Shamsheer takes over as SSP Poonch

A 1999 batch KPS officer Shamsheer Hussain these days took over as new SSP Poonch in place of Ashkoor Wani, who had recently been posted as SSP Udhampur.

Shamsheer Hussain was posted as SP Bandipora and SP Operations before his posting as SSP Jammu. He was credited with handling 2010 summer unrest in Kashmir terribly tactfully.

After seizing as SSP Poonch, Shamsheer met distinguished voters and media persons.

Ashkoor Wani was given a heat farewell by the folks on his posting as SSP Udhampur.

SDPO Nagrota Faisal Qureshi was additionally given a grand farewell by the folks on his transfer as DySP Traffic National Highway when concerning 3 years stint at Nagrota.

Traders meet in Poonch

Snow lashes Jammu Srinagar highway

Vehicular traffic on the 300 km-long Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was again stopped, this evening, as a precautionary measure due to slippery road conditions and at-least 2000 vehicles were stranded at different places on the highway. More people fell ill due to outbreak of viral fever in Banihal villages today.

Our correspondent Khawaja Sharjeel from Banihal said that after the highway was cleared by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), it was reopened for one-way traffic in the morning. The smooth flow of traffic continued till late evening but due to fresh snowfall and rains, the traffic was stopped at 6.30 PM. At-least 4 inches of fresh snow accumulated on the highway near Jawahar Tunnel and 2 inches at Patnitop making the road slippery.At-least 750 vehicles stranded at a stretch between Patnitop to Banihal were to allowed to move towards the valley and out of these, 400 crossed the Jawahar tunnel till 5 in the evening.

The highway, the only surface link with Kashmir valley, was closed due to heavy snowfall, avalanches and landslides on the Jawahar tunnel-Banihal-Ramban-Patnitop stretch on January 15. However, due to a thick blanket of fog in Sher-Bibi area, where a major avalanche was cleared, Srinagar-bound traffic was stopped for some time as a precautionary measure but later trucks carrying essential supplies, including LPG, oil supplies and food grains, were allowed to move to Kashmir valley from Jammu.
The men and machines of the BRO worked overtime to clear the highway from heavy snowfall, two major avalanches and five landslides. The highway was lashed by heavy snowfall on January 15 and January 16 at Jawahar tunnel, Banihal, Batote and Patnitop areas. Two major avalanches also hit the arterial road at Nachalana and Shatani Nallah, while five landslides occurred at Digdol, Panthal, Sheri-bibi and Maroog and Shergarhi areas of Ramban district.

The inter-district highway of Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch has been restored for traffic even as Doda-Kishtwar is still closed due to snowfall at various places. Besides, most of the inter-district roads in Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and partly Kathua districts are closed due to heavy snowfall. The inter-state Bhaderwah-Chamba (Himachal Pradesh) road is also closed following nine feet snow at Sartangal Pass.

Our correspondent from Udhampur reported that due to the closure of the highway in the evening, over 2000 vehicles are stranded at various places, mostly at Udhampur and Nagrota areas of Jammu district. He said that in Udhampur, traffic was stopped at Jekhani, Bye-Pass, Mand, Dhar Road and Bali nallah. Normal life has been thrown out of gear due to fresh rains and snowfall in Udhampur district. Fresh snowfall was witnessed at Patnitop, Nathatop, Dudu Basantgarh, Latti Dhuna and Pancheri while the plains witnessed heavy rainfall.

Our correspondent from Reasi said that the people of remote areas of Mahore tehsil Reasi suffered huge loss of cattle. IAF carried out relief operations and dropped essential commodities, particularly food grains, in the mountainous belt of Reasi district, providing relief to people in the snow-hit area.

Intensifying relief operations to provide essential commodities to people trapped in the higher reaches of Mahore area of Reasi district owing to heavy snowfall and hostile weather conditions, the District administration in coordination with the Air Force, dropped several quintals of food grains in Gulabgarh area of the district. MI-17 Helicopters, fully loaded with food grains took off from the Reasi sports stadium and landed at Gulabgarh, to provide immediate relief to people trapped in inclement weather conditions.

Last year too, Indian Air Force Helicopters air-dropped ration and other material for people living in Dewal and Gandiala villages of Mahore area on December 13 during the first snowfall. Relief operations are being maintained under the close  guard of Jammu Divisional Commissioner Pawan Kotwal and district Development Commissioner of Reasi Sheetal Nanda with a thrust to ensure that all inhabitants of such area could get essential commodities.

