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Hopes brighten for solution

Luv Puri

Diversion of land to Amarnath Shrine Board for yatra period mooted

— PTI

SILVER LINING: S.S. Bloeria, Adviser to the Jammu and Kashmir Governor, addressing journalists after a meeting with members of Shri Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti in Jammu on Saturday.

Jammu: Hopes have brightened for an end to the agitation in Jammu over the issue of land transfer to the Amarnath Shrine Board, following talks between the Governor’s committee and the Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti on Saturday.

Emerging from the five-hour talks spread over two rounds, Samiti leader Brigadier (retired) Suchet Singh said the negotiations with the committee had been “absolutely fruitful and productive.”

The four-member committee set up by Governor N.N. Vohra, and chaired by his Adviser, Sudhir S. Bloeria, has reportedly worked out the contours of a settlement with the Sangarsh Samiti.

Now both sides are working on the wording of the agreement, which is likely to be announced after the third round of talks on Sunday. The core of the formula is to divert land to the shrine board for the yatra period, and then possibly reconstitute the board.

Informed sources told The Hindu that the compromise formula had got the green signal from the Samiti. Even the verdict of the single Bench of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court in 2005 had made the suggestion of temporary diversion.

During the first round of talks, Samiti representatives asked for clarification on the government proposals and said they would not compromise on the demand for return of land to the board.

The government, the sources said, pointed out that the formula took care of their principal demand. As such, they should not have any objection to the reconstitution of the board. The shrine board representatives wanted time to consult their colleagues.

In the second round, government representatives asked the Samiti to take a broader perspective of the explosive situation in the State and not to impose any other condition.

All the members of the Governor’s committee participated in the discussions. Besides Dr. Bloeria, the other members were Justice (retd.) G.D. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, Jammu University, Prof. Amitabh Mattoo and Principal Secretary to Governor, B.B. Vyas.

The Samiti was represented by Tilak Raj Sharma, Brig. (retd.) Suchet Singh, Narinder Singh and Pawan Kohli.

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