Jammu, September 2
With the rail line between Udhampur and Katra - base camp of Vaishno Devi cave shrine - all set to get operational by early next year, the tourism industry in the winter capital is staring at an uncertain future.

Resentment is brewing among tourism businessmen, hoteliers and transporters against the government’s failure to develop and project Jammu as an “independent tourist destination”.

Fears of a dark future and anger against the government’s “discriminatory approach” vis-à-vis development of tourist spots and conservation of heritage monuments in Jammu are quite clear these days as the representatives of various trade organisations are openly voicing their concerns at various forums.

They believe that once the 25-km-long Udhampur-Katra line, which is part of the Kashmir rail link project, becomes operational and trains start reaching Katra from Jammu railway station directly, these will have an adverse impact on their trade and will turn Jammu into a “deserted city” as the government has taken no major initiative to attract tourists and Vaishno Devi pilgrims to Jammu.

“At present, buses are ferrying Vaishno Devi pilgrims directly from Jammu railway station to Katra. Hardly 5 to 10 per cent pilgrims and tourists stay in the city,” said Inderjit Khajuria, president of All-Jammu Hotel and Lodges Association.

“The government has taken no major initiative to project historical monuments and tourist places in Jammu. As a result, tourists don’t halt here.”

He suggested that the government should expedite the work on the artificial lake, construction of a cable car between Bagh-e-Bahu and Mubarak Mandi, renovation of the historic Mubarak Mandi complex and promotion of border tourism at Suchetgarh to turn Jammu into a “independent tourist destination.”

He claimed that nearly 300 hotels and lodges would have direct impact of the completion of rail line between Katra and Jammu.

The 53-km-long Jammu-Udhampur rail line is already operational. The government has announced that it would make the Udhampur-Katra line operational by early next year. Katra is the base camp for pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine that witnesses at least 10 million devotees every year.

Mahesh Padha, president, Jammu Tourist Trade People Federation, said the people need to take the initiative to project Jammu as a tourist hub.

“Definitely, the completion of the rail line will affect the traders, but there are many places which can be promoted and projected as tourist destinations. Jammu has its own identity and the need is just to reflect that identity at the national level.”

He, however, regretted that successive governments had never given due attention to tourist destinations of Jammu region.

Davinder Choudhary, president, Taxi Operators Union, Jammu railway station, said that Jammu’s rail link with Katra will completely ruin the future of taxi operators.

“Before 1972, Pathankot was considered a commercial hub because it was the last station for all trains. When trains reached Jammu, its economy crumbled. The same situation will arise here when the Katra rail line gets operational,” he said.

He added that nearly 400 taxi operators are dependent on the arrival of tourists and pilgrims here and they would be rendered jobless soon.

Jammu Paryatan Vikas Mandal (JPVM), the apex body of 22 tourism and pilgrimage-related trade organisations and social groups, has also voiced its concern on the issue.

“Jammu hoteliers and traders have already been confronting many problems. While tourist and religious places in Jammu are in a shambles, the rail link with Katra town will ruin all chances of betterment.

“We should try to find some comprehensive solution to the problem. The first and foremost is to restore the pristine glory of the city’s historical monuments,” Ravi Mahajan, JPVM president, said while addressing prominent citizens and civil society members yesterday.

Jammu, September 2
It may sound strange, but adhering to traffic rules, particularly the recently installed traffic signals in the winter capital, may see one ending up in hospital with broken bones and bleeding limbs.

Instead of restoring sanity on the roads and overcoming frequent traffic snarls, these faulty traffic signals and their flagrant violations right under the nose of traffic cops has in fact compounded the problems manifold.

Experts have questioned the quality and specifications of the traffic signals, alleging that the administration had installed “outdated” lights.

“During peak hours in the morning and evening, these traffic signals either stop functioning or if they somehow work, violators pose a serious risk of high-speed collisions on various crossings and rotaries as they give a damn to the red signal,” remarked Ashwani Kumar, an MBA student who narrowly escaped colliding with a speeding biker at a traffic signal near Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar.

He said that it hardly matters for traffic violators if the light is red, yellow or green as they just weave their way out without any fear of getting penalised by cops.

