The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

IndiaVotes 2014
In Valley, Charar-e-Sharief throws up a surprise with 65% turnout
First-timers come out in large numbers to vote for K-issue resolution
Bismah Malik
Tribune News Service

Najeeba (centre) seen with other first-time voters outside a polling booth in Budgam district on Wednesday. A Tribune photo

Srinagar, April 30
They grew up listening to the story of one of the longest stand-offs between militants and security forces in the Valley, in which Sufi shrine of Hazrat Sheikh Noor-u-din Wali, also known as Charar-e-Sharief, was gutted.

Today, as youth of Charar-e-Sharief town in Budgam district stood in long queues outside the polling booth at the local Government Higher Secondary School, the Assembly segment today witnessed one of the highest turnouts (65 per cent) in the Srinagar constituency.

Among 2,500 eligible voters at this polling booth, around 300 were first-time voters.

The first-time voters say the Charar-e-Sharief incident still had a bearing on their mind and they were keen to see the Kashmir issue solved.

For them, participation in the polls could be a way to solve the lingering Kashmir issue. Sajjad Nazir, a B.A first year student, said he took the right step by casting his vote.

“I got my voter ID card this year and I had decided that I will vote. I also realise that Kashmir is a political problem but after all sorts of efforts, we have not been able to arrive at any solution. So, why not elect people to Parliament who will raise the issue,” said Sajjad.

Muzammil, a Class XII student, said representation of people by right leaders in Parliament alone could be the way to solve the Kashmir problem.

For those who cast their vote as first-timers, especially in the rural belt of the Srinagar parliamentary constituency, the issues of unemployment, roads, education still remain.

“We still have no college here and we have to travel 40 km to Srinagar for it. Due to no higher education facilities here, youth, especially girls, drop out of schools because they are scared to travel to cities. Voting is our only hope,” said Najeeba, a first-time voter at a polling station at Government High School, Ustadh Mohalla, Budgam.

There are 1 lakh first-time voters in the Srinagar constituency, out of the total 11,71,752 voters.

'Voting our only hope'

We still have no college here and we have to travel 40 km to Srinagar for it. Due to no higher education facilities here, youth, especially girls, drop out of schools because they are scared of travelling to cities. Voting is our only hope
—Najeeba, first-time voter from Budgam

news analysis
Why UT status for Ladakh is such a complex issue
Arun Joshi
Tribune News Service

AS the war cry for Union Territory status for Ladakh is gaining momentum in the Buddhist-dominated Leh district in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the divisions have sharpened between communities and political parties.

Those opposing the demand say that the exercise could lead to disintegration of the state and would require a constitutional amendment by the state legislature. The Centre cannot do anything unilaterally about the issue.

The demand is synonymous with the demand for empowerment of the cold desert, which has suffered discrimination at the hands of successive state governments despite having been given the autonomous hill councils -— Leh district got it in 1995, Kargil district in 2002. The backwardness of the desert is visible in the impoverished neighbourhoods. The Ladakh region also puts up with complete isolation for six months when roads connecting it to the rest of the country are closed by heavy snowfall

Even though the BJP and the Congress units of Leh have promised that they will get the UT status for Ladakh, the Congress leadership of the state, National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party — all Kashmir-centric parties — have rejected the idea outright. Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief Saifuddin Soz is a vocal critic of the idea. “The party has nothing to do with this demand,” he had recently told the media.

This issue dates back to 1989, when the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) had launched an agitation for UT status, and it was after more than three months of agitation that the Centre took cognisance of the stir. It deputed then Home Minister Buta Singh to sort out the matter with the state government, which was represented by then Education minister Mohammad Shafi Uri at the talks with the LBA.

The talks yielded an agreement that Leh and Kargil, the two districts of the Ladakh region, would get autonomous hill councils. But the Buddhist-dominated Leh was not given the council until 1995, and the Shia Muslim-dominated Kargil, guided by the state government, refused to have one till 2002, when the Peoples Democratic Party and the Congress replaced the National Conference government in Jammu and Kashmir.

At the time of outlining his agenda for the Leh constituency, BJP nominee Thupstan Chhewang said he would fight for the UT status for Ladakh. That demand was listed in the local manifesto of the party.

T. Samphel of the Congress endorsed it in his local manifesto, which his party has refused to acknowledge at the state level.

The NC and the PDP are already opposed to the demand, and so are the Shia Muslim leaders of Kargil as they fear that they would be marginalised in the Buddhist-dominated UT. Their fears have been further fuelled by the Kashmiri leadership.

The genesis of this demand lies in the fact that the Kashmiri domination is not acceptable to Buddhists in Leh.

Apart from the opposition of the Kashmir-centric parties and the Shia Muslim population of Kargil, there are constitutional hurdles in granting UT status to the region. First, it cannot be given to Leh only. There is Muslim population in Leh district, while the Zanskar area of Kargil is Buddhist-dominated. This can start, it is feared, an ethnic and religious conflict.

