of pilgrims en route the twin tracks of the cave shrine as the reason, Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) has decided to restrict the annual pilgrimage to 46 days.

The signature campaign, which would continue till April 18, would be conducted in the entire Jammu province in a bid to persuade the SASB to reconsider its decision, said Surinder Mohan Aggarwal, president of the Yatri Niyas.

However, in the past five years, the annual pilgrimage was being conducted for 60 days, but this year the SASB reduced it to 46 days citing inclement weather and security concerns of pilgrims as the reasons, Aggarwal said.

“Weather can turn inclement anytime. Hence, we request the SASB to review its decision, considering the religious sentiments of the people,” he added. He informed that the signature campaign would be taken to various towns and villages of the Jammu province. “On April 20, we will make a representation to the SASB and urge it to revisit its decision,” Aggarwal said.

“Every year four to five lakh pilgrims visit the cave shrine, as the yatra duration was increased to 60 days. This in turn helped in improving the economy of the state. So, we urge the SASB to take into account this aspect as well,” he said.

Jammu, April 12
Due to the killing of 110 persons during turmoil in summer in the Kashmir valley last year, the security forces are keeping a tab on the situation in Jammu as well.

While Army’s 15 Corps has initiated several people-friendly measures in the Valley as part of its strategy to prevent street protests this summer, the police, CRPF and the Army have been closely monitoring the developments in the Jammu region as well, sources in the intelligence agencies told The Tribune.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had asked the law enforcing agencies, including the security forces, to initiate all requisite measures to ensure that no trouble erupts during summer this year, they added.

“Though we have been asked to exercise utmost restraint while dealing with crowds, no one would be allowed to vitiate the fragile peace, which was restored after hectic efforts in the Valley,” said a senior police officer.

“As summer draws near, we are keenly monitoring the situation across the state. The separatists have reportedly asked the people to boycott the ensuing panchayat elections and they are raking up a controversy over the issue of Dogra certificate. The chief of the Jamiat-e-Ahl-e-Hadees, Showkat Ahmad Shah, was killed in an IED blast in Srinagar on April 8,” sources in the Army said.

“We cannot overlook slogans like “Khoon Ka Badla June Mein Lenge” (blood for blood in June). Similarly, some organisations in Jammu have been objecting to the reduction in the duration of the Amarnath yatra to 46 days this year. So, we are keenly watching the situation,” said the sources.

The sources added that following the killing of a Muslim cleric in Srinagar, the security forces had intercepted a telephonic conversation between LeT’s spokesman Dr Abdulla Gaznavi with a ‘reporter’, Riaz, in which Gaznavi was directing the latter to spread misinformation that the blast was the handiwork of the Shiv Sena and the Bajrang Dal.

Now, just before the commencement of the Amarnath yatra such developments, particularly the intercept of the conversation between Gaznavi and the reporter, compelled us to remain on our toes, said the sources.

“Since the 2008 Amarnath land agitation, the state has been witnessing trouble every summer. So this time the security forces are leaving nothing to chance to ensure that peace prevails and the Amarnath pilgrimage concludes peacefully,” said a CRPF officer.

Srinagar, April 12
The lone Independent MLA from the Handwara constituency, Engineer Rasheed, has decided to abstain from voting in elections for the six seats of the state Legislative Council on the plea that he was unhappy over the “dismal performance” of the coalition government led by Omar Abdullah.

“The government has failed in all respects, be it human rights or governance. People had pinned great hopes on the young Chief Minister but his government has disappointed them,” Rasheed said. He added that the protection of life and property of the people was the basic duty of any government that claimed to represent people. Rashid said the NC-Congress coalition government had been ignoring the issues of public importance.

Referring to the Dogra Certificate controversy, the MLA said instead of focusing on intra-regional harmony in the state, some people in the government were bent upon creating mistrust among the people of different regions of the state. “If Taj Mohi-u Din is true in saying that the decision about Dogra Certificate was taken unilaterally by the Revenue Minister, isn’t this hint at the detriment of the interests of the people and the lack of coordination in the government,” he asked.

Rashid accused the government of showing lack of seriousness on the issue raised by him in the state Assembly. He said all this chaos in the government had convinced him that it was in the interest of his people to stay away from the election process of the Legislative Council. “It is better to keep off this mess than become part of it at the cost of the larger interests of the people and democracy,” he maintained.

Jammu, April 12
After suspending fuel supply to the entire state, including the Kashmir valley, for a day, the All J&K Petrol Tanker Owners’ Association called off their strike following the intervention by Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Sanjeev Verma this evening.

Trouble erupted when some CRPF jawans allegedly beat up a tanker driver, Bharat Singh of Udhampur, near the main oil depot here this morning.

Association president Anan Sharma said three to four CRPF jawans objected to the parking of an oil tanker (JK02AE/9017) on the only road near their camp and assaulted its driver Bharat Singh. “After assaulting the driver, the CRPF jawans took him to a camp. This infuriated other drivers, who went on a strike and suspended oil supply,” said Sharma.

For reasons best known to the state administration, an alternate road was closed some time back, which increased the volume of traffic on the only main road leading to the main oil depot housing depots of HPC, IOC and other companies, he added.

