Govt committed to development: Minister

Excelsior Correspondent

KATHUA, May 16: The Minister of State for Food and Supplies, Mr Ajay Sadhotra has said that the State Government is committed to accord to priority to the development of hilly and inaccessible areas and bring them at par with developed areas of the State.

Addressing a series of public meeting at Machhedi, Billawar and Dewal on the second day of his extensive tour of hilly areas of Kathua district yesterday, the Minister said that all out efforts are being made to provide equal opportunity of development to all areas of the State with special emphasis on speedy development of hitherto under developed areas. Earnest endeavours are being made to remove poverty and improve quality life of the people.

Mr Sadhotra said that despite financial crunch, a new era of development has dawned in the State. Militancy has almost been contained and economy put on the rails.

Referring to the financial crunch, the Minister said that the Central Government has not fulfilled its committed to reimburse the militancy related expenditure.

Mr Sadhotra called upon the people to strengthen the hands of the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, who on the one hand advocating the case of the entire nation on international forums. He also cautioned the people against the designs of communal and vested interest, who are trying to divide the people to grind their own axe.

The Minister announced on spot that two ration sale centes will start functioning at Sadrota and Kindli villages of backward Lohai-Malhar block from next month in an internal arrangement despite policy of the government to encourage private dealers. He also offend to provide license to any private party for opening of a kerosene depot at Machhedi.

The Minister also inspected 2,000 quintal capacity ration godown on the Food and Supplies Department at Machhedi. He was apprised that 4770 families living below poverty line are getting rations at 50 per cent subsidised rates in Lohai-Malhar block. The Minister issued instructions that list of below poverty line beneficiaries should be prominently displayed at ration depots and if any complaint is received with regards to beneficiary not falling in poverty line, his name may be immediately deleted.

The Deputy Speaker, Legislative Assembly, Malik Ghulam Hyder referring to the development efforts made in Lohai-Malhar block during the last two years popular rule revealed that first ten kms of Sukrala-Machhedi road and Billawar-Katli road will be black topped at a cost of Rs. 72 lakhs and Rs. 80 lakhs respectively with loan from the NABARD. Besides, five major roads have also been sanctioned by the Government in Lohai-Malhar block. Fifty-two class rooms are also being constructed. Two primary health centres have been sanctioned for far off areas of block 200 unemployed youth have also been provided Government jobs. A police station has been opened at Lohai and Sub Divisional Magistrate for the block has also been appointed to attend to public problems.

Among others, former Minister, Th. Suram Singh also addressed these public meetings.

DC's assurance to people of Udhampur

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, May 16: The District Development Commissioner, Udhampur, Mr Mehboob Iqbal has assured the people that a provision for construction of 3 kms. road from Moungari to Shiv Parvati cave shrine in Panchari block of Udhampur district will be kept in the current year's annual plan which will facilitate the visitors to reach Shiv Parvati Cave shrine conveniently.

Mr Iqbal accompanied by MLC, Mr Chuni Lal Khajuria and other district officers was talking to the people from various walks of life who had converged at Moungari to participate in the 3-day Mela, at Shiv parvarti Cave shrine yesterday.

The District Development Commissioner assured the people of the area that in future educated youths of the area would be preferred for appointment as teachers on adhoc basis in order to ensure punctuality and efficiency in the educational institutions. He said that district administration was doing every thing possible for the development of the area but also urged the social and cultural organisations to mobilize resources on their level to take up the development of cultural and religious spots like Shiv Parvati caves.

On the occasions, MLC, Mr Chuni Khajuria announced a grant of Rs. 30,000 out of his Constituency fund for the construction of a shed for the convenience of the visiting yatris to Shiv Parvati cave. He called upon the people to maintain communal harmony and strengthen the hands of the government, and cooperate with the district administration for speedy development and implementation of various development and social welfare schemes.

A large number of people participated in the 3-day mela organised by Shiv Parvati Shrine Development Board, Panchari. A free langar besides other festivities were organised.

Jammu children leave for 'know your army' camp'

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, May 16: The Army is organising a camp in the beautiful and picturesque hills of Dalhousie in Himachal Pradesh for about 50 boys and girls of the age group between 12 to 16 years. The aim of the camp is to encourage our children to "know their Army''. 50 percent of the children attending the camp have been selected from the civilian schools in the insurgency affected areas and the remaining are wards of defence personnel. It is felt that such interaction will have major benefits in the long run.

