Srinagar, June 12
Two youth were killed and one was rescued when two private cars fell into the Lidder Nullah at Nunwan, Pahalgam, late last night.

Reports said the two vehicles going to Pahalgam from Srinagar skidded off the road near Nunwan due to heavy rain and poor visibility and fell into the turbulent Lidder Nullah.Joint rescue operations were immediately started by the police and the Fire Brigade. Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon, sought the help of Army and the CRPF.”The help of an IAF helicopter was also sought”, Amir Ali, head of the disaster management cell, Kashmir, said.

While three persons travelling in one of the vehicles were washed away, Sajad Ahmed Lanker, a passenger in the other vehicle, was able to reach the roof of his vehicle and shouted for help. He was rescued after 12 hours, said Ali.

“The bodies of Yasir Farooq,son of Farooq Ahmed of Khankah Mohalla, and Mudasir Ahmed Shah, son of Abdul Rasheed Shah of Habak, Srinagar, were recovered almost 3 km downstream. Efforts were on to trace the body of the third youth,who was washed away”, Ali added.

Jammu, June 12
It was June 11. On her cell phone, Ekta was talking to her husband Joginder Kumar, a constable of the CRPF posted in the Naxalite-hit Chhattisgarh. Suddenly,Joginder ended the call, saying “I will call you half-an-hour later”.

While she was eagerly waiting for the promised call, the phone rang after a few hours.This time, it was not her husband, but an official of the CRPF telling her that Joginder was no more.

She lost her husband to the Maoist violence in Dantewada district on that day. Besides, Joginder, two more CRPF jawans lost their lives when they were ambushed by Naxalites. Joginder’s body was flown to Jammu today from where it was sent to Ranjan village in the Kot Bhalwal block.

Heart-rending scenes were witnessed at his ancestral village where not only the family of the slain CRPF jawan, including his mother Chanchala Devi and father Ram Saran were inconsolable, but also the entire village was grief-stricken.

Joginder (33) and Ekta (28),who got married three years ago have an eight-month-old son, Tarun. In his last call to his wife, Joginder reportedly discussed future plans for their son, besides asking his wife to take care of his old parents.

“After the birth of his son, he visited home only once for just 15 days,” said his younger brother, Ritesh Kumar, who is a labourer.

The slain jawan was cremated on the banks of the Chenab with state honours in the evening. Those present at the funeral included MLA Bharat Bhushan; Commandant of the 72 Battalion, CRPF, Satinder Singh; Assistant Commandant of the battalion, RN Birooli; SDPO, Mushtaq Choudhary and sarpach of the village Sanjeev Kumar.

Jammu, June 12
After the “media frenzy” and initial “pro-activeness” shown by the state government, the family of Vikram Singh, second officer in the Japanese Merchant Navy company, Mitsui Osk Lines, who went missing from his vessel off the Australian coast on May 27, now awaits a miracle to help them.

Talking to The Tribune, Paramjeet Singh, younger brother of Vikram, said, “Today is the 17th day since we got the news about his disappearance. We have no clue about his whereabouts”.

“We were taken to the vessel after it docked in Singapore and saw his belongings. We also talked to the crew, but everyone feigned ignorance about his disappearance from the ship,” said Paramjeet.

Besides the Singapore police, now the Panama police had also initiated a probe, as the vessel was registered with the Panama government, he added.

The Indian Embassy in Singapore had already approached the Singapore authorities seeking a speedy probe into the incident, he said. “We are waiting for the investigations to be completed, as only after that a copy of the final report will be given to us,” he said.

He regretted that after the initial “pro-activeness” shown by the state government, none of its ministers visited the family again. “We all pray for his wellbeing.

We have been anxiously waiting to get a phone call from him that he is safe and will return home,” said Paramjeet in a choked voice.

“The vessel reached Singapore on June 4 and the company officials had taken us there,” said Paramjeet.

Jammu, June 12
Though the state government has decided to follow a policy not to transfer a teacher before the completion of his/her two-year tenure at one school and has imposed a ban on mid-session transfers, it appears to be a challenging task for the Education Department to adhere to the norms.

In reply to an application filed under the RTI Act by advocate Vilakshana Singh,the joint director, Directorate of School Education, revealed that a large number of teachers in Jammu division managed postings of their choice and were transferred in complete violation of the norms because of their clout in political and administrative circles.

In violation of the norms, 257 lecturers and 31 teachers in the division were transferred in the last academic session.