The Centre is empowered to declare any area UT. But that is an exception not a rule. For example, Chandigarh was declared a UT because of the dispute between two states, Punjab and Haryana, says leading constitutional expert in J&K Zafar Shah.

The state of J&K in the Constitution has been defined the way its territory existed in an undivided state in 1947. As of now, one-third of its part is under illegal occupation of Pakistan.

“The Centre cannot take any unilateral move in this direction because a constitutional amendment is needed. The Centre cannot amend the Constitution and give UT status to the Ladakh region as Jammu and Kashmir has its own constitution. The amendment has to be done by the state legislature,” said Zafar Shah.

Given the dominance of the Kashmir-centric parties in the legislature, this amendment is impossible. So, it is an uphill task to have UT status for Ladakh despite the Buddhist-dominant region asking for it.

Party-wise position

Against UT status for Ladakh: National Conference, state unit of the Congress, Peoples Democratic Party, CPM

In favour: BJP, Leh unit of the Congress

BJP nominee Thupstan Chhewang, at the time of outlining his agenda for the Leh constituency, said he would fight for the UT status for Ladakh. The demand was listed in the local manifesto of the party. T. Samphel of the Congress endorsed the demand in his local manifesto, which his party has refused to acknowledge at the state level.

Only 74 votes cast at booth where CM voted
Azhar Qadri
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 30
At 9:55 am, high-profile voters Union Minister Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah alighted from their vehicle outside the gate of Burn Hall School and walked towards the polling booth number 36 in the city here.

Farooq was the eleventh person to vote at the polling booth, which had 828 registered voters. Omar followed his father and became voter number 12. Omar’s sister, Safiya Khan, and her husband voted next.

The polling booth, where members of the high-profile Abdullah family came to cast their vote, had a slow start as only 20 people, including three women, cast their vote in the first three hours.

The impact of the separatist shutdown and poll boycott in several parts of Srinagar, where shops remained closed and streets deserted, was visible on this polling location which had two more polling booths.

In the first three hours, one of the three polling booths (No 35) at Burn Hall School had no voter. When the polling ended at 5 pm, only 74 votes, including those of Farooq and Omar, were cast at booth number 36.

There were strict security arrangements around the polling location, situated close to the Gupkar Road which houses the residences of the Abdullahs. Senior security forces officers overlooked arrangements for the high-profile voters.

The union minister, who is the president of the ruling National Conference (NC), is contesting from the Srinagar constituency for a reelection to the Lok Sabha.

Farooq, when asked about Narendra Modi becoming the Prime Minister, said: “If India becomes communal, that is a tragedy for the state”. He accused the lead opposition Peoples Democratic Party and the BJP of being “on the same track”.

The National Conference president, who in recent days remained in the limelight for issuing controversial statements, said whatever he had said was a “voice from his heart”. “I did not say anything to gain votes. I have placed truth before the people and now, they have to decide,” he said.

Kashmiri Pandits vote for strong govt
Sumit Hakhoo
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 30
Boycotting Lok Sabha and Assembly election may be a custom in Kashmir valley, but for Shilpa Dhar, a first-time voter, this election is time to convey her confidence in democracy.

Originally from the Safakadal area of downtown Srinagar, Shilpa was born in Jammu and had never seen her homeland after 3.50 lakh minority Pandits were uprooted due to eruption of separatist insurgency in 1990, but she is still optimistic that the new government at the Centre will start their rehabilitation process.

“I have faith in democracy despite living with a stigma of migrant in my own country. People want to resettle in Kashmir and only a strong government can take initiative, which is possible only through elections,” said Dhar, who had come here from Chandigarh to cast vote at Government High School, Muthi camp, one of the special polling booth established for the community in Jammu, who could not cast their vote in Srinagar.

For Sheela Devi (75), who is suffering from advanced stage of arthritis, casting vote was for change. “It will be my contribution for bringing a change. We lost our homes and way of life, but we have no option but to support democratic ways to find solution to our problems,” she said.

Though thousands of displaced Hindus have been deprived of their democratic rights mainly because of complex registration process, long lines could be seen at special polling booths set up in Jammu and Udhampur for the displaced community, who left Kashmir due to threat from terrorists.

At Jagti, Nagrota and Purkhoo, many Pandit voters had to return from the polling station because their names have not been included in the polling list, but long lines were seen at different places.

“My children say our votes don’t count as our numbers are less, but I feel that every vote count in the elections, be it Lok Sabha or Assembly election. Many of our neighbours have been deprived of voting,” said Hriday Nath Bhat (77) from Srinagar city, who at present lives in the Jagti camp township.

Since past two decades, overall number of electoral members of the community has dropped considerably from voter list of the state. During 1996 parliamentary elections, there were 1.47 lakh voters, which dipped to 1.17 lakh in 2002. However, in 2009 Assembly polls their number went further down to 71,000.

Netizens keep eye on polls through social websites

Srinagar, April 30
Though poll boycott call confined people indoors, netizens kept an eye on polls through social networking websites. The cyber space, including Twitter and Facebook, was filled with updates and webcasts, with netizens sharing information on polls.

