Srinagar, June 27
With the Amarnath yatra slated to start on June 29, pilgrims are competing with each other to be among the first to have darshan of the Ice Lingam at the cave shrine.

Pilgrims from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and New Delhi have started reaching Srinagar, Pahalgam and Baltal to start the yatra on June 29.

Talking to The Tribune at a community kitchen set up by the Shri Neelkanth Mahadev Sewa Samiti of Ferozepur at Kud on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, Jeevan Kumar, a resident of Sangrur, said his group,comprising 25 members started the journey last evening.

“We want to be among the first to reach the cave shrine. Our group also includes seven women. We have been paying obeisance at the cave shrine since 1998.

We have made it a point to register ourselves in advance so as to be among the first to have darshan of the Ice Lingam,” said Jeevan. “Right now, we are proceeding to Srinagar, from where we will leave for Baltal tomorrow,” he added.

Tarsem Lal, another pilgrim, who has come from Dehradun along with 17 other members, also aired similar views. “It is a fact that devotees of Baba Amarnath are always keen on starting the ancient pilgrimage and be among the first to pay obeisance at the cave shrine,” said Tarsem. “We will start the yatra from the traditional Pahalgam route,” he added. “Yes, most of the pilgrims perform the yatra during the initial 30 days and later the number of yatris comes down,” said a spokesperson for the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.

The Tribune team, which has been covering the pilgrimage, saw several vehicles of pilgrims on the highway to Srinagar, Pahalgam and Baltal. Chanting “Bam Bam Bhole” and other religious hymns, the pilgrims arrived in the summer capital to proceed on the yatra to the cave shrine.

Meanwhile, the CRPF, which has deployed 49 companies to ensure a hassle-free pilgrimage, is guarding the Jammu- Kashmir National Highway. “Our jawans are keeping a strict vigil on the highway, guarding the strategic points, while the road opening parties are also assisting us in our task,” said an Inspector of the CRPF at Ramban.

Meanwhile, organisers of community kitchens en route the Kashmir highway have also brought medicos with them for the treatment of pilgrims, who fall sick during the yatra. “Besides providing free boarding and lodging, including food, to the pilgrims, we have also made arrangements for doctors and basic medicines,” said Ashok Kumar, in-charge of the Shri Neelkanth Mahadev Sewa Samiti.

“Having a 21-member committee with a workforce of 110 workers, we, at any given time, can handle 400 pilgrims. We can provide them a comfortable stay and food at our langar,” added Ashok.

Lakhanpur (Kathua), June 27
The state government has slashed road tax on all commercial vehicles carrying Amarnath yatris. Earlier, the commercial vehicles, including trucks and buses, had to pay Rs 2,000 as road tax per day, but following the government’s decision, Rs 2,000 will be charged for a week.

Talking to The Tribune over the phone, Transport Minister Qamar Ali Akhoon said, “We have reduced the road tax from Rs 2,000 per day to Rs 2,000 for one week for all trucks and buses carrying Amarnath pilgrims entering the state. ”

He said there would be no requirement to pay tax even when these vehicles left the state. But this concession would be applicable for one week only. “The road tax concession will also be available to those Amarnath pilgrims, who on their way back visit the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra ,” added Akhoon.

Meanwhile, officials of the Excise Department at the Lakhanpur toll post have opened a special lane for the vehicles carrying the pilgrims. “An easy passage will be given to the pilgrims, as a special corridor has been opened exclusively for the vehicles carrying them. The pilgrims will have to wait for just two-three minutes to get the toll receipt, as employees have been directed not to keep the yatris waiting,” said BA Saraf, Deputy Excise Commissioner, Kathua.

“The police and the Motor Vehicle Department have also been directed to ensure that the road remains clear for traffic throughout the day and there is no traffic jam near the toll post,” Saraf added.

Pahalgam, June 27
The world famous tourist spot is all set to play host to pilgrims as it also serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, beginning on June 29. Devotees of the first batch from Jammu will arrive at the Nunwan base camp here and the Baltal camp tomorrow for their onward trek to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath on Wednesday.

So far, nearly 2.5 lakh pilgrims have registered for the pilgrimage, which concludes on August 13.