Similarly, a large number of teachers also managed such adjustments through political backing and 49 lecturers and two teachers of the division were transferred before the completion of their mandatory tenure of two years at one school.

Though a large number of posts are lying vacant in schools in the remote areas, there is a race to get posted near towns and urban areas, which is affecting the functioning of a number of schools, most of which are being run by single teachers.

“The corrupt practices, including political backing, seem to be prevailing in the Education Department here, as a large number of teachers and lecturers appointed in the government schools have been transferred in volation of the transfer policy,” said Vilakshana, adding that earlier the department had denied giving him the information, but when he appealed to the higher-ups, he got the reply.

GA Qureshi, Director, School Education, said, “Let me find out the details, as the matter is serious. If there is any violation of the transfer policy, action will surely be taken”.

Jammu, June 12
Even as politicians during the past 63 years have failed to remove “misunderstandings” between various regions of the state, the interlocutors appointed by the Centre have taken upon themselves the task to bring people of all the three regions of the state together to evolve a consensus for a lasting and sustainable solution to the vexed Kashmir problem.

Buoyed over the success of the first conference in which women from all the three regions of the state participated in a large number, the interlocutors have now decided to organise an intra-regional meeting. This time, the people associated with cultural activities will be invited to the conference.

Eminent journalist Dileep Padgaonkar, who is heading the team of the interlocutors, told The Tribune over the phone that they had planned an intra-regional conference of the people who were associated with its culture.

“We have invited representatives from Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions so that a dialogue among people of these regions should be started,” he said.

To get a feedback regarding the issues to be taken up at the intra-regional conference likely to be held in the first or second week of July, the interlocutors have sought suggestions from the members of the civil society in Jammu.

The interlocutors said the issues that were likely to be taken up in the meeting were pluralism in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, policies and institutional mechanism and the importance of intra-regional dialogue.

The efforts of the interlocutors to bring the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh together are important, as the residents of these regions have “grievances” against each other. There is a feeling among the people of Jammu and Ladakh that the Kashmiri rulers, since 1947, have been adopting discriminatory policies towards them. During their last visit to the Valley, the interlocutors had announced that they were trying to evolve a broader consensus on a political settlement that would be acceptable to the people of all the regions and sub-regions and to all the communities which contributed to the rich pluralism of the state.

Since their appointment on October 13, 2010, the panel of the three interlocutors, namely Dileep Padgaonkar, Radha Kumar and MM Ansari, had held discussions with various political parties, including separatist leaders, as well as the representatives of the civil society, on a wide range of issues to solve the vexed Kashmir problem.

Srinagar, June 12
Gujjars have demanded the establishment of a tribal university in Jammu and Kashmir and have sought the intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Minister for Human Resources Kapil Sibal in this regard.

The Gujjars, through the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, sent two separate memorandums to the Prime Minister and the HRD Minister.

It was urged that there was need to promote studies and research in tribal art, culture, tradition, language, custom, medicinal systems,forest-based economic activities, including special studies in the flora and fauna, and advancements in technologies relating to natural resources of the tribal areas of the state and the establishment of a tribal university could cater to all these demands.

Dr Javaid Rahi, secretary of the Tribal Foundation, said: “We have been demanding a tribal university in the state prior to 2007 when the first such university was established in Madhya Pradesh”.

He said 12 Scheduled Tribe communities constituted a sizeable population of Jammu and Kashmir and the Gujjars-Bakerwals comprised 85 per cent of the Scheduled Tribe communities. Setting up a university exclusively for promoting avenues for higher education and research facilities for the tribal population will definitely bring down the percentage of illiteracy, backwardness and feeling of discrimination among various tribal groups.

He added that to press for the demand, Ghulam Nabi Azad, the then Chief Minister, had met the then HRD Minister in New Dehli on May 11, 2008. The Gujjars also urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to press the Centre for the establishment of the university.

Pahalgam, June 12
After suffering huge losses for three consecutive years due to the unrest in the Kashmir valley, people associated with the tourism industry here say that the resurgence of the strikes will spell a doom on their business, which is undergoing a revival this season.

This year, the tourism sector in the Valley is seeing a revival as most of the hotels and houseboats have been booked in advance.

“The livelihood of millions of people in the Valley is directly or indirectly depends upon the tourism industry. 2008, 2009 and 2010 were the worst years for the industry as we almost starved during the period,” said Iftiqar Ahmed, general-secretary of the Hotels Association in Pahalgam.