“No doubt, many persons are adhering to traffic rules and follow the signals, but a handful of people - not bothered about their safety or of the others - jump the signals with impunity.

“This they do in the presence of traffic cops who remain busy talking on mobile phones or are taking rest inside the booths,” he said.

Manisha Sharma, a teacher at a private school, said, “I had a narrow escape in the afternoon yesterday when my scooty was about to collide with a motorcycle.

“I was returning home and the rider of the motorcycle jumped the signal in front of the traffic cops at Bikram Chowk crossing.

“A traffic officer was busy talking on the phone and the other was resting inside the booth.”

Most traffic signals regularly stop working probably due to erratic power supply.

“The authorities have compromised on the quality of the traffic signals. The timers of some signals don’t function while others have proved ineffective.

“Instead of integrated clusters controlled by coordinated timing devices and operated by an automated control room, which have CCTV cameras mounted atop them for identifying traffic violators, the administration preferred outdated and primitive signals,” a senior administrative officer told The Tribune.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic), Jammu, Manmohan Singh, however, claimed that 90 per cent of motorists had been following traffic signals.

“We have been making all-out efforts to ensure that motorists follow traffic rules. We have kept jumping of red signal under ‘dangerous driving’ and the offenders will be penalised Rs 1,000 penalty for such violations. Full compliance of rules will take some time,” he said.

Agore-Nagrota, September 2
Worried over increasing activities of Kashmir-centric parties in the Jammu region, the Congress has started playing up pro-Jammu sentiments to keep a check on growing influence of other parties in this region.

Addressing a public meeting today at Agore village, Congress leaders asked the ruling National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to clear their stands on the demands of West Pakistani refugees and other displaced persons.

As both these parties are not supporting citizenship rights for West Pakistani refugees, Congress leaders have decided to “expose”, what they called, their anti-Jammu approach.

“Nowadays, both NC and PDP are claiming that many persons from Jammu region are joining them, but these parties have to clear their stand on various issues pertaining to the Jammu region,” said Lok Sabha member from Jammu-Poonch segment Madan Lal Sharma. He told these parties not to take the people of Jammu region for granted.

Keeping in view the large number of ex-servicemen in Jammu region, Sharma also took the state government to task for imposing VAT on CSD items and demanded its withdrawal.

A high-powered delegation of Congress leaders had recently met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, AICC chief Sonia Gandhi and Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde for solution of the problems of refugees of different categories. Congress leaders trying to corner other parties on this issue.

Speaking on the occasion, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Saif-ud-din Soz said that he has taken notice of the peoples’ demands such as the problem of refugees and displaced persons of various categories, problems of ex-servicemen, farmers and people living on the border and near the LoC. These problems would be solved on the principles of justice and equity, he said.

On the forthcoming panchayat elections, Soz informed the gathering that the coordination committee of the Congress and NC had taken note of the urgency of holding elections of block samitis of panchayats, elections to the four seats of the Legislative Council from Panchayats and holding of elections to the urban local bodies. These elections would be held as soon as possible, he said. AICC secretary Abdul Mannan Ansari; Madan Lal Sharma, MP; Raman Bhalla, Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation; Sham Lal Sharma, Minister for Health; former Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma; Hari Singh; Ravinder Sharma; president, Mahila Congress, Indu Pawar, MLA; Shiv Dev Singh, Shiv Kumar Sharma, INTUC president; Manmohan Singh, Pranab Shagotra, Ashwani Puri and other Congress leaders also spoke on the occasion.

Jammu, September 2
Various organisations of Kashmiri Pandits today held a rally, under the banner of Pt Prem Nath Bhat Memorial trust, to voice their long-pending demand to get “Hindu Temple and Shrine Bill” passed for the protection of the Hindu shrines.

The rally started from the Amphalla Kashmiri Pandit Sabha and culminated at the Governor’s house in Jammu.

The demand has been pending since 2007 when the government approved the drafting of the bill on protection, management and regulation of the religious shrines in the Kashmir valley. Since the bill has not been introduced till date, the Kashmiri Pandit community feels betrayed.

There was a general consensus among the community that they will have to take to the streets to get their demand fulfilled.

