Srinagar, July 5
Against 2.52 lakh pilgrims, who have so far registered themselves for undertaking the Amarnath yatra in 46 days, at least 1.3 lakh have paid obeisance at the cave shrine during the first seven days.

Governor NN Vohra, who is also the Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), gave this information at a meeting with Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla at Raj Bhawan here today. The meeting was held to discuss various issues related to the yatra.

The Governor said the safety, security and comfort of the yatris continued to be the prime concern of the shrine board. He would meet the state Home Secretary and the DGP to identify a pragmatic solution to the difficulties arising out of the recent influx of pilgrims and the adverse weather, which led to the suspension of the yatra for two days.

The Governor emphasised that the arrival of a large number of unregistered yatris was bound to cause inconvenience to the registered yatris, besides adversely affecting themovement of the yatris and the public at various places.

He recalled that the registration of the yatris commenced on May 10 through 149 bank branches across the county and the e-registration system. However, a large number of yatris had arrived without securing registration despite the shrine board’s repeated requests to the intending pilgrims to secure a permit before proceeding on the yatra as per the date and the route specified in their registration slips.

The Governor stressed the need for recognising that as the traditional track, leading to the cave shrine, passed through a 14,000-foot-high mountain range having unpredictable weather conditions, it was imperative for the state government to regulate the movement of pilgrims to ensure against any untoward incident.

Bhalla discussed various medium and long-term measures to bring about progressive improvements for the benefit of the yatris, particularly keeping in view inconvenience faced by the registered yatris and the public in the past few days on account of the sudden arrival of a large number of unregistered yatris.

The minister urged the Governor to consider the construction of a large accommodation complex with all facilities in Jammu and also the setting up of adequate low-priced accommodation facilities along the National Highway between Jammu and Banihal for the yatris, who were forced to spend a night due to the adverse weather conditions.

Udhampur, July 5
The district administration has made elaborate arrangements to ensure a smooth Amarnath yatra and facilitate pilgrims en route from Tikri to Patnitop in the district.

Sufficient arrangements for a hassle-free yatra have been made under the overall supervision of Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, Baseer Ahmed Khan. These include the facilities of drinking water and power supply at the identified locations for stay in case of bad weather, sanitation, lodging and langar facilities, medicare, traffic and security arrangements.

Khan said a special control room at the district level had been set up at the PWD Dak Banglow with the Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) as its Nodal Officer, besides an additional control room for the convenience of the yatris at Tikri police station and Chenani under the charge of the Tehsildars concerned.

To meet any medical emergency, the Health Department had been geared up to provide adequate facilities at Tikri, Rehmble, Udhampur, Chenani and Kud with ambulance services at Tikri, Udhampur and Chenani. The administration had also identified accommodation for adjusting 5,000 pilgrims at different locations in Udhampur town and the national highway en route Tikri to Patnitop. Besides, additional arrangements had also been made at the Kalra College of Education bypass, Udhampur, for the yatris’ halt, Khan added.

To ensure the quality and the reasonable rates of eatables and other essential commodities during the yatra, especially along the national highway, special squads were conducting regular checking at the markets to ensure that the pilgrims were not overcharged by the shopkeepers.

Jammu, July 5
Amidst proper security arrangements, the sixth batch of 4,307 pilgrims today left Jammu Yatri Bhawan at Bhagwati Nagar here for onward journey to the Amarnath cave shrine. A total of 19,618 pilgrims have left the town for journey to the cave shrine since June 29.

Meanwhile, the Jammu Paryatan Vikas Mandal (JPVM), an apex body of 22 trade organisations has commended the role of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and the state government, in successfully handling the yatra.

In a joint statement issued here today, chairman of the mandal Ravi Mahajan, president of the Jammu Hotels and Lodges Associations Inderjeet Khajuria and general secretary of the JPVM Kuldeep Wahi praised the SASB and the state government for conducting the yatra smoothly despite heavy rush of pilgrims. — TNS

Nagrota, July 5
Heavy traffic on the main road in Nagrota, located on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, has been creating problems for daily commuters and the Army personnel.

“Traffic snarls and mishaps during peak hours have become a routine here. It is time for the district administration to take action,” said Varinder Sharma, a government teacher, who has to commute daily between Udhampur and Jammu.

He said rash driving was also leading to mishaps.

On an average, an accident took place every second day on the narrow road,said Sham Lal, a resident of Panjgrain.

Though there was no restriction on the use of the narrow road by the public, the Army for the convenience of the people used the bypass road from Jagti to Panjgrain for moving its convoys, he said.

