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LPG issue fuels protest, walkout in Assembly
J&K exempted from MCI norms for medical entrance test
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In 3 years, 117 ex-militants return to Valley from Pak
Heavy rush of pilgrims at Vaishno Devi
High freight charges hit Kashmir apple growers
Pathribal Fake Encounter
Student groups clash over India’s exit from T-20 World Cup
Kashmir might have a Buddhist connect, indicate unexplored caves
Samba DC meets Chachwal villagers
J&K cricket body plagued by internal politics, say players
NC hints at PDP role in killing of panches
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LPG issue fuels protest, walkout in Assembly
Srinagar, October 3 Before the beginning of the session, BJP and National Panthers Party (NPP) legislators staged a protest outside the Assembly against the LPG cap and hike in diesel prices. The protesters, who were also demanding that Governor NN Vohra should dismiss the government, entered the House raising slogans against the UPA and state government. While Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone urged them to allow the holding of the question hour, Peoples Democratic Party legislators too stood up demanding a debate over the matter. The PDP had already submitted an adjournment motion on LPG “crisis”. As ruling National Conference MLA Choudhary Ramzan too joined the opposition bench saying the LPG issue was more important than the question hour, the Speaker suspended the same. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said people would face severe problems in winter as the state government had announced subsidy for only three cylinders till March. Citing examples of states that had announced subsidy for nine cylinders, she urged the state not to “give in” to the Centre. NPP legislator Harsh Dev Singh regretted the “silence” of the government over the matter while demanding an increase in the number of subsidised cylinders. He said the government could control prices locally through the Essential Commodities Act. The MLA, Kulgam, M Y Tarigami, demanded that the House should pass a resolution urging the Centre to withdraw the decision on the LPG cap. BJP legislator termed the cap on LPG a “black law” while the Langate MLA spoke about the excessive paper work and hassles during verification for LPG connections. Congress legislators GA Mir and Vikar Rasool defended the Centre’s decision but said it could be reconsidered given the harsh winter conditions in the state. Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CA&PD) Minister Qamar Ali Akhoon said the state had already raised the issue with the Centre. He said a delegation from the state would again take up the issue with the Centre. Finance Minister A R Rather, however, said the state government would lose Rs 520 crore annually if it announced subsidy on its own for six cylinders. However, his reply failed to satisfy the PDP as the party MLAs staged a walkout. Later the NPP and BJP too walked out of the House. The House then passed a resolution by voice vote urging the Centre to take a “sympathetic view” of its decision to place a cap on the number of subsidised LPG cylinders.
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J&K exempted from MCI norms for medical entrance test
Jammu, October 3 The entrance test will now be conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE) in November. The government has advanced the entrance test by three months. Earlier, it used to take place in February. Sources told The Tribune that the MCI had decided to adopt a “single-entrance test” at all-India level for admission to medical courses across the country. “The state government opposed the move, citing special status to the state under Article 370. It pleaded before the Supreme Court that it should be allowed to conduct the entrance test for various seats in the state-run medical colleges at its own level - owing to Article 370, which brings education sector under its jurisdiction,” the sources added. In the state-run medical colleges, there are around 300 seats, including 100 each in Government Medical Colleges, Jammu and Srinagar, and 50 each for Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Srinagar and Acharya Shri Chander College of Medical Sciences and Hospital (ASCOMS) Jammu. A senior official of the Health Department, requesting anonymity, regretted the move, saying it would deprive the candidates from Jammu and Kashmir to get admission in prominent medical institutes of the country. “The MCI policy was a good decision and had it been applicable to Jammu and Kashmir, it would have been beneficial for the medical students,” the official said, adding that the state didn’t agree to the MCI guidelines for the conduct of medical entrance examination and admission to different courses. The official said the major objection of the state government to follow the MCI guidelines was its “rider” on recognising only three categories viz Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes for entrance examinations. “On the other hand, the state had approved at least seven categories,” he said. MK Dwivedi, Commissioner/Secretary, Health Department, confirmed that the MCI directive of all-India entrance test will not be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir this year. “The state will conduct the medical entrance test at its own and it will be conducted in November,” he said. He informed that the Health Department would hold a meeting with the Law Department and other stakeholders in next couple of days “to build a consensus and form opinion for future.” |
