The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Met Dept predicts more snow across Valley Tribune News Service Srinagar, December 29 A fresh spell of snowfall, with varying intensity, is likely to lash the Kashmir valley in the coming days, the state weather department today said in its forecast bulletin. The state Meteorological Department’s forecast this morning said light rain and snow would occur at “isolated places” in the state during the next 24 hours. The department said “scattered to fairly widespread” rain and snowfall is likely to lash the region during the next two days and warned of “isolated heavy snowfall” on the year’s last day \|on Tuesday. The region had received a spell of snow last week, which had maximum impact in south Kashmir. Srinagar, too, was affected. Meanwhile, the night temperature in Kashmir division continued to plunge below the freezing level with the remote Leh and Kargil towns recording extremely cold temperature. In Leh of the remote Ladakh region, mercury fell to minus 17.3 degrees Celsius, an official of the Meteorological Department said, while the mercury dropped to minus 16.4 degrees Celsius in Kargil district. The night temperature in Srinagar city plunged to a low of minus 3.7 degrees Celsius, which was two notches below from the normal, the official said. At north Kashmir’s skiing destination Gulmarg resort, which received snowfall in the recent days, the night temperature fell to minus 9.6 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam resort settled at minus 7.4 degrees Celsius, the official said.
	Pak canine detained along LoC Ishfaq Tantry Tribune News Service Kaman Post (Uri), December 29 This is an infiltration of a different kind, where a canine is the suspect. Recently, when a dog strayed across the LoC from the Pakistan side near the Kaman post in Uri in north Kashmir, he was not spared. Army personnel manning the post detained the canine, fearing it might be a tactic of the adversary sitting across the LoC. “This dog belongs to the other side. The animal recently crossed to this side. Taking no chances, we detained him,” said a Naib Subedar, who briefed the civilian visitors at the Kaman post, turning out to be a favourite place in north Kashmir, especially for people who want to have a glimpse of the LoC and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The dog laid tied near the last post overlooking the ‘peace’ bridge or the Kaman bridge with a thick telephone wire, occasionally catching the attention of the visitors when a dog of the Army barked at him. Asked why the animal had been ‘detained’ like this, the officer said at the LoC everything is a suspect, even the canines. “You see the LoC was very hot recently and the enemy is trying its best to infiltrate militants. So, we cannot take chances,” he said. He then pointed to the bullet holes on the pre-fabricated visitors’ huts at the Kaman post, meant for checking the travel documents of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad peace bus passengers. The bus plies weekly. “I was hit in July 2011,” reads a tag pasted near one of the bullet marks on the glass facade of one of the huts, targeted by Pakistani snipers during a ceasefire violation in July 2011. “These marks indicate the kind of environment prevailing along the LoC,” the officer said. Srinagar-based defence spokesman NN Joshi said: “The troops are there to guard the borders so they cannot let any one pass unnoticed and unchallenged.” A senior Army officer based in Srinagar said the counter-infiltration grid along the LoC was so “tight and strong” that even the movement of the dogs got detected. “In a scenario where there are attempts at infiltration, the stray movement of even a canine is not taken lightly by the soldiers along the LoC,” he said, adding that suspecting a dog also gives a glimpse of soldiers’ lives manning the LoC.
	Shuttlers rue ‘poor’ maintenance at badminton hall in MA stadium Say received injuries during badminton championships, selection trials Vikas Sharma Tribune News Service Jammu, December 29 Shuttlers practicing at Badminton Hall in MA Stadium have claimed that they had received serious injuries on ankle, knee and on hands during the state badminton championships or selection trials for the national events due to the “poor” maintenance of courts by the J&K State Sports Council. Sources say the players have also criticised the alleged decision of the autonomous sports body to replace the old wood with concrete reinforced cement concrete (RCC) flooring and laying of vinyl mat of 5mm thickness in the hall. “This action of the council would spoil the career of the players who have to perform at different levels. It is imperative that before arriving at any decision regarding renovation or construction of the new badminton court, the authorities concerned should not only seek suggestions of the state shuttlers, but also technical experts for better coordination,” one of the shuttlers told The Tribune on the condition of anonymity. Sources claimed that the shuttlers had demanded that the sports council authorities should replace the old wood with new wood at badminton courts at MA Stadium. They also suggested to lay synthetic/vinyl mat over the wood and provision of separate changing rooms for boys and girls. “A few days ago, after we came to know that the sports council had decided to construct a new badminton court with concrete RCC flooring, a group of shuttlers met the officials and apprised them about our concerns,” another shuttler maintained. “Though the authorities have assured us that they would keep their concerns in mind while preparing the new court, we are keeping a close watch on the developments. It is not that we have not apprised the authorities concerned about the hardships being faced by us during training session owing to poor condition of the court, but the authorities never really showed any urgency to take decisive measures,” he added. “Now, the authorities concerned have finally taken the initiative to prepare a new court. We are also hopeful that they would consider our demand of making a provision for separate changing room for boys and girls,” a shuttler said.