The youth, who did not go out to vote and were confined to their homes, kept an eye on elections through the social media. Since morning, the youth were updating the poll percentage and poll related developments on social websites.

“I kept on updating authentic poll related developments on Facebook as many of my friends were keen to know about the election pattern,” said a city college youth, who did not cast his vote. “Though I had no interest in polling, I updated election news just to inform my friends,” he added.

“#?Kashmir elections Srinagar lone loser with 5% votes, while Budgam, Ganderbal 38%, more than Mumbai,” wrote Dr Arif Maqrabi Khan on Facebook. — TNS

Polling stations wear deserted look on D-day
Only 11.46 per cent cast votes in Srinagar city
M Aamir Khan
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 30
Though photographers were able to catch voters in long queues in the rural areas of Budgam and Ganderbal districts, many polling stations of Srinagar city on the other hand wore a deserted look just like its streets hit by the shutdown call of the separatists.

The polling started at 7am today, but the polling booth of Sarai Payeen, which is just a stone's throw away from the Civil Secretariat, had received only 18 voters out of 328 till 12.45pm.

Both the polling officers inside the station and a few security guards outside looked weary, obviously not because of long queues, but due to less number of voters. The booth just like many others of Srinagar district was an antithesis of the ones in rural belts that wore a festive look.

However, the Deputy Commissioner's (DC) office that is not far away from the Sarai Payeen booth was bustling with activity during the polling hours.

In his chamber, Srinagar DC Farooq Ahmad Shah, who is also the Returning Officer of the constituency, was busy getting regular updates on the polling figures, besides listening to complaints from the polling staff over the phone.

While talking to The Tribune, Shah looked content that the polling had gone smoothly till afternoon. He said conducting the polls smoothly and peacefully was the biggest challenge as the Lok Sabha elections had started in the Valley on a sour note on April 24 with low turnout (28%) coupled with the gunning down of a poll official in Anantnag.

Other officials present at the DC office too looked happy over the smooth conduct of the polls, especially with reports of good polling figures pouring in from rural areas.

However, the killing of a youth during protests in old city in late afternoon yet again ended the polling day on a bad note.

Though just half a km away from each other, the DC office and the Sarai Payeen polling station presented contrasting pictures. Meanwhile, as the government machinery "celebrated" voting, separatists on the other hand congratulated the people for "boycotting" the polls through their press statements.

In another striking contrast, the common man in the city looked disinterested with the electoral process. Close to a lane outside the DC's office, an elderly person, who was enjoying watching a game of gully cricket, said he did not vote and had come out as he was bored sitting inside. He further summed up the mood of the general public in the city.

"After the infamous rigged elections of 1987, people of Srinagar by and large have remained disinterested in polls. But for the leaders it has become a win-win situation. For example 28 per cent turnout in Anantnag was seen as an improvement of 1 per cent from the previous elections by one section (government) while the other section (separatists) read it as 72 per cent boycott," he said.

Police crackdown on anti-poll FB operators
Rifat Mohidin

Srinagar, April 30
As the city voted today, the J&K Police launched a crackdown against social networking users who were spreading rumours regarding elections. Cases have also been registered against people running these pages.

Police officials said some anti-social elements were posting incorrect information on social networking site - Facebook. “Some people have been posting incorrect and fake information on social networking sites particularly Facebook,” said a police official.

The police official said some pages were identified and cases have been registered against their administrators for spreading baseless information. “The police have found pages such as Kashmir News Agency, Loving Kashmir, Youths of Downtown Kashmir and 10 other pages against which cases have been registered,” the officials said, adding that the persons running these pages are being identified.

“Action has been initiated against the page administrators who have been found copying and pasting wrong information on these pages,” they said.

The officials, however, did not give details of the information these pages were spreading. The cases were registered when the polling was underway in the Srinagar constituency today.

Elections mean little to Pandit families
Rifat Mohidin

Bhushan Lal Shah sitting in his house at Habba Kadal locality at Srinagar on Wednesday. Picture by the writer

Srinagar, April 30
In 1990s when a majority of them left home due to violence, these families stayed back with a hope that everything will become alright.

Twenty-three years have passed since then, but nothing turned right for them. Instead, it turned from bad to worst. For Bhushan Lal Shah, 50, a Kashmiri Pandit who lives in the narrow lane of Habba Kadal, a congested volatile locality in the city, elections carry a little hope for his family.

"When everyone left their homes, we didn't. We had faith everything will be fine," said Shah while sitting in his dimly lit room in which the walls are occupied with photographs of Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

Shah's house was gutted in violence leaving him homeless. "No MLA or any minister has ever visited us. The state has done nothing for us. We have hopes from the Central government, but not the state. I voted today not for the state, but for the Centre," he said after casting his vote for the parliamentary elections today.

In 1990s when armed rebellion was at its peak in Kashmir, most of these Kashmiri Pandit families migrated from the Valley to Jammu and Delhi, but some of these families stayed back in the Valley despite all hardships with a hope that the state government will help them re-settle their lives in their motherland, but most of these families regret the decision. They all feel dejected by successive governments.

