Katra, July 4
Announcing to follow the path of his predecessor Atal Bihari Vajpayee to deal with sensitive Kashmir issue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said his government’s priority was to win the heart of every citizen of Jammu and Kashmir through their “welfare and development”.

He also declared the journey started by the Vajpayee government (from 1998 to 2004) would be continued in this restive state and said he was confident of fulfilling the “dreams and wishes” of the people with a “decent pace”.

“I would like to give a message to the people of this state that we want to continue ‘Vikas Yatra’ (development journey) started by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Political win or loss is not our intention, but the aim of our government is to win the hearts of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and this is my priority. We want to achieve it through the welfare of the people and development,” the Prime Minister said.

Modi said this while addressing a “select” gathering at the Katra railway station, on the foothills of the Trikuta Hills, nestling the holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi, after flagging off the much-awaited train service linking Katra with rest of the country.

The 25-km long Udhampur-Katra line, a part of the prestigious Kashmir rail project that would connect the Valley with the rest of the country, was commissioned after prolonged delays. It has been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1,132.75 crore.

The Prime Minister said J&K had passed through a “difficult time” and it was their “wish and responsibility” — doesn’t matter whether or not in government — to improve the quality of life of the people, fulfil their aspirations, provide employment to youth and reach the common man living in the last shore of the country.

Modi, who refrained from touching upon any political issue facing the state, restricted his speech around development issues and his beginning of ‘Vikas Yatra’ for the country with the blessings of Mata Vaishno Devi today.

“Through this rail link, J&K gets speed, while it will get energy through the Uri-II hydroelectric project being inaugurated today,” he said.

During his poll campaign, Modi had started his “Bharat Vijay” campaign after paying obeisance at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on March 26.

The Prime Minister said, “J&K’s development will continue unobstructed. With the new railway station at Katra, it will be a more qualitative development. This railway line is not just a gift to this state but to 125 crore Indians who wish to come to the shrine and I feel proud to be dedicating this service to them,” he said.

He said Katra would soon be the centre stage in the development of J&K, and would contribute as an engine of growth for the state. “We will take forward the mission of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and make strenuous efforts to extend the rail line to Banihal in the shortest possible time”, he said.

Spelling out the new system of “single ticket system” for train passengers, he said the Centre and the states were entering a “kind of partnership” where the rail and bus connectivity had been combined for the first time. “A passenger will be able to travel on both bus and train through a single ticket. This is a hybrid model and is being implemented to facilitate the hassle-free journey for passengers,” he said.

He said his government would work towards a “common development model” for Himalayan states from Jammu and Kashmir to the North-East.

Modi also allayed the fears of the people of Jammu, particularly businessmen and traders, who felt that the direct rail link to Katra would have adverse impact on the trade, saying the “development of Jammu will not be stalled”. In reference to J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s concern about poor infrastructure at the Jammu railway station, he assured that the modernisation of railway stations in metro cities and important destinations like Jammu was a priority for his government.

He also congratulated the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), especially Governor NN Vohra, who is the chairman of the board, for setting up of registration counters and use of technology at the Katra railway station for the benefits of the pilgrims from across the country.

Earlier, he inaugurated the Udhampur-Katra rail link and flagged off the first train on the track. He also suggested to the Railway Minister that the train be named, “Shri Shakti Express”.

Srinagar, July 4
Expressing optimism over the high potential for hydropower in Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today dedicated to the nation 240-MW Uri II hydroelectric power project located close to the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir.

Interacting with senior officials of the Power Department, NHPC and senior state government functionaries on the occasion, the Prime Minister referred to his recent visit to Bhutan where he had inaugurated an India-Bhutan joint 600-MW hydroelectric power project.

He said like Bhutan, Kashmir was having enough water resources to meet the increasing demand for power.

He said the power generated would benefit both country and the residents of Uri. He said the government had laid stress on environment-friendly energy of which hydroelectric power was an important constituent. The Prime Minister said J&K had the potential of producing 13,000 to 14,000-MW clean and environment-friendly energy for which all efforts would be channelised.

During his stay in Uri before concluding his day-long J&K visit, the Prime Minister drove for about 20 minutes from the helipad to the venue along the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road. He also announced upgrade of the local Kendriya Vidyalaya High School to higher secondary school.