The volume of traffic had increased manifold on the road and shopkeepers had also encroached upon pavements, which also caused traffic jams, he added.

Even if the administration wanted to divert the civilian traffic, traders in the area would not allow it as their businesses would be adversely affected, he said.

“Katra-bound vehicles carrying Vaishno Devi pilgrims and tourists to Patnitop and Kashmir take the road and shopkeepers in the area do brisk business, said Lal.

Official sources told The Tribune that the 16 Corps, which was based here, wanted Nagrota to be declared out of bounds for private vehicles.

“Two years ago, the Army had raised the issue and the matter was sorted out,” Dr Pawan Kotwal, Divisional Commissioner of Jammu, told The Tribune.

For some time, the Army put up a naka, diverting the traffic to the Jagti bypass road, but it was removed in view of the inconvenience caused to the Katra-bound pilgrims, he said.

The Divisional Commissioner said because of the steep slope, bridges and tunnels, load-carriers and vehicles found it difficult to negotiate the road.

Udhampur, July 5
The J&K Horticulture Planning and Marketing Department Employees Welfare Forum has praised Minister for Horticulture Sham Lal Sharma for effecting general transfers of area marketing officers in accordance with the government’s transfer policy.

Bilal Ahmed, president of the forum, said the minister had succeeded in breaking the monopoly of some influential officers, who, during their entire career, had never served outside the state and had always managed to get lucrative postings. “By doing so, the minister has accepted the long-pending demand of the employees to effect transfers without bowing to the pressure of this lobby,” Ahmed said in a press release here today.

Ahmed also appreciated the action of the minister in ordering the removal of illegal encroachments in the Terminal Fruit & Vegetable Complex at Narwal, Jammu, as well as in checking illegal practices in Sopore Mandi.

The forum demanded a high-level inquiry into the allotment of department’s property at Azadpur Mandi in New Delhi in violation of rules in the past one decade.

Ahmed expressed hope that long-pending issues, which had affected the working of the department badly vis-à-vis unwarranted delay in the issuance of a notification for the new service rules, the finalisation of the gazetted-service seniority list, the opening of sufficient offices in marketing zones and the deputation of secretaries and other requisite staff to all the terminal/ satellite markets would also be sorted out soon.

Srinagar, July 5
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said here yesterday that the establishment of the Panchayati Raj system would give a boost to the empowerment of women in the state.

The Chief Minister said the election of a large number of women panchayat members recently would open new vistas for the women’s role in the socio-economic development of the state, particularly in addressing the issues of gender nature.

Speaking to sarpanches and panches of the Uri and Rafiabad Assembly constituencies at two functions, Omar said he was continuously interacting with the panchayat members at the constituency level to assure them of the government’s determination to have a powerful panchayat system in the state.

“The establishment of this system is an answer to so many questions relating to development and social fronts,” he said. He told the sarpanches and the panches to be prepared to shoulder the responsibility to serve on various fronts.

The Chief Minister said besides rural development, the role of panchayat members in the sectors of health, power, social welfare, CAPD, PHE and road connectivity was also in the offing. “Besides your greater involvement in various development activities in the rural development field, your role in the launch and monitoring of schemes in other public service sectors will also be sought to give good governance to the people,” he maintained.

Terming panchayats as an effective tool to curb corruption, the Chief Minister highlighted the importance of honest, dedicated, sincere and prompt panchayat members to make the system befitting and meaningful. “People have given you their trust and elected you with a thumping majority,” Omar said, and advised them that public service should be the benchmark of their functioning. “The success of the Panchayati Raj system in the state lies in the hands of elected sarpanches and panches. If you come up to the expectations of the people and reach out to them on the development and social fronts honestly and effectively, the system will flourish and strengthen democracy in the state,” he elaborated.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated four-day orientation camps for the sarpanches and the panches at both places.

Srinagar, July 5
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah released a book on handicrafts, “The Handicrafts of Kashmir”, published by Durga Dass Publishers in collaboration with the Kilo Force of the Army and local artisans, here yesterday.

The book is a photo feature of the development of handicrafts of Kashmir and showcases the artistic skills of the artisans and the creation of designs.

The GOC, 15 Corps, Lt-Gen Syed Atta Hasnain, Army officers, master artisans and others were present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister lauded the Army’s role in social activities in the state. He said the initiative of the Army to help publish an informative and creative book on the handicrafts would go a long way in showcasing the magic of artisans.

