The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Omar defends use of state chopper to fly PoK ex-PM
Parties criticise Chief Minister’s decision
Ehsan Fazili & Dinesh Manhotra
Tribune News Service

Jatinder Singh, state BJP spokesperson

Srinagar/Jammu, September 22
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today defended his decision to provide a state helicopter to former PoK Prime Minister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary, even as political parties in the state criticised the decision.

“Former PoK Premier accepted the hospitality of the elected CM of J&K. I’m very glad that he did,” Omar tweeted.

Chaudhary, before his departure yesterday, had clarified that he had a “chance” meeting with the Chief Minister at a function. He said he had a desire to visit beautiful places in the Valley, which was facilitated by Minister of State for Tourism and Home Nasir Aslam Wani after his meeting with the Chief Minister.

Omar, in an attempt to set at rest speculations in this regard, clarified in his tweet that the cost of the visiting dignitary’s Pahalgam visit on Tuesday was not Rs 11 crore.

“And for the record, the (Rs) 11 crore figure for the flight to Pahalgam and back is complete rubbish. I doubt it would cost that even in an A 380,” he said.

“The cost of flying is (Rs) 55,000 an hour. The flying time to and fro Pahalgam is 45 minutes. So as they say - do the math,” Omar said.

Mehmood, who is also a leader of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party, was the first prominent leader from PoK to have visited Kashmir in the past 64 years.

Meanwhile, the decision has created a controversy with Opposition parties targeting the Chief Minister for misusing the state exchequer to appease “anti-India” forces.

At a press conference in Srinagar yesterday,Chaudhary had warned the Central government against hanging Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

While the Congress is silent on the “misuse of the state exchequer”, the BJP and the Panthers Party have demanded a high-level inquiry into the matter.

The BJP also sought an explanation from the Congress in this regard.

“The state government facilitated the press conference of Chaudhary in which he warned the Centre against implementing the judgement of the Supreme Court in Afzal Guru’s case,” said state BJP spokesperson Jatinder Singh.

“Under what protocol and rules was Chaudhary permitted to indulge in political activism, hold a politically-oriented press conference in Srinagar and travel to Pahalgam in a state helicopter when he was on a private visit,” Singh asked.

The visiting PoK ex-Prime Minister not only had an interaction with separatist leaders, including hardcore Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, but also refused to accept the representative character of the leaders of the mainstream parties, he added.

Panthers Party leader and MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia said the decision of the state government to allow the visiting PoK ex-Prime Minister to use the state helicopter reflected the Chief Minister’s soft corner for those who had been encouraging divisive forces in the state.

“The government does not have funds to solve genuine problems of agitating employees, but there is no such constraint on felicitating private visits of those who propagate anti-India policies,” Mankotia said.

The BJP said the manner in which the state machinery was used during Chaudhary’s stay in Srinagar had raised a number of questions.

“I have no information about it. I will react only after getting the details,” Congress spokesman Ravinder Sharma said.

No proper infrastructure
Patients share beds in SMGS Hospital
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 22
Even though the SMGS Hospital authorities claim to have provided several facilities, patients are being asked to share beds.

This is the only government-run hospital in the region, which has special facilities in the neonatal and gynaecology units.

Against a 550-bed capacity, around 800 patients are admitted to the hospital on an average.

Often, two patients share a bed due to the heavy rush.

A patient said: “Women have to share beds soon after delivery, which increases the chances of infection.”

She added, “Only influential patients get individual beds.The others have no other option, but to share them with other patients.”

Another patient admitted at Ward-7 also said it was difficult to share a bed with another patient.

“One cannot rest properly, as the bed which is meant for one person can’t accommodate two. It creates problems,” she said.

The situation was almost similar in the neonatal unit of the hospital, where attendants were looking after infants on a single bed. “The situation becomes worse at night. While sharing a bed, one can’t even sleep,” said an attendant.

AK Sharma, Superintendent, SMGS Hospital, expressed his helplessness. “We have written to the higher authorities a number of times and they are aware of the situation. But, the number of beds has not been increased.”

“We can only request patients to cooperate with us,” added Dr Sharma.

Retire non-performing officers, says MLA
Tribune News Service

Jammu,September 22
The working chairman of the Panthers Party and MLA, Ramnagar, Harsh Dev Singh, has urged the government to issue orders for forcible retirement of non-performing officers working with the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna (PMGSY), who have been responsible for inexplicable, inordinate and unreasonable delay in the launch of schemes in the state.

Making a mention of some of the subdivisions of the PMGSY, Singh castigated the Majalta subdivision, where the officers concerned had failed to get the eligible schemes and projects prepared and submitted to the Union Government despite repeated public reminders and commitments made in the state Assembly.