Governor NN Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Union Minister of State for Power Piyush Goyal, MLC GN Monga, Chief Secretary Iqbal Khanday, DGP K Rajendra, Principal Secretary, Power, AK Mehta, Divisional Commissioner Shalendra Kumar, IGP AG Mir, Chief Engineer, Power, Deputy Commissioner, Barmaulla, officials of the NHPC, HCC and the district administration were present on the occasion.

The 240-MW Uri II hydroelectric power project has been designed to make use of water from the Jhelum following the discharge of Uri-I tail water stream along the Salamabad-Udoosa stretch of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road. The powerhouse is located at Udoosa, only a few km short of the Kaman Bridge or the “Peace Bridge” (Aman Setu) that connects the two sides on the Line of Control (LoC).

The project, second run-of the river on the Jhelum in the Uri area of Baramulla district in north Kashmir, has come up at the downstream of the existing Uri I plant. It has 1,100 m-long open channel from the downstream of the Uri I near Salamabad that is connected to 4.23 km-long tunnel with a tail tunnel of 3,600 m long. 

Srinagar, July 4
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said strong armed forces were a must for the prosperity of the country.

“If the country has to prosper, the citizens have to live in peace. The country has to have strong armed forces to keep the border secured,” said Modi while interacting with soldiers at the headquarters of the Army 15 Corps at Badami Bagh Cantonment during his maiden visit to the state.

“This (strong armed forces) will only happen when the forces are modernised and equipped with latest weapons. I am strongly in favour of modernisation of forces,” said Modi.

Attired in grey kurta pyjama with blue waistcoat and a military hat, the Prime Minister said, “Technology has advanced manifold and future wars may not just be fought on battlefields.”

“Budget required for the welfare of jawans and modernisation of equipment will be made available,” he added.

Modi laid stress on the need to produce defence equipment indigenously within the country.

“If we start producing modern weapon system, we can save a lot of money. In fact, we utilise most of the defence budget for importing weapons. If we start producing defence equipment, the money saved from this can be used for the welfare of the forces,” he said.

Modi said, “All developed countries want to have friendly relations with India on basis of equality.”

Praising the soldiers, the PM said they had the blessing of millions and millions of people of the country and that acts as a safety cover for them.

“You leave your families to work in tough conditions. A common man in the country can’t imagine the difficulty you face,” he said.

He said, “My government has three core areas to focus upon a soldier on border, man in fields and 65 per cent unemployed youth.”

Modi added that within a week of his tenure, he approved the establishment of a National War Memorial and National War Museum.

Earlier, Modi paid tributes to the martyrs and laid a wreath at the War Memorial in Badami Bagh Cantonment. He also met senior Army officers.

Vice-Chief of the Army and other senior Army officials, including General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command and Srinagar-based Corps Commanders and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval were present during the PM’s address to soldiers.

The Prime Minister addressed over 1,000 soldiers serving in high-altitude areas along the Line of Control and engaged in anti-militancy operations in the Kashmir valley.

Katra, July 4
To enable direct connectivity between Srinagar and rest of India, Railway Minister DV Sadananda Gowda today said his department was planning to bridge the missing rail link between Katra and Banihal through “rail-cum-road facility” in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) by introducing a “single ticket system” for commuters.

“Since Katra to Banihal rail project is yet to be commissioned, full rail connectivity to Kashmir valley is currently unavailable. To overcome this missing link, the Railways had planned to bridge this link through rail-cum-road facility in collaboration with the JKSRTC. This facility will enable direct connectivity between Srinagar and rest of India to commuters,” Gowda said while addressing a gathering at the Katra railway station after Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the direct train service to Katra town.

The minister said opening of the Udhampur-Katra rail link and increase in frequency of train services would give “definitive thrust” to the economic development and investment opportunities in Jammu and Kashmir.

Gowda also said the Railways have also planned four more pairs of enhanced train services in the Valley.

“The introduction of rail services in Kashmir valley has been a great success and considering the huge demand, the Railways have not only enhanced the carrying capacity of DEMU trains from 8 to 12 coaches, but have also planned four more pairs of enhanced services in Kashmir valley to provide a safe, affordable and comfortable option of transport to the people,” he said.