	Cross-Loc Trade Full-body truck scanner to be installed at Chakan da Bagh Ravi Krishnan Khajuria Tribune News Service Jammu, December 29 The Poonch district administration today assured the cross-LoC traders of the Chakan-da-Bagh Trade Centre of resolving their outstanding issues for hassle-free trade with their counterparts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). In a two-hour meeting at Dak Bungalow in Poonch today, Poonch Deputy Commissioner Sajjad Ahmed Khan and custodian of the Chakan-da-Bagh Trade Facilitation Centre Mohammed Bashir Lone promised the traders to install full-body truck scanner at the trade centre at the earliest. “They assured us that a full-body truck scanner would be installed at the earliest and also agreed upon holding regular meetings between traders from the state and PoK at the Zero Line,” said president of the Chamber of LoC Trade, Jammu and Kashmir, Pawan Anand. He said the administration had assured them to restore all 21 trade items under the standard operating procedure to give an impetus to the trans-LoC trade. “Besides, the authorities also promised to provide us telephone connectivity to enable us to talk to our PoK counterparts to discuss business deals,” said Anand. He said nearly 50 traders who do business via Chakan da Bagh attended the meeting. Local National Conference MLA Aijaz Jan also attended the meeting. The trade between the two divided Kashmirs began on October 10, 2008, via Chakan da Bagh in Poonch district and Salamabad in Baramulla district. It takes place four days a week from Tuesday to Friday on a barter system. Over 600 Indian traders from Kashmir and 165 from Jammu are associated with the trade via Salamabad and Chakan da Bagh trade centres, respectively. Despite being one of the biggest confidence-building measures between India and Pakistan, the cross-LoC trade has failed to find its groove since it began.
	BJP to circulate Article 370 copies across Valley in Urdu M Aamir Khan Tribune News Service Srinagar, December 29 Weeks after BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi sparked a war of words by calling for a debate over Article 370 of the Constitution granting special status to J&K, the Kashmir unit of the party has decided on an awareness drive in the Valley about the Article. The party will circulate copies of Article 370 in Urdu in all districts of the Valley to make the people aware how the mainstream leaders had ‘misused’ the issue. “As Urdu is read and understood by the majority in Kashmir, we have, therefore, decided to circulate copies of the Article 370 in Urdu to educate the people across districts and tell them the truth. We feel that the parties such as the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party have misused the Article to grab power,” media in charge of the BJP, Kashmir unit, Altaf Thakur told The Tribune. He said the decision to launch the campaign was taken during a function held here today by the BJP Muslim Morcha. State vice-president and in charge of the Kashmir affairs Ramesh Arora, who chaired the function, challenged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to have an open discussion over the Article 370 in Kashmir or any place of his choice. He claimed that the Article 370 had got “nothing to do with the sale and purchase of land to outsiders in the state”. Thakur said the people of the Valley were the ‘best judges’ and would come to know about the real aspects of the Article and how it was ‘impeding’ development in the state. “Let the people decide,” he said. Modi, during the ‘Lalkaar’ rally in Jammu on December 1, had called for a debate on whether or not the Article had benefited the people. His comments had later drawn reactions from various quarters, including major political parties of the state, besides the separatists. Omar, too, had challenged Modi to a debate over Article 370. “If they want a debate on Article 370 with me, let them tell me where and when they want to talk about it. Even if they want to hold the debate in Ahmedabad, we are ready for the debate anytime,” he had said. However, Modi’s call for the debate was also seen as the softening of stand over the issue as the BJP had earlier been vociferously batting for the scrapping of the Article.
	On the frontline Kashmiris’ endless wait for a fresh tomorrow Arun Joshi Kashmiris have been reduced to characters in Samuel Beckett’s play “Waiting for Godot”, waiting endlessly for someone to come. Likewise, Kashmiris are waiting for a fresh tomorrow and someone who can come and deliver them out of their day-to-day problems The year 2013 has ended for them with their hopes further diminishing. Yet another year has been added to their deepening frustrations. The blanket of politics and manipulations has been shown as an answer to their grievances. All promises of a new dawn for the people of Kashmir have proved false, to put it mildly. As it is, they continue to live in the past frozen by a breach of trust by its leaders of all hues. Will there be something for the people of Kashmir to cheer in 2014 and can they turn the corner and become cornerstone of a new dawn for themselves and their new generations are open to debate. The people of the Valley don’t have leaders at hand when they have to petition their grievances. The leaders, ruling class or the others, live in stratosphere, far removed from the day-to-day issues of the general population. They wake up whenever there is a calamity and then rush to blame New Delhi for all evils, shrieking that the Valley has been ignored. And then they have their own agents who build up an atmosphere of instability in the state. For long, people of Kashmir have been in search of dignity in their lives. Successive governments have promised the moon to them, but the ugly reality is that they have been denied even the basic element of self-respect. It is because their leaders have ignored them, and ignored them badly. In fact, they have been either begging New Delhi for the continuation of power or playing politics of hate and emotional blackmail. Over the decades, the state has not been able to find a pathway to have the basic infrastructure. Outsiders are wary of investing in the state. It is not because they are against Kashmir, but because they don’t find any helping hand from the local leadership. There were many instances when Valley-based leaders put conditions on the investors. The leadership has not been able to put its act together and build an investment-friendly atmosphere. There have been many false starts in the past and till the end of 2013, there has been no change, worth mentioning. Look at the last week of 2013, which tells the story of not just one year or one government but of all governments over the decades. The basic amenities are far beyond the reach of the people. They cry for roads, water, schools and hospitals, but are fed political slogans, as always. This is the collective failure of the leadership over the decades. The people of Kashmir deserve a sense of dignity, as do the people of other regions in the state. It is important for them that they are treated as dignified human beings. Self-esteem doesn’t come through political sloganeering or emotional politics. It flows from the availability of basic amenities like “sadak, bijli, pani”, when women don’t have to walk miles to fetch water. The military might have done its part and it may be time for some of them to go back to barracks or brace up for 2014 on the borders, but the political governments have yet to reach their benchmark. 2013 will go down in history as yet another year of unfulfilled promises. So, the wait for the elusive man who can take care of Kashmiris is on even as 2014 is round the corner.
