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July 2004
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In Kullu people appease nature by a fire ritual

          Kullu: People here conducted a fire ceremony in a bid to appease the nature, and ward off natural calamities. Last year, the picturesque state witnessed large-scale loss of life and property, killing as many as 100 people, when cloudbursts and torrential rainfall led to devastating landslides. In order to avoid such calamities in the future, especially with the monsoons all set to hit the region soon, dozens of priests and hundreds of devotees prayed to the Gods. Organisers said that the ritual also aimed to bring peace in the world. "Since the last few years, the nature has been angry with us. Sometimes there are excess rains, and then there are droughts...There is general discord in the world. Our prayers are to avoid all this. People from all villages in this region have come and extended full support to us," said Karamvir Singh, organiser of the ritual.
July 18, 2004

Debris accumulated after landslides pose danger in Uttarkashi (Go to Top)

          Uttarkashi (Uttaranchal): The million of tonnes of debris accumulated here after a series of landslides last year has become a major threat for the locals. Residents are angry that the authorities, though aware of the dangers, have not bothered to attend to the problem. The arrival of monsoons has further accentuated the problem in the hilly town of Uttarkashi. "Every one knew after the calamity that after a few months the rainy season will start and will cause havoc in the city if it's not cleared. Nothing has been arranged in the last nine months. When the rainfall started, the upper part of the debris started breaking and fell on the city. The whole city is under danger," said Rajender Panwar, a local. Many houses have been damaged as boulders continue to fall. Authorities say that a part of the debris clearing is almost over. But they say the remaining work would be carried out only after the monsoons are over. "All the short term works are complete. The solid works will start after the rainy season because the geologists have suggested that the work can be carried out once the rainy season gets over," K.K.Pant, District Magistarate, Uttakashi, told reporters. Pant also denied that the debris were falling over the cities, and said platforms had been built to stop the debris from falling. The officials have said that it will take another 15 months before the debris are cleared. Uttarkashi, which was the epicenter of a powerful earthquake in 1991 that killed over 1,000 people, is consistently hit by incessant monsoon rains that could have softened the rocks resulting in landslides.
July 18, 2004

Indian HC announces visa drop box facility (Go to Top)

          Islamabad: The Indian High Commission has introduced a visa drop box facility through two courier companies for all Pakistani and foreign visa applicants to facilitate visas for bona fide travellers to India. A High Commission press release said that the visa applications could be collected or delivered at Gerry's and TCS offices at Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Quetta. Applicants may be called for an interview by the High Commission where processing time will vary from two weeks for business travellers to eight weeks for general applicants, the Dawn reported. The release further said that the courier company would directly intimate to the applicant a likely date by which the visas would be ready. The service charge of Gerry's/TCS is Rs.500 for out- station and Rs.300 for Islamabad-based applicants. In addition, the normal visa fee of Rs.15 per applicant will be collected from Pakistani nationals. Visa charges for other nationals vary.

          The following are the requirements for visa seekers when depositing visa applications with TCS/Gerry's offices: a) For Pakistani nationals, four application forms are required along with four photographs for a single entry visa. All columns in the application forms shall be filled irrespective of accompanying documentation. b) Old passports should also be submitted in case an applicant has travelled to India earlier or applied for visa. c) First-time visitors should attach an invitation letter or related documentation. Processing time in such cases could be longer. d) Business travellers should enclose a letter from the employing company, an invitation letter from the business contact in India and a certificate of registration with a recognized chamber of commerce or other evidence of commercial operation. e) For medical emergencies, evidence of medical appointments, a copy of medical records and correspondence with the Indian hospital are required. Applications for group visas, including educational, professional and business groups, letters of invitation, details of hosts and sponsors, detailed itinerary including places of stay and details of organizers in Pakistan should accompany the applications. g) Foreign nationals should normally obtain Indian visas in their country of residence. Foreign nationals resident in Pakistan may submit application forms through TCS and Gerry's. Processing time required would be two weeks. Foreign nationals of Pakistani origin and holding Pakistani passports should apply for visas on their Pakistani passports. h) Applicants can also apply directly at the visa section of the High commission between 10am to 12 noon on working days. July 17, 2004

