Ramadan begins today

The holy month of Ramadan has commenced with the sighting of the moon on Monday. According to reports, the Ramadan moon was sighted in some parts of the valley. Soon after the moon was sighted, people were seen greeting each other on the beginning of the holy month.

Taraveeh or special Ramzan prayers also began at the mosques. Meanwhile, governor NN Vohra and chief minister, Omar Abdullah have also greeted people on the commencement of the holy month and hoped that this auspicious occasion would be a harbinger of peace, amity, communal harmony, brotherhood, progress and prosperity in the State.

In a message, the governor said that the holy month of Ramzan is a period dedicated to fasting, prayers and service to fellow human beings and the society and highlights the values of patience, self-restraint, tolerance and austerity, which promote feelings of compassion and respect for others.

In his message, the Chief Minister described Ramdhan an opportunity for the subjects of Allah to re-dedicate themselves as His faithfuls and show highest degree of tolerance by observing fast not only on account of eating food but by renunciation of all activities leading to sin and amounting to detrimental to human dignity.

Praying for the peace and prosperity of the State and well-being of the people, Omar Abdullah expressed the hope that the people while seeking forgiveness from Allah will also pray for the peace and develop-ment of the State.

Machail Yatra arrangements in Kishtwar

DDC reviews Machail Yatra arrangements in Kishtwar

District Development Commissioner Kishtwar M. H. Malik convened a meeting of the district and sectoral officers to review the arrangements for the forthcoming Machail Yatra 2011 to the Sapphire Valley Padder.

It was revealed in the meeting that the Machail Yatra 2011 shall commence from 1st of August 2011 while as the holy Chari Mubarak will reach Kishtwar on 18th of August and depart from Kishtwar to Padder on 19th of August 2011.The meeting discussed various issues which included security, medicare, accommodation of yatries, construction of temporary shelters enroute the holy shrine, drinking water facility besides other necessary services were also discussed for smooth and peaceful conduct of the annual yatra.

Pilgrims Return Without Darshan

Gujarati yatris return without having darshan after Overcharged

Tired and heart broken, Nattu Bhai and his wife Jasu Behan were taking feeble steps. With tears in their eyes and hoping to return next year they were on their way to Pahalgam for onward journey to Baroda, Gujarat without performing darshan of the holy Ice Lingam of Lord Shiva in the Amarnath cave shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas.

They had planned the yatra last year and had been saving money for whole year to make this holy journey. But they exhausted their money in Sheshnag and decided to return.

Fifty eight year old Nattu Bhai is the leader of the 11 member group, mostly elders. All of them from same locality of Baroda, Gujarat. "We had planned this yatra last year. All of us saved money for this trip but at Sheshnag we were short of money. And then we decided to return," said Nattu Bhai.

"We had brought money as per the rates claimed by the Government. But here we were overcharged. For tented accommodation we were charged Rs 250 per person while the rate is Rs 90. We were charged Rs 4,500 by pony-walas from Chandanwari to Amarnath Cave while the rate is Rs 3,200. And palki-walas charged us Rs 18, 000 while rate is only Rs 13, 000, he rued."

Jasu Behan said "it was difficult for us to make the forward journey. When we realized that we exhausted our money we decided to terminate our yatra. If Lord Shiva wishes we will come next year. Begging was the only option for continuation of our yatra but we decided not to go for it."

Seventy-year-old Bindu Behan, who was the eldest member of the group said "It had been my last wish to have darshan but Lord Shiva didn't grant it this year."

The Tent Union president at Nunwan, Muhammad Anwar denied over charging. He said "we are charging only Rs 90 here at Nunwan but we have no idea what others charge at Chandanwari, Sheshnag and other places. If they are overcharging, it is wrong."

Ghulam Muhammad, a pony-wala admitted that they overcharged. "The Government rate is Rs 3,200 from Chandanwari to Cave shrine and back but our rates range from Rs 4000 to Rs 4500 depending upon the customer."

