The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Shrine Fire
Fifth day of uneasy calm in Valley
March to Khanyar foiled, protesters lathicharged in Srinagar
Ehsan Fazili/TNS

Srinagar, June 29
Uneasy calm continued to prevail in the Valley for the fifth consecutive day today. Strict restrictions were imposed in parts of the capital city to foil a proposed march by the Grand Mufti to Khanyar today following the shrine blaze.

A complete bandh was observed on the second day of the bandh call given by Grand Mufti Bashiruddin Ahmad to mourn the loss at the shrine of Pir Dastageer Sahib due to a devastating fire on Monday.

Normal life was affected across the Valley as shops and business establishments remained closed here.

Passenger transport remained off road although a few private vehicles were seen on the road in some areas. Educational institutions and some government offices also remained closed, while there was thin attendance in other offices and banks.

The police lobbed teargas shells and resorted to lathi-charge to quell a group of demonstrators trying to hold a march to Khanyar, where the shrine is located.

A protesters led by separatist Peoples Political Party (PPP) chief Hilal Ahmad War held a march from Maisuma in the central Lal Chowk area. They were prevented by the police from marching any further.

War along with some of his supporters was taken into preventive custody, leading to a protest by his supporters, who resorted to stone-pelting. The protesters were later chased away by the police.

The authorities had imposed restrictions in six police stations in the city to avoid any law and order problem in the wake of the Grand Mufti’s march to Khanyar.

No movement was allowed in the areas falling under six police stations of Khanyar, Nowhatta, Rainawari, Maharaj Gunj, Safakadal and Kralkhud.

Grand Mufti Bashiruddin Ahmad and his son, Deputy Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, condemned the curbs to foil their “Khanyar chalo” programme.

“We were placed under house arrest as a large number of policemen were deployed outside our Elahi Bagh Soura residence to prevent us from going to Khanyar. This act is highly condemnable. However, we thank people for making the ‘hartal’ call successful,” the Deputy Grand Mufti told the Tribune.

Several separatist leaders, including APHC chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, were also kept under house arrest.

The Mirwaiz (chief priest) has expressed concern over the restrictions preventing people from offering Friday prayers at the Jamia Masjid and other places in the city.

The Jamaat-e-Islami has sought a high-level judicial commission to probe the fire incident at the shrine.

Meanwhile, the University of Kashmir has postponed all examinations scheduled for the next three days from tomorrow up to Monday, a spokesman for the university said.

State gets more NRHM funds to improve healthcare
Varun Suthra/TNS

Jammu, June 29
The Central government has allocated more funds to Jammu & Kashmir under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) for the year 2012-13 to ensure better healthcare facilities for rural population in the state.

Sources said the Centre has allocated a resource envelope of Rs 298.22 crore for the state under its flagship scheme (NRHM) including Rs 23.31 crore as the 10 per cent normal state share and the outstanding state share of Rs 43.92 crore.

State NRHM Mission Director, Dr Yashpal Sharma, said the committed unspent balance of the last financial year amounting to Rs 124.18 crore would also be available for use thereby making Rs 422.40 crore available for spending.

“The state share under the NRHM has been reduced from 15 per cent to 10 per cent in the next plan (2012-2017),” he added.

On inclusion of new schemes, he said that an additional engagement of 152 medicos, including doctors and paramedic staff, has been accorded.

Sharma said, “Additional eight staff nurses have been sanctioned for six selected community healthcare centers (CHCs) including CHC Akhnoor, CHC RS Pura, CHC Ramgarh, CHC Bijbhera, CHC Magam and SDH Kupwara where the workload is equal to that of a district hospital. One ISM doctor and one dawasaaz have been sanctioned for additional 21 PHCs.”

Sharma added that in order to strengthen the pediatrics department in the Government Medical College, Jammu and the Government Medical College, Srinagar, an amount of Rs 2 crore has been approved for each hospital.

“Rs 9.80 lakh per centre has been approved for the establishment of nutritional rehabilitation centres, one each at GB Pant Hospital, Srinagar and SMGS Hospital, Jammu. An amount of Rs 20.84 crore has been approved for Janani Shishu Suraksha Karaykaram (JSSK) at all levels right from tertiary hospitals including SKIIMS, SMGS, GB Pant Hospitals up to sub-centre level,” he said.