A majority of the pilgrims have earlier been taking the Nunwan route, while others have been moving on the Baltal route via Sonmarg. While the pilgrims are usually lodged at the Nunwan base camp, a number of them also stay in Pahalgam.

In view of the large number of pilgrims,who will stay at various halting points during the yatra period, the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) has made efforts to address various environmental issues.

Meanwhile, about 60,000 tourists visited Pahalgam yesterday, the highest this summer. Though only 6,000 tourists can be accommodated here, the increase in the number of visitors, both domestic and local, has been stretching the normal capacity of the resort.

“There are a large number of tourists and that is bound to create pollution and disturb the natural atmosphere of the resort in many ways,” commented an official at Pahalgam.

According to official figures, at least 2,15,550 tourists came here between January 1 and June 20 this year against 1,20,830 during the period last year.

Traders, labourers, ponywallahs, taxi-operators and other people associated with the tourism sector here are praying for a prosperous summer while the administration is also gearing up to ensure a peaceful season. 

Srinagar, June 27
After remaining suspended for nearly four weeks, the cross-Line of Control (LoC) trade between divided parts of Kashmir will resume tomorrow following an assurance from the state government to the traders on improved facilities.

“We have decided to resume the trade from tomorrow following an assurance from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that our demands will be considered favourably,” general secretary of the Salamabad-Chakoti Traders Union Hilal Ahmad Turki told PTI.

He said trucks carrying goods for export to occupied Kashmir (PoK) had already reached the Salamabad trade facilitation centre in the Uri sector of Baramulla district.

The cross-LoC trade is conducted every Tuesday and Wednesday on a barter basis. It was suspended in May after the traders accused the state government of ignoring their demands.

Among the major demands of the traders are the exemption to the cross-LoC trade from the Value Added Tax (VAT), as they claimed that the trade should be treated as an intra-state business. The other demands are expanding the list of items, setting up of banking and communication facilities and the construction of covered godowns at Salamabad.

During a meeting last week, Omar had assured the traders that the demands falling within the jurisdiction of the state government would be considered sympathetically, while those falling in the ambit of the Union government would be taken up with the Centre.

The joint statement issued by the Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan in Islamabad also mentioned the revival of the working group on cross-LoC trade for looking into the possibility of increasing the number of trade days per week and providing the banking and communication facilities to the traders. — PTI

Srinagar, June 27
Two militants, including a self-styled divisional commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, were killed and two Army personnel , including a Captain, were injured in a night-long encounter in the Shikargah area of Tral in Pulwama today.

“On a tip-off that a group of militants had entered a village in Koel at Shikargah last evening , a police party assisted by the Army was rushed to the spot,” SP, Awantipora, Mohammad Irshad, said and added that as the security forces were laying a cordon, the hiding militants opened fire.

The operation was suspended at night and the militants were asked to surrender early today. But they started firing at the security forces.In the ensuing encounter, two militants were killed and two Army personnel, including a Captain, were injured, said the SP.

He said the slain militants were identified as Muzaffar Ahmad Malla, a resident of Tral, and Suhail Ahmad Khan, a resident of Dadsara Tral.

“Muzaffar Ahmad Malla was a divisional commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen for south Kashmir. Suhail Ahmad Khan had joined militancy a year ago and was involved in the killing of Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din, a resident of Pinglish Tral, on March 30 ,” the SP said

Two AK 47 assault rifles, four AK 47 magazines, 14 rounds of AK 47 ammunition, one UBGL (Thrower), one UBGL grenades and two Chinese grenades were recovered from the scene of the encounter. 

Srinagar, June 27
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today that guaranteed public service delivery to the people in the state was his government’s cherished goal, for which the administration had been sensitised at all levels.

“The Public Service Delivery Guarantee Act was legislated in the last Assembly session to make public servants liable for service delivery and ensure a prompt and befitting response to citizens’ calls,” he said. He added that the Panchayati Raj system in the state would help in a big way to implement the Act purposefully and successfully for the benefit of the general public.

The Chief Minister was addressing sarpanches and panches of the Langate and Lolab Assembly constituencies at two functions at Langate and Sogam in Kupwara district today. He said a prompt service delivery by the government functionaries was an essential ingredient of good governance.

