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NC always talks autonomy ahead of elections: Cong
Priority is to get feedback from Cong workers in J&K: Ambika
Omar: State keen to tap pilgrim tourism
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1991 ‘mass rape’ case reopens after 22 years
Kashmir BJP unit sets up Amarnath helpline
Ahead of PM’s visit, Railways team inspects Banihal track
Lack of accommodation forces pilgrims to live in tents at Hindu shrine in Ganderbal
Official reviews motor rally arrangements
Sudhmahadev mela arrangements finalised
Gujjars’ delegation calls on Governor
NGO members apprise Governor of environmental initiatives
Governor NN Vohra at a meeting with members of the Indian Youth Climate Network in Srinagar on Tuesday. A Tribune photograph Hemis Tse-Chu festival celebrated in Ladakh
Jammu hoteliers seek early completion
of Raghunath Bazar project
Development of Anantnag district discussed
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NC always talks autonomy ahead of elections: Cong
Srinagar, June 18 “They (NC) talk about autonomy only when elections are close and when the party is out of power. Today they are talking about autonomy and tomorrow they can talk azadi…. This (autonomy) chapter was over after the 1975 accord,” Fotedar said while talking to reporters after chairing a party meeting here at the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) headquarters. He said this when asked for comments over the NC allegation that the Congress was responsible for “eroding” the autonomy in the state. However, Fotedar was quick to add that only senior NC leader Mustafa Kamal had been making such allegations in the past. Asserting that the NC itself was “responsible for the erosion of autonomy”, he said: “They (NC) entered into agreements with the Centre by accepting the 1975 accord and then they accepted power… these issues have been settled already and there is no scope for going back into history and changing the present status.” He also said Kamal should ask the NC leadership as to who was “actually responsible” for the erosion of autonomy. Fotedar pointed out that NC founder late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah had agreed to be the Chief Minister of the state after the 1975 accord. The senior Congress leader did not comment on its plans of future electoral alliance with the NC or others political party. "I have no information... I cannot comment on the issue," he said. Earlier, several local Congress leaders held a meeting with Fotedar at the party headquarters. A Congress leader said the leaders brought to his notice several issues concerning the party and also put forward suggestions to strengthen the Congress in the Valley. He said Fotedar assured them that the points raised by them would be brought to the notice of the party high command. |
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Priority is to get feedback from Cong workers in J&K: Ambika
“It is not a new assignment for me. I am very much aware of the party’s affairs in Jammu and Kashmir because I remained in charge of the party there (from 2002 to 2006),” Ambika told The Tribune over phone. “Being in charge, I had worked in Jammu and Kashmir for a number of years, so I know almost all Congress leaders there,” she said. When asked about her priorities to strengthen the Congress in J&K, she said, “The new assignment has been given to me just a couple of days back. So, first of all I would like to visit the state to get feedback from party workers and leaders”. “I am informally meeting Congress leaders of J&K but I will start formal meetings only after visiting the state,” she said, adding that she would like to meet leaders of the coalition partner National Conference and opposition parties as well. Ambika did not forget to mention that it was during her tenure as the in charge that the Congress had emerged as a strong force in Jammu and Kashmir and the party had entered into an alliance with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to form a coalition government. Incidentally, some state Congress leaders are already in New Delhi to brief the newly appointment general secretary about the prevailing political situation in the state. Sources said a group of Congress leaders who met with Ambika tried to draw her attention to the recent statements of some
National Conference leaders against the Congress. Ambika told Congress leaders that she was aware of the day-to-day
political activities in J&K and would take decisions after consultations
with all leaders, sources said. Meanwhile, the JKPCC today congratulated Sonia Gandhi for appointing a veteran and dynamic Congress leader as in charge
of J&K.