	2013 Review \| Education It’s mixed bag for Jammu University Achievements, controversies, unfulfilled promises go hand in hand Arteev Sharma Tribune News Service Jammu, December 29 Year 2013 was a mixed bag of reforms, controversies and unfinished tasks for University of Jammu — the country’s first ISO certified institute of postgraduate studies and higher learning — which is now bracing to host its first-ever Indian Science Congress in Jammu and Kashmir early next year. While the university authorities claimed that they had brought many reforms to streamline the examination system and took student-friendly measures, the campus also witnessed several unfulfilled promises and controversies making headlines in newspapers throughout the year. Recalling major reforms taken by the university, it was in this year that the university initiated a “novel mechanism” to ensure greater transparency and reduce the time in evaluation of answer scripts by providing access to the examinees of their scripts wherein they could see their answer scripts henceforth. For the first time, the university announced that the students of professional courses, in those departments where computerisation has been introduced, would get their marks certificates and degrees with photographs from 2013 session onwards in the first phase. It was done to reduce the chances of misuse of marks cards through impersonation. The first-ever Hackathon on the 12th Five Year Plan organised by the Planning Commission and the National Innovation Council was hosted by University of Jammu and 10 other institutions in India. At the same time, the university had to face an “embarrassing” situation after an anonymous letter accused senior professors and some members of the Jammu University Teachers Association (JUTA) of running a sex racket on the campus. The September 13 incident of alleged brutal assault on a university scholar hogged everyone’s attention on the campus. The university administration rusticated two students and suspended four girl students, besides banning their entry on the campus. It also banned the activities of the Progressive Students Association on the campus. As far as unfinished tasks were concerned, the declaration of results of both graduate and postgraduates courses in time remained a challenging task for the university. Several professional and academic courses, which were approved by the University Council have not been started so far.
	Restoration of Harwan reservoir in full swing Harwan, December 29 The authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have initiated the restoration process of an old reservoir near Harwan Park on the outskirts of Srinagar. The reservoir, which is now filled with dirty water and silt, will be cleaned up, expanded and filled with fresh water. "The reservoir near the park in Harwan was filled and unusable for many years. So, our department has taken up an initiative to revive it. The water trickled down from the Dachigam drain and now its capacity has also reduced and silt has assembled over the years," said Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control, Kashmir, Javaid Jaffer. The main reason for the restoration and expansion of the water reservoir is to maintain the glory of the historical water body and to reserve water for irrigation and domestic purposes in nearby villages. Being close to the Dachigam National Park, it will also help in enhancing the beauty of the area and boost tourism. Moreover, the rise in tourism will help increase employment opportunities in the adjoining areas. "There is always shortage of water in the reservoir for cultivation. Now there will be water in the reservoir so cultivation will be easy. Tourism in the nearby Dachigam Nation Park will also increase. More birds and visitors will come, and the unemployed people will get more employment opportunities," said Abdul Ahad Mir, a resident of the area. The project has been started with 90 per cent funds from the Central government and 10 per cent funds from the state government. The cost of the project is estimated at Rs 9 lakh. Kashmir was once dubbed the Switzerland of the East. It was once a Mecca for climbers, skiers, honeymooners and filmmakers, drawn to the state's soaring peaks, fruit orchards and timber houseboats bobbing on the Dal Lake in Srinagar, the summer capital. Planeloads of India's upwardly mobile middle classes have visited the picture postcard-perfect Kashmir valley this summer, making it the busiest tourist season since the armed revolt began in 1989. — ANI
	Youth Congress to revive stir for more powers to panchayats Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, December 29 With the BJP and other social organisations having kick-started a debate on the “abuse” of Article 370 by the ruling elites of Jammu and Kashmir, the Pradesh Youth Congress (PYC) today announced it would revive its “suspended” agitation for extending the 73rd Amendment to the Indian Constitution in J&K. By announcing the revival of their agitation, the PYC is going to embarrass the Omar Abdullah-led government because the Congress is part of the coalition regime. The decision of the PYC will give a boost to those who have been arguing that Article 370 is the biggest hurdle in extending revolutionary Central laws in J&K. “What is the need of launching an agitation for extending revolutionary laws like the 73rd Amendment in J&K,” asked state president of BJP Jugal Kishore Sharma. “Had Article 370 been abrogated, such revolutionary laws would have been automatically extended to the state”. State PYC president Shahnawaz Choudhary, however, was hesitant about accepting that it was all due to Article 370 that the 73rd Amendment was not automatically extending to J&K but he candidly admitted that some parties had been selective in accepting Central laws. Indirectly toeing the line of those who have been demanding a debate on the “abuse” of Article 370, the PYC president said that some Central laws, which were suitable for J&K, were accepted by Omar without any hesitation but the government was not ready to accept the 73rd Amendment because it did not want to decentralise powers at the grass roots. “If MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) has been extended to J&K without any debate and discussion, there is no reason to take the excuse of a separate Constitution to create a hurdle in extending the 73rd Amendment to the Indian Constitution in J&K,” he said while admitting that the state government had accepted only those Central laws which had served the interests of the ruling class. The BJP and other social organisations have also been alleging that the ruling class in J&K has been misusing Article 370 to dismantle democratic institutions in the state. The Youth Congress leader admitted that Omar had betrayed coalition partner Congress on the issue of empowering panchayats. “We had suspended our agitation a year back following an assurance from the National Conference that the 73rd Amendment would be incorporated in the J&K Panchayati Raj Act but nothing has been done so far,” he said.