Omar reminded the newly-elected panchayat members of their significant role in transforming the socio-economic conditions in the state. He asked them to help in the successful implementation of development schemes. He said the dream of a prosperous Jammu and Kashmir could be realised by a well-defined and powerful panchayat system in the state and the government was moving ahead with a pledge in this direction.

Omar told the sarpanches and the panches to be prepared to shoulder the responsibility of serving the people not only in the rural development sector but also in the education, health, social welfare, consumer affairs, power development and water supply sectors. “The transfer of powers and authority from the Civil Secretariat to the public representatives at the grass-roots level is the prime objective of the Panchayat Raj system. And my government is committed to ensuring powerful and effective panchayats in the state,” he said.

“Our political opponents tried to mislead the people by spreading rumours about the holding of the panchayat elections, participation of the candidates and voter turnout,” the Chief Minister said. “When they were proved wrong by the successful completion of the elections in a free and fair manner, they started questioning the transfer of powers to the panchayats,” Omar added.

He assured the newly-elected members that the political opponents would be proved “wrong on this count too”, reaffirming his government’s determination to make the panchayats powerful to the greatest degree possible.

Jammu, June 27
After its failure to check the man-animal conflict, the state Forest Department, has now advised people having pet dogs to keep them inside their houses.

“The people should keep their pet dogs in their houses or in safe pet houses,” said Upinder Pachnanda, Chief Forest Conservator (Wildlife), Jammu. He added that some sound producing device like a bell should be put around the neck of the pet, which produces an alarm in case of danger from wild animals.

On June 5, Zarina Begum in her early forties, a resident of Nowkoot village in Banihal, was killed in a leopard attack and on June 10, Liyaqat, aged about five, was killed in another leopard attack.

However, officials, experts and volunteers of the state Forest Department have failed to kill or trap the beasts.

Pachnanda said, “The department has been trying its best, but the large area of forests and the non-availability of the number of leopards are the major reasons behind the department’s failure.”

The department has also intensified vigil to check the man-animal conflict. Shoot-at-sight orders have also been issued, if any leopard is found roaming near human habitations.

Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Mian Altaf Ahmed has also directed the officials concerned to take the necessary steps to avoid any attacks by wild animals.

The Forest Department has appealed to the people living in the upper areas to make lighting arrangements near their houses, which will help minimise cases of animal attacks. 

Srinagar, June 27
The Awami National Conference (ANC) has alleged that the “green gold” of the Valley was being plundered because of a nexus between the Forest Minister, state government officials and the timber mafia.

Senior vice-president of the ANC Muzaffar Shah today asked Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Forest Minister Mian Altaf Ahmed and Minister of State for Home Nasir Aslam Wani to resign for their alleged failure to protect forests in the state.

“No action has been taken till date against those timber smugglers, who were filmed by a private news channel,” he said.

Shah said the ANC was demanding a judicial inquiry into the matter and the dismissal of the Forest Minister and officials concerned. He added that the Public Safety Act was meant for curbing such crimes.

The ANC leader said as part of his party’s war on corruption, he had filed an RTI application regarding the Baghliar and Sawlakot power projects, seeking information about those who were responsible for the loss of revenue of several crores to the state exchequer due to mismanagement in the commissioning of these power projects and what action would be taken against those found guilty.

Shah said he had also sought information regarding the use of the state aircraft by the Chief Ministers and other VIPs during the successive state governments and the money spent in this regard from the exchequer since the purchase of the aircraft.

Jammu, June 27
The Duty Magistrate, Jammu, Renu Dogra, today rejected the bail application of Ravi Kumar Tandon for allegedly committing an unnatural offence against a seven-year-old girl.

The magistrate, while rejecting the bail plea, observed that, “The accused is alleged to have committed an unnatural offence against a seven-year-old girl and accordingly the police has registered a case under Section 377 of the RPC. The allegations against the accused are of a very serious nature. It is not an ordinary case of sodomy but a case of an unnatural offence against a minor girl. It can be said that the girl was not in a position to save herself from the clutches of the accused. The accusations against the accused are severe in nature and going by the nature of the offence and the severity of the punishment in the case, the accused does not deserve to be granted bail.”

The Kanachak police had arrested the accused for having committed a crime against society.