"When it is peak season, the Government enforces rates. If we overcharge and are caught police beats us. But when the season is lean, we even charge Rs 2000 to Rs 2500 and at that time no one checks our rates, he added."

The overcharging complaints by Amarnath pilgrims are rampart. Even the pilgrims allege that helicopter tickets are sold at higher rates.

Alok Tiwari of Uttar Pradesh, who had performed darhan from Baltal route said, he was charged Rs 6,500. Normally the return fare for the traditional Pahalgam route set by the SASB is Rs 6,900 while for the shorter Baltal route is Rs Rs 4850 per person.

Amarnath Yatra 2011

First batch for Amarnath Yatra leaves today

Amarnath Yatra- 2011 is commencing tomorrow as the first batch of around 4000 pilgrims including Sadhus will leave from the base camp Yatri Niwas at Bhagwati Nagar at 5.30 AM.“Over 4,000 yatris have arrived from various parts of the country in Jammu today. More pilgrims are arriving,” Deputy Inspector General of Police Farooq Khan said.

The first batch of pilgrim will leave from the Bhagwati Nagar-based Yatri Niwas tomorrow, base camp of Amarnath yatra in Jammu for their onward journey to the shrine located at a height of 13500 ft. The yatra will be flagged off by the Minister for Tourism Nawang Rigzin Zora. Earlier “Pratham Pujan” was performed at Panjtarni by CEO SASB joined Niyas office bearers in June 15.

Khan, who welcomed the pilgrims at the newly set up reception-cum-assistance centre at Kunjwani on the outskirts of Jammu city, said that adequate security measures were made for the yatra period.“We have asked pilgrims and their families to pray for peace to prevail in Jammu and Kashmir when they pay obeisance at the cave shrine,” the DIG said.

Notably for Yatra, elaborate security arrangements have been made besides the deployment of thousands of paramilitary forces and police personnel along the entire Yatra route and its peripheries. Reception and Information Centres have been established enroute for educating the Yatris and providing them first hand information about the routes and lodging available at various places. Besides, Joint Yatra Control Rooms too have been established in each district to deal with the issues relating to Yatra. The main reception centre has been established at Lakhanpur, Kunjwani and Railway station.

Yatri Niwas was opened today for registration of pilgrims for lodging. With a multi tier security, the Niwas, spread in an area of several hectares of land, has started community kitchens, assistance booths, joint control room, registration centre as well as boarding and lodging areas.

In the meanwhile, Jammu and Katra Hoteliers have offered special discount of 30 percent on room tariff on all the advance bookings during the Amarnath Yatra. The representatives of the Hotelier Associations  offered the discount at a meeting with the director tourism Jammu convened to discuss comfortable stay of pilgrims during the annual Himalayan cave  yatra  in Kashmir.

In connection with Yatra, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Sham Lal Sharma also visited yatra base camp at Bhagwati Nagar here today and took stock of arrangements put in place for facilitation of Yatris.The minister directed the senior officers of the police and civil administration to ensure close coordination for smooth conduct of Yatra. He laid special emphasis on sanitation arrangements, round the clock supply of drinking water and electricity during the entire yatra period. He directed health authorities to ensure adequate stock of medicines and other medicare facilities for the pilgrims.

The minister directed the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu to personally monitor Yatra on a regular basis and ensure that pilgrims do not face any kind of inconvenience. He also suggested roping in civil defence, Red Cross and other voluntary organizations to facilitate the pilgrimage Divisional Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Chief Engineer PHE, Director Tourism, Director Health Services, Chief Medical Officer, Health Officer, JMC, senior officers of police and allied civil departments of Jammu district were present on the occasion.

Notably on June 21, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had visited Pahalgam and reviewed the law and order situation and the arrangements for the Amarnath yatra. Senior officers of the police and the civil administration had apprised the Union Home Minister about the security situation in the area, particularly in view of the arrangements made for the yatra.