	Book on ecotourism to be released today Tribune News Service Srinagar, December 29 The first ever book on the status of protected areas and ecology of the state will be released here on Monday. The book, which is written by Mohammad Shafi Bacha, a former Regional Wildlife Warden of the state, puts together information dating back to the 19th century on the status of protected areas in prospect and retrospect, besides, it also documents the ecotourism scenario in the state, a statement said here. “The book is being released during a function at the SP College on December 30, it added. The book titled "Wildlife: Protected areas infuse ecotourism in J&K" gives a detailed description on accessible flora and fauna of over 40 wilderness areas, including 30 protected, 10 non-protected and four famous tourist resorts. “It also entails information on four wetland reserves, two Ramsar sites, one waterway, three lakes and nine water bodies that fall in the network," the statement added. “All eco-types in the state are highly fragile that can be easily spoilt by unwise planning and unregulated tourism. The manuscript presents specific and pragmatic view on how to conserve ecosystems and perpetuate their biological resources with people’s participation, besides enjoying natural beauty without destroying it,” said Nadeem Qadri, who is the Executive Director of NGO Wildlife Conservation Fund. Qadri said the book would help policy makers, planners, researchers, tourists (mostly foreigners) and students. About the author Mohammad Shafi Bacha completed Masters in Zoology from the University of Kashmir in 1976 and joined the erstwhile J&K Directorate of Game and Fisheries as Research Associate to Dr Fred Kurt, the Director, IUCN Project 1103 Hangul. Later, he did a post-graduate diploma course in Wildlife Management at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, in 1988-89. He retired as Regional Wildlife Warden recently.
	No lessons learnt from ATM robbery in Jammu Many banks still functioning without security guards Amit Khajuria Tribune News Service Jammu, December 29 Banks in the winter capital of the state have learnt no lesson from the ATM robbery that took place in Jammu on Thursday night. Many automated teller machines (ATMs) are still functioning in the city without any security guards. In a first-of-its-kind incident in Jammu, Rs 4.3 lakh was stolen from an ATM machine of Punjab National Bank from the most posh locality of the city on Thursday. However, banks don’t seem to have taken the incident seriously as many of the ATMs in the city are still functioning without a security guard. Not only the ATMs of Punjab National Bank, but other reputed banks such as State Bank of India, Axis Bank, HDFC, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, ICICI Bank and others are also functioning without security guards. Jammu Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Atul Goel had said at the time of the robbery at Nanak Nagar, no security guard was deputed at the ATM. The SSP added that the Jammu and Kashmir police would take the matter to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). “We will take this matter to the RBI, so that they direct all the banks to depute security guard on all ATMs of their respective banks,” said Goel.
	Makeover on cards for Bhaderwah fort Ranjit Thakur Bhaderwah, December 29 The Bhadarwah Development Authority (BDA) has undertaken an ambitious project of renovation and beautification of picturesque Bhaderwah Fort, which was once a jail that housed former chief minister Sheikh Abdullah, freedom fighters and dreaded militants. It is now being turned into a heritage hotspot at an estimated cost of Rs 4.38 crore. A museum, art gallery, in-house drama theatre and a heritage centre are being planned at the fort. Bhaderwah is a beautiful valley popularly known as “Mini-Kashmir” and is the hometown of Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. A light and sound system with German technology, which is first-of-its-kind in the state, will be installed at the fort to attract tourists. The fort situated in Narthi area of Bhaderwah has historic importance. The fort was built in 1733 by Maharaja Phar Chand, the then king of Chamba and was converted into a jail in 1919 by the Dogra ruler, Maharaja Pratap Singh. It is said to be built with unique slate stones that are found in the museum of Buri Singh in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. It is situated at a height of 5000 ft above the sea level, from where one can have a panoramic view of Bhaderwah township. Historically, three centuries ago, the Chamba king lost the fort to the Dogra king in a fight. In 1919, the fort was converted into a jail. It is also said many freedom fighters of the nation, including Pandit Kashap Bandu and Sant Singh Tez, were lodged in that jail. Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah was also lodged in the jail for some time. In 2009, the jail was shifted and the Bhaderwah Development Authority took the fort under its possession. The work on renovation and beautification of the fort was started by the BDA in 2010-11 as a part of a centrally-sponsored scheme to boost tourism. The authority is trying to restore the look of the walls of the fort. BDA Chief Executive Officer Angrez Singh Rana said, “The cost of renovation and beautification of the fort is over Rs 6 crore. The imported light and sound system has increased the renovation cost. At present, installation of the light and sound system has been kept on hold.” Rana said lack of funds had been obstructing the ongoing renovation at the fort.
	Withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan worries police Say the existing security grid needs to be refined Ravi Krishnan Khajuria Tribune News Service Jammu, December 29 With the US-led NATO forces scheduled to pull out of Afghanistan next year and the forthcoming parliamentary and Assembly elections in the state, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have expressed reluctance over the withdrawal of paramilitary forces from the Valley. “In view of elections in 2014 in the state of J&K and the withdrawal of coalition forces from Afghanistan, the security forces in J&K need to be very-very alert and the existing security grid is required to be refined further to achieve control over the situation emerging in view of the impending developments,” reads an official document of the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The document further states that the “force-level is required to be maintained” and “no withdrawal of paramilitary forces may be done”. “Looking at the overall security scenario, we have to be alive to any situation and prevent its occurrence. Therefore, the manpower and the paramilitary forces may not be withdrawn,” it adds. It also states that there has been an increase in ceasefire violations, suspected to be aimed at pushing in more militants. Intelligence inputs suggest that the agencies across the LoC are desperately trying to push in as many militants as possible. The militancy-plagued state is being helped by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Border Security Force (BSF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Sashastra Seema Bal and the Central Industrial Security Force in maintaining peace. The CRPF is the leading paramilitary force in the state with 51 battalions in the Kashmir region and 13 battalions in the Jammu region. “Though we were primarily raised for operations like counter insurgency and law and order, in J&K we are performing tasks which are not in our mandate,” a senior CRPF officer said, adding that protecting politicians was not the mandate of the CRPF. An Army officer, meanwhile, said after complete pull out of the NATO forces from Afghanistan next year, India would have to remain very watchful on Kashmir for the next two to three years. The presence of 60,000 US troops in Afghanistan would be halved by February next year, while the troops from England, Germany, Poland, Italy and Georgia would all make an exit from the war-ravaged country by the end of 2014.
	17 months on, tunnel on Indo-Pak border remains unsolved puzzle BSF suspects it was to open in houses of Pak’s ‘contacts’ on Indian side Ravi Krishnan Khajuria Tribune News Service Jammu, December 29 Seventeen months after 540-metre-long trans-border tunnel at Chachwal village in the Samba sector was detected after agricultural fields caved in due to rain, the police have not been able to establish as to where its outlets had to come up on the Indian side. The BSF suspected that the tunnel, which had its tail in Shakkergarh tehsil of Pakistan on the other side of the International Border, was to open in houses of “contacts” from where Pakistani militants had to be fanned in various parts of the Jammu region. “A big syndicate is active on this side of the border that helps Pakistan in its nefarious activities against India and we firmly believe that the trans-border tunnel that ran inside the Indian territory and then bifurcated into two opposite directions in the form of letter ‘T’ was bound to open in the houses of some contacts,” said a senior BSF officer. The tunnel that was being dug 25-foot beneath the ground had crossed the Zero Line, barbed fence and Chalyari border outpost of the BSF before a couple of fields caved in due to incessant rain. The tunnel with a two inch pipe clamped inside with copper wires to supply oxygen was wide enough for the passage of a large number of infiltrators. The officer further said the CID should have gone threadbare into the investigations. “The International Border, which is close to the Jammu-Pathankot national highway and largely being a plain area, has always remained a preferred route for the Pakistani ultras,” said the officer. He said the BSF tried to get to the bottom of the issue to pin down the contacts but did not succeed. “It is time for the CID to tighten the screws on such contacts on the Indian side of the border,” he added. A team of the Geological Survey of India on August 10 last year had hit the dead end of the tunnel and thereafter the BSF had started digging work on the other side of the fence taking their investigations close to the Zero Line. The then BSF DG UK Bansal had visited the spot while the then Union Home Secretary RK Singh had visited the Abdulian border outpost in RS Pura sector in the wake of sudden spurt in ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Rangers.