"I have three children and they all are jobless. We are living in a rented room of a temple in this locality. My house was gutted in 1990 and I was left without a roof. I am still homeless," said disappointed Shah, whose wife was angry at him for talking to the media. She gave him agitated and hard looks. "She feels exploited by all. She doesn't trust anyone for all have lets us down," Shah shares.

Other Pandit families, who live in the Civil Line areas of Srinagar, feel they don't have any representation in the government and their casting vote or not does not make any difference to the system.

"For us, the elections are a futile exercise. We have our reasons not to cast vote. We have no representation or participation here in the system," says 35-year-old ML Bhat, president of the Hindu Welfare Society in Kashmir, who represents the families who stayed back in the Valley. "If we live here in minority, it was an obligation of the government to help us. They have disappointed us time and again. Now, they cannot expect us to vote. A majority of us boycott elections. Why should we vote?" he says.

Another member of a Pandit family who stays in the old city Srinagar, while showing the file in which he has pasted all newspaper cuttings from 1990 showing politicians announcing different rehabilitation schemes for them, said, "Though the government had promised many things, when it came time to fulfilling they failed. If our situation doesn't change we too will be forced to leave the city," he said in an angry tone.

Farooq, Karra confident of winning Srinagar parliamentary constituency
M Aamir Khan
Tribune News Service

Upbeat: NC candidate Farooq Abdullah shows his voter identity card before casting his vote in Srinagar on Wednesday. Tribune Photo: Amin War

Srinagar, April 30
Showing his ink-marked finger after casting his vote, National Conference (NC) candidate for the Srinagar parliamentary constituency Farooq Abdullah declared victory in his characteristic style.

“I don’t think the PDP (opposition Peoples Democratic Party) will win even if they jump from the sky,” said Farooq, who has been drawing flak from the opposition for his blunt comments during recent campaigns.

Farooq was accompanied by his daughter, Safiya Khan, and son, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, at a polling booth in Sonwar where they had come to cast vote.

“We are confident of victory….We have joined with secular forces and will fight a war against communal forces,” said Farooq, who is also the sitting MP from Srinagar.

Just like the NC, the PDP is also confident of its win. “I am hopeful of victory. Even though the NC tried to scare voters here just like they did in Anantnag, they failed in their attempts today,” said PDP candidate Tariq Hameed Karra.

Sounding confident of victory, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said a ‘new chapter would be added to the history of the state on May 16 when results of these elections are announced’.

While the main fight is between the NC and PDP candidates, the BJP is also confident of putting up a good show.

Pointing out that the party was building a base in Kashmir, where it has so far failed to win any seat, BJP candidate Fayaz Ahmad Bhat said people had voted for the party at almost every polling station in the constituency.

“We are glad that we received good response as people voted for us at every polling station, barring two stations at Zadibal, that were hijacked by the NC,” Bhat said.

On the BJP’s chances, he said: “Thousand votes received by us are equivalent to 1 lakh.”

A total of 12 candidates are in the fray for the Srinagar constituency that comprises Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal districts.

Key Players: Stakes and Strategy
Mufti a 24X7 campaigner
Arun Joshi
Tribune News Service

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, a tireless campaigner for his party Peoples Democratic Party, is on the poll trail this time with a greater zeal. It is not only during election time that he appears in rallies and public meetings. It is his 24X7 obsession that he is displaying with greater enthusiasm in the campaign of the Lok Sabha elections.

Having seen national politics from very close quarters (he was once a confidante of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and also the first Muslim Home Minister in the V P Singh Government in 1989-1990), Mufti has foreseen the importance of these elections. These polls are on the course of delivering surprising results. New permutations and combinations are also in the offing after the polls.

Mufti Sayeed has read the future, so it seems.

Against this backdrop, he wants to deliver a message to the nation that his party though less than 15 years old is as strong politically as the over 75-year-old National Conference, irrespective of who wins or loses in the polls. The National Conference, being in the government, has advantage over his party, but his relentless campaign and criticism of the NC regime are indicative of where he is going.

The Assembly elections are going to be held sometime in November-December this year. He is aiming to make the PDP to emerge as the single largest party in the Assembly polls. He is wary of the repeat of the 1987 polls, which Jammu and Kashmir’s history has recorded as the polls that unleashed uncertainty and darkness in the lives of the people. Those elections were the starting point for militancy in the state, which has left more than 50,000 people dead and many more maimed and homeless.

Mufti Sayeed knows that it is not an easy task to overcome the odds stacked against him. Apart from his worry about the repeat of 1987, there is a lot of anti-incumbency against his own party MLAs. The PDP MLAs have been questioned about their performance in the last five and a half years. The party has attributed it to the discrimination against the PDP-represented constituencies by the Omar Abdullah government, a charge that the Chief Minister denies.

