09-01-2008, 12:05 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Jammu exults, stir over </b>
Mohit Kandhari | Jammu
<b>Agreement reached over land for Amarnath yatra</b>
Jammu witnessed renaissance early on Sunday. Drummers spilled on to streets, hundreds of people found a good reason to wave the Tricolour and danced in small groups and sweets were distributed freely and crackers burst to celebrate the victory of the "united Jammu's new-found political voice" after the Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (AYSS) suspended its 61-day "mother of all agitations" immediately after inking an agreement with the Governor's four-member committee after a seven-hour meeting. Â
The fourth round of talks began on a positive note in the backdrop of the peace formula proposed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after evolving a consensus among Kashmiri politicians in New Delhi. The talks, which started around 9 pm on Saturday after being postponed twice on Thursday and Friday, continued till the wee hours of Sunday and witnessed many twists and turns.
The final call was made around 1.30 am, when members of the core committee of the Sangharsh Samiti also arrived at the guesthouse and sat down with the <span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Governor's panel to broker a peace formula without compromising on the core issue of restoration of land to the shrine board. </span>
Around 4.30 am, the members emerged from the meeting room and announced that an agreement had been reached. <span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>The State panel agreed to set aside 800 kanals of land for the exclusive use of Sri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) at Baltal and Domail during the pilgrimage season without changing its proprietary status/ownership/title.</span> Immediately after the news was flashed on TV screens, hordes of people came out of their houses in jubilation and greeted each other.
The Samiti activists present outside the venue chanted "bhum bhum bole", burst crackers and danced to drum beats. The festivities, however, did not last long as the entire Jammu district was put under curfew immediately after the announcement to prevent any militant attack.
Meanwhile, Sangharsh Samiti convener Leela Karan Sharma expressed satisfaction over the development. "It is victory for the people of Jammu and their belief. I thank these people and the media for extending support to the Samiti," Sharma said. He also paid his tributes to the "martyrs" who sacrificed their lives during the agitation.
Special programmes were organised across Jammu where women and children participated in large numbers and hailed the agreement. "Jammu is reborn and no political leader or party dare take Jammu and its people for granted," the locals said.
<b>The jubilant residents defied curfew restrictions at several places to attend the 'victory rally' organised by the Sangharsh Samiti. Holding the Tricolour, they marched toward the rally venue to celebrate the victory, but were prevented from moving beyond a point. At certain places, para-military forces and police had to use water cannons and teargas shells to disperse the residents</b>. The curfew was lifted later in the day and the residents lit candles to express their happiness.
Meanwhile, addressing a Press conference at the end of the seven-hour meeting at the State Guest House, State panel chairman Dr SS Boleria and Samiti convener Leela Karan Sharma announced that the shrine board would continue to discharge its responsibilities as per the Act and supervise all arrangements of the pilgrimage with the State Government's support.
Boleria said the board would use the land for the duration of the yatra, including the period needed to make the required arrangements and winding them up, for use by various service providers according to its needs and priorities.
Both the sides agreed that the land should be used according to the board's requirements. It includes "raising of temporary pre-fabricated accommodation, establishment of tented accommodation by private camping agencies and setting up of shops by shopkeepers (locals, permanent residents of the State) and facilities for ponywallahs and pithuwallahs".
<b>The Government also agreed to examine the Samiti's 14-point charter of demands, which include withdrawal of criminal cases during the period of agitation and provisions for compensation to the families of the deceased and to the injured on a "time-bound" basis. As per the agreement, appropriate packages of financial assistance to compensate losses to the transport sector, trade and industry, horticulture, hoteliers and tourist operators would be examined.</b>
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Not clear, its looks like its not lease but temp arrangement. It will be only during Yatra time.
No lease.
I don't understand why Mr Fool Moron Singh refused at first place?
This time Jammu had called Kashmir Valley and Congress bluff.
Mohit Kandhari | Jammu
<b>Agreement reached over land for Amarnath yatra</b>
Jammu witnessed renaissance early on Sunday. Drummers spilled on to streets, hundreds of people found a good reason to wave the Tricolour and danced in small groups and sweets were distributed freely and crackers burst to celebrate the victory of the "united Jammu's new-found political voice" after the Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (AYSS) suspended its 61-day "mother of all agitations" immediately after inking an agreement with the Governor's four-member committee after a seven-hour meeting. Â
The fourth round of talks began on a positive note in the backdrop of the peace formula proposed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after evolving a consensus among Kashmiri politicians in New Delhi. The talks, which started around 9 pm on Saturday after being postponed twice on Thursday and Friday, continued till the wee hours of Sunday and witnessed many twists and turns.
The final call was made around 1.30 am, when members of the core committee of the Sangharsh Samiti also arrived at the guesthouse and sat down with the <span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Governor's panel to broker a peace formula without compromising on the core issue of restoration of land to the shrine board. </span>
Around 4.30 am, the members emerged from the meeting room and announced that an agreement had been reached. <span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>The State panel agreed to set aside 800 kanals of land for the exclusive use of Sri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) at Baltal and Domail during the pilgrimage season without changing its proprietary status/ownership/title.</span> Immediately after the news was flashed on TV screens, hordes of people came out of their houses in jubilation and greeted each other.
The Samiti activists present outside the venue chanted "bhum bhum bole", burst crackers and danced to drum beats. The festivities, however, did not last long as the entire Jammu district was put under curfew immediately after the announcement to prevent any militant attack.
Meanwhile, Sangharsh Samiti convener Leela Karan Sharma expressed satisfaction over the development. "It is victory for the people of Jammu and their belief. I thank these people and the media for extending support to the Samiti," Sharma said. He also paid his tributes to the "martyrs" who sacrificed their lives during the agitation.
Special programmes were organised across Jammu where women and children participated in large numbers and hailed the agreement. "Jammu is reborn and no political leader or party dare take Jammu and its people for granted," the locals said.
<b>The jubilant residents defied curfew restrictions at several places to attend the 'victory rally' organised by the Sangharsh Samiti. Holding the Tricolour, they marched toward the rally venue to celebrate the victory, but were prevented from moving beyond a point. At certain places, para-military forces and police had to use water cannons and teargas shells to disperse the residents</b>. The curfew was lifted later in the day and the residents lit candles to express their happiness.
Meanwhile, addressing a Press conference at the end of the seven-hour meeting at the State Guest House, State panel chairman Dr SS Boleria and Samiti convener Leela Karan Sharma announced that the shrine board would continue to discharge its responsibilities as per the Act and supervise all arrangements of the pilgrimage with the State Government's support.
Boleria said the board would use the land for the duration of the yatra, including the period needed to make the required arrangements and winding them up, for use by various service providers according to its needs and priorities.
Both the sides agreed that the land should be used according to the board's requirements. It includes "raising of temporary pre-fabricated accommodation, establishment of tented accommodation by private camping agencies and setting up of shops by shopkeepers (locals, permanent residents of the State) and facilities for ponywallahs and pithuwallahs".
<b>The Government also agreed to examine the Samiti's 14-point charter of demands, which include withdrawal of criminal cases during the period of agitation and provisions for compensation to the families of the deceased and to the injured on a "time-bound" basis. As per the agreement, appropriate packages of financial assistance to compensate losses to the transport sector, trade and industry, horticulture, hoteliers and tourist operators would be examined.</b>
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Not clear, its looks like its not lease but temp arrangement. It will be only during Yatra time.
No lease.
I don't understand why Mr Fool Moron Singh refused at first place?
This time Jammu had called Kashmir Valley and Congress bluff.