	Chemotherapy centre set up at Udhampur District Hospital Deepanker Gupta Udhampur, December 29 The district hospital authorities here have set up a chemotherapy centre to cater to the increasing number of cancer patients in the state in the past two-three years. The centre would provide free treatment to the below poverty line (BPL) patients. As per data available with the state health department, the number of cancer patients in the state which used to be in hundreds a few years back has now increased manifold. In Jammu province, there were about 1,800 registered cancer patients and in Kashmir province, 22,000 such patients this year. “Chemotherapy for cancer patients is being provided in the District Hospital, Udhampur, and it is free for people belonging to the below poverty line category. Besides, we also provide free injections, tablets and intervenous fluids to these patients,” said Dr Chander Parkash, Medical Superintendent, District Hospital Udhampur. Observing that the number of such patients was on the rise, Dr Chander said as every cancer patient has to undergo chemotherapy after regular gaps, providing this facility at the District Hospital would help them a lot. “As the number of cancer patients in the state has increased manifold during the last few years, a regional cancer centre was set up at the medical college in Jammu and thereafter, a dire need for a chemotherapy centre was being felt here as well. We have not only opened this centre in our district hospital but have made this service free for BPL patients,” said Udhampur MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia, who is also the chairman of Rogi Kalyan Samiti of the hospital. Vishal Bhardwaj, a cancer patient’s relative, said, “Taking our patient to the regional cancer centre in Jammu on a regular basis was expensive as well as inconvenient for us, but we had to do it as we had to get the chemotherapy done after every 15 days. Now this facility has been started at the District Hospital, Udhampur, which has made things much easier for us.” “It will be much better if the government fills up the vacant post of oncologist (cancer specialist) in the hospital as soon as possible,” he added. “Two vital posts, one of cardiologist and the other of oncologist, is lying vacant since a long time. Our physicians, doctors and other staff members underwent a three-week training course at the regional cancer centre in Jammu and are now able to provide chemotherapy treatment to patients here,” said Dr Chander Parkash.
	Slain Pak militant had shot dead Chadoora SHO Tribune News Service Srinagar, December 29 A Pakistani militant, who was killed during a fierce gunfight in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Thursday, has been identified as the shooter who killed a police officer earlier this month. Umar Bilal, a resident of Pakistan’s Lahore city, was killed in the gunfight on Thursday at Hushroo village of Budgam. Bilal was a member of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant outfit. He had shifted his base from north Kashmir’s Palhalan to Budgam in mid-November, police sources said. The militant was severely injured during a firefight on Tuesday at Budgam village from where he escaped and took refuge in a house in Hushroo village. His local accomplice Riyaz Ahmad, who escaped the dragnet from both locations, had helped Bilal to reach Hushroo. The sources said the duo was tracked down to Ichkoot village following the arrest of another LeT operative Latief Ahmad Rather, who was nabbed from Srinagar on Tuesday morning. Rather's interrogation provided clues to the police which led them to Ichkoot village, where the first firefight broke out on Tuesday evening. The sources said it was Bilal and Riyaz who planned to kill Sub Inspector Shabir Ahmad, the SHO of Budgam’s Chadoora town. “They decided to kill the SHO because of his role in counter-insurgency operations. They did several dry runs of the area before killing the SHO. The Pakistani militant (Umar Bilal) was the shooter while Riyaz was providing the cover from some distance,” the sources, privy to the investigation, told The Tribune. The SHO, who had remained at the forefront of many counter-insurgency operations during his career, was killed on December 2 at a market in Chadoora when an unidentified militant - now identified as Umar Bilal - opened a burst of fire on him from an automatic assault rifle.
	Manual scavenging still in practice in J&K Sumit Hakhoo Tribune News Service Jammu, December 29 Gulping a quarter of liquor and saying a quick prayer are the two rituals that Babu Kumar follows before stepping into a dingy manhole. Naked and without any safety measures, Babu touches the ground before moving in to clear the blocked sewers whenever the civic body calls him for help. The stink from the open manhole keeps off passers-by. But for this man, it is a routine work as he gets paid for it by the Municipal Corporation. “Every time I have to step inside a manhole, I pray to God to ensure my safety. The smell inside is repulsive, but the only good thing is that I will get paid for the job and will be able to feed my family,” Babu said. Though the Supreme Court has banned manual scavenging, the inhuman and undignified activity is still prevalent in Jammu and Kashmir. Of late the state has been getting awards after awards in every sector, with officials gleefully boasting of improving the basic infrastructure of urban centres. But on ground, the infrastructure is crumbling. There are hundreds of people like Babu Kumar, which are routinely engaged by the civic bodies for cleaning sewerage lines and they are compelled to do so without any protective gear, which is mandatory by law for hazardous jobs. While the state government remains in denial over the prevalence of manual scavenging in J&K, the 2011 Census revealed that 1.78 lakh households are still dependent on human waste carriers in the state. However, none of the officials from the Municipal Corporation was willing to talk over the issue and just said: “We will look into the issue.” Despite enacting the J&K Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Probation) Act-2010, the state has failed to execute it. The Centre has also banned the practice under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Bill. The Act makes it mandatory for municipalities, cantonment boards and railway authorities to stop manual scavenging or provide necessary equipments to the people engaged in the work in areas were it is necessary.