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Omar: State keen to tap pilgrim tourism
Srinagar, June 18 Addressing a congregation of thousands of devotees at Lamayuru, a remote village in Leh district of Ladakh region, after inaugurating the Great Fotang shrine and amphitheatre, the Chief Minister said that all religions taught amity and brotherhood. But certain elements for their vested interests wanted to create a wedge between followers of different faiths and disturb the peace of the world, he added. He said no religion preached hatred but held high the principles of humanity and brotherhood. Peace and coexistence of people of different faiths and cultures made society strong and ensured equitable development of all. Referring to the Jammu and Kashmir’s rich culture and heritage, Omar said people from all over the world kept coming to the state to witness “this beauty of the people along with scenic splendour and natural beauty”. The Chief Minister said pilgrim tourism constituted an important aspect of the state’s tourism and all the three regions of
Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh possessed rich pilgrim destinations. “My government is actively engaged in showcasing this speciality (pilgrim tourism) of the state and create different pilgrim tourist circuits to rope in pilgrims from all over the country and the world to visit holy places in the state and
pay obeisance at the shrines of different faiths,” he said. The Fotang shrine and amphitheatre has been constructed by the Tourism Department and the Centre has given a grant of Rs 107.54 lakh for its construction. It will promote pilgrim tourism in the area and help generate wide-ranging economic activities for the people of the remote area. The shrine will also be used to observe the Great Snake Year 2013, which comes after every 12 years. Besides people from the state, a large number of tourists from foreign countries have arrived here to observe the Great
Snake Year. Minister for Urban Development Nawang Rigzin Jora also spoke on the occasion, while Chief Executive Councilor, LAHDC, Rigzin Spalbar was also present on the occasion. |
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1991 ‘mass rape’ case reopens after 22 years
Srinagar, June 18 The court said it was not satisfied with the police investigation into the matter so far. The orders of the court came following a submission of a protest petition by victims on June 11, wherein they had sought re-investigation of the case by a Special Investigation Team (SIT). Over 30 women were allegedly raped by Army personnel in the remote Kunan Poshpora village in Kupwara on February
23, 1991. “The court in its orders today did not agree with the final closure report of the police and reopened the case by sending the file back to the police for further investigation,” said counsel Parvez Imroz, who took up the protest petition of victims before the court. “The court has further directed that the investigation should be conducted by a senior officer not below the rank of SP (Superintendent of Police) to determine the perpetrators and that the probe should be completed within three months,” he said. The protest petition had termed the police investigations carried out so far as "incomplete and mala fide". It said the statements of victims and their family members recorded under Section 161 of the CrPC by the police investigators were taken in a "lackadaisical and unprofessional manner". The protest petition had also sought to "ascertain the role of 125 Army personnel" who allegedly took part in the operation at that time. The court in its order today, however, did not agree to victims’ demand to expunge the recently recorded statements of victims, observing that “due course of law has been followed” while recording the same. It observed that the identity of 125 suspects, whose list had been provided, had not been “revealed”. The court also questioned the filing of the final closure report by the police after a gap of 22 years in March.
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Kashmir BJP unit sets up Amarnath helpline
Srinagar, June 18 Media in charge of the BJP Kashmir unit Mohammad Altaf Thakur said the helpline had been set up for the convenience of yatris as they faced several problems during the course of the pilgrimage. “If a pilgrim needs guidance related to routes, finding transport or other problems, he or she can dial our 24x7 helpline numbers,” said Thakur. He said four volunteers would be available on a daily basis once the yatra commenced for the aid of pilgrims facing problems. “Sometimes, yatris die due to natural causes or accidents. In this case too our volunteers will come forward to facilitate post mortem and other issues,” he added. Pilgrims facing problems in Srinagar can contact the following BJP helpline numbers: 8803491449, 9858228689, 9697431116, 9596734835 and 9858850389. Yatris facing problems in Anantnag district, where the Chandanwari base camp is located, can contact 9419017321, 8803052248 and 9797986919. Pilgrims facing any sort of problems in Ganderbal district where the Baltal base camp is located can contact 9596590079. Over 6.20 yatris had paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine last year.