A follow-up review meeting had taken place in Jammu on June 24 to take stock of security arrangements for yatra right from Lakhanpur to Banihal, places of stay and sites of langers.  The meeting was attended by IG Jammu zone, IG CRPF, DIG Jammu and Kathua range, DIG Udhampur-Reasi range, DIG CRPF, DIG CID, DIG IRP, DC Jammu, CMO Jammu, senior police officers, besides officers from paramilitary, army and intelligence agencies.

In the meeting, the deployment worked out by district SSPs, security wing and traffic in Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur and Ramban too was discussed and reviewed. The assessment of intelligence agencies too had been taken into account.

Chamliyal Mela Festival

An unquenched thirst to be on the other side:Chambliyal mela: Locked borders, passions unbound

Hardly 500 metres distance from Pakistan’s soil, thousands of Indian people were standing on a mound near Baba Chambliyal shrine and were anxiously peeping on the other side of border to get a glance of the Mela being celebrated on the other side.

The event was the annual Chambliyal Mela, organised by Border Security Force (BSF) every year, at village Chambliyal of Ramgarh sector of Samba district where more than 1.5 lakh pilgrims visited today to pay obeisance to the revered saint of the shrine. But a yearning to be on the other side of the border fence surpassed faith that brought them to this place.

Most of the people were unhappy with BSF personnel, who didn’t allow them to go near Zero line except some BSF officials, civil officials and few media persons to witness the famous “Chadder Exchange Ceremony” between BSF and Pakistan’s rangers at zero line.

Among the hundreds of devotees standing on the mound, an infuriated Pritam Singh a resident of Bishnah said that the BSF jawans had earlier said that common people would be allowed only after 2 PM to go near the Zero line to see Pakistan’s fair.

“VIP’s, officers are permitted to go near Zero line but poor villagers are dying in the scorching sun, waiting endlessly. Security forces don’t bother about the distance covered by people to reach here,” he said, adding that security forces gave excuses that if allowed near Zero line then people would cross the fencing. 

  

  When asked, why he wanted to see the border, he replied, he has love for border, they didn’t have any interest in internal clashes in Pakistan’s territory but they wanted to see 4-5 lakh Pakistani brothers who had assembled on the other side. Angry villagers, smitten by the BSF officials maintained that they felt betrayed.

A magician at the shrine was busy keeping some people engaged with his trick of disappearing coin. Pritam Singh keenly watched him at work and finally said to the magician, “Agar Aaap Main Shakti Hai To Is Tar (Fencing) Ko Gayab Kar Do.” The poor magician humbly replied that if he would have such ability then he would also go to other side to see the fair.

A friend of the magician said, “Magicians can only make pigeons and coins disappear, nothing else.” Highly emotional, Pritam Singh sighed and said, “Atleast pigeons have freedom to go to any country, I wish I were one and would have flown unhindered to that side of the border.”

When asked, since how many years he was visiting the border, he replied that every year the border changes contours. “Kaun Sa Border, Kabhi Inki Tar 2 kilometer Pakistan Main Chali Jati Hai, Kabhi Is Side Aa Jati Hai. Sirf Do Ghanto Ke liye Border Khol do, Humne Border Dekhna Hai, Koi Pakistan Par Attack Thoda Hi Karna Hai, Humne Sirf 4-5 Lakh Pakistani Log Dekhne Hain Aur Wapis Aa Jana Hai,” Pritam added. (The border fencing keeps shifting, sometimes more to Pakistani  side, sometimes more to this side. How does it matter if they open the border for 2 hours so that we can meet their people and come back. We are not attacking Pakistan.)

Though borders are the annual fair very strictly under vigil, anyone forbidden to even venture close to the zero line, leave alone cross them, passions and emotions here knew no boundaries, no limits. Many enthusiastic people were also seen watching Pakistan’s side from around 50 feet high old Surveillance post of BSF located near the Shrine. Several times, BSF personnel stopped the people from climbing the post but whenever security forces left the place devotees again started climbing up to get a better glimpse of action on the other side.