	Anti-Taliban Pak cleric to hold rally in Srinagar Azhar Qadri Tribune News Service Srinagar, December 29 Anti-Taliban Pakistani cleric Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri will address a rally during his first visit to Kashmir next month. Members of the cleric’s Minhaj-ul-Quran International (MQI) organisation said the cleric would speak at the Hazratbal shrine on January 20. “He (Qadri) will address a gathering at Hazratbal and the post-mid-day speech will be for two hours,” Abdul Rashid Khan, president of the MQI’s Kashmir unit, told The Tribune. The cleric, now based in Canada, has been vehemently opposing the Taliban and Al-Qaida militants and condemned suicide bombers with a 600-page fatwa, condemning them “to hell”. Qadri has also been opposing Pakistani militants fighting in Kashmir, saying “Islam does not allow” that Pakistani men should fight in other countries. Khan said the details of Qadri’s Kashmir visit could not be shared. “It has not been decided when he will be arriving or where he will be staying here because of security reasons, but he will address a gathering at Hazratbal on January 20,” Khan said. Qadri will also host various deputations of local clerics, prayer leaders and address the members of his organisation’s Kashmir unit at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre in Srinagar on January 21-22. In March last year, Qadri had addressed two rallies in Mumbai when he reportedly also authorised the formation of the MQI’s Kashmir unit. Qadri’s 2014 India tour will include nine cities and begins on January 8. Qadri, a preacher of mystical Sufi sect, was in the news early this year when he led hundreds of protesters in Pakistan capital Islamabad, paralysing the city for four days.
	Deadline for registration of private coaching centres ends Our Correspondent Srinagar, December 29 As the 10-day deadline for registration of private coaching and tuition centres in Srinagar ending yesterday, the Coaching Centers Association (CCA) said it was awaiting necessary certification by the government. “Although we had little time to get our papers ready, most of our members managed to submit their files to the Director of Education by yesterday. The centre owners worked overtime to comply with the new directive,” CCA chairman GN Var said. Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, had directed the coaching centres here to provide complete working of their institutes to the Education Department within 10 days. He had also told them to hold separate classes for boys and girls in accordance with the new guidelines. The instructions were given after a teacher in Srinagar allegedly attempted to rape one of the students. “We have provided the details like roll of students, information about faculty, infrastructure…The information about the facilities like heating arrangement and separate wash rooms for both boys and girls have also been provided,” Var said. As per the directive, the coaching centres that failed to comply with the instructions are likely to face action. Var, meanwhile, said the process would help in streamlining the functioning of coaching centres. “This will streamline the working of coaching centres and make them accountable,” Var said and added, “Hopefully we will get the registration certificates from the Director, Education, on Monday.”
	Tributes paid to KP martyrs Tribune News Service Jammu, December 29 The All-State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) organised a meeting to highlight the importance of December 28 in the aftermath of the seventh and the most horrible exodus of the entire community of Kashmiri Pandits, the original inhabitants of the valley, in 1990. A large number of members, especially women and the youth wings of the ASKPC, took part in the meeting and paid tributes to those innocent members of the community who fell to the treacherous bullets of the fundamentalists and Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. A two-minute silence was observed as a mark of respect to those martyred at the hands of the Islamist zealots. HL Chatta, president of ASKPC, reminded the community that on December 28, 1991, a historic resolution was passed by the exiled community, demanding a full-fledged homeland for the KP community in Kashmir with full and complete flow of the constitution of India as the only solution to the resolution of the political, economic and ethnical problems of the “hounded out” community. Chatta said, “The youth of the community needs to be extensively educated about the cause of the genocide and exodus of the community from our hearts and homes and to prepare them on religious, cultural and historical grounds for a big struggle for the rights of the community.”
	Over 11,000 students appear for NET at Kashmir University Tribune News Service Srinagar, December 29 Over 11,900 students appeared in the National Eligibility Test of the University Grants Commission at Kashmir University today. The test was conducted by the Department of Chemistry, which is the nodal agency for holding the examination in Kashmir with Prof Ghulamae-Mustafa Peerzada, Head, Department of Chemistry, as its chief coordinator, a statement from the university public relations officer read. Qualifying the UGC-NET makes a candidate eligible for teaching positions and fellowships at the state and national level. The PRO said the university had put all arrangements in place for the smooth conduct of the examination. “I am happy that now more and more students are taking interest in various national level examinations including the UGC-NET,” said Prof Talat Ahmad, Vice Chancellor of the University of Kashmir, adding, “We are trying to create more facilities for such students to help them qualify these examinations.” “The test was conducted at 16 sub-centres across Srinagar in various colleges and higher secondary institutions, besides NIT-Srinagar,” the PRO stated. “More than 85% of the students, who had applied through the main centre no 31 of the University of Kashmir, appeared in the test,” the statement read.