In a statement issued here today, he said criminal negligence on part of the officers concerned of the subdivision, which earlier came under PMGSY division, Reasi, had deprived the public of the benefits of the proposed schemes.

He regretted the said officers had not only played truant but had also failed to respond to the issues, concerns and complaints of the local people.

He urged the Chief Minister to review the working of the scheme, which had failed in the state.

Two held, brown sugar seized
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 22
Two narcotics smugglers were arrested at Thanamandi in Rajouri and half-a-kg of brown sugar worth Rs 50 lakh in the international market was recovered from their possession yesterday.

Acting on a tip off, a police team led by SDPO Raj Kumar and SHO Niaz Ahmed laid a trap near the Thanamandi bridge.

The smugglers, travelling in a Tata Sumo bearing registration number JK 13-1999, were intercepted at a check point. From the possession of one of the smugglers, Ishfaq Ahmed Sofi of Shopian, brown sugar was recovered.

During questioning, he revealed that he was given the packet containing the brown sugar by Asif for delivering it to Iftar of Rajouri.

Accordingly, Iftar was arrested while receiving the narcotics.

Both have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and further investigations are on.

Another arrest in Amandeep murder case

Jammu, September 22
In another breakthrough in the Amandeep Singh murder case, the police arrested an associate of Royal Singh, the main accused in the case, from Trikuta Nagar and recovered a country-made pistol and a cartridge from his possession today.

The police said the accused, identified as Gurcharan Singh, a resident of Kunjwani, was arrested on prior information.

The accused is a close associate of Royal Singh, who is in jail along with Jatinder Singh alias, Raja. The police said the accused was wanted in many cases. — TNS

Cong workers’ differences with NC to be resolved: Soz

Srinagar, September 22
The state unit of the Congress today admitted that its workers had differences with the coalition partner, National Conference (NC), but hoped that the matter would be resolved.

“Congress workers have grievances against the National Conference-led coalition government,” Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Saifuddin Soz said.

Soz sought the help of party workers in ironing out the grievances and hoped that the problems would be solved.

The PCC chief also said he would endeavour to make his party “very strong” at the grass-roots level. — PTI

State gets Rs 400 cr under NRHM

Srinagar, September 22
The state has received Rs 400 crore under the National Rural Health Mission (NHRM) to improve the medical facilities in the rural areas, state Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma said today.

“The focus is on augmenting the basic health infrastructure and reducing the mortality rate,” Sharma said at the NRHM function at Shopian in south Kashmir.

The Minister said 25,000 doctors and 15,000 paramedics were actively engaged in extending health care to the people across the state.

Calling upon newly elected panches, sarpanches and ASHA workers to discharge their duties with zeal, the Minister said synergy among field functionaries and village-level leaders would bring further improvement in the implementation of the flagship programme of the NRHM.

He said health was one of the focused areas of the coalition government.

Later, Sharma honoured two ASHA workers, Hatiza Akhtar and Hanifa Akhtar, for their allround performance, handing them a citation and a cash reward. — PTI

High Court issues notices on road accidents
Legal Correspondent

Jammu, September 22
A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice FM Ibrahim Kalifullah and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar, in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), regarding an increase in accidents in Jammu and Kashmir, issued notices to the Chief Secretary, the Commissioner-Secretary, Transport, the Inspector- General (Traffic), and the Transport Commissioner, Jammu and Kashmir, returnable within two weeks.

In the PIL, filed through Dr Tejinder Kumar and others, the petitioners sought a direction to the state to stop the registration of new vehicles till some visible measures were enforced to check vehicular pollution and other traffic violations.

It further submitted that thousands of people died every year in road accidents and as per the information of the petitioners, almost 1,300 people had died and about 10,000 had sustained injures in road accidents in Jammu and Kashmir in the past 15 months.

However, on the contrary, the state government claimed that it was providing an efficient transportation system.

According to the official data, 11 people had lost their lives in about 5,945 accidents in 2009. This is in addition to 8,199 persons, who sustained injuries, critical and minor, in these accidents.

In the PIL, the petitioners sought strict compliance of traffic laws and regulations and monitoring of safety regulations by an independent authority.

The notices were accepted by Additional Advocate- General AH Qazi for the state respondents.

Overground workers of militant outfits still active, says DGP
Ravi Krishnan Khajuria
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 22
DGP Kuldeep Khoda today said two persons arrested from Kishtwar for sending an e-mail,claiming responsibility for the Delhi blast, had been taken to New Delhi by the National Investigative Agency (NIA).

Responding to questions by mediapersons here today, the DGP said since investigations were on, nothing could be divulged at this stage.

