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INDEPENDENCE DAY
MESSAGE
2012 marked by restoration of positive environment, says Governor
Security at railway station reviewed
Guv, CM express grief over Vilasrao’s death
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Amarnath pilgrimage
Measures already mapped out by Shrine Board’s subcommittee
Rajouri DM fails to submit report on unmarked graves
Tarigami for scientific disposal of bio-medical waste
BJP hunts for candidates with credentials in Valley
MP demands metro link between Jammu, Vaishno Devi shrine
Indian Army greets Pak army
Review of essential commodities ahead of festive days
Moderate quake hits Kashmir
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INDEPENDENCE DAY MESSAGE
Srinagar, August 14 In his Independence Day message to people, the Chief Minister said both the internal and external dimensions of the Kashmir issue require equal focusing. Omar said restart the dialogue process between India and Pakistan would yield results. He expressed confidence that during the discussion of major issues, the two countries would give attention to resolution of smaller issues such as converting cross-LoC trade into normal trade from the present Barter status, making visa regime easy, implementation of rehabilitation policy for youth in the upcoming Foreign Ministers’ Conference. The Chief Minister appealed to the leaders (separatists) with different political viewpoints vis-à-vis leaders of mainstream political parties to take advantage of the current favourable political scenario and discuss their viewpoints with the Government of India and contribute in seeking secure and bright future for the state and its people. “When they are ready to talk to one country, there should be no reason for them to not talk to the other country,” he added. Omar said eliminating violence, addressing unemployment, curbing corruption and resolving electricity deficiency in the state were four important concerns flagged in the policy planning of his government. He said that there has been a visible improvement in peace in the last one and a half years. The Chief Minister said the graph of violence was decreasing and that his government had reduced the presence of security forces. “We have removed various bunkers in Srinagar and similar action will be taken in other places with improvement of situation and restoration of peace,” he said. Giving full credit to people of the state for the prevailing peace and controlled law and order situation, the Chief Minister said he was committed to take dividends of peace to every household. He said his government would continue to restore peace in the state. He said his government wanted to create a conducive atmosphere for the return of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs who had left the Valley due to the disturbance. He said the peaceful atmosphere had helped in carrying forward the development process holistically across the state. “It has helped to empower people and strengthen the institutions,” he added. The Chief Minister said his endeavour was to create a powerful panchayat system in the state. He said the panchayat system in Jammu and Kashmir was being put in place after a period of over 30 years and thus, it would take some time to provide a strong edifice for it to flourish and grow. He said a three-tier Panchayat Raj was his commitment and reiterated that the urban local body elections will be held by the end of the year.
2012 marked by restoration of positive environment, says Governor
Srinagar, August 14 In his message on the eve of Independence Day, the Governor observed that while the environment may not have completely got rid of anti-national activities, 2011 marked the beginning of change. He said recurring agitations and hartals had generated adverse consequences, particularly for daily wagers, whose families had to starve if normal activities were disrupted even for a day. He added that the people were tired of their prolonged sufferings and yearned for sustained peace and normalcy. The Governor said in the country’s march towards growth and development, Jammu and Kashmir had not been able to remain at the forefront because of difficulties and disturbances faced by the people for nearly two decades. He said thanks to the sacrifices made by the people of the state and security forces, there had been a progressive decline in terrorist and subversive activities, adding that we must pay homage to all those who laid down their lives to preserve the territorial integrity of our country. The Governor said it was gratifying to note that while 2011 saw the revival of economic activities and tourism, the current year is marked by the restoration of a positive environment on almost all the fronts. While the agriculture and industrial sectors are moving forward steadily, there has been a two-fold increase in the number of tourist arrivals as compared to the last year. To sustain normalcy, the Governor asked the administration to work with enhanced commitment and sustained zeal to ensure that all public services, particularly in the remote and unconnected areas, were delivered on time, efficiently and without dishonesty, whatsoever. He said several initiatives had been taken to enhance transparency in the functioning of public institutions. These needed to be further strengthened and enlarged to eliminate corrupt practices and ensure that people are well and timely served on all fronts, the Governor said. The Governor said besides causing enormous human and economic losses, militancy had an adverse affect on the functioning of educational institutions at all the levels. For nearly two decades, bright youth of the state were denied their rightful opportunities. He observed that it was a happy augury that the educational sector was once again resuming its erstwhile dynamism, adding that besides the establishment of two Central Universities, there has been an rise in the establishment of new colleges and schools, both in the government and private sectors.