	Natrang stages Anton Chekhov’s play Tribune News Service Jammu, December 29 Natrang in its Sunday Theatre Series staged Russian writer Anton Chekhov’s “Nincompoop” in Hindi as “Reed-Rahit” at its Studio Theatre here today. The play directed by Neeraj Kant was opened in the house of a landlord, who wanted to settle his accounts with Mohan, tutor of his children, whom he had not paid the salary for the past two months. In the play, the landlord tries to teach a lesson of self-respect and dignity of labour to Mohan. In this context, he created a drama in reality and he started debating on the amount to be paid to Mohan. He told him that he had to pay him Rs 1,100 only after ridiculously forged deductions, against the expected and promised amount of Rs 8, 000. Mohan without saying a word in support of his genuine payment acceped the money with gratitude. Aggravated by such kind of behaviour, the landlord burst into rage and told him that he should speak up for his rights and should not allow anyone to exploit him. He told him that if they remain silent, no one would come to their support. In the end, the landlord paid him Rs 8,000. The artistes who acted in the play included Rishiv Prabhakar, Sachin Saini, Sachin Bamba, Sakshi Parkash and Juhi Singh. Lights were operated by Neeraj Kant and music was scored by Sushil Raina. The sets were designed by Rahul Singh, while Ashwani Bali presented the show which was coordinated by Mohammad Yaseen.
	Hunger strike by jail warden aspirants continues Tribune News Service Jammu, December 29 The ongoing hunger strike of shortlisted candidates for jail warden in the state prison department entered 28th day here today. The candidates said despite cold weather, they would continue their struggle till logical conclusion. They added that the ongoing struggle was gaining momentum with every single day claiming that more candidates have reached the venue from different parts of the state. Reiterating their resolve to continue the agitation, the candidates warned the government not to test their patience and release the final selection list, failing which they would intensify their protest. The shortlisted candidates informed that about 43,000 youths had applied for the post advertised in the local dailies in 2005. They claimed that 1,246 candidates were shortlisted for the interview held in September 2010, but the final selection list has not been released yet. The candidates urged the Chief Minister to personally intervene into the matter to get the selection list released.
	JK Montessorie school celebrates annual day Tribune News Service Jammu, December 29 JK Montessorie Senior Secondary School celebrated its annual day “Sammiliay” at Gandhi Nagar auditorium in Government College for Women here. Minister for Horticulture, Housing and Culture Raman Bhalla was the chief guest, while Tushar Kanti Sharma, director, school education, was the guest of honour. ID Soni, State Commissioner of Scouts and Guides, was also present. “Sammiliay” began with the ceremonial lighting of the auspicious lamp by all dignitaries amid reciting of “shlokas”. The cultural bonanza, “Sammiliay”, was unravelled by school head girl Shivantika Gupta with her welcome address. Earlier, the function commenced with invocation of Goddess Saraswati. Ramandeep Kour of Class 11 presented the annual report.
	Militant movement on decline in Kupwara, says Army Our Correspondent Kupwara, December 29 General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 28 Infantry Division JS Sandhu today said the militant movement in Kupwara district had declined following increased vigil by troops along the Line of Control and other sensitive areas in the district. The GOC of the 28 Infantry Division was addressing mediapersons at Zangli in Kupwara. “Obviously, the presence and movement of militants in this border district has declined due to increased vigil by troops along the LoC and other sensitive areas in the district,” said Sandhu. He said following specific inputs from Intelligence agencies, a search operation was launched by the troops on Saturday near the LoC between the Keran and Karnah sectors of Kupwara. “A major weapon haul, 20 AK-47 rifles, 20 pistols, 38 magazines, 40 pistol magazines, 7.62 mm ammunition, .30 ammunition, and some food items were recovered from the hideout,” he said. The GOC of the 28 Infantry Division said inputs from the Intelligence agencies about infiltration attempts by militants were being received by the Army at regular intervals.
	Erratic power supply irks residents of Lolab villages Kupwara, December 29 Some villages in the Lolab valley of Kupwara district are reeling under a severe power crisis for the last one week. The most affected villages include Lalpora, Darpora, Muqam, Krusan and Devar. Residents of these villages rued that power was playing truant with them. They said they were paying power tariff each month. “What is the point in having a curtailment schedule in place when power is not supplied according to it?” asked Nazir Ahmad of Darpora. “We are made to pay power bills in time, but face erratic power. We will be forced to hold protests if the supply is not improved at the earliest,” he said. People said electricity lines loosely tied to poplar and other trees were posing a serious danger to human lives and livestock. “Proper electric poles have not been erected in the village. Live wires are lying suspended from poplar trees,” said Bashir Ahmad of Krusan. “This is risking lives. The department should either snap supply for all time or build proper infrastructure to ensure smooth supply,” he added. — OC
	State govt neglecting Kashmir, say traders Tribune News Service Srinagar, December 29 The Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA), an amalgam of various traders' bodies, has accused the government of neglecting Kashmir in the winter months when the Durbar shifts to Jammu. Flaying the government for being indifferent towards the needs of Kashmiris, KEA chief spokesman Siraj Ahmad in a statement said: "With the advent of winter, acute power crisis has hit the Valley. While Kashmir is grappling with severe winter and it reels under extreme electricity shortage, our politicians and babus shift to warmer plains.” “Their occasional visit to the hapless Valley is not for any concern for Kashmiris, but a visit to relish hareesa (a winter delicacy)." Quoting reports, he said it was now "common knowledge" that the Valley dwellers paid more and got less electricity.