The minister also announced that three pairs of train services, currently running between Jammu and Udhampur, would be extended to Katra.

“The Railways have also planned to run three pairs of express trains from New Delhi, Kalka, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Bangalore (to Katra),” the minister said.

Talking about the 25-km-long Udhampur-Katra rail link, Gowda said: “Technically, this link was a challenge as more than 40 per cent of the route is on tunnels having seven major bridges and steep curves. To conquer the hilly Shivalik ranges, innovative approaches were adopted to ensure highest standards of operations and safety”.

“The rail connectivity to this holy place of Katra will occupy a place of pride on the rail map of the country. The linkage will provide an opportunity to large number of pilgrims, who had aspired throughout their life to visit this revered shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi through the comfort of Railways,” he said.

He also said the rail connectivity to Katra would provide better opportunities for local artisans, traders and student community. 

Srinagar, July 4
During his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after assuming charge as the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi was received by Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on his arrival in Jammu city on Friday morning.

From Jammu, Modi was flown to Katra town in a helicopter, where he inaugurated 25-km-long rail link between the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine base camp town and Udhampur.

While inaugurating the rail link and flagging off the train from the Katra station, Modi was accompanied by Governor Vohra and Omar Abdullah.

Besides, DV Sadananda Gowda, Union Minister for Railways, Manoj Sinha, Minister of State for Railways, and Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office, chairman, Railway Board, Arunendra Kumar, member, Engineering Railway Board, VK Gupta, General Manager, Northern Railway and North Central Railway, Pradeep Kumar, senior officials of the Railways and J&K Government were among those present on the occasion.

After inaugurating the rail link, Modi as per the schedule, flew to Kashmir in a special Air Force plane, accompanied by Governor Vohra and &K Chief Minister Omar.

Upon his arrival at the Srinagar airport, Modi was greeted by Cabinet colleagues of Omar Abdullah besides the Speaker of the J&K Assembly Mubarak Gul.

From the Srinagar airport, Modi went straight to Badamibagh headquarters, where he addressed soldiers, during which he was flanked by the Governor, National Security Adviser Ajeet Doval, Army Commanders and J&K state Chief Secretary Iqbal Khanday.

In the afternoon, Modi went to the Raj Bhavan in Srinagar, where lunch was hosted by Governor Vohra for the Prime Minister and other guests, who accompanied him.

In the afternoon, Narendra Modi along with Governor Vohra flew to north Kashmir where he inaugurated 240 MW Uri-II Hydroelectric Project constructed by the NHPC on the Jhelum near Line of Control in the Uri sector. On this occasion, Chief Minister Omar and Union Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal were also present.

Devotees throng Katra in summers. With the start of the rail service to Katra, pilgrims will visit the place frequently. It the tourist inflow will increase, everybody whether he is a businessman or a hotelier will earn profit.
—Pawan Dev Singh, restaurant owner

The train will connect Katra with the rest of India in a comfortable, fast and cheap manner. People can now visit Katra from anywhere through rail.
—Amit Patel, a devotee from gujarat

Earlier, it took over two hours to commute by road from Jammu to Katra. In cost terms, people will have to spend below Rs 20 by train, almost 1/7th of Rs 150 that they pay to commute by shared Sumos from Udhampur or Jammu.
—Parvinder Kour, chandigarh resident

Udhampur, July 4
Do you write daily events in a diary? If not, you should start writing from today. It’s a great way to record and remember important events in life,” Narendra Modi told the schoolchildren onboard the Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU), which was flagged off by the Prime Minister from Katra town today.

The children, drawn from different schools of Reasi district, were in a cheerful mood after the Prime Minister spent nearly 10 minutes with them before flagging off the train to Udhampur at 10:12 am.

The train decked with flowers reached Udhampur station at 10:48 am, where it was received by senior officials from the Railways and the Police Department.

“It was surprising when Modi sir asked me do I write diary. I said no, he smiled and told me to start writing from today, starting with the train journey. All of us are excited. It’s a big day of our life,” said Rashi Chagyal, a class X student of Trikuta Public High Secondary School, Katra.