At around 1 PM, BSF personnel seized the observation post by erecting barbed wire. Excited devotees then tried another way and went into the fields near the Zero line where security was absent but huge rush of people in fields again put the security forces and security personnel on their mettle and later they restricted people from venturing into the fields close to Zero line.

Dayal Singh, originally from Bhimber Tehsil in Pakistan administered Kashmir said that Pakistani nationals “look like us” but they were differently dressed up. “I have a strong desire to go to the other side but now it is not possible, no one will allow us to go,” he adds.

An army pensioner Babu Ram Bhagat of Bishnah echoed similar emotions. “We don’t have any ill will for Pakistanis, we want that they come to visit our side and vice-versa,” he said. And then he turned to the media persons with a word of advice, “Work passionately and try to patch up the gap between both countries.”

Beating the heat, huge rush of pilgrims was also seen in long queues for “Darshan” of Baba Daleep Singh Manhas’ shrine. Several temporary stalls of eatables, toys and decorative items, different rides like Marie go round, slides and many other entertainment sources also attracted the huge crowd despite hot and moist weather.

Div Com reviews Amarnathji Yatra arrangements

Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Dr. Pawan Kotwal today said that first batch of Shri Amarnathji yatris would leave Yatri Niwas at Jammu on June 28, 2011and all arrangements for the smooth conduct of Yatra are being put in place.

Dr. Kotwal said this at an officers meeting organized here at Yatri Niwas Bhagwati Nagar Jammu to review the Yatra arrangements.

The meeting discussed in detail the arrangements being put in place for the hassle-free stay of the yatris in the city of temples for pilgrimage of Amarnath. These include identity cards to the yatris, their transportation, drinking water and power supply at the Yatri Niwas at Bhagwati Nagar and other lodging sites spread across the city, sanitation and health check facilities and regulation of prices of essential commodities and other eatables. Other arrangements like security, traffic, regulation and parking of vehicles were also finalized in the meeting.

Among others, DIG, Jammu Kathua Range, Farooq Khan, Additional Commissioner, Jammu, D. R. Sharma and Director Tourism, R. S. Mehta, ADC Jammu Sheetal Nanda, Chief Engineer PDD, RTO, Jammu, Virinder Singh Slathia, Joint Commissioner, JMC,. Babu Ram, Deputy Director Information, (PR), Jammu, Suram Chand Sharma, SP Traffic, Zahid Manhas, XEns of various Wings and other officers from SRTC, CAPD, BSNL, CRPF, Health etc were present.

Later, the Divisional Commissioner also discussed various projects recommended by Special Task Force for Jammu division at a meeting attended by officers of various developmental departments.

The main projects deliberated upon include upgradation-widening of Ramnagar-Dudu Basantgarh-Latti road in Udhampur, Solid Waste Management project for Udhampur, Widening of Patni-Top-Sanasar road, Water Supply Scheme for pilgrim town of Katra from Dhanser nallah in Reasi district, Alternate Bridge near Abdullah Bridge in Rajouri district, New District Office Complex/ Mini-Secreatariat at Poonch, Construction of Patimahal-Dachhan Road in Kishtwar district.

Upgrading Jammu Airport-including shifting of utilities, Modernization of General Bus Stand/development of multi-tier parking at Jammu, Alternate water supply scheme to save lakes of Surinsar and Mansar, Approach road and bridge to Railway Station Banihal in Ramban district, Tourism Projects of Jammu division, Upgrading the Chakrohi Seed Multiplication Farm for Jammu Basmati etc. were also discussed. The Divisional Commissioner exhorted upon the officers complete the DPRs of various projects within stipulated time frame. He asked for maintaining close coordination between various departments to ensure early completion of preliminary works.