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4 grenade attacks in Kashmir in 24 hours
Assembly panel takes stock of Central road project
Army rules out Samba-like tunnels along Line of Control
BSF DG to visit tunnel site today
Pak Rangers shattered a young dream
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Domestic tourists enjoy a ride on ponies in Gulmarg. Photo: Yawar Kabli
Governor, CIC discuss RTI Act
Governor NN Vohra and Chief Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra during a meeting at Raj Bhawan on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph
Four-laning of Parimpora-Narbal road awaits
completion
Governor releases ‘Sharda Gyan’
Life regains normalcy in Shopian
Traffic Police to seize vehicles with tinted glass after Aug 20
Amarnath yatra concludes today
Patent protection for six Kashmir crafts
Three killed in Reasi landslides
CM, Guv greet people on Raksha Bandhan
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4 grenade attacks in Kashmir in 24 hours
Srinagar, August 1 “The grenade fell short of the target and exploded with a bang on the road,” said a police officer. Immediately after the grenade attack, police and CRPF launched a hunt to nab the militants behind the attack. No militant outfit claimed responsibility for the Channapora grenade attack. The grenade attack in Channapora was the fourth such attack in the last 24 hours. The militant struck twice in Sopore town of north Kashmir by carrying out grenade attacks. A policeman was injured in the twin attacks in Sopore. The first grenade was hurled around 5 pm on Tuesday at a police patrol in the Iqbal market of the town. A policeman, Anil Kumar, was injured in the attack. Two hours later, militants lobbed a grenade upon Sopore police station which exploded in its compound. Police vehicles parked in the compound were damaged. During the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, unknown militants lobbed a grenade in the residential house of a sarpanch, Mohammad Rustum Dar, of Nagri in Kupwara district of north Kashmir. The sarpanch who was in his house escaped unhurt. The blast damaged the glass panes of the house.
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Assembly panel takes stock of Central road project
Jammu, August 1 A meeting of the committee, under the chairmanship of MLA Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, was held today in Srinagar. At this meeting, the members discussed various aspects that are causing delay in the completion of road projects. The committee members also observed that one of the main reasons of delay in the completion of roads in backward and inaccessible areas was that a large numbers of contractors had left their works midway. The members sought strict action against such contractors. According to an official document, since the implementation of PMGSY in Jammu and Kashmir, only 39 percent of the target has been achieved so far and failure of the contractors to complete the works allotted to them in the stipulated time was one of the main reasons for not achieving the target. As per the document, as many as 36 major road projects, which were started to improve road connectivity in far-flung and inaccessible areas, have not been completed within the stripulated time. Sources said that members also demanded uniformity in releasing funds for developmental activities. “Members also observed that the failure of the authorities concerned to get clearance from the Forest Department for construction of roads is another reason for the delay,” sources said, adding that the members demanded there should be no delay in disposing of compensation cases. The Committee on Estimates asked the Public Works Department (PWD) officers to gear up for identifying the hamlets which were not covered under the road network so far and asked them to formulate Detailed Project Reports and submit it to the concerned quarters for early execution. Threadbare discussions were held on various schemes and projects under Economic Reconstruction Agency, PMGSY and other Centrally-sponsored schemes. The committee stressed on maintaining close coordination with the other concerned departments so that the projects which require forest clearance and land compensation for acquisition may be cleared on priority. It also planned to engage a committed and honest lawyer to dispose of pending court cases, if any. REPORT CARD
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Army rules out Samba-like tunnels along Line of Control
Jammu, August 1 “We are sitting 24x7 eyeball to eyeball with the enemy at the LoC. Besides this, digging tunnels in a rocky terrain is an uphill task. In the hilly terrain, militants try to intrude into our territory via mountain passes,” said a highly placed Army source. The source said such tunnels could be built with ease in plain areas but not in a rocky terrain. In the rocky terrain along the LoC what the enemy can do at the most is resort to ceasefire violations in a bid to push militants to this side. The source said till date there had not been a single instance of detecting a tunnel along the LoC. The source recalled a similar attempt by Pakistan near the Munawar Tawi area in Akhnoor sector in 2009-10. However, the tunnel in Chalyari is certainly a cause for concern for all security forces in the state, especially for the BSF and the Army, which guard the frontiers, said the source. “It (Chalyari tunnel) looked to be a well-thought-out plan on their (Pakistan Rangers) part. And let’s not forget that the Jammu-Pathankot highway, which is a lifeline for security forces to replenish its requirements in the border state, lies very close to the international border,” said the source. When asked about the plans of the Centre to conduct seismic survey all along the LoC to detect the possibility of other tunnels, the source said: “We have not been informed about any such exercise.”