Major General GS Negi, GOC of the formation responsible for Counter Insurgency Operations in the depath areas of Rajouri, Poonch and Udhampur districts met the children hailing from Surankot, Thanamandi, Kandi and Budhal areas at Rajouri and congratulated them for opting to attend this camp. He encouraged these children to get to know the other children coming from different parts of our country and in doing so gain an indepth knowledge of the country and its armed forces. He told the children that the camp curriculum had been designed to ensure that it enlarges their mental horizon and encourages development of qualities like espirit-de-corps, unity adaptability, courage, stamina, physical toughness and mental roubstness-qualities which will make the children true citizens of an integrated society children whose mental outlok will auger well for the future of the Nation.

General GS Negi, while interacting with the cheerful and enthusiastic children of Rajouri, Poonch and Udhampur districts, hoped that they would imbibe these virtues and learn while having fun. He wished the children best of luck and a good time on this novel enterprise being organised by the Army.

ISBTI appeals people for voluntary blood donation

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, May 16: The Indian society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology (ISBTI), a national non-political voluntary organisation held a meeting to review its working.

The main aims and objectives of this society which were reviewed in meeting are to make the public aware about the importance of voluntary blood donation and the remove the myths and fear from the minds of a common, that no weakness of any type of the body occurs after donating blood. The society spreads this knowledge by motivational lectures, discussions, symposia, workshops, exhibitions and presentations by involving print media, radio and doordarshan.

Over a span of 26 years of inception the society has achieved a lot in this direction but still more is needed to be accomplished with regard to the movement of voluntary blood donation in India.

This society believed that voluntary blood donation is supreme amongest all types of donations in the world and has firm faith that the blood should run in the Human veins and not in the drains.

Any person or society, blood banks hospital nursing home or corporate body or association or Institution having faith in the aims and objectives of this society can become its members.

The Governing body of this society at the national level has divided India into four zones e.g. Eastren, Western, Northern and Southern and each Zone is represented by different States and each state is having its own state chapter of ISBTI.

The J&K State Chapter has been launched by Dr T R Raina Associate professor Transfusion medicine and I/c Blood Bank SMGS Hospital as a chairman and with initial membership of 270 which includes people from all walks of life.

The Membership of J&K State Chapter is the maximum amongest for different states of the country and all are requested to become the life member of this organisation and give a helping hand in spreading the awareness about voluntary Blood Donation amongest the common masses so that no one dies because of shortage of blood.

Congress workers hold meeting

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, May 16: A meeting of three Congress block committees-Contonment, West and East was held today to discuss future plan of contesting Parliamentary elections and State Panchayat elections.

In a joint statement it was upon all Congress leaders, workers and activists to come one and all and face the Parliamentary elections which are approaching next month and work for dashing success of Congress for contesting Congress candidate under proper programme and planning.

Today's emergency meeting was called to impress upon all Congress workers and activists to work under a definite programme to be chalked out by Congress high command at the Centre and keeping all the present political situation in view at the Centre lead by BJP and State lead by NC party. Whatever and whosoever coalition Government came at the Centre proved ineffective and bad for the country's economy, foreign policies and law and order problems. The general masses are to be enlightened and educated regarding the value of their frenchise.

The Panchayati elections in State of J&K have been made vulgar with the connivance of BJP at the Centre. All the funds to be generated for benefits of Panchayats are going to be handled by NC.

Meeting urged all workers to work unitedly to bring Congress party at the helm of affairs and make sure that Congress will win panchayat elections in the State. People are appealed to strengthen the hands of Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Ch. Mohd Aslam in the State to assure over-whelming majority in Parliamentary as well as Panchayati elections. Those presented included Capt Jagan Nath, Ishwar Datt Dogra, Mohan Lal Sharma, Krishan Lal Abrol, Nek Mohammad, Mohinder Kumar, Ram Lubhaya, Krishan Lal Gutpa, Ravi Angral, Rajeev Gupta., Th. Narinder Singh, All Ward presidents and others.