According to Additional Deputy Commissioner, Rajinder Singh Tara, sufficient stock of food grains is available with different stores of the district especially in far-flung areas and every effort is being made to reach out to the people trapped in higher reaches due to snow.

Police handout said that cops are assisting the civil administration in snow clearance operation, besides offering all available resourses to help people in tough times. Parts of the district, particularly large parts of subdivision Mahore have witnessed more than 10 ft of snowfall over the past week. This abnormal situation has led to the disruption of supply lines of food grains and other essential items to the residents of the far flung areas of the subdivision. The adverse weather had also led to temporary suspensions of the major roads of the district, particularly the stretches between Arnas and Mahore, between Mahore and Chassana and between Mahore and Shajroo.

Police personnel actively assisted the district administration and the Border Roads Organization authorities in restoring the transport links so the essential commodities and people in distress could be transported to their respective destinations. So far no loss of life or limb and only minor damage to property has been reported in the district due to adverse weather conditions.

The handout further said that heavy snowfall in Doda district led to disruption of all essential services. In view of this, Joint Control Rooms were established at Doda and Bhaderwah respectively with civil administration and PMF to monitor the situation in the District. All SHOs/IC PPs, Operation groups in the district were kept on alert and were briefed to act as rescue operations.

The patrolling was got conducted by SHOs, IC PPs, Ops Groups in their AORs to reach out to people and redress their problems.  The communication network in the entire district was kept alive to monitor the situation and pass it on to senior quarters. SP Doda with Deputy Commissioner, Doda and a Representation of Police physically supervised the road clearance operation and restoring of essential services on Doda –Bhaderwah road, Doda-Assar Road, Doda-Gandoh road and Doda-Bhagwa –Bemina road respectively.

Yatris leave for Buddha Amarnath

Ist batch of yatris leaves for Buddha

Amarnath amidst tight security

Amid tight security arrangements, the first batch of 250 pilgrims was today flagged off for Buddha Amarnath, close to Line of Control in border district of Poonch from the Yatri Niwas Bhagwati Nagar base camp here.

"The two-week-long yatra, which would conclude on Purnima (full moon) falling on August 13, was flagged off this morning by the Divisional Commissioner Dr Pawan Kotwal at 0530 hrs for Poonch amid tight security arrangements".

The yatris left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here in a cavalcade of 15 vehicles.

Besides the civil and police officers the flagging off ceremony was attended by Dr Surinder Jain national secretary and spokesperson VHP, president Baba Amarnath and Buddha Amarnath Yatri Niyas, Surinder Mohan Aggarwal, leaders of Bajrang Dal and various social and religious organizations.

The first batch of 250 pilgrims comprising 184 men, 56 women and 10 children left the base camp to pay obeisance at the shrine of Buddha Amarnath in Mandi township of Poonch district.

The yatra was given a rousing reception at Nowshera, Rajouri and Poonch.

A large number of people gathered in these towns to receive the Yatris.

At Rajouri the VHP and Bajrang Dal activists served lunch to them.

The yatra after a night stay at Poonch will leave for darshan of Buddha Amarnath early tomorrow morning.

At Poonch thousands of people drawn from all walks of life received the yatra. They were led by Deputy Commissioner Poonch, Ajeet Kumar Sahu, MLC Jhangir Mir, SSP, Ashqoor Wani and president Sanatan Dharam Sabha Poonch, Manjit Kumar Sharma.

Earlier talking to reporters at Jammu Dr Surinder Jain said that BD had taken the onus of running this yatra in 2005 after it was stopped due to militants threat.

He expressed the hope that the yatra will become more popular throughout country like holy Amarnath yatra by and by. He said the BD will also revive the yatras of other Hindu shrines in the State. 

Buda Amarnath Yatra 2011

The 13 day long Buda Amarnath yatra was inaugurated at Yatri Niwas Bhagwati Nagar here today. The yatra, which will start from here tomorrow will culminate on Sawan Purnima full Moon coinciding with Raksha Bandhan festival on August 13 at Buda Amarnath temple in Mandi Poonch.

A large number of people including leaders and activists of VHP, Bajrang Dal and Baba Amarnath and Buda Amarnath Yatri Niyas were present on the occasion.

The function started with Maha Yagya and flag hoisting ceremony. Later addressing a gathering the VHP national secretary and spokesperson, Dr Surinder Jain said that his organization wants that Buda Amarnath should also gain countrywide popularity like Swami Amarnath yatra.

He said Swami Amarnath yatra has become popular throughout the country and every Hindu is associated with it. The VHP and BD want that the Buda Amarnath yatra should be run on the same pattern, he added.