On enhancement of remunerations, Dr Sharma said it has always been the priority in the Centrally-sponsored schemes to revise the salary structures and incentives of medicos rendering services to rural population.

The remuneration of MBBS doctors has also been enhanced from Rs 19,200 to Rs 25,000 per month.

Special incentives for MBBS doctors engaged under the NRHM in very difficult areas of the state has been categorised as inaccessible area (Category A), the incentive for which is Rs 20,000 and ‘Category B very difficult area’ (Rs 15,000) and ‘Category C difficult area’ (Rs 10,000).

Incentive structure for accredited social health activists has also been revised.

Rumours of sacrilege in Srinagar
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 29
While the Valley continues to simmer following the burning down of a 250-year-old shrine in Khanyar, rumours of sacrilege of a holy book today triggered a protest in Gund Hassibhat on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway.

The police has registered a case and started an investigations. “A case was registered at the Parimpora police station and we are investigating the matter,” Kashmir DIG Afhad-ul-Mujtaba said.

Sources said the trouble started in the Gund Hassibhat area on the outskirts of the city this morning when people who had gone to offer prayers saw some torn pages of a holy book at a religious place.

“The miscreants had also tried to set the religious place on fire by leaking a gas cylinder,” said a local resident.

Mufti lashes out at NC govt
Says govt should involve employees in resolving their problems
Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 29
Peoples Democratic Party patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed yesterday said it was his desire to establish a system where every section of society would get justice and equal opportunities for development and economic growth.

Addressing a public meeting at Bani town, Mufti said during its tenure, the PDP-led regime had proved its capability of changing the lives of the masses by treating all individuals equally and providing equal opportunities to all sections of the society.

Coming down heavily on the National Conference regime for confronting with government employees, Mufti said this attitude of the government was wrong. “It is unfortunate that instead of involving employees in a dialogue process to solve their problems, the government has adopted adamant attitude towards them.”

“Although we had just 16 members in the Assembly, we provided good governance to the people by streamlining functioning of all wings of the government,” he said and added it was only during the PDP regime that governance consciousness was generated among the people of the state.

“During our tenure, I utilised my 50 years of political experience to provide good governance to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

He added that the PDP-led regime had brought transparency and accountability in the governance by strengthening democratic institutions in the state. He said during the PDP-led regime more than 70,000 youth were appointed as teachers under the Rehbar-e-Talim (ReT) scheme and more than 30,000 anganwari workers were also appointed.

“Not only a single case of favouritism or nepotism was reported during our tenure because appointments were made with complete transparency and accountability to ensure that only deserving people get jobs”, he said.

PDP general secretary Thakur Balbir Singh called upon the people to compare the performance of the PDP-led government with the mis-governance of successive National Conference regimes.

Power Grid officials call on Governor

Srinagar, June 29
RN Nayak, Chairman and Managing Director, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd, called on Governor NN Vohra here today.

Nayak was accompanied by a high-level team, comprising IS Jha, director (projects), corporate office, Gurgaon; SC Singh, executive director, Northern Region-II, Jammu; and SK Sharma, general manager (projects), Northern Region-II, Jammu.

Nayak briefed the Governor about the status of various important power grids being set up by the corporation in the Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions for the transmission of power supply to different areas of the state. The Governor referred to the urgent need for the implementation of the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh power transmission line. The Governor underlined his concern over delays in the completion of various power grid projects and the laying of transmission lines. — TNS

Employ local youth for Uri project, NHPC told

Jammu, June 29
The NHPC has been directed to employ only local youth against vacancies of class III and IV employees at its Uri project. The directions came after a meeting was held in Delhi between Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Taj Mohiuddin.

At the meeting, it was resolved that recruitment to class III and IV vacancies at the project would be made from the youth living within 5 km radius. It was decided that the process would be completed within a month to facilitate the work at the project.

For the technical staff among this lot, it was decided that the NHPC would train local youth at ITI, Uri, if the requisite number of youth was not available locally. Once trained, these youth would be employed at the project.

The ministers also agreed on immediate resumption of work at the project and the NHPC was asked to take necessary steps in this regard.

Taj also handed over the report of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on the return of power projects, also approved by the state Cabinet, to the Union Power Minister for the perusal of the Union government.

