Srinagar, April 8
The Jehangir Chowk-Natipora flyover project, estimated to be constructed at a cost of Rs 256 crore, has run into rough weather yet again. This time, the shopkeepers from the Hari Singh High Street, Lal Chowk and Jehangir Chowk are up in the arms against the Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA), the nodal body for the project.

Most of the shops in the commercial hubs of the Hari Singh High Street and Jehangir Chowk today remained shut for two hours in protest against the demolition drive which will displace many shopkeepers in these areas.

The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has been assigned the task of demolition drive. Following demotion of these structures, the construction of flyover through integral points of the Jehangir Chowk-Natipora route will take off.

The project has already suffered many setbacks in the past due to protests by shopkeepers who face displacement. The Asian Development Bank (ADB), the funding agency for the project, had earlier held several rounds of meeting with the representatives of the shopkeepers’ association.

A rehabilitation policy was also chalked out by the ADB earlier which urged the shopkeepers to relocate to the shopping complex that is located at a distance from the main market areas.

The shopkeepers, comprising grocers, booksellers and other smalltime businesses, have refused to move to the shopping complex for it will cause losses to them since they say “shopping complexes are best suited for branded retailers”.

“We demand an open market area if they want to displace us and not a shopping complex. Our businesses will suffer tremendously if we agree to their rehabilitation programme. It is ironic that even after we made several representations before ADB and ERA officials, they are adamant on going ahead with the demolition drive. We have not been taken into confidence and we will continue the protests,” a shopkeeper said.

Alok Mangee, Director, ERA Central, said the project has already suffered many hiccups in the past and it needs to be taken off after ADB has given its consent to fund the project.

“As far as the shopkeepers are concerned, we have assigned the task to SMC which is carrying out the demolition drive. Let them come forward with the proposal on how to rehabilitate these shopkeepers if the present location does not suit them,” Mangee said.

Handwara April 8
Family members of Parvez Ahmad Wani (28), a former militant from Galoora village of Handwara who recently went missing, are worried about his whereabouts.

Wani, the lone breadwinner of his family, went missing on April 1 from Handwara. The family has lodged a missing report at the Langate police post but the police has failed to trace him.

“We searched him all over Handwara and visited all our relatives and friends. We are worried about his safety and urge the police to intensify search to trace him,” said Sonuallah Wani, Parvez’s father.

Parvez would drive Matador vehicle in Handwara to earn a living. The family has no other source of income.

“On April 1, he went to a nearby health centre for treatment as he was sick. From there, he went to Handwara for some work and never returned home,” added Sonuallah.

In 2000, Parvez went to Pakistan and returned after getting arms training in 2004. He was picked up by the Army and was jailed till October 2007. The police arrested him on two occasions in 2008 and 2010 but released him after questioning.

“We sold land and also borrowed bank loan to provide him Matador vehicle. He was working to ensure two times meal for family members. Even after extensive search, there is no clue about him,” said his younger brother Riyaz Ahmad (24). Riyaz is suffering from back pain and remains bed-ridden most of the times.

Parvez’s mother Rahma Begum also suffers from a serious illness. “Our only daughter has attained the marriageable age. What will happen to her if something wrong happened to Parvez?” said Rahma.

Handwara Superintendent of Police (SP) Chowdary Mohd Aslam said, “The police is verifying the case from all possible angles and investigations are on.” 

Anantnag, April 8
Provincial President of the National Conference (NC) Nasir Aslam Wani on Monday assured that Jammu and Kashmir would be self-sufficient in power generation by 2020.

“We are committed to improve the power scenario in the state,” Wani said, while addressing a public gathering in Wanpoh village of Anantnag district of South Kashmir.

Blaming the opposition for misleading the people into believing that there was power shortage in the Valley, Wani said “Their politics thrives on lies and propaganda” and added that the present government, led by Omar Abdullah, was committed to improve the power scenario and as many as eight new power projects had been sanctioned so far.

“I am positive that by the year 2020, Jammu and Kashmir will get self-sufficient in power generation,” Wani said.

He said the government had taken up the issue of raising the subsidised LPG cap from 9 to 12 with the central government, “We are hopeful that the Centre will agree to our legitimate demand,”

“Moreover, the Home delivery of LPG will be made mandatory shortly,” Wani said.

He said his party, unlike the PDP, did not believe in lies and misleading people and the facts were evident through their work.

“Our Chief Minister, without beating drums about it, implemented the rehabilitation policy for former militants. Our sole aim is resolution of the Kashmir issue, whether we are in power or not,” he added.

The minister for Social Welfare, Sakeena Ittoo, asserted that thousands of Kashmiris had laid their lives only for the resolution of the Kashmir issue and not for jobs or any other material gains.

Blaming the PDP patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed for killing thousands of innocents in Kashmir, Ittoo said, “Bijbehara, Hawal and many other massacres happened in Kashmir when Mufti Muhammad Sayeed was the Home Minister of India,”

She said the day was not far when the PDP would be wiped out from South Kashmir too, as they had lost all ground.

On the expose of substandard drug scam, Sakina said a probe would be initiated into it. “A high-level committee will be formed and strict action would be taken against those involved in it”.

Nazir Gurezi, Minister of State for the PHE, Sheep and Animal Husbandry, accused the PDP of stalling the revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

“PDP are creating impediments in the revocation of AFSPA as they do not want Omar to take credit for it,” said Gurezi.