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In 3 years, 117 ex-militants return to Valley from Pak
Srinagar, October 3 Most of these youth had returned to the Valley under the rehabilitation policy notified by the J&K Government in consultation with the Union Home Ministry. Under this scheme, the government wants to facilitate the return of ex-militants who belong to J&K and had crossed over to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir for training but were not involved in insurgent activities and are willing to return to the state. “During the past three years, 117 persons have reportedly returned from Pakistan via Nepal and other routes,” Minister in charge Home Nasir Aslam said in a written reply in the state Assembly today. “Out of these 117 persons, 34 have brought their families along with them,” he added. The government, however, refused to divulge the details and names in the Assembly about those individuals who have returned to the state in the past three years. “Keeping in view the sensitivity of the issue, it may not be appropriate to disclose the names of these persons and their families,” the minister said. Sources said the J&K Government is quietly allowing the Kashmiri militants stranded in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to come back and lead a normal life. Over 1,000 applications have been received by the state government in which the youth stranded in PoK have expressed willingness to return to the Valley under the scheme. The scheme was approved by the J&K Cabinet in 2010 and in consultation with the Union Home Ministry, a policy was notified for the return and rehabilitation of the youth willing to return
to J&K. 396 ultras killed since 2010 More than 400 militants have been arrested and nearly 400 have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir since the beginning of 2010. Data released by the state government in the Assembly today said 417 militants have been arrested and 396 have been killed in the past three years in
the state. In Srinagar district, 119 militants were arrested in the past three years, which is the largest number apprehended from any of the state’s 22 districts. Nine security personnel and eight militants have also been killed in 144 militancy related incidents in Srinagar district. The data showed that no militant was killed in central Kashmir’s Budgam district where 40 militancy related cases have been registered in the past
three years. In Ganderbal district, 13 militants have been killed since 2010. Sopore, which was considered a militant stronghold until recently, ranks second in the number of militants arrested from a district in the state. The state government said 63 militants have been arrested from Sopore, which was designated as a separate police district in 2010
after a surge in militant activity there. Since 2010, 37 militants have been killed in Sopore town. In the four frontier districts of Kupwara, Handwara, Baramulla and Bandipora, 190 militants have been killed in the past three years with Handwara topping the list with 57 militants killed since 2010. In Anantnag district, 25 militants have been arrested, Pulwama recorded arrest of 24 militants, Shopian seven and Kulgam saw arrest of 13 militants in the past three years. One militant was killed in Anantnag during the past three years while 23 were killed in Pulwama, 14 in Shopian and seven in Kulgam district during this period. In the Jammu division, 103 militants have
been killed in the past three years, the state government said. |
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Heavy rush of pilgrims at Vaishno Devi
Katra, October 3 It was in 2011 when the number of pilgrims to Vaishno Devi had, for the first time, crossed the 10-million mark. Sources told The Tribune that 82,44,322 yatris have already visited the shrine till September 30 this year. During the corresponding period last year, 78,09,424 yatris had paid obeisance at the shrine. The sources added that if the present trend continued, the number of visitors would easily cross 1 crore for the second consecutive year. However, in September, the number of pilgrims has grown by 18,827 this year as compared to those in the same month last year. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has made arrangements to deal with the heavy rush of yatris during the Navratras. During the past couple of years, the shrine has been witnessing heavy rush of pilgrims throughout the year except for the winter months of December, January and February. The shrine board is working on another alternate route from Katra to ardhkuwari, which would be used exclusively by mules. When completed, the new track would ease the congestion on the present route. Work on this track is going on expeditiously and, the sources said, it was expected to be commissioned in the next few months.
