Jammu: The fourth round of talks between a Government panel and the conglomerate of groups agitating for the return of the controversial forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) trust began late on Saturday evening in Jammu.
The Shri Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti (SASS), an umbrella organisation of some 30 outfits, has demanded that the Jammu and Kashmir government be specific about the use of the 40 hectares of land to the SASB.
All four members of the panel appointed by J-K Governor N N Vohra - S S Bloeria, Amitabh Mattoo, B B Vyas and G D Sharma - who held three round of talks with SASS on August 23, arrived at the state guest house around 16:45 hrs IST.
The talks, scheduled to start at 16:30 hrs IST were delayed by a few hours. Neither side appeared at the venue at the earlier scheduled time. The SASS said it received the invite for talks very late.
"The Prime Minister invited us and presented to us the fine points of the solution being offered to both parties in Jammu and Kashmir by the panel appointed by Governor NN Vohra. The proposals were acceptable to all of us present. Indication is that the issue will be resolved soon. The fact that Ramzan begins on September 3 makes it all the more important for the Government to find a solution to the issue" — National Conference leader, Farooq Abdullah to CNN-IBN
Transfer of forest land meant for creating facilities for pilgrims to the Amarnath cave shrine, and its subsequent revocation have had Jammu region and the Kashmir Valley on the boil for the last two-and-a-half months.
At least 50 people have been killed, mostly in police and paramilitary firing, in the agitation.
First residents of the Valley protested against the land diversion and later Jammu residents demonstrated against its revocation, allegedly blocking the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway - the only motorable link to the Kashmir Valley.
SASS spokesperson Suchet Singh said the formula for use of the land at Baltal for the pilgrimage period should be specific. "It shouldn't be vague," he told reporters.
Singh is head of the four-member SASS panel holding talks with the Governor's panel.
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