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Security at railway station reviewed
Srinagar, August 14 The need for collecting intelligence inputs with regard to movement of anti-national elements within their areas of responsibility was stressed upon. The GRP officers were asked to be in a close liaison with the territorial police for assistance, if need arises. —
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Guv, CM express grief over Vilasrao’s death
Srinagar, August 14 Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said Vilasrao Deshmukh had contributed a lot towards the welfare of people of the country. He said in the passing away of Deshmukh, the country had lost a great parliamentarian and sincere friend of the people. Omar conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. —
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Amarnath pilgrimage
New Delhi, August 14 He said the government would look into suggestions for starting the yatra early, making arrangements for mechanised removal of snow along the routes and starting of a ropeway to the Amarnath cave. Though the state government and the Shrine Board control the yatra arrangements, Shinde said he would personally look into suggestions made by members and ask the state government for their implementation. Pointing out that the terrain on which the Amarnath yatra was carried out was very difficult, he said the Centre would also ask the state government to look into widening of the path and strengthening of the medical certification system for pilgrims. “We are thinking of planning an authority for issuing medical certificates to pilgrims, particularly with reference to cardiology," he added. Talking about the security of pilgrims, he said 85 companies of forces were deployed this year, including 66 companies of the CRPF which also had two all-women contingents. Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley said it was a matter of serious concern that the government was reducing the yatra period under a “pre-conceived plan” even as the number of pilgrims was increasing. He also sought the reconstitution of the shrine board.
Measures already mapped out by Shrine Board’s subcommittee
Srinagar, August 14 The Supreme Court had set up the special committee, headed by Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra in his capacity as the Chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, on July 20, taking suo motu notice of the high casualties among the pilgrims due to lack of proper camps, roads and medical facilities. The subcommittee was set up by the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) during its meeting held on July 22, 2011, to advise the Board regarding the duration and schedule of the Amarnath yatra from 2012 onwards. The subcommittee, headed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, in its final report (the copy of which has been accessed by the Tribune) while taking cognisance of the high rate of pilgrim deaths due to various medical reasons had suggested certain measures to be adopted. The subcommittee had held its final meeting on January 20 this year at New Delhi. It submitted its report to the SASB after this meeting. “Recognising the views expressed by various agencies involved in the management of the pilgrimage and the sentiments expressed by the Baba Yatri Niyas, the Shrine Board would continue to strive towards enhancing the “It is also necessary to stipulate appropriate regulations to ensure against such a large number of pilgrims losing their lives due to medical failures every year,” the report added. The report also recommended that “no yatri would be permitted to embark on the pilgrimage to the cave shrine without securing a registration permit which shall be valid for a specified date and route”. “The chairman (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar) also expressed concern over a large number of yatris losing their lives (106 deaths during 2011) and emphasised the need for taking urgent steps to substantially upgrade/augment the medical facilities in the yatra area,” the reports said while referring to the meeting of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar with the J&K Government and Army officials on September 23, 2011, in Srinagar. The report quoted the subcommittee chairman as having said that that a large number of yatris arrived at the base camps during the 2011 yatra without securing advance registration, and could not be returned by use of force by the law enforcement agencies and had to be allowed to proceed on the pilgrimage. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar further said that considering the increasing number of pilgrims, there was no option but to substantially augment the carrying capacity of both routes and improve the accommodation, toilets and other facilities at various camps along the routes. The report says the Chairman had stressed the need for widening both yatra tracks, particularly at the critical stretches. The Army, the report reveals, had attributed the high rate of deaths among yatris to various factors, including changing lifestyle, poor dietary habits, increasing stress and lack of acclimatisation to high altitude levels. “Lt Gen Hasnain (then GoC, 15 Corps) stated that several Army personnel had been losing their lives in high altitude areas, even though the Army prescribes four-day rest /acclimatisation at 9,000 feet altitude, followed by another six-day rest at 12,000 feet altitude for achieving the required acclimatisation”, the report read. “He (Hasnain) said that pilgrims, most of whom hail from the plains, proceed to the cave shrine (at 13,500 feet) without any acclimatisation whatsoever, which proves fatal for a number of yatris. He strongly suggested wide publicity about the hazards of trekking in a high altitude area without adequate preparation and acclimatisation,” read the report.