Dogri, Punjabi writers flay RKS

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, May 16: A joint meeting of Gojri and Punjabi writers was held here today, in which the anti Gojri and Punjabi policy of Radio Kashmir Srinagar (RKS) was criticised.

As per a release, the participants in the meeting expressed concern over the low standard of Gojri programmes. Speaking on the occasion Mr Javed Rahi said the staff appointed for the 50 minute Gojri programme is feeding the other programmes of the station with the result the staff of the programme has been reduced from three to one.

He also alleged that there is no Programme Executive.

Cong demands another Master plan for Jammu

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, May 16: Pradesh Congress-I has demanded another Master Plan scheme for Jammu City to over come the problems of water scarcity being faced by the people.

The demand was made Party secretary, Mr Raman Bhalla while addressing series of public meetings in Gandhi Nagar Constituency. He said keeping in view the rapid expansion of City the Government should pay immediate attention to this demand.

He also alleged that the people are getting contaminated water in many parts of the locality which may result into spread of epidemic.

He demanded immediate steps for overcoming this problem by replacing the old pipes.

He demanded allotment of funds to the BDO so that the development works undertaken by Rural Development are completed in time. He also demanded black topping of road from Nanak Nagar to Gangyal, Marakari, Digiana Camp to Model Town, internal Gadhri Garh to Bhore Camp and Qasim Nagar to Sheikh Nagar bye Pass and Sunjwan.

Mr Bhalla demanded Community Hall for Gandhi Nagar, Bahu Fort and Channi Himmat Colony.

He also expressed his concern over deteriorating security situation in the state. Those who addressed the meeting include Messrs Rakesh Bhagat, Balbir Singh Manga, Amrish Sharma, Rakesh Bhagat, Raj Kalsi and Mangat Kalsi.

Concern over problems of Pargwal residents

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, May 16: State Kissan Morcha has expressed serious concern over the problems being faced by the residents of Pargwal island.

In a statement here,the general secretary of State Kissan Morcha, Mr Subash Chander Dasgotra said that the people were facing lot of hardships due to the change in the course of river Chenab that has eroded hundreds of kanals of land, rendering the people incapable to cultivate.

He said that Government had claimed of spending lakhs of rupees for the development of the region , but everything was only on papers.

Mr Dasgotra said that the problems of the Pargwal villagers will be compounded with the advent of Monsoon season

The statement charged the Government with duping the innocent farmers who have been put at the mercy of God.

Mr Dasgotra also expressed his resentment over the non-availability of the fertilisers to the farmers, insufficient irrigation facilities and erratic power supply in the rural areas.

No takers of Pak proposal for independent Kashmir

By Avtar Bhat

JAMMU, May 16: The proposal of Independent Kashmir floated by some Pak sponsored lobbyists at five day long Hague meet for Peace, organised by Council for Independent Kashmir (CIK) has no takers here. The proposal has not only generated a widespread resentment in Jammu and Ladakh regions but also evoked a severe criticism from Kashmiri Pandit community.

Rejecting the idea on the face of it, the intellectuals,leaders of various political and social organisations and Kashmir Pandit groups have challenged the authenticity and right of the Pak agents and Hurriyat Conference in this regard whom they term the puppets of imperialist forces who are bent upon disintegrating India.

The widespread resentment among the people in Jammu and Ladakh regions and the Kashmiri Pandit community which has borne the brunt of Pak sponsored decade long proxy war has reached to such a climax that they vowed the formation of Independent Kashmir will be only over their dead bodies.

A section of them is of the opinion that Hague peace meet is out come of long term game plan of some Western countries who want to disintegrate India. This however, will not be in the interest of Kashmiris also as America will just use the land of Kashmir as a platform against growing influence of China in the region.

Turning down the proposal a well known scholar, Dr K N Pandita said the imperialist forces are desperately trying that present status quo of Kashmir should be broken.

These forces want to interfere in Kashmir and hence press for third party mediation, he said, adding, the America has created such an influence in the world that the Russian Prime Minister, Mr Primakov who advocated for military alliance between, Russia, China and India was stripped off.

The intentions of Western lobby have also become clear during the recent statement of Britian Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair that they will interfere in any trouble spot in the world, Mr Pandita said.

Quoting the former Prime Minister of India, Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru, he said "we will prefer offering Kashmir to Pakistan on a platter rather than make it an independent state."