The 25.6-km-long Udhampur-Katra rail line would benefit lakhs of pilgrims visiting the cave shrine of Vaishno Devi.

The stretch has been divided into two parts, 9.4-km-long Udhampur-Chak Rakhwal and 15.5-km-long Chak Rakhwal- Katra section.

“We had never expected that the Prime Minister will interact with us so freely. He asked us about our aim and have we ever travelled in a train. I had seen him on television and heard his speeches, but one-to-one meeting was a different experience,” said Arjun Sadhotra.

Sonia Gupta, a class XI student of Government Higher Secondary School, was quite disappointed that she could not meet the Prime Minister.

“Modi sir only met children in the first compartment (of the train). We could not meet him. I may never get an opportunity to meet him,” said Sonia.

After spending about 30 minutes at the Udhampur station, the train left for Katra. The regular train service will start from the next week. 

Katra, July 4
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today tried to build an emotional connect with the people of Jammu and score some political points ahead of the forthcoming elections by endorsing the apprehension aired by the trading community of the city about the loss of business due to the direct rail link to Katra.

Omar said the people have apprehension that the fate of Jammu would be like that of Pathankot, which lost its importance after Jammu was connected with rail link.

The Chief Minister, however, assured people that his government would not allow Jammu to lose its significance following the launch of the direct train service to Katra.

Realising that a debate has already started among the business community in Jammu over the effect of the direct rail line to Katra on their trade, Omar tried to reach out to the people by raising the issue before Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing a gathering here, which comprised majority BJP workers from Jammu city, Omar said Jammu was heart of the state so importance of this city would be maintained at any cost.

The Chief Minister emphasised on the need of formulating beautification projects in Jammu so as to divert maximum number of Vaishno Devi pilgrims to the winter capital.

He also sought Prime Minister’s intervention in upgrading and improving of the Jammu Railway Station.

Omar, meanwhile, lavished praise on the former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee for fulfilling the long-cherished dream of the people of Jammu and Kashmir by declaring rail linking works in the state a “national project”.

Amid applauds from the BJP workers, Omar said the predecessors of Atal Behari Vajpayee had done nothing except laying foundations stones for the railway projects.

“It was all due to the initiative of Vajpayeeji that railway projects in J&K got big boost,” he said.

The Chief Minister also extended his gratitude to former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for the significant contribution in realising this dream.

He said the economic linkage of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country was largely dependent on the railway.

Omar not only tried to win hearts of the people of Jammu, but also set a bond with the people of the mountainous belt of the region by highlighting the demand of connecting Poonch, Rajouri and erstwhile Doda with the rail link.

Residents of twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri have been demanding the area be connected with the rail link and Omar put forth this demand before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister DV Sadhanand Gowda to give a message that his government was serious to get their wish fulfilled.

The Chief Minister, on the occasion, also demanded extension of railway tracks in Kashmir to various places, particularly Tangmarg, Pahalgam and other tourist resorts.

He thanked the Prime Minister for inaugurating the railway track from Udhampur to Katra and expressed hope that the state’s demand for the extension of railway link to various areas would be accommodated for the larger economic and developmental interests.

Srinagar, July 4
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first official visit to the Valley was responded with closed markets and deserted roads in the region, which remained under a heavy security cover.

Shops remained shuttered and markets closed across the Kashmir region in response to a shutdown called by separatist groups. The shutdown call had been called by all three factions of the Hurriyat Conference, an amalgam of a number of separatist groups, and the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front.

Public transport remained suspended on all inter-district and intra-district routes of the region. Light motor vehicles, including cars and a few cabs, were seen plying in the city.

Srinagar city remained under a strict security cover to thwart any militant strikes that have occurred during high-profile visits in the past, including on an Army convoy on the city outskirts on the eve of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit last year.

In the past few days, the security forces personnel had taken control of all key junctions in the city where they had erected temporary checkpoints and were frisking civilians and searching vehicles entering the city.

As part of security measures, the authorities had shut down air space in the region for nearly half an hour when the Prime Minister was to arrive in 
the Valley.

The train service, which runs across the north-south axis of the Kashmir valley, with terminal stations at Qazigund in south Kashmir and Baramulla in north Kashmir, also remained suspended following a “security advisory” to halt it for the day.

