Karan Singh welcomes solution of Amarnath land issue

New Delhi, Sep 1 (UNI) Former union minister and former ruler of Kashmir Karan Singh today welcomed the agreement arrived between the Jammu and Kashmir government and Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti and urged all concerned in Jammu and the valley to accept the agreement in good grace.

In a statement the Rajya Sabha MP said apart from the reconstitution of the Shrine Board, the Centre, the state government and the civil societies should jointly take measures to try and make up the massive losses that had been incurred both in Jammu and in Kashmir regions by disruption of formal trade, commerce and tourism during the two-month long agitation.

''It is imperative that normalcy be restored in the state before the tourist season begins,'' he said.

Dr Singh also emphasised the need to take special measures to help students overcome the backlog so that they did not lose an academic year. He hoped the compensation to next of kin of those killed in the agitation is paid expeditiously.

Meanwhile a report from Srinagar said Moderate Hurriyat conference (HC) acting chairman Maulana Abbas Ansari today rejected the state government and Sangarsh Samiti's pact over the settlement of the 800 kanals of controversial forest land issue in Baltal.

He asked the people to stay united and continue the peaceful protest and programmes of the Coordination Committee, spearheading the present agitation in the Kashmir valley.

UNI MCN SP HS1823