“The CRPF has a camp on this particular road and our driver parked his tanker for a while there this morning. The CRPF jawans objected to it and assaulted the driver, Sharma alleged.

Talking to The Tribune, Bharat Singh, the victim, said after loading his carrier from the main depot he parked the vehicle near the CRPF camp, which irked some jawans. “One of them assaulted me with a stick and then dragged me in the camp. This angered my colleagues, who pelted stones at the camp,” said Bharat.

To sort out the matter, the Jammu Deputy Commissioner, Sanjeev Verma; SP, South, Rajeshwar Singh and a CRPF officer rushed to the spot. “We held a meeting with them and assured them that their demands would be looked into. A meeting with the Divisional Commissioner in a day or two would also be held,” Verma told The Tribune.

SP, South, Rajeshwar Singh said the medical test of the victim was conducted and the police was looking into the matter. He, however, said petrol tanker drivers were demanding the opening of an alternate road so as to reduce the volume of traffic on the only road leading to the main oil depot. They were also demanding the shifting of the oil depot to a suitable location in Samba district.

Sharma said following the meeting with the Jammu DC the strike was called off this evening. However, no tanker supply could be dispatched to the Kashmir valley today and only 20 tankers delivered supply to the local market in Jammu. On an average the tanker owners association supplies 350 tankers of fuel to Kashmir and 150 tankers of fuel to the Jammu region.

Jammu, April 12
Fearing a section of “annoyed” party MLAs may resort to cross-voting in the Legislative Council elections, the Congress has been using all its resources to keep surveillance on the activities of its legislators till the polling ends.

Not only the Congress, even the “disciplined” BJP has been finding it difficult to keep its flock together, as some of the party MLAs have reportedly been keeping in touch with other parties.

Elections for the six Legislative Council seats are to take place tomorrow. The polling will be held separately for three seats of the Kashmir valley, two seats of the Jammu region and one seat exclusively for Poonch district.

Keeping in view the strength of various parties in the Legislative Assembly, the Congress-NC coalition is in a comfortable position to win five out of six seats, but there is apprehension of cross-voting by MLAs of different parties, which could change the number game.

The Congress has a reason to be worried over the possible cross-voting as four out of 18 MLAs were absent in the meeting called by PCC chief Saifuddin Soz yesterday.

Although all absentee MLAs have given one reason or the other for their inability to attend the yesterday’s meeting, their action has fuelled apprehension of cross-voting by a few MLAs belonging to the rival faction. Of the total five coalition nominees, two Congress candidates are in the fray.

While Jehangir Mir is contesting from the Poonch seat, Yashpal Khajuria is the party nominee for the Jammu seat. As there is a straight contest on the Poonch seat, the Congress candidate is on a comfortable position, but the real fight is on the two seats of Jammu where the PDP has fielded influential candidate Bharat Bhushan Gupta on one seat.

Jammu, April 12
The PDP has claimed that prominent leaders of the BJP from the Bhallesa area of the Bhaderwah Assembly constituency in Doda district along with a large number of their supporters have joined the party.

According to a press note issued by the PDP, a few leaders of the BJP joined the PDP here today in the presence of party president Mehbooba Mufti, general secretary Balbir Singh and Doda district president Sheikh Mujib Ali.

Prominent among those who joined the PDP included Hans Raj Thakur, Hans Raj Parihar, Parshotam Thakur and Mujahid.

Hans Raj Thakur said he along with his supporters joined the PDP due to the pro-people policies and programmes of the party. He added that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had set an example of good governance during his tenure as Chief Minister.

Balbir Singh said the policies of the PDP were aimed at solving the problems of all regions of the state. Welcoming the leaders into the party, he asked them to spread the message of the party in their respective areas.

Srinagar, April 12
Like other parts of the country, Kashmiri Pandits celebrated Ramnaumi, the birthday of Lord Rama, with religious fervour and gaiety across the Kashmir valley today.

A number of non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits offered special prayers and pooja in the temples here and elsewhere in the Valley and prayed for peace and prosperity. The main event of the day was observed at Ramji Mandir at Barbarshah here in which a large number of Kashmiri Pandits participated in a special pooja. A hawan was organised by the Hindu Welfare Society.

Talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of the celebrations, the Kashmir Pandits demanded a special employment package for the youth of the community, who stayed put in the Valley while a majority of them migrated due to militancy over two decades ago. The Kashmiri Pandits also sought temporary accommodation for 64 dislocated families within the Valley till they were properly rehabilitated. They also demanded that the Hindu Temples and Shrines Bill be passed in the state Assembly for safeguarding the properties of temples from encroachment.

A shobha yatra was also taken out from Kathleshwar Mandir in the nearby Habbakadal area that was densely populated by the Pandit community prior to their migration and it passed through the Residency Road via Lal Chowk and main markets. A number of Muslim brethren greeted the Kashmiri Pandits along the yatra route.

In the Shailputri area of Baramulla district headquarters, several Kashmiri Pandit children visited the Valley for the first time on the occasion of Ramnaumi. The children, born and brought up outside the Valley away from their homes, were impressed by the atmosphere of amity and brotherhood. The children expressed wish to return to the Valley and live there.