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Rajouri DM fails to submit report on unmarked graves
Srinagar, August 14 The Jammu and Kashmir government and police have already filed their reports in response to a petition related to such graves in the state, specially in Rajouri and Poonch. Earlier, during the hearing on May 28, the commission had given “final” opportunity to submit reports to these respondents observing that it would order an independent and impartial enquiry into the issue if they failed to do so. As the case came up for hearing before a Division Bench of the commission today, it was informed “The SHRC has now granted the Rajouri District Magistrate final opportunity to file his report within three weeks,” Secretary to the SHRC Tariq Banday told The Tribune. The next hearing is on September 18. During the last hearing, the SHRC had asked the government to carry out investigations about the presence of unmarked graves in Rajouri and Poonch. The directions of the commission had come after a rejoinder was submitted by the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons and the International Peoples Tribunal for Human Rights and Justice in Kashmir before the commission. In the rejoinder, it was claimed that that there were around 2,717 graves in 90 graveyards in Poonch and 1,127 graves in 118 graveyards in Rajouri. The SHRC, however, is awaiting the Action Taken Report (ATR) from the government into the recommendations it had made last year on the presence of unmarked graves in the Valley. A Division Bench of the SHRC had suggested that means such as DNA profiling be used to identify the bodies buried at 38 places in Kashmir. The bench had made six recommendations to address the issue and linked it to cases of disappearances in the state. |
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Tarigami for scientific disposal of bio-medical waste
Srinagar, August 14 Members of the Committee Ashok Khajuria, Sharief-ud-Din Niaz, Javid Mustafa Mir, advocate Abdul Haq Khan, Mohammad Ashraf Ganai, Abdul Razak Zoura, Sukhnandan Kumar and Chowdhary Sham Lal expressed dismay over the present system in hospitals for disposing of bio-medical waste. They enjoined upon the authorities concerned to update the disposal machinery, wherever necessary, so that environment was protected. The EC decided to constitute a Sub-Committee which would visit health institutions of the state to ascertain whether an adequate system for disposal of bio-medical waste was in place. The Committee sought expert opinion from officers of the Health and Medical Education Department concerned within 10 days to suggest measures for the purpose, an official spokesman said. Tarigami told the authorities concerned to strictly adhere to pollution checking norms. The Committee asked the government to transfer the land identified by the Health Department so that Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Facilities (CBWTF) were installed expeditiously. It also directed the District Development Commissioners of Srinagar and Budgam to come up with a detailed report in its next meeting. The EC observed that a committee should be constituted in every health institution of the state to monitor levels of pollution. |
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BJP hunts for candidates with credentials in Valley
Srinagar, August 14 Newly-appointed BJP state general secretary (organization) Ashok Koul, who is a Kashmiri Pandit, is interactioning with a cross-section of people of the Kashmir valley. The motive is to find some serious candidates who can shoulder the responsibility of mobilising public support for the party. Although the party has an organisational structure in the Valley, those managing affairs have no mass base. Therefore, the saffron party is desperately looking for people with credentials to hold responsibilities. "We have started serious efforts to strengthen our base in the Kashmir valley. People are fed up of the exploitative politics of the local parties," claimed Ashok Koul, who was in the Valley for more than five days and held closed-door interactions with some prominent persons. Koul said the BJP had been receiving encouraging response but the need of the hour was to rope in some "meaningful" resources in the party. "People of the Valley have high regard for former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee," he said claiming that