In the old city here, the administration had imposed restriction on movement of civilians in dozens of neighbourhoods where security forces had blocked roads with concertina wires.

The presence of the security forces personnel, some of them in anti-riot gear and armed with assault rifles, was also strengthened across the city.

However, there were reports of sporadic protests in the region.

(With inputs from Bismah Malik and Suhail A Shah)

Srinagar, July 4
In a setback to over 55,000 Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers in the state, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has stayed the government order whereby five years of service rendered by the ReTs before regularisation was to be included in their service records.

While telling the government and other respondents to file their objections in a writ petition filed by the general line teachers, the court in its orders today said the question of fixing the seniority list of the ReT teachers in terms of the recent government order shall remain in abeyance.

The decision to approve inclusion of five years of service into the service records of the ReTs and their transfer policy was taken by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on June 19.

On the occasion, Omar had said there would be a charge against him that the step was taken only because the coalition partners faced a defeat in the Lok Sabha elections.

“According to the learned counsel for petitioners, the provision (in government order) offends the rights of the petitioners. In addition thereto, it runs contrary to the applicable service rules,” a single bench of Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir observed in his orders while considering the application of the petitioners for staying the government order dated June 26, 2014.

“The question of fixing seniority vis-à-vis petitioners as well as the teachers whose services will be regularised in terms of the government order No. 469-Edu of 2014 dated 26.06.2014 shall remain in abeyance, if not already fixed,” the court said in its orders while issuing notices to government respondents including the Commissioner Secretary to the General Administration Department, Secretary, Education, and Director, School Education, Kashmir, besides telling them to submit their reply/objections within two weeks.

Meanwhile, in a writ petition filed by Anwar Hussain and others, it has been argued that the original regularisation clause in the Rehbar-e-Taleem scheme would manifestly suggest that an ReT would become eligible for appointment as a general line teacher on satisfactory completion of five years, meaning thereby that an ReT becomes a member of the service under Rules of 1979 as a general line teacher as is indicated in Schedule B Class IV category (a).

Samba, July 4
Pawan Kumar who had been stuck in Iraq for 15 days was reunited with his family at Madwal village of Samba district on Friday.

Pawan reached New Delhi on Thursday morning after efforts of some officials of Paltawa Engineering and Construction Company, who have managed to send some of the Indian workers home.

His reunion with his family has brought back smiles on the faces of his wife Rajni, father Sham Lal and mother Bimla Devi.

Pawan, 32, had earlier spent two years in Iraq. After getting married and spending a year in Samba, he had left for Iraq on May 8 this year.

He saw his daughter for the first time when he returned home on Friday as she was born when Pawan was away in Iraq.

“Seeing my daughter for the first time was almost dreamlike,” said Pawan.

“I couldn’t believe it, actually. It was strange. Holding her (the baby) for the first time was beyond words,” he said.

Recounting his horrific stay in Iraq, Pawan said, “The management (of the company) did not fulfill its promise of paying our dues. It only provided us return tickets and sent us back,” said Pawan.

“There are 250 more workers from India who were working with the same company and are stranded. Little help is pouring in from the Indian embassy in Iraq,” said Pawan.

He said the company had deserted its staff, leaving them to die in the unsafe environs of an alien country.

“With no money and food stocks getting exhausted, we had given up all hopes of returning home but God has been kind and we are back with our loved ones,” he said. He added that company officials and other workers had abandoned everything and left for their homes, leaving the 250 workers in the lurch.

Srinagar, July 4
Srinagar is getting a facelift ahead of the Assembly elections as some National Conference MLAs are using their constituency development fund (CDF) for infrastructure projects in the city.

National Conference’s Amira Kadal constituency MLA Nasir Aslam Wani is reportedly touring various localities in uptown Srinagar which fall in his constituency. He has ordered replacing old street lights in residential areas with LED lights.

Wani is meeting public delegations and has agreed to start road repair work, especially in the lanes and bylanes of residential areas.

Habba Kadal MLA Shameema Firdous has announced repair and renovation of lanes and drains in her constituency. She recently announced Rs 10 lakh from her CDF for construction of homes for below poverty line residents.