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Ahead of PM’s visit, Railways team inspects Banihal track
Srinagar, June 18
The two-day inspection begacsignal for opening the track for passenger trains,” said a senior railway official. Besides Kardam, other officials in the inspection team are Ferozpur Division railway manager NC Goyal, Northern Railway chief safety officer CBK Singh, senior divisional commercial manager UP Singh, a senior divisional signal and telecom engineer and chief area manager, Budgam, AK Sharma. The railway track between Qazigund village of Kulgam distict in south Kasmir to Banihal town of Ramban district in Jammu also passes through the 11.17-km Pir Panjal tunnel which is India's longest tunnel. It has been constructed by Hindustan Construction Company and has a 3-m wide road running parallel to it for movement of small vehicles in case of any emergency. “We have started the inspection on the track and will be completing it by tomorrow,” Ferozpur Division railway manager NC Goyal told the Tribune. The trial run on the rail link was completed in 30 minutes on December 25 last year. The trains of Kashmir are yet to be connected with the rest of the country and they ply between Qazigund and Baramulla covering a distance of 119 km. The first phase of the rail service in the Valley was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on October 11, 2008. better connectivity on the anvil *
Currently, trains in Kashmir ply between Qazigund in south Kashmir to Baramulla in north Kashmir *
The opening of the Qazigund-Banihal rail route will connect the Kashmir valley with the Jammu region *
However, trains from Kashmir will still not be able to reach other parts of the country as the railway stretch between Banihal and Udhampur in Jammu division is still under construction *
The Udampur-Banihal railway track is likely to be completed by 2017 |
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Lack of accommodation forces pilgrims to live in tents at Hindu shrine in Ganderbal
Tulamulla (Ganderbal), June 18 Local residents offered their houses to some of the pilgrims to spend the night while many had to spend the night in a ground. Many had to stay in the space available at the shrine, tents and school buildings in the vicinity. The administration is taking up the issue of providing more facilities for the pilgrims to stay with the Dharnarth Trust, Sarmad Hafeez, Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal said. “Many people reached here on Sunday night and lived in the houses of local Muslim residents,” he said. To provide better facilities and develop the area, the Centre had in 2005 sanctioned Rs 21 crore to construct buildings, landscape development and facilities for the pilgrims. “The purpose was to develop the shrine area,” an official of Dharmarth Trust said. He said out of 40 rooms in the four newly constructed buildings under the project, only nine rooms were available with the Trust for the yatris. The government had provided accommodation in these buildings to the pilgrims under a policy to help Kashmiri Pandits return to their native places in Kashmir. The Trust has also conveyed to the government to provide an alternative space for the CRPF personnel on security duty, occupying a building of the shrine complex. |
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Official reviews motor rally arrangements
Jammu, June 18 The event, which will be organised by the Himalayan Motorsport Association, Shimla, from June 27 to 30, will be sponsored by the Tourism Department and others and J&K Bank will be the title sponsor. The tourism directors of Jammu and Kashmir have been designated as the nodal officers for the rally. The Divisional Commissioner held video conferencing with Deputy Commissioners of Poonch, Rajouri and Ramban and directed them to ensure that all the arrangements were made well in advance for successful conduct of the rally. The meeting also saw discussions on strategies for further improving the event. Jammu Additional Commissioner RS Mehta, Jammu Deputy Commissioner Rehana Batool, Jammu DIG (Traffic) Col P Satyaarayan were among those present in the meeting.
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Sudhmahadev mela arrangements finalised
Jammu, June 18 Chenani MLA Krishan Chander Bhagat and tehsildar S Suman, district heads of various departments, chairman of Dharmath Trust, Sudhmahadev, and members of local mela committee were also present in the meeting. A discussion on drinking water and power supply, medicare, sanitation, security, transport, accommodation, rates of essentials and parking of vehicles was held in the meeting. Singh directed the Public Health and Engineering department to erect adequate number of public points at the mela site well in advance while officials of the Power Development Department were asked to ensure uninterrupted power supply during mela days. The Medical Officer was asked to depute a team of doctors with an ambulance and required medicines to meet any eventuality at Chenani, Sudhmahadev and Mantalai round the clock. Singh asked the Assistant Regional Transport Officer, Udhampur, to ensure plying of adequate number of buses from Udhampur and other areas to Sudhmahadev. To acquaint people about the state and Centrally sponsored schemes, various departments would set up exhibition stalls during mela days besides cultural programmes would also be organised. The Chenani tehsildar would be the Mela Officer, supervising all arrangements. — TNS |
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Gujjars’ delegation calls on Governor
Srinagar, June 18 During the meeting, the delegation led by BGMS state president Eshfaq-ur-Rehman Poswal put forth various demands to the Governor, which included political reservation for Gujjars and Bakerwals, special drives for the youth of the communities for their recruitment in the Army and paramilitary forces and effective utilisation of funds available under the Tribal Sub Plan. The Governor told the delegation that he would take up their demands with the authorities concerned in the state government, an official said in a statement. The BGMS felicitated the Governor on his appointment for the second term. Besides Poswal, the delegation included Nek Alam, Abdul Hamid Kassana, Bashir-ud-Din Baniya and Mohammad Bashir.