The members of the trust alleged that in the last 22 years, temples, shrines and other religious places of the Hindus in Kashmir have been vandalised, encroached upon and sold by some unscrupulous elements.

Jammu, September 2
Thirteen-year-old Divyani Bakaya had a feeling of excitement, curiosity and happiness as she left for her native place Kashmir, a place she had always heard about but hardly got a chance to visit after her family left the place in 1989 with the upsurge of the militancy.

“There was always a curiosity in my mind to visit Kashmir. I had heard about it from my parents and my grandmother, which apart from being the homeland is the most beautiful place on the earth,” said Divyani.

Like her, 79 other Kashmiri Pandit children were full of enthusiasm when they left for the ‘Kashmir Darshan’, an initiative by by the Department of Revenue and Relief, Jammu and Kashmir.

The tour is an initiative of the state government as a confidence building measure to bridge the gap between the Kashmiri Pandits and the Muslims that had developed over the last 23 years.

Minister of Revenue and Relief Raman Bhalla while flagging off the rally on Saturday said, “This tour had been arranged with a purpose that the children go to Kashmir and see their ancestral land. This will bridge the gap between the people there and the Kashmir Pandit Children who were born and brought up outside the Valley.”

Jammu, September 2
The alleged inability of the Department of Youth Services and Sports (DYSS) to award scholarships to the local medal winners of the 57th National School Games has been a major cause of concern for the officials who fear the department might face severe criticism by sportspersons. Sources said the department had approached the concerned authorities to get the funds released for the scholarships but nothing significant has been done so far.

The sources said with the 58th National School Games around the corner, the DYSS had initiated the process of holding selection trials to pick teams for various competitions, which will be held at different venues across the country.

“This is perhaps the first time that the additional grant for awarding scholarships to the sportspersons has not been released on time by the authorities,” one of the DYSS officials told The Tribune.

“Only a few days are left for the commencement of the 58th National School Games but we are still struggling to felicitate the winners of the 57th edition of the coveted games, which is not a positive sign,” he said. “If the issue is not sorted out in time, the possibility of it being repeated with the medal winners of the upcoming National School Games cannot be ruled out,” the official claimed.

“We need to get our act together to achieve a breakthrough otherwise we might lose the confidence of the sportspersons who have so many expectations from us,” he maintained.

A senior official of the department told The Tribune, “The department is aware of the achievements of the sportspersons who worked really hard to bring laurels to the state. The department will try its best to ensure disbursal of scholarships in recognition of their tremendous feats.”

As per the rules, the medallists will get a scholarship of Rs 10,000 each while the participants in various competitions will get a scholarship of Rs 1,750.

Katra, September 2
In order to look into the problems of ex-servicemen (ESM) in the Mahore and Arnas tehsils, a rally was organised today by 61 Rashtriya Rifles at Dharmari.

In the rally, which was attended by a large number of ex-servicemen and ‘veer naris’, emphasis was laid on resolving pension-related problems and resettlement issues of ex-servicemen.

The medical treatment of ESM and their dependents, the Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) and documentation for the issuance of the CSD and ECHS smart cards was also discussed.

A medical camp was also organised in which medical staff from both the Army and civil primary health centres treated patients and provided free medicines. The highlight of the rally was a quiz on the theme ‘Know your Army’ in which a large number of students from schools of Thuru, Dharmari, Arnas and other adjoining villages took part.

The Army displayed its modern weapons and equipment to the participants of the rally.

A cultural programme was also organised by school students. Speaking on the occasion, Commander, HQ, 15 Sect RR, assured the ex-servicemen that the Army would work on alleviating their problems and provide every possible assistance to the valiant soldiers of yesteryear.

The rally was also attended by SDM Mahore, Thakur Sher Singh, various administrative officials, village members and school teachers.

The Army distributed prizes to school children. Souvenirs were also presented to all ESM, ‘veer naris’ and civil dignitaries. The rally culminated with a traditional ‘barakhana’ that reminded ex-servicemen of their days in service.

Jammu, September 2
The Socialist Democratic Party (SDP) today held a protest outside the press club against the rampant corruption existing in Jammu and Kashmir.