Lahore-Delhi bus terminal shifted (Go to Top)

          Islamabad: Pakistan's Tourism Ministry has decided to move the Lahore-Delhi bus terminal from Faletti s Hotel in Lahore to the Ali Complex at 23 Empress Road. The shift will take place on Sunday. Faletti's Hotel, a property of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), was privatised recently. The decision was made at a high-level meeting held at the PTDC Headquarters with PTDC Managing Director Malik Habibullah Khan in chair. "All technical hurdles for shifting the terminal have been removed as the ministry has already approved the shifting," the Daily Times quoted Khan as saying.
July 17, 2004

British girl Hannah Foster murderer Maninder Pal Singh Kohli arrested (Go to Top)

          Kolkata: Maninder Pal Singh Kohli, who was wanted in the alleged rape and murder of British girl Hannah Foster in England in March last year was on Thursday arrested from Panitanki area of West Bengal's Darjeeling district. He was nabbed while trying to flee to Nepal. Kohli, who had settled in the area after marrying a Nepali woman, was arrested on Wednesday night following a tip-off from locals after police flashed his photographs on TV channels, IG, North Bengal, Bageesh Mishra told reporters here. The fugitive, who had confessed to being the wanted man, was being interrogated at the Kalimpong police station, Mishra said. The 17-year-old girl went missing on March 14 last year in Southampton and her body was found after two days. Autopsy revealed that she was raped and then strangled to death.
July 15, 2004

First batch of pilgrims start trek to Amarnath shrine (Go to Top)

          Pahalgam: The first batch of Hindu pilgrims began their trek to the Amarnath shrine on Thursday from Pahalgam. The batch comprising around 3500 devotees will trek the steep, slippery 48-km Amarnath shrine. Pilgrims expressed satisfaction over the arrangements. "We are just dying to reach the shrine at earliest. The arrangements are very good this time, we do not have any problems," Jatin Sinha, a pilgrim. "We are feeling very nice and it is very good. We want that everybody should visit the cave shrine," said Sarika Sharma, another pilgrim. Elaborate and extensive security arrangements have been made by India's paramilitary Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Armed security personnel line up the journey route that will take pilgrims through five base camps before they reach the Amarnath cave shrine. The Kashmir government has increased the pilgrimage duration to 45 days from one month, following protests from several Hindu groups. This year's pilgrimage is considered especially auspicious and authorities expect a heavy rush of pilgrims.

           Several times in the past, the annual pilgrimage has been targeted by Islamic guerrillas fighting Indian rule in Jammu and Kashmir. Amarnath stands at a height of nearly 12,500 feet above sea level. The pilgrimage leads devotees through monsoon rain-swollen streams and past a glacier-fed lake to the cave where they worship an ice stalagmite, believed to be a phallic symbol representing the regenerative powers of the Hindu god Shiva.
July 15, 2004

J-K Deputy CM flags off Amarnath Yatra (Go to Top)

          Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma today flagged of the official Amarnath yatra amid tight security from the Maulana Azad Stadium here. At least 6,400 security personnel, including special CRPF commandos, have reportedly been deployed at the base camp in Jammu for the first time in view of definite intelligence reports that militants may try to target it. About 4,900 personnel are being deployed in the Kashmir Valley and 2,500 will provide security to the pilgrims along the yatra route in Jammu region. The BSF has also replaced the CRPF in providing escort to the convoy of yatra buses. About 1.5 lakh devotees are expected to visit the cave shrine during the one-and-half month-long yatra. The authorities have allowed 3,500 yatris per day to proceed to the holy shrine in south Kashmir. They have also set up 18 lodging centres in Jammu, where arrangements have been made for drinking water, ration and medical care.
July 14, 2004