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High freight charges hit Kashmir apple growers
Srinagar, October 3 Because of exceptionally high freight charges, which have increased by almost 100 per cent over the past one week, the apple growers are now now reluctant to send their produce to different markets outside J&K like Delhi, Kolkata and
Mumbai. Showkat Ahmad, a fruit grower from Warpora village of Sopore in north Kashmir, had planned to send his apple produce to markets in Kolkata for fetching good prices, however, he has shelved his plans for the moment, owing to high freight charges. “Earlier it used to cost between Rs 70 and 75 per apple box for dispatching it to far-off places like
Kolkata,” said Showkat. “However, the freight rates have now increased suddenly, particularly since the last week of September. The transporters now charge between Rs 120 and 130 per box as freight to Kolkata fruit markets, which is highly exorbitant,” he added. The traders blame sudden rise in the freight charges to inadequate transport facilities, saying that the fruit traders in Kashmir are heavily dependent on transporters from neighbouring states like Punjab and Haryana. “The freight charges have increased since over two weeks unreasonably, which is now eating into the profits of our growers,” said Fayaz Ahmad, president, Fruit Growers Association,
Sopore, which manages the affairs of Sopore Fruit Mandi, one of the biggest fruit markets in
Kashmir. Fayaz attributed the sudden rise in freight charges to low availability of transport facilities, saying that the state government was also responsible for it. “These days, on an average 300 to 350 trucks leave Sopore Fruit Mandi on a daily basis for different fruit markets in the country like Azadpur Mandi in Delhi,
Kolkata, Mumbai, and Bihar. However, only 100 to 150 trucks are available in the Mandi on a given date, which leads to increase in freight charges,” Fayaz said. He added that the transporters in Punjab and Haryana have also started dispatching less trucks and trailers to Kashmir, which has also led to increase in freight charges as the demand for trucks in Kashmir increases manifold during this season, particularly between mid-September and October. “At this juncture, the government’s intervention may save the apple farmers of Kashmir, which are bearing the burden of high freight rates. The situation can ease if the government talks to transporters in Punjab and Haryana and also keeps its fleet of trucks available for the apple growers,” Fayaz said, while suggesting measures for bringing down freight charges. He also suggested that during this season the government should lower its entry tax for trucks from outside the state so that more outside transporters are encouraged to enter Kashmir. Fruit-ful industry
Freight rates
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Pathribal Fake Encounter
Srinagar, October 3 Deciding not to attend the proceedings, which were slated for today at the Nagrota-based 16 Corps headquarters, the victims’ families have reiterated their demand for an open trial and shifting of the Bench somewhere close to their homes in Kashmir. The Army, which began the GCM proceedings on September 20 against the Army officers accused in the Pathribal case, maintains that to ensure fair and impartial proceedings the case had to be shifted to 16 Corps. The summons issued by the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 16 Corp, Lt Gen A S Nandal, to the victims’ families for recording the summary of evidence was delivered last evening. Earlier, the families were summoned as witnesses for hearing the charge against the accused Army personnel on September 20. “We received the summons through the SSP, Anantnag, late last evening. My aged mother Roshan Jan had been asked to present herself before the Army officers at Nagrota on October 3,” said Rashid Khan of Brari Aangan village in Anantnag district. Khan’s father Juma Khan was killed in the Pathribal encounter in 2000. Khan said his family had decided not to proceed to Nagrota on the designated date. “We don’t trust this trial. We still demand an open trial somewhere in Kashmir as we are scared of going to Nagrota,” Khan said. Another witness in the case, Shakoor Khan, also complained that the summons had been delivered to them just a day ahead of the designated date. “How can I along with my ailing mother appear before the GCM at Nagrota when I received the summons just a day ahead of the designated date, that too late in the evening? It is impossible for a poor family like us to plan for such a long journey,” Shakoor said, adding that they had decided not to proceed to Nagrota, some 300 km from his home in the remote Brari Angan village in South Kashmir. Shakoor also appealed to the Army authorities to shift the venue of the trial somewhere closer home. “If they hold an open trial in Srinagar or Anantnag then we may think of presenting ourselves in the Army court,” said Skakoor, whose father Juma Khan was killed in the fake encounter. Skakoor said other families in the case had also decided not to go to Nagrota. |