Jammu, April 8
The Minister of State for Tourism, Home, Industries and Commerce, Sajad Ahmed Kichloo, today said all possible means would be put in place to tap the pilgrim tourism potential of Shri Hudh Mata Trisandhya Yatra. He said an integrated pilgrim tourism development plan will soon be formulated, envisaging short and long term measures.

The minister was chairing a joint meeting of the Tourism Department functionaries and the representatives of the Shri Hudh Mata Trisandhya Yatra Management Committee. The meeting was convened today to review arrangements for a week long Shri Hudh Mata Trisandhya Yatra starting from July 12.

Kichloo asked the Commissioner/ Secretary Tourism, Atul Dulloo, to send a team of experts to assess the requirements to facilitate the devotees and showcase the place as a pilgrim tourist destination. Pointing out that the area lacked road connectivity from Dong Dhuroo to Dachhan, he said development of the area was the need of the hour as many pilgrims from outside the district and the state were visiting these shrines. He said the state offered a variety of tourist and pilgrim tourism potential. The state is rich in leisure and adventure tourism, including snow skiing, river rafting and winter sports. He said Kishtwar and Doda districts had many pilgrim destinations.

Srinagar, April 8
Jawahar Navodya Vidyalya (JNV), a Union Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD)-run residential school in Budgam district of Central Kashmir, is running without basic infrastructure and teaching staff.

The school, which has 153 students enrolled, does not have proper fencing, basic drinking water facilities and electricity supply.

Students say the Class X1 and X11 do not have adequate number of qualified teachers to teach science subjects. JNVs are special residential schools run by the Central government where students avail free education and lodging facilities.

These schools have special quotas for economically weaker sections and the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) with special emphasis on cultural, linguistic studies and participation of students in scouts and guides programmes.

Students say that there has been no upgradation in school infrastructure which has led to a decrease in enrollment of children over the years.

“Drinking water facilities are practically absent on the school premises. We consume tap water supplied by the Public Health Engineering Department (PHE) which is not purified. Many students have developed kidney stone problems by consuming the contaminated water,” a student said. Other students said the school did not have proper fencing around it.

“The fence suffered some damage earlier and they have not been repaired as yet. This is a matter of concern for girl students putting up hostels,” a students said.

Budgam JNV principal Sudha Sharma said the school fencing would be completed shortly and the PHE Department was providing potable water to the entire school which is fit for drinking.

“There is no problem with drinking water. We have entrusted the PHE with the responsibility. As far as the faculty is concerned, the teachers are recruited by the Jawahar Navodya Vidyalaya Samiti which also conducts annual entrance test for the selection of students. The number of teachers and their qualification is decided by the samiti,” the principal added.

Anantnag, April 8
People in different areas of south Kashmir today hit the streets and kept vital road links blocked for hours against the failure of the authorities to ensure regular power supply in their areas.

Reports said people came out in large numbers in Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama districts of South Kashmir and held protests against the Power Development Department (PDD) against erratic power supply.

The protesters alleged that they were not getting any power supply while others said the power supply was quite erratic and that too was not more than two to three hours a day.

In Kulgam district, thousands of vehicles remained stranded on the important Wanpoh-Kulgam road for at least eight hours after people blocked the road.

The road, reports said, was blocked by people at several places including Khodweni, Kanipora, and Srondu areas.

“Even school buses were not allowed to move for at least two hours in the morning," said a school-bus driver. 

Srinagar, April 8
Two people, including a teenage girl, died and four others were injured in road accidents in Kashmir valley, the police said.

A 16-year-old girl died when she was hit by a truck in Bandipora district of north Kashmir. The girl, identified as Fatima of Sadekoot-Bala village of Bandipora, met with the accident near her house that resulted in her on spot death.

In Baramulla district of north Kashmir, a vehicle turned turtle near Salamabad resulting in injuries to Ghulam Qadir Lone, a resident of Dachina. Lone was shifted to the Primary Health Centre, Boniyar, for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries.

A truck rammed into the fence of a gurdwara at Rawalpora in Kupwara district of north Kashmir as a result of which the driver and the conductor got injured. Both the injured have been shifted to hospital for treatment.

In old Srinagar city, a motorcycle rammed into a wall resulting in injuries to the driver.

The injured, identified as Jaleel-ud-Din Shah Moharkan of Khankhi Mohalla, was shifted to hospital for treatment, the police said. A truck skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge near Umoh in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

The truck driver, identified as Ashok Kumar, a resident of Chanani, was injured. He was shifted to hospital for treatment.

FIRs have been has registered in all the cases in thisregard, the police spokesman.

Anantnag, April 8
Unidentified gunmen killed a National Conference (NC) sarpanch in Kulpora village of the Lassipora area in Pulwama district of South Kashmir on Monday, police reports said.

Reports said 50-year-old Ghulam Muhammad Lone, a sarpanch of the Liddermurdh area, was shot at in the compound of his house at around 8:30 pm in the evening.

“He was immediately rushed to the local hospital, from where he was referred to Srinagar,” the reports said.

However, he was taken to the Sub-District Hospital, Bijbehara, where he succumbed to his injuries.

“The police has registered a case and a manhunt has been launched in the area to nab the gunmen,” a senior police official of the area said.