The NIA team, headed by DIG Mukesh Singh had taken, Amir Abbas, an alleged HuJI operative and Abid Hussain Wani, a class XI student, to New Delhi.

Asked whether militant outfits had been luring teenaged youth for their ulterior motives, Khoda said overground workers of various militant outfits were still active and could be of any age.

Speaking about the rehabilitation policy introduced by the state government to pave the way for the return of “misguided” youth from terror camps in PoK, Khoda said of 700 applications filed by relatives and parents of militants, 145 had been worked out.

“So far, we have received 700 applications out of which 145 have been worked out while the remaining are under process,” he said.

The applications were filed in Rajouri, Doda, Kupwara, Baramulla, Kishtwar, Shopian and Bandipora districts.

The rehabilitation policy of the state government is aimed at facilitating the return of ex-militants, who belong to Jammu and Kashmir and had crossed over to PoK for arms training and use of explosives, but had later given up terror activities and were willing to return to the state.

‘Don’t arrest Kashmir youth without informing state police’
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 22
DGP Kuldeep Khoda has again asked investigating agencies of the Centre and other states to inform the state police before arresting any Jammu and Kashmir youths.

Speaking at a function at the Police Martyrs’ Memorial, Immortal Jyoti, here today, Khoda said the state police had taken up the matter with all the quarters concerned in this regard.

Recently, three youths from Kishtwar district were arrested by the National Investigative Agency in connection with the Delhi blast.

Khoda, however, ruled out the possibility of militants belonging to the Indian Mujahideen operating in the state.

Transporters call off two-day strike
Tribune News Service

Jammu/Srinagar, September 22
Transporters in Jammu called off their strike after a meeting with government representatives today.

The government has accepted the trasporters’ demand for a 15 per cent hike in passenger fares.

Talking to The Tribune, vice-president, All-Jammu and Kashmir Transporters Welfare Association , Anil Chopra said: “After a meeting with Transport Minister Qamar Ali Akhoon, Commissioner- Secretary, Finance, Sudhanshu Pandey, Commissioner- Secretary, Transport, Pradeep Gupta, Transport Commissioner Syed Mohammed Fazlullah, Joint Transport Commissioner Sheikh Fayaz and Regional Transport Officers of Jammu and Srinagar, we agreed to call off the strike with immediate effect.”

“On the request of the Transport Minister , we have accepted a 15 per cent hike in the passenger fares for now,” said Chopra.

He said the government would come out with a notification within a week, announcing new fares for various modes of public transport.

“The government had also promised us that it would form various committees to look into the issue threadbare,” said Chopra.

Earlier,life remained affected in Jammu and the adjoining areas as buses, mini-buses and autorickshaws were off the road on the second day of the strike today.

Work in various offices was also affected due to the strike.Public transport services on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway were also affected. There was complete chaos outside the Jammu Railway station as commuters, including pilgrims to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, faced problems in reaching their destinations.

As part of a contingency plan, the State Road Transport Corporation plied its buses on various routes to provide relief to commuters.

The strike also had its impact on various educational institutions and government offices as thin attendance was witnessed due to the non-availability of public transport. Some of the private schools and colleges had declared a holiday to avoid inconvenience to students.

In Srinagar, the Transport Minister said the fares had been decided keeping in view the interests of the public as well as the transporters.

The minister said the revised passenger fares, negotiated with the transporters, would be submitted for the Cabinet’s approval and new rates would be notified in the shortest possible time. While determining the revised passenger rates, increase in operational costs as well as hike in the petroleum products had been taken into consideration, an official spokesman said.

Himalayan car rally from Oct 9
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 22
Of the six racing legs in the 13th Raid-de Himalaya car rally, four racing legs will be held in Jammu and Kashmir and the other two in Himachal Pradesh.

The rally will start on October 9 and conclude in Srinagar on October 16.

With a view to promoting adventure tourism in the state, the event is being co-organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department with the Himalaya Motor Sports, Shimla.

Tourism and Culture Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora yesterday chaired a high-level meeting of officials of the civil administration, the police, the security forces and BEACON to discuss various arrangements, being made for the rally, an official spokesman said.

Minister of State for Tourism and Home Nasir Aslam Wani was also present on the occasion.

Giving the details of the event, Vijay Parimar, president of the Himalaya Motor Sports, said the event had six racing legs, out of which, four were being held in Jammu and Kashmir and two in Himachal Pradesh. He said the event would be completed in two categories, which would take different routes to Zanskar, traversing separately, in the first four legs of the event and join for the rest of the two legs.

He said the rally would conclude at Srinagar on October 16 and the prize distribution would be held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre on October 17.