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Student groups clash over India’s exit from T-20 World Cup
Jammu, October 3 Sources said a group of students raised anti-national slogans when the Pakistan team got qualified for the semi-finals of the tournament while the Indian team got knocked out. “Soon after the exit of the Indian team from the tournament, a group of students started raising anti-national slogans and wrote some unpleasant things on the walls of a building,” sources said. Objecting to these slogans, another group of students shouted pro-India slogans and entered into a verbal spat with the group celebrating the exit of the Indian team which took
an ugly turn in no time. “Some students even exchanged blows but the university authorities rushed to the spot and
pacified the situation,” a source said. The Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-J, Professor DK Arora, along with Jammu Deputy Commissioner
Sanjeev Verma, Senior Superintendent of Police Prabhat Singh and various directors of the university today visited the campus and held interactions with the students. “Since morning, policemen remained stationed at the university gate and did not allow entry to anyone, including mediapersons. The situation is under
control and no more clash has been reported throughout the day,” a varsity official said. Talking to The Tribune, university registrar BB Gupta, admitted that a clash had taken place between two groups last night but, he said, no student had received any injury in the incident. “The university as well as district administration officials had an interaction with the students and the issue has been sorted out amicably,” he claimed. The registrar said the varsity had formed “core groups” among students who had been entrusted with the task of controlling any untoward incident in the near future. The Public Relation Officer (PRO) to the VC, in a handout issued later this evening, stated, “Students have expressed remorse at the unfortunate incident and assured the administration that they would maintain the sanctity of the institution.” This was the second post-cricket match clash between two groups of students in the last three days. Earlier, at least six persons, including students and a security guard, had received critical injuries in a clash which had triggered after India registered victory over Pakistan in a T-20 cricket match on October 1. Some students had ransacked the university hostel, damaging doors and window panes. The police had registered counter FIRs against the groups after the incident. |
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Kashmir might have a Buddhist connect, indicate unexplored caves
Srinagar, October 3 The caves have been found to have a repository of Buddhist idols dating back to the Kushan period in the 2nd century. A huge stone with seven openings, ‘Sathbaran’, is especially being looked at as something holding great archaeological significance. Some caves in the area had been blasted during the counter-insurgency operations due to which the archeological survey of these sites was not possible. The convener of the Indian National Trust for Culture and Heritage (INTACH), Srinagar chapter, Muhammad Saleem Beg, who identified the bricks found at the site similar to those at an ancient Buddhist site in Ambaran Akhnoor province of the Jammu region, said many of these caves had suffered a substantial damage due to the blasting of the caves during militant operations. “I have an idol in my possession whose head is damaged. The ornamental girdle on the idol reveals it is either of the Buddhist or the early Hindu origin,” he said. “This could open a new chapter in the history of Kashmir, telling its Buddhist past,” Beg said, adding that the damage done to the caves needed to be assessed minutely to take forward the archaeological exploration. The entrances of some caves had been plugged as a result of the blasting. Moreover, some adventure sportsmen say the securitymen at the site do not permit them to explore the other caves. “A majority of the caves are located around 5 km away from the human habitation and they are the ones which, I am certain, will open the doors to an unknown past of Kashmir. Since the state Archeological Department is ill-equipped to carry out a comprehensive archaeological survey, the state government should handover the responsibility to the Archaeological Survey of India for the conservation, protection and the excavation of this site,” Beg told The Tribune. Locals say during the turmoil period, the caves offered a secure hideout for militants due to which many violent encounters took place here. “Nobody dared to visit these caves. Some villagers, who used to come here with their cattle, discovered small tiles and rocks which looked like pieces of carved architecture,” Assan Ahmad, a local said. Beg said the protection of these sites was urgently required as most of these had suffered major