The PDP leader’s stratagem is to show the Omar government in poor light. His favourite phrase is that “Omar Abdullah’s six years have been a waste for the state”. His poll rallies highlight incidents and issues such as the Shopian rape and murder episode of 2009, the Valley-wide unrest in 2010 which left 120 people dead, the failure of the NC-Congress coalition in diluting the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and mass arrests of youth.

He does not go into history beyond a particular period. His cut-off date and time remains when he was the chief minister of the state (November 2, 2002, to November 1, 2005), when he got all the security barricades lifted and the no-entry zones were thrown open to people and when he played a crucial role in getting separatists and the Centre to talk in 2004. This is his way of negating the historical advantage that the National Conference has. The NC is an inseparable part of the Kashmir’s history since the 1930s. Generations in Kashmir are indebted to the NC and its founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah for having granted them “land” under the revolutionary “land to the tiller” measure. The Sheikh had abolished the feudalistic system in Kashmir with one stroke of the pen. It is this hardcore National Conference cadre that comes to vote, ignoring the boycott calls.

But Mufti is fighting to show that he and his party are factors to reckon with in Kashmir politics. And, they will determine the road to the political solution of the Kashmir crisis — that’s why despite the fact that he did not have any single MP in the 15th Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi would ensure that he was present in all major functions of the projects initiated and completed by the Centre in J&K.

At the moment, his campaign theme on “misgovernance” of the Omar government is just a rehash of his old speeches, which drew attention to topical issues from time to time, be it the 2010 unrest in the Valley or the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. Mufti has identified his priorities to demonstrate to New Delhi and the rest of the world that there is a strong political party PDP which can take on the more than NC.

Angry over 2010 killings, they stayed away from polls
Ishfaq Tantry
Tribune News Service

A file photo of the parents of slain youths Zahid Farooq, Wamiq Farooq and Tufail Matoo at a function in Srinagar.

Srinagar, April 30
It is the first major elections in Kashmir since 2010 summer unrest. It was during the initial phase of this agitation that three teenagers, Wamiq Farooq, Zahid Farooq and Tufail Matoo, all hailing from Srinagar city, lost their lives to bullets. It were these deaths, which proved to be precursors and triggered more violent incidents in the later months, in which nearly 117 youths lost their lives.

While in Srinagar district, most of the people stayed away from polling today, the three families, who lost their sons during the 2010 agitation, remained confined to their houses. These three families, who have taken their battles to courts, stayed away from the polls saying justice has eluded as perpetrators are yet to be brought to book.

“How can I vote when I have not got any justice with killers of my son still roaming free,” said Farooq Ahmad, father of slain boy Wamiq Farooq, from Rainawari in Srinagar.

Wamiq, a Class VII student, was killed by a teargas shell allegedly fired by the police on January 31, 2010, near the Gani Memorial Stadium in old Srinagar city.

“Had the government at that time woken up and took action against the erring cops, who killed my son, many more lives would have been saved. But the government shielded the guilty,” said Farooq Shiekh from Brein Nishat.

Farooq’s teenaged son Zahid was killed in a firing by BSF men on February 5, 2010, in the Nishat area of Srinagar.

“It was the state government which initially took up my son’s case, but they (politicians) did not help us in getting justice. They seek our votes just to safeguard their own chairs,” Farooq said.

“I am also liable to vote. But it is the democracy which has given me the wound. As long as my suffering continues, why should I vote? I have not got any justice,” said Mohammad Ashraf Matoo, who lost his only son Tufail Matoo in the 2010 unrest.

On June 11, 2010, Tufail was returning home from his tuitions when the police fired a teargas shell near Gani Memorial College in the old city, which allegedly hit him. He was killed on the spot.

Life hit in Valley as separatists call for shutdown
Ishfaq Tantry
Tribune news Service

Srinagar, April 30
Life in Kashmir came to a grinding halt today as separatists had called for a complete shutdown on the poll day in the Srinagar parliamentary constituency spread over three districts of Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam.

Though some stray incidents of stone-throwing were reported from some areas in Ganderbal and downtown Srinagar, which went to the polls today, the shutdown by and large remained peaceful in other major towns across the Valley with no report of any untoward incident.

Apart from the poll-bound areas in the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, shops, business establishments, banks and offices in other districts of the Valley remained closed for the day in response to the shutdown call by the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference headed by Syed Ali Geelani, with public transport in most of the towns remaining off the roads.

Amid shutdown and poll boycott, there were reports of stray incidents of stone-throwing in the Hawal, Nowhatta and Bohri Kadal areas of downtown Srinagar. Besides, there were also reports of stone-throwing from some areas in Ganderbal district, which also went to the polls today.

In fact, one grenade was recovered by the security forces at Booth No-104 located at a school in the Lar area of Ganderbal. The officials said the grenade, which did not explode, was hurled during a mild stone-throwing incident near the booth.

The effect of the general strike in north Kashmir districts of Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora was complete with the townships and even tehsil headquarters observing shutdown. However, there were no reports of any major incident.