Assembly Speaker Mubarak Gul will fund a road metalling project, construction of marriage halls and sanitary units at the public health centres of the Eidgah constituency.

Gul has told the executing agencies, including the Roads and Buildings Department and the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, to pull up their socks and ensure the completion of the projects within quickest possible time.

People of Srinagar, for whom the measures are a poll-preparedness strategy, say the state government has finally woken up from its slumber.

“Development issues have been a key concern for Srinagar city. For the last five years, the city’s development took a backseat and the MLAs would tour the constituencies occasionally. It is quite clear that these are some last-ditch efforts to attract voters in the Assembly elections,” said Tanveer Beigh, a Lal Chowk-based shopkeeper.

Srinagar, July 4
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today said the National Conference (NC) was once again trying to take the people for a ride and insulting their intelligence by blaming its political rivals for its own historical sins.

Responding to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s latest diatribe against the opposition for his own failure in giving the state a clean and performing administration, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, in a statement, said this strategy had failed to impress the people as they were aware of how the NC had flourished only on the absence of a viable alternative which it always crushed through deceit, bullying, muscle power and emotional exploitation.

“Why is Omar Abdullah reversing his own decisions taken in the last five years and eating his own words if it is because of the PDP that he is unable to perform well?” Mehbooba asked. “The PDP, as a responsible opposition, had always cautioned the Chief Minister against his government’s anti-people policies but even then he sang the same song of ‘PDP being the villain’. And, now after the electoral drubbing when he claims to be on a course correction, he is repeating his old lines instead of acknowledging how the opposition had tried to help him,” she said.

Mehbooba said Omar Abdullah’s funny accusation that the PDP was the ‘biggest hurdle to political and development changes’ stems from his experience of finding the opposition party a hard nut to crack and resisting the government pressures and baits to prevent it from raising issues that concern the masses. 

Srinagar, July 4
Militants opened fire at a police picket guarding Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) in Shopian district late last night. No one was injured in the firing.

The incident happened when the security agencies across the state were on a high alert on the eve of the maiden visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sources said the militants opened fire at a police picket at Aglar village in Shopian, 50 km from here, around 10.30 pm.

The fire was retaliated by the police personnel present at the picket, forcing the militants to flee. The exchange of fire, which continued for a brief time, created panic in the area.

“No one was wounded in the exchange of fire,” a police officer said.

Soon after the incident, the security forces cordoned the entire area and carried out searches. No arrests were made. — TNS

Jammu, July 4
Radio Sharda 90.4 FM, community radio of Pir Panchal working for the promotion and preservation of 5,000 year-old culture and language among the displaced people and local residents, celebrated 200th episode ceremony of ‘Pend tee Puran’ programme at its complex.

The programme was dedicated to the displaced people who had been forced to leave home after the breakout of militancy in Kashmir.

Speaking on the occasion, the founder director and president, Pir Panchal Organisation, praised the programmers and the public for describing the geneses of migration which forced the community to leave their homes.

He said the survey conducted by the Radio Sharda team would serve as an eye-opener for the government and society for understanding migration in real spirits.

In the programme, thousands of displaced people of different age groups, genders and different regions of Kashmir were interviewed and asked to express views regarding various aspects of migration and difficulties being faced by them during the last 25 years of their displacement.

The programme was basically focused to seek inputs for the promotion of language and culture among the youth. Later, the founder director urged the Union Government to take measures for strengthening community radios by providing sustenance through advertisements and various other schemes.

Srinagar, July 4
Governor NN Vohra has greeted the people on the birth anniversary of Guru Hargobind and expressed sincere hope that the celebration of the day would strengthen the bonds of amity, harmony and brotherhood and be a harbinger of peace, progress and prosperity in the state.

The Governor observed that Guru Hargobind’s example of selfless service, based on the high values of righteousness, truth and love, was more relevant today. He prayed for the well-being of the people of the state.

Jammu, July 4
Increasing degeneration in society in the form of rampant corruption and crime has turned a psychiatrist into a sadhu. Dr Premanand Saraswati left his job at Apollo Hospital and became a sadhu in search of nirvana. His pursuit, however, continues to be criminal psychology along with his spiritual journey.

Behind the saffron robes of the sadhus are hundreds of untold stories. They leave their social lives in search of nirvana.