“We are left with no other option but to accept that corruption is the order of the state and covertly, it has been accepted by the government as an approved system of working in the state,” said the SDP provincial president, Sham Bhagat.

Raising slogans against the state government, the SDP leaders criticised the government for its inaction in curbing the corruption in the state where they alleged that from bureaucrats to clerks, corruption had creeped in everywhere. “Vigilance commission, accountability commission, information commission and all other paper-ghost organisations had delivered a big zero performance and on the contrary added to the burden on the state exchequer,” said Sham Bhagat.

“Our present political order in the state is the back-bone of the corruption mafia and petty interests of the political parties, especially the ruling ones, strengthen this network,” he added.

Jammu, September 2
The mountaineering association of J&K is going to organise the first junior north-zone sports climbing championship for boys and girls at MNDP School, RS Pura, from September 7 to September 8.

About 200 climbers from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand and J&K are likely to compete in the two-day long championship. Delhi, Punjab and Haryana have already confirmed their entries while the others states are likely to confirm within a couple of days. The climbers who were born in 1996 and later are eligible to compete in the competitions which shall be conducted both in lead as well as speed climbing.

The championship is being organised under the aegis of the Indian Mountaineering Federation (IMF) north-zone committee and sponsored by the J&K State Sports Council.

Jammu, September 2
The Poonch district team proved too good for the Jammu district in the finals to win the girls’ hockey tournament organised by the Department of Youth Services and Sports (DYSS) at the KK Hakku Stadium here today.

The divisional-level inter-district tournament under different age groups in the disciplines of hockey, badminton and wushu also got under way at KK Hakku Stadium and Indoor complex, MA Stadium.

The winners of hockey, wushu and badminton would participate in the forthcoming inter-divisional competition as a part of the annual calendar activities. In the U-17 hockey, the Poonch district beat Jammu district by a solitary goal. In the U-19 age group, Poonch district bagged the top honours by thrashing Jammu district by 4-0. Manpreet Kaur slammed all the four goals for her team.

In the boys section, the Jammu district beat the Samba district by 7-0 in the U-14 age group. In the U-17 age group, Jammu district overcame Rajouri district by 4-0. Balaldeep Singh and Shivam scored a goal each while Kavitpal Singh netted two goals for the Jammu district.

In Wushu (boys), Haqeek Ahmed of the Samba district and Gurmohit Singh of the Jammu district secured first and second positions respectively in the below 36 kg. In the below 40 kg, Sorav Bane of the Samba district stood first.

In the below 45 kg, Aryan Dogra of the Jammu district clinched the first position while in the below 48 kg, Nirbhay Singh of the Jammu district and Baaz Singh of the Samba district secured the first and second positions respectively.

In the below 52 kg, Sahil Tratha of the Jammu district and Mushtaq Ahmed of the Samba district fetched the first and second position respectively. In the below 56 kg, Deepak Thapa of the Jammu district and Rohit Badyal of the Samba district secured the first and second position respectively.

In 60 kg, Karanjeet Singh of the Jammu district and Aman Singh of the Samba district secured the first and second positions respectively while in the below 65 kg, Sawan Slathia of the Samba district and Raman Choudhary of the Jammu district claimed the first two rankings respectively.

In girls section, Ananya of the Samba district and Sadaf Khan of the Jammu district secured the first and second positions respectively in the below 36 kg. In the below 40 kg, Madhavi of the Doda district and Anchal of the Samba district secured the first two positions respectively.

In the below 45 kg category, Savita Devi of the Doda district claimed the first position and Manvi Gupta of the Jammu district secured the second position. In the below 48 kg, Sona Devi of the Doda district claimed the first position.

In 52 kg, Sushmita Bannerjee of the Jammu district and Sadiya Anjum of the Doda district secured the first and second positions respectively. In the below 56 kg category, Rupal of the Jammu district secured the first position.

In the below 65 kg, Shameem of the Doda district secured the first position.

The matches were officiated by Amarjeet Singh, Mohinder Singh, Harvinder Singh, Jagjit Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Amandeep Singh, Kulvir Singh, RS Toofan, Manorama Sharma, Anju Gupta, Sanjay Khajuria, Harcharan Singh and Vikram Singh.