Shops and other business establishments in Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama districts remained closed in the wake of the shutdown call. Public transport was also off the roads. The situation in these towns by and large remained peaceful.

(With inputs from Farooz Ahmad Bhat, Suhail A Shah and Javed A Malla)

JU to host 3 national-level sports events this year
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 30
The University of Jammu (JU) will host as many as three national-level inter-varsity competitions later this year in badminton and handball.

The coveted events have been granted to JU by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) after track record of last five years. This was disclosed by the JU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Mohan Paul Singh Ishar, while briefing the media here today.

While thanking the Association of Indian Universities for considering the University of Jammu for organising of these events, Prof Mohan Paul Singh Ishar said the university would leave no stone unturned for the successful organisation of the event. Earlier Prof Ishar said the event would give impetus to the sports education in the university.

Vice Chancellor said the new infrastructure was also coming up for various sports facilities, which in the years to come would give new dimensions to sports in the University of Jammu.

Dwelling on the broad details of the events, Prof Dhian Singh Bhau, Director, Sports and Physical Education, said JU had applied for conducting the North Zone Inter-University Badminton (Men & Women) Championship and North Zone Inter-University Handball (Men & Women) Championship.

However, keeping in view the outstanding record of the university, the AIU in addition to the inter-university handball and badminton championships also allotted the Zonal Inter-University Handball (Men & Women) Championship in one session.

Prof Dhian Singh Bhau also gave the details about the facilities that would be provided to the sportspersons during their stay in Jammu. Prof Bhau also requested colleges of the region to start the selection process of players and provide them the best couching so that the players from JU excelled in all the events.

Jai Kumar Sharma, Special Secretary to VC, Vinay Thusso, Public Relations Officer, and Padam Dev Singh, hockey coach, were also present.

The championships

North Zone Inter-University Badminton (Men & Women) Championship

North Zone Inter-University Handball (Men & Women) Championship

Zonal Inter-University Handball (Men & Women) Championship

Students’ protest continues over hostel fee hike in Jammu varsity
Tribune News Service

Activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and students of Jammu University protest on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Inderjeet Singh

Jammu, April 30
Students and Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists of the University of Jammu (JU) today continued to boycott their classes in protest against the steep hike in hostel fees by 85 per cent.

The agitating students claimed that the JU Vice Chancellor had admitted that an increase of only 10-15 per cent could be made in fees per year according to JU statutes.

The protesting students, led by the ABVP president, after boycotting their classes marched towards Bikram Chowk in the shape of a rally, where students sat on a dharna for 15 minutes and blocked the national highway.

While addressing students, Sanjay Singh said the agitation has entered the 50th day, but the JU authorities were not serious about resolving the matter.

He warned the Vice Chancellor to accept the demand of the students and immediately order a rollback of fees hike, otherwise the students would be forced to adopt other tactics.

Agricultural university achieves success in producing ‘elite’ lambs
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 30
The faculty of the Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry Department, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST)-Jammu, RS Pura campus, has been successful in producing "elite" lambs through the embryo transfer technology (ETT) in a joint project with the Sheep Husbandry Department, Jammu, funded by the Union Government.

The project was started to standardise the technique, harness skills and create a skill pool so that this technology can be successfully applied for multiplying superior quality Droper and Rambouillet sheep available at Sheep Breeding Farm, Panthal.

As per the handout issued by the university, it was a collective effort of Dr AK Pandey and his team of veterinarians from SKUAST-Jammu and the Sheep Husbandry Department for more than two years to achieve this success.

"Two lambs were born on February 14, 2014. Subsequently, two more lambs were born on March 20, 2014. By getting multiple ovulation of a quality sheep this technology now be further utilised to produce a large number of lambs from one sheep within a short period of time," the varsity handout added.

Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-Jammu, Prof Pradeep K Sharma, while appreciating the work of the faculty, impressed upon the scientific community to focus on the research work for the betterment of the farming community.

Rich Harvest School bag 21 medals in tae kwon do meet
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 30
Students of Rich Harvest School, Bari Brahmana, bagged medals in the recently concluded District Jammu Tae Kwon Do Championship held at MA Stadium.

Rich Harvest School, Bari Brahmana, clinched 21 medals to emerge second in the District Jammu Tae Kwon Do Championship.

The management of the school has congratulated the medal winners and hoped that they would continue to bring more such laurels for the school in future.

The medal winners are Gurmeet, Chahat, Rudraksh, Riya Mahajan, Sharanraj Aryan, Sunandi, Asmit, Kushi Charak, Parthivi Ajashi, Pratham, Harivansh, Akash, Devansh, Jyoti Rai, Shikhar, Sanjeevani, Upasana, Vansh, Rahil Dogra, Navika and Daksh.

Workshop on tobacco control
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 30
A day-long workshop on "Tobacco control" was organised by the International Union against TB and Lung Disease and J&K Voluntary Health Association in collaboration with the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) at Townhall.

Municipal Corporation Commissioner Kiran Wattal was the chief guest, while Joint Commissioner (Administration), Municipal Corporation, Kapil Sharma presided over the function.

