Reasi, July 9
Known as the gateway of the Chenab valley region, some residents of now submerged Pul Doda, a small town 5 km from the district headquarters, Doda, are adamant on not leaving to other place to press for their rehabilitation demand. But the district administration may take measures to shift them to a safer place.

DC Doda, Farooq Ahmed Khan told The Tribune over the phone that the administration would not hesitate from forcibly shifting the remaining around 20 families, as the place was no longer safe due to the rising water level in the Chenab.

“Actually, no resident has a right to stay there any longer because they have been paid compensation. We cannot allow them to risk their lives and hence we may have to take action accordingly,” said Khan.

But the area residents are adamant on their demand of an alternative place for rehabilitation. “The state government paid us the compensation and promised to rehabilitate the affected families. Three years ago, when the water level in the Chenab started rising, my joint family shifted to a rented accommodation on the higher side of the hill along the river bank. We do not know what to do as the water level in the river is rising constantly,” said Gul Mohammad, driver of a private cab.

The water level in the Chenab had risen about two metres four days ago when the district administration was informed by the authorities of the Baglihar Dam, located 60 km downstream Pul Doda, about the situation. The officials said the water level would rise another two metres.

The rising water level has pushed almost entire town having a population of about 1,000 persons into oblivion. As per some residents, who have since shifted to Doda city, an eerie silence prevails at the place that was bustling with activity just four days ago. The only road there is submerged and the new road above Pul Doda has since been opened for vehicular movement.

The officials said nobody should complain as the administration had widely publicised about the rising water level and issued an advisory regarding shifting people to other places through drumbeating as well as the public address system in advance. The bus stand had been shifted and vendors had started business at some distance, near the bridge connecting Doda and Kishtwar district. Pul Doda symbolised communal harmony and its residents set an example when members of the Muslim community helped in shifting the idols and other things from a temple here to a safer place. The last prayers in the temple and the mosque here were preformed a couple of days ago.

Jammu, July 9
The infighting in the state Congress is likely to intensify following a day-long visit of Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to Jammu today.Azad was here to address a function of Jammu Women’s Credit Cooperative Limited.

Though Soz’s loyalists, including ministers in the state government, did not meet Azad during his visit, the presence of Minister of State for Power Shabir Khan at the function of Jammu Women’s Credit Cooperative Limited raised many an eyebrow. Khan, who was considered to be a Soz loyalist, had also been trying to remain neutral in the party.

During his stay in Jammu, Azad visited the houses of former state Health Minister Suman Bhagat and former Rural Development Minister and former MLA, Suchetgarh, Choudhary Garu Ram.

Though Bhagat and Garu Ram owe allegiance to the pro-Azad faction, they, of late, have been keeping a low profile and staying neutral in the party.

Similarly veteran Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma visited Azad at the Guest House here.

The meeting is considered important because Sharma also belongs to the pro-Soz faction.

Azad’s visit has revived the sagging morale of his faction as Soz loyalists have been trying to lure his (Azad’s) supporters. “Azad’s visit has revived our confidence and we will intensify our campaign against PCC chief Saifuddin Soz,” said an Azad loyalist.

He added that, “In the coming days, the Soz loyalists will start holding rallies at different places to strengthen their group.”

Sources in the Congress said the decision on Soz’s fate as the PCC chief was likely to be taken after the impending reshuffle of the Union Cabinet. Although sources said Soz would be retained as the PCC chief, his detractors were seeing an opportunity to step up attack on him.

Following Azad’s visit, his loyalists have decided to send a delegation to Delhi to apprise the high command about the developments in the PCC.

The pro-Soz faction has already taken some preventive steps and a group of Soz supporters is camping in Delhi for the past 10 days.

Srinagar, July 9
The security forces gunned down three militants of the Jaish-e-Mohammad, including a self-styled commander, in a 20-hour encounter in Pulwama district today. One Major of the Army was injured in the gunfight.

Acting on a tip-off about the movement of militants in Bonhajin village in the Rajpora area of Pulwama district, the Army and the police launched a search operation last night.

“As we were zeroing in on the house where the militants were hiding, we came under fire from the militants. We asked them to surrender, but they continued firing at us. We did not return fire till all villagers were shifted to a safe place,” a senior Army officer said.

He said after securing the villagers, the Army launched the operation to flush out the militants and one militant was killed last night. “The operation was suspended for the night but the cordon was tightened to prevent the hiding militants from escaping. In the morning, a fresh offensive was launched and another militant was killed,” the officer said.

