BIJBEHARA
It is a grand beginning, monetarily. Cricketer Parveez Rasool has been given a cash reward of half a million rupees by the J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) president Dr Farooq Abdullah. It is in anticipation of Rasool’s game that India is keen to see as an IPL team member. Dr Abdullah who along with his association is yet to wriggle out of the controversy revolving huge money embezzlements, has written a detailed letter of appreciation to the cricketer. The move comes days after BS Bedi stepped down as coach of official cricket in Kashmir – a move many welcomed and many regretted.
JAMMU
It should have happened naturally. Months after Bedi Commission that probed the mysterious death of NC fixer Syed Haji Yusuf submitted its report, it was not tabled in the house. At the fag end of it, when Panthers Party leader Balwant Singh Mankotia sought details, the law minister Saifullah Mir was angry. He invoked rules to justify the government stand. A day later, Mankotia surprised everybody by saying if the house permits he will table the report. And he handed over a copy to the Speaker. The 96-page report submitted on December 22 last year pertained to Yusuf’s death on September 29, 2011.
SRINAGAR
Their antagonists are already accusing them of being kafan chour. Last week, they got the first instance to justify the accusation after the controversially managed Wakf Board established that two of its employee stole copper plates from Hazratbal shrine’s damaged central dome and sold it in the market. The enquiry has established theft of 16 kg of copper pins jointly carried out by Chowkidaar and storekeeper. Though insiders said the shrine and the Board has witnessed many such rackets over the decades, but the embarrassed Board is contemplating action. They were caught in the act, so action will follow.
BATOTE
Leighton Welspun Contractors Private Limited, the Australian firm implementing the nine km Chenani-Nashri tunnel on the new Jammu-Srinagar highway has sent its 162 non-local and foreign engineers, managers and clerical staff on leave for an indefinite period. The site is calm as there is no work. The reason was the week-long strike by labourers, drivers, operators, helpers, and mechanics. The company says they are being threatened by the labour unrest. The company is a subcontractor for ILFS run Transportation Networks Limited (ITNL) and is paid on basis of daily work – Rs 2 crore.
J&K has 25474 SPOs and 26567 volunteers working with VDC which is nearly half of the regular police force.
Of the 31619 families that were displaced in Pak in 1947 and migrated to J&K, 80 live in Gurez and 31 in Shangus (Islamabad).
