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Trifurcate J&K

Sir,

Trifurcation of J&K State has become a hot issue now-a-days. We have the news almost daily about the demand of RSS, VHP and other organisations for the trifurcation. No doubt many reasons can be put upto prove that trifurcation is unsound, but there are also sound reasons in favour of Jammu being granted a separate state.

Recently, Jammu Mukti Morcha in a public meeting gave a detailed account of discrimination meted out to the people of Jammu region. Over employment issue, it said that out of 100 unemployed youth in the State 70 to 80 belong to Jammu. It disclosed that the State Government created 1.5 lakh job opportunities but merely 15,000 youths from Jammu region have got jobs, rest are at the mercy of God. It was said that all the agreements have been executed with Kashmir valley, thus sacrificing the aspirations of people of Jammu region, ignoring Jammu's place and ideas in deciding the future of the State. Many educated youths of Jammu region are facing employment problem, this is because there is no due consideration for the people of Jammu region. A step motherly treatment is given to Jammu right from 1947.

The Centre leadership have also not bothered to look into the discrimination with Jammu. They only worried about the Kashmir and ultimately this ignorance of the leadership has affected Jammu region very badly with the result of Jammu people have not got justice so far.

Jammu should stand and fight for getting the statehood as it is the birth right of the people to get their grievances redressed and their aspirations fulfilled.

M.M. Dhar
Gandhi Nagar, Jammu.

Honouring sports fraternity

Sir,

By showering applause and appreciation to common wealth Indian Medal Winning team by Atal Behari Vajpayee Prime Minister of India that too from the ramparts of Red Fort on the eve of 56th Independence Day function he has set an example of honouring Sports Community. Such wise moves are not only significant to boost morate of those connected with a particular field but a healthy step forward to provide young generation an outlet to attain new heights and standard in the said field in the time to come. Every Indian is proud of these sports starts Achieving extra-ordinary results that too at International level is not a joke and is not done over night, it requires sacrifice of time, continuous involvement, physically, mentally and economically. So cash and coin can not be the only substitute for such stupendous job which sports persons do. With this responsibilities and duties are not over. Tremendous joint efforts are still required to be made in this direction to maintain pace of performance and achieve excellence in major global and International Competitions including Asian Afro-Asian and Olympics. The applause has to be supplemented with some concrete move to be initiated by the Parliamentarians, senior functionaries of sports Ministeries and Federations to attain desirable results. Some of the measures to be taken should be:

a) Declaring Medal Winners as National asset.

b) Declaring Sports Policy without delay.

c) Increasing per capita expenditure on each individual concerned with Sports.

d) Reservation of jobs for outstanding Sports persons.

The medal winners have come to the expectations of every Indian and NRIs with their superb performance. The need of the hour is to show world that Indians have enough strength and capability to compete with their opponents in any field including games and sports.

Ashok Kumar
Assistant Director
Youth Services and Sports

Pay compensation to land owners

Sir,

Various matters, particularly compensatory, relating to the recently constructed 12 kms. road stretch, popularly known as "Nagrota By-Pass," from Nagrota (Jammu) to Bantalab are still lying unresolved. The compensation amount about Rs 8 crore has not been yet paid to the poor people whose lands came under the road. The people say that the State Government has already delivered the amount to State J&K Government for disbursement. But that is lying with the State's Revenue authorities. The irksome delays are being caused in its disbursement by the concerned agencies for the reasons better known to them.

The nobe task should have been done even before taking over the lands for road construction i.e. by adopting the fair principle of "Give and Take". Now the time is rolling into years and the concerned authorities are lying in a deep slumber over the serious matter without caring for needy people's pains and rights.

The delays caused litigation also. At one spot in village Panj Grain during the road construction a controversy erupted which later on landed in the Law Court. A poor inhabitant was going to be worstly affected as his 'KUCHA' residential house was also coming in the road's way. But the Hon'ble Court saved the poverty stricken family. In a way this portion is still unconstructed. However, a temporary single lane arrangement for the vehicles to pass has been made here. But it has become accident prone portion.

Keeping in view the militancy ravaged scenario of the State the said road, which infact is a substitute to the National Highway, was constructed by the Army with the noble object to By-Pass the important Nagrota Army base camps. But its affairs are still hanging in the air. The iron bridges erected over here are too congested and risky. Those need early replacement by wide cemented bridges. The road from Panj Grain to Bantalab has been left with steep heights. Technically it seems unfit. The loaded vehicles climb over this stretch but with great difficulty and risk. The portion needs reconstruction and a small by-pass to avoid the undesirable height and sharp curves.

It is also relevant and important to mention here that on both the sides of the road the plantation drive in a bigway right from Bantalab and its surroundings should be started to maintain and improve the climatic aspect of this totally dry, barren and hot zone of Jammu district.

Swatantra Dev Kotwal
Udhampur