He said one of the slain militants had been identified as Ehsan Bhai, a top commander of the Jaish-e-Mohammad, who had been active in the Valley for more than a decade. “He was responsible for various attacks on the security forces and civilians. The other two militants have been identified as Javid Ahmed Nengroo and Farooq Ahmad Lone, both residents of Pulwama district,” the officer said. He said though the gunfight had stopped, the security forces were searching the area for the body of the third militant. The bodies of two militants had been recovered. “A Major was also injured in the encounter,” he added.

Reasi, July 9
Women empowerment at the grass-roots level still exists on paper in the economically and educationally-backward Reasi district, where no woman representative got a chance to interact with the interlocutors today. However, one of the interlocutors, Prof Radha Kumar, took a serious note of it.

The interlocutors on Kashmir, Dileep Padgaonkar, Prof Radha Kumar and MM Ansari, interacted with the delegations of political parties, panchayats and social activists at the DC Office complex for over two hours to get their views on the Kashmir issue. Prof Radha Kumar noted with concern that all the representations were made to them by male members of the delegations. “My sisters did not speak at all. I want a promise from all of you that you will speak up next time,” she remarked during the interaction.

A good number of women sarpanches and panches had turned up from all parts of the district, especially from the remote hill areas of Mahore, Gulabgarh and Chinkah. “All the women remained mute spectators, as men kept on speaking,” said Chander Kanta Sharma, vice-president of the state unit of the BJP. “I also wanted to speak when our party’s delegation met the interlocutors, but I could meet Prof Kumar only at the end of the meeting,” Sharma told The Tribune.

The district administration officials said there was nothing deliberate about women not getting a chance to speak. The meeting was conducted as per the advisory received from the Central government. The administration had not prepared any lists regarding who would speak at the meeting. “I too was surprised to see that no woman representative spoke. I believe the socio-cultural conditions in the area with male domination could be the reason behind this. Hesitation on the part of the women could be another factor,” said Nasir Iqbal Parae, Additional District Development Commissioner, Reasi.

The representatives of the Congress, BJP, National Panthers Party, NC, PDP, Other Backward Classes, Bar Association, migrants, traders’ associations, sarpanches, panches, various art, cultural and social organisations and NGOs expressed their views at the meeting. MLA, Reasi, Baldev Raj Sharma and former minister Jagjivan Lal also met the interlocutors. 

Srinagar, July 9
A day after the Amarnath yatra was suspended along the Chandanwari-Panjtarni axis due to the bad weather, the movement of pilgrims resumed along both the routes to the cave shrine today. According to an official spokesperson, till afternoon about 12,000 yatris had paid obeisance at the sanctum sanctorum.

On the directions of Governor NN Vohra, who is also the Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the shrine board RK Goyal reviewed the arrangements in view of heavy rains during the past two days.

Goyal interacted with the officials of all agencies engaged for the conduct of the yatra and reviewed the arrangements with regard to sanitation, water and power supply, langar operations, medicare and queue management. He also interacted with a large number of pilgrims and enquired about the arrangements at the cave shrine and various camp locations and en route the shrine, he added.

Goyal said as per the Meteorological Department’s weather forecast for the next five days, the sky was likely to remain cloudy in the Kashmir division. He advised the yatris to ascertain the weather conditions in the area before embarking on the pilgrimage. He reiterated his appeal to the pilgrims to adhere to the board’s advisories and not to stop at places marked by warning notices. 

Jammu, July 9
Though education is necessary for the overall development of the children, as many as 819 government schools in the state are functioning without proper drinking water facility and toilets.

As per government documents accessed by The Tribune, 819 government schools (541 middle schools, 125 high schools, 101 higher secondary schools and 52 primary schools) lacked toilets and drinking water facility during the academic session 2010-11.

Though the state government claims that it has been working overtime to provide better education to the students, the scenario is altogether different as the students have to attend schools where even basic facilities are not available.

Infrastructure is also a major issue here, as 4,858 schools do not have their own buildings and are operating from either makeshift structures or rented accommodation, the documents reveal.

Besides, there are 474 primary schools functioning from dilapidated buildings. The vacancies of teacher is another major concern, as nearly 9,000 posts of teacher are lying vacant. The transfer policy also exists on paper only.

The lack of basic facilities, along with vacant posts of teacher, are affecting the results of government schools. In the Class X and XII results declared by the J&K State Board of School Education (BoSE) recently, only a few students from government schools got distinction or their names appeared in the merit list.

Repeated attempts to contact Education Minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed proved futile. However, Peerzada had acknowledged recently that there were a number of things required to done to uplift the educational infrastructure and the education standards in the state.