While speaking on the occasion, coordinator, International Union against TB and Lung Disease, Dr NC Prabhakar disclosed that India is at number three in the production of tobacco products in the world.

He revealed that Jammu and Kashmir has high incidence of smoking and is becoming the lung cancer capital of India due to increased smoking prevalence across all the sections of the society.

It was informed that in J&K, more than 2.3 million of people use tobacco, out of which 21.9 per cent use tobacco in the smoking form. Dr Prabhakar expressed fear that about eight lakh of them may die untimely due to serious tobacco-related diseases.

He explained various steps taken by the government to control tobacco use to the participants and urged them to work for the tobacco control programme.

During the workshop, the District Health Officer explained the ill effects of tobacco consumption through a power-point presentation, while Deepika Thusu explained various sections of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA). The workshop concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr Prabhakar.

Computer lab opened at Kachi Chawni government school
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 30
The Director, School Education (DSE), Tushar Kanti Sharma, inaugurated a computer laboratory at Government Girls High School, Kachi Chawni, here.

Additional Commissioner Rehana Batul, Principal, Sri Ranbir Singh Multi Lingual (SRML) Higher Secondary School, GS Manhas, in charge of the school, Sunita Gupta, Sukhdev Singh Jamwal, advocate DC Raina and students were present.

Tushar Kanti Sharma, who was the chief guest, exhorted students to drive maximum benefit from the computers. He added that computer literacy had become vital for making a mark in every field of life.

He appreciated the gesture of Sukhdev Singh Jamwal of donating six computers to the institution. The DSE urged the parents to send their wards to government schools as these institutions have well-qualified and experienced staff.

He also appealed to the teachers to work with dedication and utmost zeal and impart quality education to the students so that they can effectively face future challenges.

Additional Commissioner Rehana Batul said computer is the lifeline of future and the need of the hour is to generate computer knowledge among students in order to enable them to compete at any level.

Additional Commissioner Rehana Batul said it should be a collective endeavour to help and encourage students studying in government schools for their better future.

Sukhdev Singh Jamwal announced five more computers for the institution.

Wave Mall inaugurated
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 30
Wave launched a multi-brand shopping destination and multiplex in Jammu.

The inauguration of the mall commenced with the ribbon-cutting ceremony by Rajinder Singh, chairperson, Manpreet Singh Chadha, vice chairman, Wave Group, and Surjit Singh, director, GS Malls.

RK Panpalia, MD, Wave Group, and Rajiv Gupta, chief executive officer, Wave Infratech were also present.

The four-level Wave Mall, located in the heart of Jammu, sprawls over an operational retail area of 200,000 sq ft. In addition, its premises will include a multiplex, Wave Cinemas with three screens that accommodates 1,043 seats.

Year on, quake-hit Doda yet to receive compensation
Amir Karim Tantray
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 30
A year after districts Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar were hit by an earthquake of 5.8 magnitude, miseries of local residents have increased manifolds.

The local residents are yet to get any compensation for the loss occurred in the earthquake. They have only received relief under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF).

Under the SDRF, the state government provided Rs 6,300 to those residents whose houses got completely damaged, Rs 3,200 for severely damaged houses and Rs 1,800 for partially damaged houses.

As per the official data, more than 80,000 houses were damaged in three districts, Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar, and out of which more than 1,000 houses were completely damaged, over 10,000 houses were severely damaged and other were partially damaged.

“We have distributed the relief provided by the government to the victims. This relief was distributed as per the norms of the SDRF and this could be seen as compensation,” said Mubarak Singh, deputy commissioner Doda.

Singh said, “I feel relief was less but we cannot do anything as it was provided under the SDRF rules.”

On May 1, 2013, 5.8-magnitude earthquake hit Chenab basin followed by more than 100 aftershocks, which left the local residents with no option but to sleep under the open sky for over three months. At few places, tents provided by the Red Cross Society are still in place and the local residents don’t want to remove them.

After earthquake, people of these three districts demanded compensation from Central Government on the pattern of Ladakh flash floods but they were ignored both by the Central and the state governments. Even when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi visited Kishtwar to lay foundation stone of the Ratle power project on June 26, they didn’t announce any compensation for the victims.

One year after the earthquake, people have lost hope that they would ever get any compensation for the loss occurred during the earthquake.

“My mud house was completely damaged in the earthquake and I had to shift to a rented accommodation. The relief received from the government could not mitigate my problems as I had to construct a new house,” said Shamsdin Ahmad, a resident of Doda, a labourer.

Ahmad said few days back, house where he was living collapsed due to the torrential rain and his family had a narrow escape in the incident. “Now, I am homeless and don’t know what to do,” he said.

Relief awaited

The local residents are yet to get any compensation for the loss occurred in the earthquake.

They have only received relief under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF).

Under the SDRF, the state government provided Rs 6,300 to those residents whose houses got completely damaged, Rs 3,200 for severely damaged houses and Rs 1,800 for partially damaged houses.