Union Minister of State for Power KC Venugopal, Union Power Secretary P Umashankar, Chairman & Managing Director, NHPC, ABL Srinivastava, Joint Secretary, Power, Devinder Singh, and officers of the J&K Government were present. — TNS

Low pressure delaying monsoon: Met
Malvika Sharma

Jammu, June 29
With perennial dust storms lashing the region, the weather department has blamed the delay in the arrival of monsoon on low pressure and shortage of moisture content in the air.

While monsoon has been predicted to hit the region by July 1, the agencies are not taking any chances this season and have drawn out contingency plans for a two to four week delay in the arrival of monsoon.

The sowing season is expected to get delayed in case low pressure delays monsoon. Kharif crops, including maize, rice, and vegetables are likely to be affected in case of a delayed monsoon.

The delay will cause an early withdrawal of monsoon, making the sowing season rather short. Further, it will leave the region deficient in water.

MK Khushu, Chief Scientist, Department of Agronomy, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences, pointed out: “The monsoon should arrive on time but if that is not the case then the agricultural sector will be hit hard this season. The cause for the same is the low content of moisture in the air, which is not creating sufficient pressure in the system to push a steady stream of monsoon currents across the country.”

The frequent dust storms are caused due to differential temperature ranges and conventional movement of air, wherein the vacuum created by hot air moving upwards is quickly filled up by cold air rushing in to fill the vacuum.

With frequent power cuts and acute shortage of water supply in the region, the dust storms, though a nuisance for many, are the only means of providing respite to the people.

80,000 visit shrine in first five days
Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

Devotees make their way towards the Amarnath cave shrine, 130 km south of Srinagar on Friday. Photo: Amin War

Srinagar, June 29
Over 80,000 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in the first five days of the yatra. The area around the cave in the upper reaches of Pahalgam is still under deep snow.

Around 21,700 pilgrims had darshan on the fourth day of the yatra yesterday, while over 20,000 had visited the shrine till 4 pm today.

The area around the shrine is covered in two to six feet of snow. The paths leading to the cave and the camping area have been cleared of the snow.

“There is no problem in the movement of pilgrims at the cave,” said an official posted in the area.

The pilgrims have been braving snowy breezes amid intermittent cloudy skies and drizzle, the officials added.

At least 15,515 pilgrims left the Pahalgam and Baltal base camps for the holy cave today. They included 10,416 from Baltal, the shorter route of 13 km to the cave.

At least 5,099 pilgrims left the Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp this morning for the cave at a distance of 48 km.

The first 16 km from Pahalgam to Chandanwari are motorable, while the remaining distance from the Chandanwari pass via Sheshnag, Pissu Top and Panjtarni has to be covered by foot.

Apart from pilgrims undertaking the arduous tracks from Pahalgam and Baltal, nearly 1,300 pilgrims avail the helicopter services from the Baltal base camp every day. These yatris alight at Panjtarni, 6 km short of the holy cave, and trek to the cave.

The landing facility of helicopters had to be shifted from the cave area to Panjtarni following safety and security concerns.

Police probing possibility of sabotage
Majid Jahangir
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 29
While the initial probe has pointed to the possibility of a short-circuit behind the Dastageer Sahib Shrine fire, the police is also looking into the angle of sabotage.

A case has already been registered at the Khanyar police station and a special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the burning of the 250-year-old Sufi shrine in the old city on Monday morning, which had sparked off protests in the Valley.

Srinagar SSP Aashiq Hussain Bukhari said: “The police is investigating the case through various angles.”

The case was registered under Section 436, RPC (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, etc), suggesting that the police had not ruled out the possibility of a sabotage.

Police sources said the SIT, headed by Khanyar Sub-Divisional Police Officer Sajad Ahmad Shah had so far questioned around 10 persons to ascertain the cause of the fire.

“Those questioned include the guard in charge of the shrine, his two assistants, the electrician of the Waqf Board, members of the shrine management committee and some other persons,” said a police officer.

The SIT had also sent various samples to the Forensic Science Laboratory, Srinagar, to ascertain the cause of the fire.

The sources said the SIT had also written to the Executive Engineer, Power Development Department, and Waqf Board officials, who would also be questioned.

“Initial investigations suggest that the fire broke out due to a short-circuit. But we are looking into all angles,” a police source said.

The sources said the police was also informed by the local management about a group of preachers who had stayed in the shrine for three days and had left an hour before the incident.

