SAYS and panel sign accord on Amarnath issue, stir suspended

Jammu, Aug 31 (PTI) In a major breakthrough in the Amarnath land issue, Jammu and Kashmir Government and the group spearheading the agitation Sunday signed an accord to allow the shrine board to make temporary use of 40 hectares of land in Kashmir during the yatra period after which the 64-day-old stir was suspended.

The agreement was reached in the wee hours after six hours of talks between the Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (S.A.Y.S.S.) and the four-member panel of the state government headed by S.S. Bloeria, Adviser to Governor N.N. Vohra.

Curfew was clamped in Jammu city and army called out as a precautionary measure to prevent people from participating in the Vijay (victory) rally called by the Samiti keeping in view of reports of presence of militants who could use the occasion to trigger violence.

Addressing a press conference with Bloeria shortly after signing the accord, Samiti's Convener Leela Karan Sharma said "we have suspended the agitation for the time being and not called it off, as some of our demands are yet to be met."

He said "the exclusive use of the land has been given to the (shrine) board without charging any money. This has been agreed upon".

Under the deal, the government has agreed to set aside
800 kanals of land at Baltal and Domail in Kashmir without any
payment.

Bloeria said "the proprietary status, ownership and
title of the land shall not undergo any change. The board
shall use the land for the duration of the yatra including the
period of making the required arrangements and winding up of
the same".

The shrine board will continue discharging its
responsibilities as per the statute on Amarnath pilgrimage and
it shall supervise all arrangements of the yatra with the
support of the state Government, according to the agreement.

Ahead of the accord, former J and K Chief Minister
Farooq Abdullah said last night that he did not think anybody
should have objection to the use of the land during the yatra
period.

Besides Bloeria, a former J and K Chief Secretary, the
official panel comprised Justice (Retd.) G. D. Sharma, Jammu
University Vice Chancellor Amitabh Mattoo and Principal
Secretary to the Governor and Chief Executive Officer, Shri
Amarnathji Shrine Board, B. B. Vyas.

The panel had earlier held three rounds of talks with
the committee set up by the Samiti which included Tilak Raj
Sharma, Brig (retd.) Suchet Singh, Narinder Singh and Pawan
Kohli.

After detailed discussions and deliberations in recent
weeks, the two sides had agreed to a common framework of
action for resolving the issue relating to the use of land
for the pilgrimage period by the shrine board.

"The Shri Amarnathji Yatra, which has been going on
for many centuries, is a shining symbol of communal harmony
and brotherhood in Jammu and Kashmir and reflective of the
State's composite heritage. The yatris have been welcomed with
open arms by the people of both Jammu and Kashmir divisions
and all required facilities have been made available for
them," a joint statement read out after the S.A.Y.S.S.-panel
accord said.

"Sadly, certain decisions of the state government
relating to the Yatra created misunderstandings which led to
controversy and agitation and loss of many precious lives.
Apart from the damage to property, there has been a colossal
loss to the State's economy in different sectors like trade,
transport, industry, horticulture and tourism," it said.

According to the agreement, "the State Government
shall set aside for the use by Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board,
exclusively, the land in Baltal and Domail comprising an area
of 800 kanals, traditionally under use for the annual Yatra
purposes. The proprietary status or ownership or title of the
land shall not undergo any change."

The board shall use the land for the duration of Yatra
(including the period of making the required arrangements and
winding up of the same) for the purpose of utilising it by
various service providers according to its needs and
priorities.

The both sides agreed that the land should be used
according to the board's requirements. This includes "raising
of temporary pre-fabricated accommodation, establishment of
tented accommodation by private camping agencies and setting
up of the shops by shopkeepers (locals, permanent residents of
the State) and facilities for Ponywallahs and Pithuwallahs."

The two sides also agreed to "provisions of medical
facilities, setting up of free 'langars' by private persons
and groups which are licensed by the board, facilities for
helicopter operations or parking of vehicles".

The accord said that arrangements of security by local
police and para-military forces and other security agencies
would be made and measures relating to soil conservation, land
protection and preservation of ecology would be undertaken.

The two sides also decided that the board shall
continue to remain responsible for the overall arrangements of
the yatra on both the routes during the pilgrimage period,
including all arrangements as mandated under the provisions of
the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Act, 2000.

The government also agreed to examine the 14-point
charter of demands of the Samiti, which include withdrawal of
criminal cases against various persons during the period of
agitation, provisions of compensation to the families of the
deceased and to the injured, on "time-bound" basis. PTI SKL
BK