J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R    E D I T I O N

From today, Gulmarg to come alive with winter games
Srinagar, February 15
For one week beginning Sunday, the ski resort of Gulmarg will play host to a series of winter sports events. Around 160 athletes and officials from various states will be taking part in three national-level tournaments: Senior Alpine Ski, Senior Snowboarding and Junior Snowboarding championships from February 16 to 21.

Schoolchildren enjoy skiing on the slopes of Gulmarg. Tribune photo: Amin War

Tufail matoo killing case
Father hails court order, pins hopes on Crime Branch
Srinagar, February 15
Slain teenager Tufail Mattoo’s father Mohammad Ashraf Matoo has welcomed the Jammu and Kashmir High Court's decision to reopen the investigation into the killing of his son and criticised the role of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that earlier probed the case.

REGIONAL BRIEFS

Relatives of missing persons in the Pathribal case protest in Srinagar on Saturday. Tribune photo: Amin War

YOUR TOWN

Jammu Srinagar

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Jammu region accounts for fewer poor than Kashmir
Jammu, February 15
The below poverty line (BPL) population of the Jammu region is less as compared to the Kashmir region, despite the fact that four out of the seven poorest districts of the state fall in the Jammu province.

Commuting on Pukharpora road gets tough
Pulwama, February 15
The vehicular movement on the Pakharpora-Kakapora road here has almost come to a halt with the government neglecting the 25-km stretch connecting about 15 villages. The road is full of potholes and it has become increasingly difficult for the people of the area to commute on the stretch.

Farooq tees off golf tourney
Jammu, February 15
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah inaugurated the 8th Greater Kashmir Invitational Golf Tournament at Sidhra Golf Course here today. About 92 golfers from the J&K Police, the BSF, the CRPF and the Army will participate in the event that is being held in Jammu for the first time. Devender Singh Rana, National Conference provincial president, and Commissioner Secretary, Tourism, Zaffer Ahmad Bhat were also present on the occasion.

Residents hail medical college for Doda
Doda, February 15
The civil society here today organised a public rally to express gratitude to Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad for announcing a medical college for the mountainous belt. Doda residents appreciated the efforts made by Azad and said their demand for a medical college was finally granted by the Union Minister.

From today, Gulmarg to come alive with winter games
Three national-level tourneys being organised from Feb 16 to 21
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 15
For one week beginning Sunday, the ski resort of Gulmarg will play host to a series of winter sports events. Around 160 athletes and officials from various states will be taking part in three national-level tournaments: Senior Alpine Ski, Senior Snowboarding and Junior Snowboarding championships from February 16 to 21.

“This is for the first time that the Junior Snowboarding Championship is being held in the country,” Winter Games Association of Jammu and Kashmir (WGAJK) president Farooq Shah said.

The events are being organised by the WGAJK under the aegis of the Winter Games Federation of India. Around 30 players from the state will be participating in the games.

Shah, who is also the District Development Commissioner, Srinagar, and former Director, Tourism Department, said following heavy snowfall this winter in Gulmarg, the slopes were in “excellent condition” to host national-level winter games.

He said the government was on the job to develop Gulmarg as an international skiing destination. “After the completion of the second phase of the cable car, Gulmarg will be brought on the international skiing map. The skiers can slide for 6 km from Apharwat, which is 13,400 feet above sea level, to Gulmarg,” he said.

Shah said the WGAJK was in touch with the Winter Games Federation of India and International Ski Federation to upgrade ski slopes at Kongdori where international skiing events could be conducted regularly. “Once we upgrade the facilities at the Mary Shoulder slope, there is every possibility of holding international events in the near future. The championships will certainly boost winter tourism in Kashmir,” he added.

On the safety measures taken for skiers, he said a ski patrol team was already in place to deal with exigencies, if any.

Bonanza for sport lovers

• Around 160 athletes and officials from various states will take part in three national-level tournaments: Senior Alpine Ski, Senior Snowboarding and Junior Snowboarding championships
• The events are being organised by the Winter Games Association of Jammu and Kashmir under the aegis of the Winter Games Federation of India
• Around 30 players from the state will be participating in the games.

Tufail matoo killing case
Father hails court order, pins hopes on Crime Branch
Ishfaq Tantry
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 15
Slain teenager Tufail Mattoo’s father Mohammad Ashraf Matoo has welcomed the Jammu and Kashmir High Court's decision to reopen the investigation into the killing of his son and criticised the role of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that earlier probed the case.

Ashraf said the SIT wasted four precious years before closing the case as untraced, but now hopes the state Crime Branch that has been entrusted to re-investigate the case "will do it fast". Not satisfied with the SIT investigation, Ashraf had approached the high court with a writ petition challenging the trial court order, which had accepted the final report of the police in the case and closed the case as untraced.

Tufail was killed on the spot on June 11, 2010, when a tear gas shell allegedly fired by the police hit him while he was returning from tuition class near Gani Memorial College in the Old City. His death triggered a cycle of violence in the Valley in which over 120 Kashmiri youth were killed.