“This group had an argument with local worshippers before leaving the shrine. We are looking into this aspect as well,” a police source added.

Syed Khalid Jeelani, caretaker of shrine, has ruled out the possibility of a short-circuit causing the fire.

Two-day Hemis festival kicks off in Leh
Yangchan Dolma

Leh, June 29
The centuries old two-day annual Hemis Tseschu Festival began at Hemis Monastery in Leh district today.

The festival is observed by the largest Drukpa Kagyu Monastery of Ladakh to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Rinpoche on the 10th and 11th day of the fifth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar.

The monastery where the festival is being celebrated has been flooded with thousands of devotees and tourists from both home and abroad.

Tourists are keenly following the sacred tantric dances and ritual performances by monks of the monastery.

The ritual mask dance, depicting various facets of Guru Padmasambhava, are performed during the festival.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Jitendra Singh and state Minister for Tourism and Culture Nawang Rigzin Jora were also present.

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, whose scheduled visit to Ladakh to attend the festival has been cancelled, has greeted the people of Ladakh on the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava.

In her message, she said: “May the blessing of Guru Padmasambhava bestow in abundance for the peace and well being of all sentient beings.”

Four illegal sawmills busted
Our Correspondent

Rajouri, June 28
A joint team of the Forest Department and State Forest Protection Force yesterday raided four illegally-run sawmills in Kandi area of Rajouri district in blatant violation of the Forest Act.

Sources said the District Forest Officer (DFO), Rajouri, received information about some sawmills being run illegally in the bus terminal area of Kandi using forest timber.

The team led by Rajouri DFO VS Senthil Kumar, including senior officers of the Forest Protection Force and police, raided these sawmills and seized 77 timber logs along with sophisticated equipment.

Kumar said, “The department has started a vigorous drive against the illegal sawmills working clandestinely and also on transportation of timber for commercial use.”

The DFO said they have lodged an FIR against the owners of sawmills under relevant sections at the concerned police stations and started investigation in this regard.

Govt plans to recreate shrine

Srinagar, June 29
The government is working on a time-bound and comprehensive action plan to recreate the gutted shrine of Peer Dastageer Sahib.

Talking to mediapersons here this afternoon, senior NC leader and Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs Abdul Rahim Rather saluted the people of the state for maintaining calm and restraint despite the tragedy.

He was accompanied by the Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Taj Mohiuddin and Minister for Science and Technology Aga Syed Ruhulla.

Rather said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had issued orders for preparing an action plan to recreate the shrine that would be finalised in consultation with all stakeholders and the Sajada Nisheen of the Shrine, Syed Khalid Hassan Geelani.

He said it was a matter of great satisfaction that all relics were safe and intact.

“Right now, our priority is to recreate the shrine and restore its pristine glory,” he said.

A digital videography of the entire shrine complex and its interiors was available with the government and would be used in recreating the shrine as per its original design and form at the earliest, the minister said.

The minister also announced that the second part of the proposed action plan regarding protection and preservation of other shrines of the state would also be prepared by experts. — TNS

DIGITAL AID

A digital videography of the entire shrine complex and its interiors is available with the government and will be used to recreate the shrine as per its original design and form

BDC polls to be held in 2 months: NC
Our Correspondent

Rajouri, June 29
National Conference MLC and political adviser to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Davinder Singh Rana, today said the power must flow from the top to the bottom of the system and hence there was a need to empower the panchayati raj institutions at the grassroots level in the state.

Rana, who is on a week-long tour of the border belt of Rajouri and Poonch, addressed a gathering of the NC party cadres here. He said the Omar-led government has already taken several historical steps, including the panchayat elections, to provide powers to panches and sarpanches.

Rana said the Chief Minister was also very keen to conduct the block development council (BDC) elections and had assured to hold the polls in two months time.

He also met several party workers including district presidents and heard their grievance.

Rana said three new degree colleges would be given to Nowshera, Sundarbani and Kalakote so that children of the area get quality education near their homes.

“We are here to monitor the situation at the ground level and to listen to the people’s grievances,” Kalakote MLA Rashpal Singh said.

The MLA also took a serious note of the water crisis and drying of natural resources in the area which has been forcing the Rajouri people to migrate to other places. He said the issue will be taken up with the Chief Minister so that early relief would be provided to the local people.