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BSF DG to visit tunnel site today
After the visit of BSF IG (Headquarters) SK Mishra to the site on July 30, Additional Director General of the BSF Himmat Singh and two senior officials of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) visited Chalyari yesterday afternoon, said a senior BSF officer. Singh along with the GSI officials assessed the tunnel and issued instructions to BSF officers, who were accompanying him, he added. To know what sort of equipment was required for the geological and seismic survey, the two GSI officials keenly assessed the tunnel, said the officer. The officer said subject to fair weather conditions, BSF DG UK Bansal would visit the tunnel site tomorrow in the afternoon.
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Pak Rangers shattered a young dream
Chalyari, Indo-Pak Border, August 1 Kumari (27) recollected the day when she was hit by a bullet, she said, “I was a Class VI student in 1997 when on a sunny morning I had gone to the fields along with my father. Suddenly, a bullet fired from across the border by the Pakistani Rangers pierced through my left shoulder and exited from my right shoulder.” “I fell down and regained consciousness in the hospital. It took me several months to recover, but to my shock doctors said my legs were paralysed because of the damage caused to my body by the bullet,” said Kumari. Being an ambitious village girl, Kumari wanted to at least earn a bachelors degree and do a job. Despite being paralysed, the girl studied up to Class X, but then her condition deteriorated further. Since then she has been confined to her wheelchair. The Samba district administration provided Rs 75,000 to Kumari, which was spent on her treatment. “My father is a retired Army jawan. We are six siblings - five sisters and a younger brother. Our father toils hard in the fields to eke out a living. “In the name of help, the state government gave us a petty amount, which was spent on my treatment a long time ago,” she said. She also expressed regrets over “erratic” pension for the disabled. A paltry sum of Rs 400, which is not given regularly, is an insult to a disabled person like me, she said. I had dreams like other normal girls. One stray bullet ruined my life, she said. Now, I repent the day I had gone to the fields with my father, she said.
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Tourist footfall in Kashmir close to 10 lakh till July
Srinagar, August 1 Official sources said 9.56 lakh tourists, including 22,000 foreigners, had arrived in the Valley during the first seven months. The figure does not include over six lakh pilgrims, who paid obeisance at the holy Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir. Only nine lakh tourists had visited Kashmir during the first seven months last year. Around 13.5 lakh tourists had visited the Valley last year. However, there has been around 60 per cent decline in arrivals of tourist during the past few weeks. “The daily arrivals have dipped to 4,000 from seven to eight thousand,” an official source said here today. People associated with the tourism sector said the decline was a routine that happened every year during this time. “Summer break outside the state ends around June 15 following which the inflow of visitors dips. From mid-April till June-end, there is a footfall. Moreover, this is also the hottest time of the year there and thus it remains the peak tourist season in Kashmir," said Gulzar Ahmad, a travel agent. During the peak season, many tourists had faced problems in finding accommodation as all hotels across the Valley were fully booked. The influx of tourists has so far remained unaffected by the minor spurt in militancy-related activities or incidents like the issuing of “dress advisory” by politico-religious organisation Jamaat-e-Islami. The organisation had asked the visitors in Kashmir to adopt a “proper dress code”. While the “advisory” had found few takers, the Jamaat had later blamed the media for misconstruing its statement. The gutting of a revered Sufi shrine in the summer capital in June or the killing of a youth in north Kashmir’s Bandipore district followed by another death under suspicious circumstances last month too failed to deter the inflow of tourists. Before last year, the tourism season had been hit hard for three consecutive years due to Amarnath land row agitation in 2008, the infamous Shopian incident in 2009 and the summer unrest of 2010. The government is hopeful of receiving around 20 lakh tourists this year. Valley visitors