people were looking towards the BJP as an alternative to get rid of the repressive politics of the National Conference and the Congress. Sources in the BJP said, "During the recent visit of senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh, some prominent persons held meetings with him." They added that in the days to come, some eminent persons from the Valley would join the BJP. Some Kashmiri Pandit sympathisers of the BJP were also trying to convince their Muslim brethren to join the party. Earlier, the BJP had managed to rope in some known politicians such as Abdul Rashid Kabli and Deen Mohammad but due to party infighting, these politicians left the party. In the 2008 Assembly elections, the BJP had utilised all its resources to mark its presence in Kashmir. Party leaders repeatedly visited the Valley during the elections but failed to create any space due to non- availability of strong leaders in the party. |
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MP demands metro link between Jammu, Vaishno Devi shrine
New Delhi, August 14 Just before the Question Hour was disrupted in the Lok Sabha this morning over the Opposition’s demand for an explanation from the Centre on violence in Mumbai’s Azad Maidan on Saturday, Lal Singh raised a demand to provide a metro link to Katra, the pilgrimage town. The government, however, said it was impossible as per the existing rules. “Can the government tell us if it is thinking of providing a metro link from Jammu to Vaishno Devi shrine? This is important for the convenience of lakhs of pilgrims who visit the shrine every year,” Lal Singh said. He was raising a supplementary question on the main equation about metro projects in cities, which was raised by BJP member Harin Pathak. Replying to Singh, the Minister of State for Urban Development, Saugata Roy, said the proposal was not possible. “The metro rail can only be provided in cities with a population of over 20 lakh. It is not possible to bring a metro in the said location as the same is outside the city of Jammu,” the MoS said. |
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Indian Army greets Pak army
Poonch, August 14 The Indian Army was represented by Major S Manhas and Major SS Sehgal while the Pakistan army was represented by Major Tanveer and Major Javid. The officials greeted each other and exchanged sweets.
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Review of essential commodities ahead of festive days
Srinagar, August 14 The meeting which was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner, Farooq Ahmad Shah, was told that 48,468 quintal of rice, 4,330 quintal of flour and 6,100 quintal of sugar, besides 1,48,000 litres of kerosene oil was available at Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution sale outlets. It was also told in the meeting that LPG will be available at a rate of Rs 412 per cylinder in the district and in case of overcharging, people should contact Tehsildars and SHOs concerned. The PHE, PDD, Municipal Council, Municipal Committees, Health, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Cooperative Departments were directed to make full arrangements so that people do not suffer. Transport arrangements would also be ensured for devotees till late hours from various parts of the district to shrines where big processions would be held. The police has been asked to maintain law and order at places of worship, especially during Shab-e-Qadr, Jumat-ul-Vida and Eid prayers. Special market checking squads will ensure market checking in Anantnag town and at the Tehsil Headquarters of the district. The Municipal Council, Anantnag, and other Municipal Committees will ensure proper sanitation in their respective areas during these days. At Bandipore, a review meeting was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Manzoor Ahmad Lone. |
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Moderate quake hits Kashmir
Srinagar, August 14 The impact of the earthquake was felt most in Uri and the adjoining areas of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, which is close to the Line of Control. |
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Asserting that guns and economic measures cannot solve political issues, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reiterated the need for dialogue to find out ways and means of addressing them in an atmosphere of peace and amity.