He said Nehru knew that J&K has a strategic importance for India and South Asian region because borders of five countries meet here.

He said furthermore in view of a nexus between Pakistan and China in current period India’s security concerns in Kashmir and her Northern frontier demands that she makes her presence strongly felt in Kashmir.

This also explains that why India should keep a strong military presence in Kashmir, he said, adding the recent firing in Kargil and in large areas of Cease Fire Line further explains the point.

The Western lobby is interested in J&K’s secession from India which can be dependent on them to suit their interests, said the former Director General of Police, Mr Manmohan Khajuria.

Mr Khajuria who sees it a dangerous game plan said that after break up of Soviet Union, America has become a dominating force in the world and it wants to extend its influence on China, India and Pakistan now for which they have found the Kashmir a way.

Maintaining that nothing will come out from Hague peace meet at present, he however said that it is fraught with dangerous consequences till the patriotic forces in J&K join hands to strongly combat it.

He also does not see any reason in Hurriyat leaders statement on return of Kashmiri Pandits saying that the people who have been advocating for the Nizam-e-Mustafa over the years can never be friends of the minorities for whose migration they were the main conspirators.

Mr Chaman Lal an advocate of Panun Kashmir said Western countries have much interest in Kashmir so they want to exert pressure on India in international foras to yield.

He said it is a big international conspiracy and nexus to disintegrate India which should be resisted by the countrymen with full might. He said democracy has also some limits. Can United Kingdom tolerate such interference in Ireland, he asked?

Smelling a rat he said an opinion is being pursued internationally to compel India to make compromise on Kashmir.

Rejecting outrightly the Pak sponsored lobbyists for floating the idea of Independent Kashmir, the convenor Panun Kashmir Movement, Mr Ashwani Charngoo said we donot subscribe to this thought. Such a thought can be in the interests of America which has a vested interest in Pak sponsored proxy war but it is not in favour of the majority people of Jammu and Kashmir state.

Disagreeing with the Hurriyat statement on return of Kashmiri Pandits to Valley he said, community will never return on Hurriyat call as the same is not possible under the conditions prevailing since 1989.

Blaming the Hurriyat leadership for the present miseries of the Kashmiri Pandits, he said how can we trust them when they are for a separate dispensation.

He said no solution excepting the creation of a separate "Home Land" within Kashmir will be acceptable to the Pandits. He said Switzerland type Kashmir will be in the best interests of America and its Western allies and not people of the state.

No compromise on Kashmir will be acceptable to people of India, said the senior Congress leader and former MP, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma while commenting on the Hague peace meet.

He said Kashmir has become an integral part of India after the instrument of accession was signed by Mahraja which was later ratified by State Assembly.

He said all the successive governments in the state agreed with this including the Government of late Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah and Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed.

He said independent Kashmir will be against the national interests and we will never allow this to happen. He said Hague meet is the part of Dixon plan aimed at disintegrating India by the capitalist block after the dissolution of Soviet Union.

He however, welcomed the Hurriyat statement on the return of Kashmiri migrants saying that any step taken in this direction will strengthen secularism in the state.

Dr K L Dhar a well-known intellectual said how can the idea of few self styled persons who are not the genuine leaders be thrusted on the people. Blasting the Hurriyat leadership he said the KPs can not trust them as long as they are acting like a tool in the hands of some foreign countries.

Commenting on the Hague meet he said it was a political laboratory conference and if they are interested in the welfare of KPs, let them give a separate land to them within Kashmir.

Mr T N Khosa president, Kashmir Pandit Sabha while rejecting the Hurriyat offer on return said it is impossible that community can accept the offer of conglomerate which stands for independence of Kashmir, the thought that is against the concept of KPs.

He said accession of J&K with India is final and it can not be revocable. If any body accepts this concept we are ready to hold talks with them otherwise not.

He said Hague meet can not influence the majority of people in J&K as it has been arranged by the people of Sub Content living abroad.

Kashmir is an integral part of India and accession is final, said Mr M L Koul general secretary PCC and chairman Congress Migrant Cell.

He though hailed the Hurriyat stand on return of migrants to Valley said we welcome any such development that is aimed at weeding out of militancy and restoration of peace and normalcy.

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