‘Under Industrial policy, they will get 30% subsidy, insurance, working capital’

Anantnag, Jul 28 : Principal Secretary, Tourism and Industries, Navin Kumar Choudhary Sunday said under Industrial Policy incentives, bat manufacturing units in Kashmir will receive a boost in coming days.

Talking to news agency here on the side lines of a function, he said, “I had met two months back with bat manufacturers and for the last 70 years two of their problems were not addressed. One was clearance from the forest department due to which they were not getting any incentives from the government.”

“Second was they were not having any plant to manufacture the world class bats. I requested Forest Secretary and within a 15-days-time, he ensured the forest clearance for them. Now our Department has declared it as Sports Industrial Zone. Under Industrial policy, they will get all the incentives, like 30 percent subsidy, insurance, working capital and DG sets,” Choudhary said.

He announced by December they will get a modern bat manufacturing plant and that will be handed over to them (bat manufacturers). “If Kashmir willow is the best in world, then best bat should also be manufactured form Kashmir. We are hopeful that this area will export at least Rs five crore goods,” Choudhary said.

“Hundreds of families in Anantnag and Pulwama districts are dependent on bat industry. It was running on lower level till now and I am hopeful with these facilities this area will get a lot of economic boost,” he added.

On the working of tourism development authorities, Choudhary said, “These authorities have become engineering departments. The aim for which they were formed have not been achieved. Within a month’s time Tourism Department will go the SAC for restructuring of all developmental authorities. We will launch theme-based tourism in a month’s time.”

Says provocations breeds only alienation

Srinagar, Jul 28 : Observing that entire population in Kashmir was reeling under the grip of constant fear and panic over the rumours of scraping of Article 35-A, Chairman Peoples Democratic Front (PDF), Hakeem Yaseen has asked the center to clear the dust on the matter. He said deployment of additional 10000 troops in Kashmir valley have further compounded the already grim situation, plunging the people in an atmosphere of intense anxiety and scare.

In a statement issued, Hakeem Yaseen, while expressing his concern over the rumours about threat to Article 35-A, has urged the central government to come clear over the issue that has plunged entire population in the Kashmir into panic and scare. He has asked the center to desist from commenting on sensitive constitutional issues till an elected government was in place in the state.

He said Article 370 and Article 35-A has constitutional and emotional ramifications attached to it which needs to be kept in view while commenting on its validity. He said Art. 35-A was irrevocable and only an elected civilian government can deliberate on various dimensions of the issue.

Cautioning the center against any misadventure on Article 370 and Article 35-A, Hakeem Yaseen said that exploitation of constitutional and sensitive political issues for petty politicking would only cause further alienation among the people. He said it was in larger interest of the country to leave all the constitutional matters and provision upto the elected government to deliberate, including Article 35-A, which guarantees special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Hakeem Yaseen said that the turmoil ravaged people of Kashmir need humanitarian treatment to heal up their wounds rather than provocation of their emotions and sentiments for petty political gains.

“Center should adopt a cautious approach to win hearts and minds of the people of Kashmir instead of provoking their psyche,” Hakeem Yaseen maintained while cautioning against any move aiming at to tamper with Article 370 and Article 35-A.

“Any misadventure to tinker with the constitutional guarantees to the people of the state shall have adverse affects on the relations between Kashmir with rest of the country,” Hakeem Yaseen remarked. 

Srinagar, Jul 28 : A delegation of traders from Lal Chowk Sunday alleged that the recently held elections for electing office bearers of the Traders Association were fraud and lacked transparency.

Rejecting these ‘fraud elections’, they said the ‘so-called’ election commission setup to hold the polls was biased. “They rejected the nomination of some traders for general secretary post and a blue-eyed person was elected unopposed. It is mockery of a democratic exercise,” they said.

The traders demanded that these ‘fraud’ elections should be declared null and void and new elections should be held in free and transparent manner. “If our demands are not fulfilled, we will be forced to approach the court against those who committed the fraud,” they warned. 

Suhail Khan

Srinagar, July 28: Masked men brandishing with toy guns looted a family of their valuables on late Sunday night in Sopore of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Reports reaching said that the masked men holding the toy guns entered the house of Mohammad Altaf Janwari son of Ghulam Qadir Janwari of Alamdar Mohallah in Krankshivan area of Sopore during night.

The men scared the family by showing the gun, which the family later on came to know was actually a toy gun.

The men took away cash worth Fifty one thousand eight hundred rupees and a mobile phone from the family.

Talking to news agency, one of the family members said that they were held hostage in their own house by the robbers wearing army uniform with (toy) guns pointing at us. They looted cash and mobile phone as well.

A police officer confirming the incident to news agency said that a team has been deputed to the spot to assess the details. “We will be in a position to say more once we are done with our investigations” . (GNS)

Kashmir Despatch News

Handwara, July 28 : Government forces on Sunday morning launched a cordon-and-search operation in North Kashmir’s Handwara village.

Reports reaching Kashmir Despatch said a joint team of forces including 21 RR, SOG Zacholdor launched a cordon and search operation at Hamala Pati in Handwara and conducted house to house search operation in the area.

Police sources told following suspecious movement searches were launched in the area.

Searches in the area was on when last reports came in.