"The Special Investigation Team wasted four long years and then closed the case as untraced,” Mohammad Ashraf told The Tribune. “Now that the investigation has been entrusted to the State Crime Branch, I hope they do it fast and don’t lose more time,” he said.

The high court yesterday ordered reopening of the case with directions to the Director General of Police to hand over the investigation to the Crime Branch.

What the court said

• The court said the matter was not investigated in the right direction
• It said the aggrieved parents had been deprived of their only son and the police cannot give up its statutory duty of identifying the culprit and ensuring them justice

Jammu region accounts for fewer poor than Kashmir
24.21 lakh living below poverty line, finds Economic Survey
Amir Karim Tantray
Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 15
The below poverty line (BPL) population of the Jammu region is less as compared to the Kashmir region, despite the fact that four out of the seven poorest districts of the state fall in the Jammu province.

According to the Economic Survey report of 2013-14, released by the J&K Government on Wednesday, the total number of people living below the poverty line in the state is 24.21 lakh, with a dispersion of 22 lakh persons living in rural areas and 2.21 lakh living in urban areas.

The report read that Kishtwar, Poonch, Reasi and Ramban districts of the Jammu region are among the poorest districts along with Kupwara and Bandipora of the Kashmir region and Kargil of the Ladakh region. Over 35 per cent of the population belongs to the BPL category in these districts.

The region-wise data states that 12.91 lakh BPL cardholders are living in the Kashmir region and 10.59 lakh persons in the Jammu region, which is spread over 26,293 square kilometre.

Out of 10 districts of the Jammu region, people in eight districts are living in far-flung areas lacking road connectivity.

“These figures don’t seem to be correct. How come a difference of over two lakh in the BPL population figures could arise between Kashmir and Jammu regions as poverty in the Jammu region is more as compared to Kashmir,” said Ashwani Sharma, MLA from Bishnah.

Poorest districts

According to the report Kishtwar, Poonch, Reasi and Ramban districts of the Jammu region are among the poorest districts along with Kupwara and Bandipora of the Kashmir region and Kargil of the Ladakh region. Over 35 per cent of the population belongs to the BPL category in these districts

These figures don’t seem to be correct. How come a difference of over two lakh in the BPL population figures could arise between Kashmir and Jammu regions as poverty in the Jammu region is more as compared to Kashmir. — Ashwani Sharma, MLA, Bishnah

Commuting on Pukharpora road gets tough
Our Correspondent

Pulwama, February 15
The vehicular movement on the Pakharpora-Kakapora road here has almost come to a halt with the government neglecting the 25-km stretch connecting about 15 villages. The road is full of potholes and it has become increasingly difficult for the people of the area to commute on the stretch.

“Vehicles on the road ply only in emergency and during dry season. It is even difficult to walk by the roadside,” said Ishfaq Ahmad, a Lonepora resident.

“Some years ago the road was macadamised from Lonepora to Goosu, but due to the use of substandard material potholes reappeared only after few weeks,” alleged Lateef, a Chewakalan resident.

He added that the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department took huge sum from contractors and allowed them to use substandard material. Following the pathetic road condition the frequency of buses between Pakharpora and Srinagar has also taken a hit.

Executive Engineer, Pulwama, Mohammad Ayoub, however, said he would immediately direct the concerned junior engineer to assess the condition of the road and start work on it within ten days.

Farooq tees off golf tourney
Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 15
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah inaugurated the 8th Greater Kashmir Invitational Golf Tournament at Sidhra Golf Course here today. About 92 golfers from the J&K Police, the BSF, the CRPF and the Army will participate in the event that is being held in Jammu for the first time. Devender Singh Rana, National Conference provincial president, and Commissioner Secretary, Tourism, Zaffer Ahmad Bhat were also present on the occasion. Farooq appreciated the efforts made by the Greater Kashmir in promoting golf in the state and said the organisation has been doing it from the last many years and has not restricted itself to just one region or place.

“Last time, they had organised the tournament in full golf circuit of Kashmir and promised to take it to other parts of the state, including Jammu and Leh. They fulfilled their promise and I am sure they will take this event to Leh when the golf course will be ready there,” Farooq said. As many as 36 golfers participated in first round of the tournament today.

On the second day, around 62 golfers will vie for to honours.

Residents hail medical college for Doda
Our Correspondent

Doda, February 15
The civil society here today organised a public rally to express gratitude to Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad for announcing a medical college for the mountainous belt. Doda residents appreciated the efforts made by Azad and said their demand for a medical college was finally granted by the Union Minister.

Nuzhat Iqbal Zarger, who led the rally, said: "The entire district had been asking for a medical college at Doda and finally Azad has taken up the issue."

The student community led by Mukesh Parihar Sarazi also expressed their gratitude to Azad and the government.

"More students can now be able to undergo the MBBS and the BDS courses, besides other medical programmes at their home district," Sarazi said.

He also hoped that the university campus at Doda would start functioning soon.