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NGO members apprise Governor of environmental initiatives
Srinagar, June 18 The coordinators gave a presentation on the activities of the organisation, which works for environment protection, in the state and across the country and future plans. They apprised the Governor about small pilot projects they had undertaken at the Baltal base camp of the Amarnath yatra last year. These included setting up of a water-purification plant, provision of environment-friendly carry bags to yatris and establishment of eco-friendly hand washing stations. Navin K Choudhary, principal secretary to the Governor and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, and additional CEO of the board Preet Pal Singh were also present during the presentation. The Governor asked the CEO to provide the best possible support to the NGO to carry out their activities. |
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Hemis Tse-Chu festival celebrated in Ladakh
Leh, June 18 The Buddhist religious festival is celebrated every year on the 10th and 11th day of the 5th month of the Tibetan lunar calendar by the Hemis Monastery ever since it was established in the sixteen century. Lord Padma Sambhava, popularly known as Guru Rinpohe, was a Buddhist saint who introduced tantric Buddhism in Tibet. The tourists arrived early at Hemis Monastery to witness the rituals of the festival and view the centuries-old Buddhist thangka (mural) and other antiques. Mask dances performed by monks on the tune of cymbals, large “pan drum” and trumpets played by senior monks was the highlight of the festival. With Hemis Tse-Chu festival begins the tourist season in Ladakh. Tourists, specially foreigners,
visit the region from mid June to mid August to indulge in trekking in the Himalayas and sightseeing as these are not mostly possible in other parts of the country at this time due to the monsoon. Meanwhile, the district police have taken various measures to ensure smooth flow of traffic from Leh town to Hemis Monastery. |
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Jammu hoteliers seek early completion
of Raghunath Bazar project
Srinagar, June 18 The delegation led by Baldev Khullar, president of the Raghunath Bazar Businessmen Association, and Bhuvaneshwar Gandotra, president, Railway Station Hotels and Lodges Association, congratulated the Governor for his continuing association with the future growth of the state. The Governor discussed with the delegation the
so far status of the Raghunath Bazar beautification project. The demands presented by the delegation included grant of financial assistance for the speedy completion of the Raghunath Bazar project, installation of cable car projects at Jammu and Patnitop, time-bound completion of the Mubarak Mandi heritage conservation project, speedy development of Suruinsar, Bani, Basohli and other areas in Jammu region from the tourism point of view. The association made the demands because of their apprehension that after the train service extended to Katra, pilgrims visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine should be attracted to halt at Jammu and visit various scenic spots and religious places in the surrounding areas and also other parts of the state. They also brought to the notice of the Governor issues concerning the guest houses located opposite the railway station, Jammu. The Governor gave a patient hearing to the delegation and said the issues raised by them would be discussed with the Chief Minister. |
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Development of Anantnag district discussed
Srinagar, June 18 During the meeting, they discussed matters concerning the growth and development of Anantnag district and the adjoining areas in south Kashmir. — TNS
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Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said the strength of Jammu and Kashmir lies in the communal harmony and unity in diversity that it enjoys. He, however, underscored the need to strengthen and nurture the harmony in the state.
Addressing a congregation of thousands of devotees at Lamayuru, a remote village in Leh district of Ladakh region, after inaugurating the Great Fotang shrine and amphitheatre, the Chief Minister said that all religions taught amity and brotherhood.
The Kashmir unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has set up a helpline service for the benefit of pilgrims ahead of the annual Amarnath
yatra, which is scheduled to commence from June 28. Media in charge of the BJP Kashmir unit Mohammad Altaf Thakur said the helpline had been set up for the convenience of yatris
Indian Youth Climate Network project coordinators Ritu Asrania and Owais Rahim called on Governor NN Vohra here today.
The coordinators gave a presentation on the activities of the organisation, which works for environment protection, in the state and across the country and future plans.
Jammu, June 18