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Four-laning of Parimpora-Narbal road awaits
completion
Srinagar, August 1 The residents allege that the work on the project is going at a slow pace. The state government on October 7, 2007, had said the already existing two-lane road from Parimpora to Narbal on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway would be converted into four lanes in a year. “They have failed to convert the small stretch of the road into four lanes in five years. There is no hope that the project will be complete this year. It is a shame on the functioning of the government and the executing agency of the project,” said Farooq Ahmed, a resident of
Shalteng. “If the 7.5-km stretch takes more than five years, what will happen if they start
four-laning the Jammu-Srinagar national highway?” he asked. The 7.5-km stretch on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway is being converted into four lanes by Project Beacon. Beacon officials say the road from Parimpora to Narbal would be a state-of-the-art project and will have a six feet walking passage on both the sides, drainage system and other facilities. “We had to cancel the contract as the agency concerned, which was given the task of earth filling, was going very slow. Later, the agency moved the court, but it was vacated in 2011. We are now on the job,” said Chief Engineer Brig TPS
Rawat. “We have also issued tenders for surfacing of the road. The earth filling work is going on at a full speed,” he said. The Beacon is also strengthening the road connectivity between
Srinagar, Uri and Muzaffarabad. The work on the two-laning of the Uri-Kaman road is also in full-swing. Locals have been demanding the
four-laning of the two-lane Narbal-Uri road. The Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road has gained importance as the ‘Karvan-e-Aman’ bus (peace bus) takes this route. The road helps meet families divided by the Partition.
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Governor releases ‘Sharda Gyan’
Srinagar, August 1 ‘Sharda Gyan’ has been brought out by Pt Prem Nath Shastri Sanskratik Shodh Sansthan. Speaking on the occasion, the Governor observed that the publication of this primer was a welcome step towards the revival of the ancient Sharda script, which is a mother of many languages. He added that the event also marked the revival of a centuries-old cultural heritage. The Governor suggested the setting up of a centre at Jammu for the collection, consolidation, classification and translation of literature in Sharda script and research projects for the revival and promotion of this language. While congratulating Pt. Omkar Nath Shastri, Chairman, Pt Prem Nath Shastri Sanskratik Shodh Sansthan, for brining out the first part of ‘Sharda Gyan’, the Governor announced a support of Rs 70,000 for publication of the second part of this primer. The Governor also paid a tribute to Pt. Prem Nathji Shastri on his 13th Nirwan Divas. Earlier, the Governor lit the ceremonial lamp to mark the commencement of the function. He was presented a turban by Pt Omkar Nath Shastri. MLC Vijay Bakaya, former MLC Bhushan Lal Bhat appreciated the efforts of the Sansthan to promote Sharda script. In his welcome address, Pt Omkar Nath Shastri highlighted the history and the evolution of Sharda script and the aims and objectives of bringing out the book.
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Life regains normalcy in Shopian
Anantnag, August 1 Commercial establishments and schools reopened and the traffic plied on the roads unrestricted. “It was a normal day of work for the people of Shopian after the violence and the shutdown yesterday,” sources said. Life came to a standstill, intervened by bouts of sporadic violence, in this south Kashmir town, after the news of the killing of a youth, Aqib Hussain Bhat (20), allegedly by the
CRPF, spread. The family of the boy had alleged that the he had been beaten to death by the CRPF personnel after an argument inside their camp in the town. The police, however, had refuted the claims of the family and the locals, saying that the youth was killed after being hit by his own vehicle. In the meanwhile, the police is further investigating the case. They are yet to receive the post-mortem report though. “The report is the most important aspect of the investigation and we are waiting for it so that further investigation is carried on smoothly,” said Shopian SP Mumtaz Ahmad.