“I was working at a hotel when the owner retrenched the staff as tourism was affected due to the unrest. But this year, he reappointed me and even increased my salary as the tourism season is at its peak,” said Firdous Ahmed.

Many hotel and houseboat owners in the Valley had to retrench their staff last year as their income had fallen.But with the revival of tourism this year, more people are getting employment.

After horticulture, tourism is considered to be the backbone of the economy of the Valley, as millions of people are directly or indirectly associated with the trade.

“Last year, thousands of people lost their jobs and many were on the verge of starvation. With the arrival of the summer, we are experiencing a good inflow of tourists. But at the same time, the horrific memories of the past three years also haunt us. We pray that things should remain normal,” said Ali Mohammad, a houseboat owner.

Not only the private players but also the government is reaping the benefits of normalcy in the Valley, as in May, the Gulmarg Gandola earned revenue of more than Rs 3.82 crore.

Talat Parvaiz, MD of the State Tourism Corporation, said the corporation earned a revenue of Rs 3.82 crore from gondola riding during the past one-and-a-half month.

Even separatist leaders had appealed to the tourists to visit the Valley. Chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani and chairman of the JKLF Mohammed Yasin Malik also met a group of tourists and asked them to spread the message that Kashmir was a safe tourist destination.

Srinagar, June 12
Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar yesterday termed Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev's campaign against corruption as a “circus in Jantar Mantar and Ramlila Ground” and criticised the way the UPA government handled the recent events.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function in Srinagar, Aiyar said, “I would have ignored Baba Ramdev, I would have also ignored Anna Hazare. I would have told them you run your show, your circus in Jantar Mantar and Ramlila Ground. But if you want to talk to Parliament ,please place your applications before the relevant standing committee”.

“Had I been the Prime Minister, I would have never sent four ministers to meet Ramdev and would never have unleashed the police on the sleeping people,” he said

The Congress parliamentarian, however, questioned the position of the civil society team, led by activist Hazare, to be a part of the government committee for drafting the Lokpal Bill.

Aiyar said, “These decisions should have been taken by Parliament. These cannot be taken by a committee of half-a-dozen ministers and something called Team Anna Hazare. What is the position of Team Hazare?" he asked.

Earlier, while complimenting the people of the state for an active and record-breaking participation in the ongoing panchayat elections, Aiyar underscored the need for empowering the panchayats in the state.

He said despite all kinds of odds and challenges from various quarters, the sarpanches and panches had proved their full determination in the democratic machinery and were able to receive free and fare mandate of the people.

He said Rs 7 lakh crore had been earmarked through various projects for rural development by the Government of India and suggested that Rs 1 crore each should be kept under the control of the sarpanches and panches so that the respective panchayat units are able to execute all kinds of works without any interference from any bureaucrat and other establishments.

Aiyar was speaking at a conference on the “Essence of Panchayati Raj and Local Self Governance” organised by the Rural Development Foundation, Kashmir Society, in Collaboration with the Shere- Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology.

Jammu, June 12
The Minister of Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, Raman Bhalla, said today that the government was fully aware of the problems being faced by the Below Poverty Line (BPL) people and it was making all efforts to upgrade their socio-economic condition by providing all basic amenities, including financial assistance.

Addressing a series of meetings in the colonies of economically weaker sections of society in Gandhi Nagar Assembly segment, Bhalla said the coalition government was making efforts to eradicate poverty from every nook and corner of the state.

He said for construction of household toilets, the Rural Development Department had provided Rs 2,200 to poor people and loans on minimum rates were provided to them through J&K Bank Limited.

Bhalla said 200 tenements had already been allotted to slum dwellers at Rajiv Nagar, while Rs 19 crore-township had been developed in Sunjwan for accommodating more such beneficiaries. He said the Centre had launched a number of schemes for uplifting the socio-economic condition of the rural as well as the urban poor.

The minister said for uplifting the living standard of slum dwellers of the Bahu Fort and its adjoining areas, the government had already distributed Rs 25.58 lakh among 23 urban homeless as assistance for constructing dwelling units under the Basic Services to Urban Poor Scheme.

Jammu, June 12
The Chief Education officer (CEO), Poonch, yesterday suspended six teachers on a charge of dereliction of duty.

During a surprise visit to Government Middle School, Battal Kot in the Loran area of Mandi, CEO Mohammad Ashraf Chauhan found four teachers absent and placed them under suspension.

Two more teachers of Government Middle School, Palera, and Government Primary School, Mughal in the Bafliaz area, were also suspended,an official of the Education Department said.