damages. |
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Samba DC meets Chachwal villagers
Jammu, October 3 However, an uneasy calm prevailed in the forward villages along the IB in Chachwal, Chilyari, Sarti and few other villages. “Since the villagers were panicky because of the Pakistan firing, I along with SSP Israr Khan and BSF officials today went to Chachwal village and met them,” said the Deputy Commissioner. Our visit was a sort of confidence-building measure. The administration, police and the BSF are concerned about the safety of villagers and every measure has been taken to restore their confidence, he added. Besides this, the villagers also raised certain other issues like rentals, compensation of their lands occupied by the BSF for raising fence and plots in safer zones, he said. All these issues were being dealt with but plots in safer zones being a part of long-term planning might take some time, he said. He further informed that there had been no fresh firing by Pakistan in Chachwal village since October 1. The couple, Kulwant Singh and his wife Trishla Devi, who were injured in the firing are being given free treatment and all possible assistance, including compensation, has been given to them, he said. BSF Jammu Frontier DIG JS Oberoi said there had been no fresh firing in Chachwal since October 1. “But today we lodged a written protest with the Rangers at the Zero Line in Chachwal asking them to exercise restraint to keep the border peaceful,” he said. Meanwhile, a BSF border guard Romesh Chatey of 9 battalion sustained injuries in an accidental fire in Khwara post in the Samba sector last evening. |
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J&K cricket body plagued by internal politics, say players
Jammu, October 3 “It is really shocking that Aslam Goni, whose name surfaced in the multi-crore scam during the investigations by the JKCA’s in-house panel, was allowed to attend a very crucial meeting of the BCCI wherein important matters pertaining to the Indian cricket were decided,” one of the cricketers told The Tribune. “Ever since we started playing cricket for the state, we have no idea about the working of the association. It lacks vision for its cricketers. There is so much internal politics in the JKCA that you cannot expect that its office bearers will work for the upliftment of the game, which is in a pathetic state of affairs right now,” the cricketer said. “The association is witnessing so many issues but it hardly devises any strategy regarding the future of cricket in the state. The unearthing of the scam has not only tarnished the image of the association but it has also exposed its corrupt practices,” another cricketer said. “What is more surprising is how even the BCCI agreed to let Aslam Goni attend the AGM when the preliminary internal inquiry report of the four-member JKCA panel probing the financial bungling had been submitted before it,” he said. |
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NC hints at PDP role in killing of panches
Srinagar, October 3 “The panchayat members killed last month were supporters of the National Conference and their killing would benefit a
certain party,” Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Ali Mohammad Sagar said in the Legislative Council during a discussion on the killings of panchayat
members. Sagar did not mention the name of the opposition PDP, but he hinted that it was the PDP which would “benefit” from these killings. PDP leader Murtaza Khan had moved an “call attention motion” and sought discussion over the killings of panches and sarpanches and steps being taken by the state government for their security. The minister said the government would not allow any individual to derail the process of empowering panchayats in the state. “The government intends to give more powers to panchayats in order to strengthen these institutions in the state. The holding of panchayat elections in the state was the biggest achievement of the present government,” Sagar said. During the discussion, the PDP blamed the government for the killing of
panchayat members. “These killings were the result of connecting the Kashmir issue with the panchayat elections,”
Khan said. Last week, senior PDP leader Muzzafar Hussain Beig had accused the ruling party of deliberately sabotaging the panchayati process and even hinted that sarpanches and panches were being killed by the National Conference. Nearly, 200 sarpanches and panches resigned after two panchayat members were killed in north Kashmir last month. |
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The Kashmir apple industry, which is already grappling with low production this year, is now feeling burdened by high freight rates. The apple traders in Kashmir have urged the government to intervene and persuade transporters in Punjab and Haryana to dispatch more vehicles to the Valley.