Premanand Saraswati is one of them. He wore the saffron robe for a social cause.

Saraswati, 30, a psychiatrist-turned-sadhu, is waiting at the Purani Mandi Temple in Jammu for his turn to leave for the Amarnath shrine. He completed his studies in 2007 and started practising at Apollo Hospital and Sai Rath Hospital in Mumbai.

”I was happy with my job, but I was not happy with the system of society, marriage, dowry, corruption and crime. They were simply unbearable for me so in 2010 on February 25 (which is also my birth date), I decided to go in search of meaning of life and peace,” said Saraswati.

“Then I shifted to Kailash Ashram, Haridwar, and under the guidance of Swami Raghunandan Saraswati, I started my spiritual education (deeksha) and also started doing social service for poor and orphans,” he added.

Scores of colleges and universities invite him to lecture on criminal psychology and he never misses the opportunity to give his services.

He spends the income generated through his lectures in orphanages and hospitals in the form of charity.

Saraswati belongs to a well-settled and well-educated Mumbai-based family.

His father, Dr Arun Joshi, is a retired Army officer, his mother, Shalini Tiwari, is an officer in the Indian Embassy at Washington DC and his brother and sister are software engineers in Japan.

“They all are happy with my decision. In fact, they feel proud that someone in our family has devoted his life to god.” he said.

“I often go to Mumbai to meet them when they come to India. But I have devoted my life to god and society,” he added.

Saraswati has continued his research in criminal psychology and treats poor orphans at Haridwar.

“Social evils such as dowry, corruption and crime are a curse for society. I want to contribute to and throw out these evils from society. I think spiritual thinking can change the mindset of the criminal and only ‘sanskar’ can get down crime in society,” he added.

Jammu, July 4
To hide its own failure to put a check on rising traffic violations, the state Transport Department has now shifted the blame on other government agencies. In its reply submitted to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) has stated that “there are other government agencies also entrusted with the responsibility of checking motor vehicle violations”.

The MVD’s reply came in response to petitions filed by RTI activists Raman Sharma and Deepak Sharma vide their complaints number 47,770 and 47,817, respectively. Earlier in their petitions filed in March after the announcement of Lok Sabha elections, the activists had alleged that the leaders and supporters of political parties blatantly ignored traffic rules during their election campaigns.

They have also submitted that often one can find workers, leaders, contesting candidates and their supporters standing on rooftops of running trucks, buses, matadors, tractors, trolleys and other heavy vehicles.

“One can easily find these vehicles overcrowded than their legal limit. Political parties also organise motorcycle rallies where we can see these people without any crash helmets and three to four people sitting on a two-wheeler, which can cause risk to their lives and of other people also on the road” it was stated in their petitions to the Chief Minister.

However, even after 10 reminders from the Chief Minister’s Office for over 3 months, the MVD chose to keep mum and did not make any response to the complaints and neither took any action against any political party or leader for open violation of traffic rules. It was only on June 16, 2014, a month after election results that the MVD submitted a reply to the Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell. It said, “The Motor Vehicles Department, though having limited manpower, is making every effort to ensure that there is no motor vehicle violation by any political party during electioneering. However, there are also other government agencies entrusted with the responsibility of checking motor vehicle violations”.

The complainants have condemned the “non- serious” approach of the MVD and “deliberately shifting the blame on other departments” and agencies.

Jammu, July 4
Members of the Bari Brahmana Industries Association raised concern about the condition of roads and drains in the industrial complex.

In a meeting of the Bari Brahmana Industries Association under the presidentship of Anil Suri, the members raised concern about the condition of roads and drains in the industrial complex.

During the meeting, it was pointed out by the members that the Centre had provided crores of rupees for the upgrade of infrastructure facilities at the industrial complex, out of which a major amount had been spent, but the Civil Wing of the SIDCO had failed to utilise the funds in a proper way. The first pre-monsoon showers for 15 minutes on Wednesday turned the industrial complex into a garbage dump. Due to blockage of drains and culverts, rainwater entered into the premises of many units located near the KC Chowk.

The units which suffered the worst included Star Industries, Ambika International and Dainik Jagran, as they had to close down their activities till the clearance of garbage by the SIDCO. The main drain is also filled with boulders, but no steps were taken for its removal.