Overloading goes unchecked in Samba
Vishal Jasrotia

Samba, April 30
Overloading in public transport has increased and is going on unchecked in the district, posing a threat to the lives of commuters, especially students. This has led to increase in the number of road accidents.

The authorities concerned have failed to curb the menace of overloading. It is impossible to find a seat in local minibuses and Sumos, which are often overloaded and resort to frequent halts.

With a desire to make extra money, local bus and mini-bus operators violate the traffic norms and accommodate more passengers than the actual capacity.

“Last month, an overcrowded mini-bus overturned near Kalibadi village of Samba, in which 20 people were injured. Many people have been killed in road mishaps, but the violation continues despite that,” said Geeta Devi, a resident of Pangdour, Samba.

“The directions of the authorities concerned have least impact on vehicle operators and strict action is required against them,” she added. “Drivers defy traffic rules and put the safety of passengers at stake. Even the traffic department seems to have turned a blind eye towards the violations,” said Joginder Singh, another local of Samba. He alleged that there was a nexus between these operators and the department. Passenger vehicles can be seen overtaking each other in order to get more passengers from various bus stops, he added.

Many a time, mini-buses are seen overloaded, especially on the Samba to Sumb route, Samba to Bainglar, Samba to Mansar route and other routes of the national highway. During morning hours, students can be seen huddled in these mini-buses and some of then are even seen standing on the stairs along the doors.

Besides, autorickshaws plying on village routes are also overloaded times. Not only overloading, but rash driving has also caused inconvenience to people. “Vehicles travelling to the DC office and school buses are often overloaded. There is nobody to keep a check on them. Traffic cops are hardly present. Why the department does not take stringent action against the defiance,” said Rahul Kumar, a local Panch of Samba.

“With a view to curb the traffic violations, we conduct extensive checking drive once a week. A number of vehicle drivers have been booked under the Motor Vehicles Act. Fine amounting to Rs 19.8 lakh have been realised from the drivers found violating traffic norms,” said Pawan Sharma, Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO), Samba. “We are also seeking cooperation of the people and the transport unions to streamline the traffic in the city,” he added.

Samba farmers demand fencing along Zero Line
Vishal Jasrotia
Tribune News Service

Samba, April 30
Farmers of Samba are facing a lot of problems due to the fencing in their fields. They have demanded that border fencing be shifted along Zero Line and permission for visiting Zero Line be made easy.

Farmers have various other local issues such as shifting of fence from the present location, de-mining of mined areas and crop compensation to the farmers whose land falls beyond the border fence. “The land ahead of the border fencing has turned barren. The farmers should be allowed to cultivate it or given compensation for the same,” said Shamsher Singh, resident of Chachwal village.

“Amid fear of unprovoked firing from Pakistan, hundreds of farmers from the Chachwal village work near the fence (about 1km from the Indo-Pak Zero Line) withy fear. Fence should be shifted along Zero Line so that the land is free for cultivation,” said Pawan Singh, another farmer.

“We have given several representations to the local administration in this regard but are yet to hear from them,” he said. Bhag Singh, Rattan Singh and other farmers resent that local politicians had been promising to get the issue resolved by getting the fencing shifted close to the border and compensation of land would be given but nothing has been done in this regard.

“It may not be an issue of national security but is an issue which badly affects our life. I wish authorities realise it,” said Ravi Singh.

According to sources, the proposal of land beyond fencing is lying with the Union Government. In few days, the BSF with the help of JCB would plough the barren land so that it can be used for cultivation purposes if conditions remain favorable.

Army comes to rescue of accident victims
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 30
The Army has saved the lives of six persons in frontier district of Kupwara. A defence spokesman said four persons were evacuated by the Army on April 27 when a Scorpio they were travelling in rolled down into 40-foot-deep Chorwan Nala.

"When the Army personnel came to know about the accident, they immediately rushed a team to the spot. The passengers were taken out of the vehicle and after giving them necessary first-aid they were evacuated to the civil hospital in Dawar," he said. The spokesman said two women, who required emergency medical treatment, were shifted to the district hospital in an Army vehicle on April 29.

"Both the patients were provided first-aid in Z Gali and then further evacuated to the Kupwara district hospital in a military vehicle," he said.

Two killed in mishap

Baramulla, April 30
Two people were killed and another got injured when the vehicle they were travelling in rolled down into a deep gorge near Dardkoot, Uri, in north Kashmir's Baramulla district today.

The incident took place when the driver of Tata Sumo lost control over the vehicle and jumped out of it. Abdul Majeed of Dardkoot was killed on the spot, while Bashir Ahmad Chachi of Dardkoot succumbed to his injuries on the way to a Srinagar hospital. Nazir Ahmad Khan of Dardkoot is being treated at SMHS hospital, Srinagar. Locals said the driver managed to flee from the site after the accident.

In another incident, a 10-year-old boy, Nadeem Ahmad Sheikh, son of Farooq Ahmad of Nabla, Uri, died after he slipped from a wooden bridge and drowned into a local stream. — OC