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Traffic Police to seize vehicles with tinted glass after Aug 20
Jammu, August 1 “The High Court has given specific directions to the Traffic Department to seize vehicles found with tinted glass after August 20. We urge the people using films on their car windows to remove them before the deadline set by the High Court,” said the IGP. On the availability of space to keep the seized vehicles, Khan said they had ample space to temporarily keep the vehicles. “The department has so far challaned about 17,000 vehicles, which were found violating the court order, and removed coloured films from the windows of these vehicles. The process would continue till August 20,” he said. He said all old permissions had been cancelled and all unauthorised users would be challaned. After August 20, vehicles with tinted glass would be impounded and released only from the court. On the persons exempted from the order, he said the apex court orders were clear that the state governments would constitute a committee to decide on persons exempted from the order. “Persons with Z and Z plus security have been allowed to use cars with tinted glass so far. The state government would constitute a special committee to identify the individuals, who have threat perceptions,” he added.
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Amarnath yatra concludes today
Srinagar, August 1 A record 6.20 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine since the yatra started on June 25. The holy mace of Lord Shiva led by Mahant Dependra Giri would reach the cave shrine on Thursday. On its first leg, the holy mace was taken to Pahalgam and later traversed via Chandanwari and Sheshnag to the last halt at
Panjtarni. “The yatra has been quite peaceful and was not suspended at any time due to bad weather conditions.
Infact, the weather has been good throughout the yatra,” said an official from the Baltal base camp. He said the ice lingam of Lord Shiva was over five feet at this time and the pilgrims were feeling blessed. The ice lingam that depicts the abode of goddess Parvati is around three feet in length. “After 1996, this is the first time that the Shivalingams have remained in full shape even at the time of the conclusion of the
yatra,” he said. Seventyeight pilgrims of the last batch left from the entry point at Chandanwari today along the traditional Pahalgam route.
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Patent protection for six Kashmir crafts
Srinagar, August 1 The crafts that have been patented include pashmina, sozni embroidery, kani shawl, papier-mache, khatamband wood work and walnut woodcarving, said Craft Development Institute (CDI) director Farooq Ahmad. Farooq said this after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah paid a visit to the CDI at Nowshera here. On the occasion, Omar highlighted the importance of handicraft in the growth and development of the state’s economy. Stating that the sector had been an employment provider to a large number of people for long, he emphasised the need for providing the necessary succour to the artisans associated with handicrafts and giving considerable boost to this activity in the state. The Chief Minister interacted with students who have applied for admission to Master’s degree course in craft management and entrepreneurship. He told them the government would provide all help to them in self-employment generating units after the completion of training. He also interacted with the carpet weavers.
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Three killed in Reasi landslides
Katra, August 1 The police recovered the bodies and handed them to their families. In another such incident, 32-year-old Bashir Ahmed was killed in a landslide in Reasi this morning. Ahmed, his wife Muneera and 10-year-old son Masoom were on way to Dharmari area in Reasi when the landslide occurred. While Muneera escaped unhurt, Masoom suffered injuries in the incident, said the police.
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CM, Guv greet people on Raksha Bandhan
Srinagar, August 1 In his message, the Governor said Raksha Bandhan was a unique feature of India’s cultural ethos, symbolising the special bond between a brother and a sister. He said the festival had a special significance for Jammu and Kashmir as the annual Amarnath Yatra concluded on this day. The Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, said the state had a great tradition of observing festivals and holy days in unity and togetherness. He called for further strengthening of this trait and prayed for peace and development of the state.
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Chief Information Commissioner, Central Information Commission, Satyananda Mishra met Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan here this evening.
The Governor and Mishra discussed issues relating to enlarging awareness among people about their rights and privileges under the Right to Information Act and the importance of the law for good governance and reducing corruption. — TNS
Srinagar, August 1
Jammu:
Following the unearthing of Pakistan’s secret tunnel at Chalyari along the Indo-Pak border in the Samba sector, there has been no let up in the visit of senior BSF officers to the site.