The matter has been repeatedly brought into the notice of the SIDCO management, but no effective steps had been taken so far.

Member said it was the need of the hour to take immediate steps for the restoration of damaged roads, drains, culverts and immediate stopping of digging work by private telecom operators to save the industrial complex in the coming rainy season.

“We urge Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Industries Minister Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo and Managing Director, Jammu & Kashmir SIDCO, to intervene in the matter and issue necessary orders for the restoration of the work for the smooth working of the industrial units in the complex,” said the members of the association.

Srinagar, July 4
Latest gizmos and mobile applications may have made inroads everywhere, but in Kashmir, drumbeating during Ramadan to wake up people for pre-dawn meals is still in vogue.

People in every locality of the Valley wake up to the sound of drums in the wee hours to have their pre-dawn meals, also called ‘sehri’.

Drumbeating is a centuries-old practice and the drummers of each locality go around beating the drum and shout “wakhte sehar” (wake up, it is time for sehri). The drummers or the “human alarms” are locally called “saharkhans”.

Muslims in Kashmir are fasting for 17 hours everyday, the longest in three decades. The local communities arrange wages for saharkhans with each household making a contribution.

Abdul Qadir, 51, has been beating drums during Ramadan in the narrow lanes of old Srinagar city since he was a teen. He usually is up throughout the night during Ramadan and sleeps during the day.

“It is an important job they (people) have given me. I am responsible for waking people up so that they can eat their food,” Abdul Qadir said.

He scoffs at his critics who say there is no need of drummers in today’s age when alarm clocks and mobile phones do the job.

“Drumbeating in Ramadan is an integral part of Kashmiri culture which cannot be replaced by modern gadgets. Imagine if phones start singing lullabies to children. Technology cannot replace humans and culture cannot be eliminated,” Abdul Qadir said.

• People in every locality of the Kashmir valley get up to the sound of drums in the wee hours to have their pre-dawn meals, also called ‘sehri’. The drummers are locally called ‘saharkhans’
• Every locality arranges wages for saharkhans with each household making a contribution
• Muslims in Kashmir are fasting for 17 hours everyday, the longest in the past three decades

Srinagar, July 4
A meeting to review the government policy on revival of sick industrial units was held here today under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Industries and Commerce Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo.

During the meeting, Financial Commissioner, Industries and Commerce, Khurshid Ahmed Ganai said during a recent meet of the State-Level Revival Committee (SLRC), cases of 69 sick industrial units identified by the Director Industries, Kashmir, were discussed for revival. He said 51 units were approved for revival.

The meeting was attended by senior officers of the Industries and Commerce Department, representatives of the Kashmir Federation of Industry, J&K Bank, State Financial Corporation, J&K Development Finance Corporation and KVIB.

Meanwhile, the minister observed that many sick unit holders might not have come forward before the sub-committees for identification. He issued instructions to the authorities concerned to monitor the revival of the sick units on case-to-case basis.

He also asked the financial commissioner to take up the matter of additional funds required on account of soft loan with the Planning & Development Department. 

Srinagar, July 4
The Reliance Communications today launched recharge options for its prepaid GSM customers in J&K to mark the holy month of Ramadan.

The recharge plans are being offered in the denominations of Rs 31 and Rs 295, carrying a validity of seven days and 30 days, respectively.

Sami Butt, Circle Head for J&K, Reliance Communications, said: “We are delighted to offer these value packs to our customers in Jammu & Kashmir in this holy month. We are confident that these new packs will help our subscribers stay in touch with family and friends. — TNS

Srinagar, July 4
The police today said it recovered the bodies of two persons, including a young woman, who had committed suicide by jumping into the river last week.

The body of the 22-year-old girl, a resident of Palpora Sonawar locality of the city, was fished out from the Jhelum river near Noorbagh area of the city, a police spokesman said.

“She had jumped into the river from Sonawar footbridge on June 28,” the spokesman said.

He said the police had recovered an unidentified body of a man, aged about 55 years, which was found lying at Samurbugh brick-kiln at Nowgam in the city. The body has been kept in the mortuary at Pantha Chowk for identification. — TNS