He said the Buda Amarnath yatra was running from centuries together but after the militancy gripped the State in 1989-90, this yatra was stopped in the wake of migration of Hindus from Poonch villages. Later Bajrang Dal took a challenge in 2005 to run this yatra and since then the Buda Amarnath yatra is running smoothly.

He said last year over 1.5 lakh pilgrims from different parts of country perform darshan at Buda Amarnath and it is expected that the number will increase this year.

Dr Jain stressed on revival of all religious yatras in J&K and urged the Government to take effective steps in this regard. He said in case the Government faces any problem in reviving these yatras the BD will provide all assistance and cooperation to it.

Stressing on Niyas and Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) cooperation he said, the Board should not side track Niyas and any controversy on yatra should be avoided.

The BJP MLA from Nagrota, Jugal Kishore Sharma was special guest on the occasion. While the function among others was attended by Divisional Commissioner Jammu Dr Pawan Kotwal, Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Sanjeev Verma, Director Health Services, Jammu Dr Madhu Khullar, SSP Jammu, Anant Jain, Drug Controller, Dr Satish Gupta, BD national convener, Subash Chauhan, co-convener Rajesh Pandey, VHP state president Dr Rama Kant Dubey, BABAYN chief Surinder Mohan Aggarwal and others

Traders meet in Poonch

For the first time after suspension of trade for four months, traders of both sides of divided Jammu and Kashmir today settled their accounts and urged governments of the two countries to increase the trading days as well as the number of goods, during the traders meet organised by the authorities here at Rahe Milan, Chakkan-Da-Bagh.

The traders from Pakistan administered Kashmir, however, initially decided to suspend the meet as the three most prominent defaulting traders were not present there but later with mutual understanding the meeting was carried out peacefully. PAK traders have submitted a list of 31 defaulter traders to Indian authorities while Indian traders submitted a list of 17 defaulter traders to PAK authorities and it was unanimously decided to bring all of them in this traders meet so that their accounts were settled and they get their due payment from the defaulter traders.

105 traders of J&K and PAK today converged on Chakkan-Da-Bagh and debated various issues connected with growth and strengthening of LoC trade in the backdrop of Indo-Pak foreign ministerial level talks.

The traders on the two sides also exchanged the list of the defaulting traders who had failed to clear their dues, they said.

Indian traders demanded enhancement in the number of trucks, giving list of disputed parties, trader to trader trade and five days permits for the traders to survey the markets of other country. Traders also demanded Indo-PAK governments intervention in boosting cross LoC trade as according to them there is no profitable item being imported or exported.

Traders Pawan Anand, Krishan Singh, Amin Magrey, Rajinder Vaid welcomed the decision of both the governments for enhancing the number of days from two to four. They, however, regretted that their was no benefit for enhancing number of days as there was a list of 21 items for cross LoC trade which was decided to be enhanced but instead of enhancing these, authorities have banned some profitable items on the excuse of their packing. They urged upon both the governments to solve the problems of traders of both sides as they are running this trade just to improve relations with each other and not to earn profits. They also demanded traders list of PAK traders from PAK as the authorities did not provide the same to them.

The traders of both the sides expressed their satisfaction over the outcome of the talks and urged governments of India and Pakistan to increase the number of trading days and also increase the number of the trade items of the LoC trade.

The meeting was organised under the supervision of Abdul Hamid Custodian Cross LoC Trade and Kuldeep Raj TFO Poonch while  Mirza Arshad Jaral ADC Tetrinote  supervised traders meet from PAK side in the traders meet.

A total of 105 traders including 49 from Indian side and 56 traders from PAK side participated in the traders meet.

Official reports said that more than three traders settled their accounts which were pending from last more than one year.

Pak trader Choudary Mufti Basarat, Mohammad Hafiz, Mohammad Akbar, Zardar Abbassi, Mohammad Raza told KTNS  there was need of trader to trader trade so that the middle man are shunt out from this Cross LoC trade. They alleged that some Indian traders have blocked their payments and they requested Indian authorities to provide their money to them so that they will further carry on this trade.

“We have brought a ten point formula for smooth functioning of this trade which must be supported by Indian counterparts,” they said, extending support to their Indian counterparts on the issue of providing traders permits by the authorities of both sides.

After the meeting Abdul Hamid Custodian Cross LoC Trade told KTNS that today he have got a list of 8 defaulter traders from PAK and he will ask them to attend the next traders meet. To a question of three main defaulters, he said that legal action will be taken against them.

The meeting started at 12.55 PM and culminated at 4.45 PM.