The Chief Minister said the government, traders in the handicraft market and the artisans had to jointly work for restoring the glory of the world-famous Kashmir arts and crafts. “We have to give a feeling to the craftsmen that their works are truly appreciated by ensuring remunerative returns to them,” he said, underlining the need for showcasing the handicrafts of Kashmir beyond Jammu and Kashmir’s boundaries.

Jammu, July 5
Even as the police claimed to have registered a case in connection with the deaths of a woman and her son, allegedly due to the negligence of doctors, the authorities at the Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, ruled out any inquiry into the case.

The woman, Tripta Bholla, a BSNL official, and her 25-year-old son, Hemant Kumar,residents of Ban Talab, Jammu, died in the hospital yesterday.

Interestingly,neither the Superintendent nor the Deputy Superintendent of the hospital were ready to order an inquiry.

“I have been on leave for the last few days.I am not aware of the incident,” the Superintendent,Dr Ramesh Gupta, told The Tribune. Similarly, the Deputy Superintendent, Dr Manoj Chalotra, also expressed his ignorance about the deaths allegedly due to the negligence of doctors. “Till Monday, I was on leave. No inquiry board has been constituted ,” he said and added that the consumption of flour was the main cause of the tragedy.

However, the family members of Tripta and Hemant alleged that the deceased were suffering from food poisoning, but doctors at the hospital treated them for dehydration as they could not diagnose the problem.

Baramulla, July 5
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today assured the Sikh community in the Valley that his government would take all steps to accept its genuine demands and solve various problems.

Omar was speaking at Gurdwara Chemi Patshahi here after paying obeisance on the birth anniversary of Guru Hargobind.

“At this scared place, I assure you that till I hold the reins of the state government, which is your own government, all your problems will be ours we will address them,” the Chief Minister said.

“We acknowledge the fact that the Sikh community faced difficulties, especially since the gun culture started here. Many massacres took place. You people were threatened, but you did not leave the Valley and faced everything,”he said, and added the community had lived with Muslims in an atmosphere of brotherhood and amity.

“You faced many hardships and now when the situation is slowly becoming normal, it becomes our duty to address all the problems being faced by you,” Omar told members of the community.

As he was aware that a Sikh representative from Jammu would not be able to address the problems of the community in the Valley,his party had decided to elect a representative from Kashmir.

“We elected Dharmvir Singh Oberoi as MLC to represent the Sikh community of Kashmir,” he said.

Earlier,the president of the Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Baramulla, Janak Singh Sodhi asked Omar to look into the denial of state subject certificates to the community and urged him to include Punjabi in the education curriculum of the state.

The Chief Minister was also given a siropa by the Sangat.

Meanwhile, Gurpurb was celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety across the state today. The main function was held at Gurdwara Chatti Padshahi, Kathidarwaza, Srinagar, where shabad kirtan was performed.

Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla visited the gurdwara and paid obeisance and prayed for peace and prosperity of the state. Bhalla greeted the Sikh community, on the auspicious occasion.

President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Amritsar, Jathedar Avtar Singh, also attended the celebrations and threw light on the life of the Guru.

Jammu, July 5
The State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) yesterday registered an FIR against some engineers of the Roads and Buildings Department for purchasing metal pipes at exorbitant rates.

In a statement issued here, the SVO claimed that a case had been registered against Executive Engineer Mohammad Shafi Bhat and other officials of the Roads and Building Division, Kupwara, who had purchased metal pipes at exorbitant rates during the year 2008-09.

“The accused public servants dishonestly purchased 500 metres of 10 dia, 5mm thick MS Pipes from Latif Ganai, proprietor of M/S Latif and Company, Kupwara, at the rate of Rs 3,600 per metre. The rates were found to be exorbitant to the tune of Rs 952 per metre. The pipes were required for the development of the Waserkhati-Dardpora, Reshigund-Warson and Khazanmati-Reshigund roads under the NABARD scheme,” it said.

“They also dishonestly purchased 330 metres of 150 mm GI pipes from Sajad Ahmad Rather, proprietor of M/s SI Traders, Sir Syed Abad, Bemina, Srinagar, at the rate of Rs 1,875 per metre against Rs 1,672 per metre, resulting in the exorbitance of Rs 203 per metre and causing a loss of Rs 66,990 to the state exchequer,” it added.

“A total loss of Rs 5,42,990 has been caused to the exchequer due to the purchase of the pipes. The investigation of the case is under progress,” it said.