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Sir,

This is in reference to the article 'Last Option' by Mr Sharad Iqbal published in your esteemed Excelsior on 16.2.2000. The author really deserves appreciation for presenting a very clear picture of militancy and the conditions prevailing in Kashmir. I also share the same thinking, ''to leave soft attitude and adopt hard measures to crush militancy. But I would like to bring the peoples' attention towards Jammu also which has become the target of militancy now-a-day.

Though for the past decade, militants have disturbed the normal life in Kashmir but still their so-called Jahad is pending and they have not reached their ultimate goal of independence. So they are becoming active in Jammu. Attacks by rocket launchers on Republic Day, Bomb blast in Sealdah express and in Jewel are the fresh examples of disruptive activities in Jammu. Terror has spread all over Jammu and people are very scared. Security measures are for from satisfaction. Escape of deadly militants Mohd Shabir from Rajouri police station shows the strength of the security in the state. Police men are even unable to control overloading in the matadors. Now there is no time for bilateral and diplomatic talks with Pakistan. Terrorists are widening their arms in Jammu and are leading Jammu to destruction.

So if necessary measures were not taken immediately for these terrorist activities, Jammu may not be called by the name 'City of Temples' in Future.

Yours etc...
Deepak Koul
Manorama Vihar
Bohri Jammu.

Handover it to private sector

Sir,

It is a well known fact that the Government is in the grip of Financial Crunch and is not in a position to meet the budget demands and huge amount of the Contractors, bills are to be paid by the Government. But on the other side the Government is not serious to overcome the situation. There is a huge loss in the Government Corporations Parks & Nurseries. For example the Government tried to develop a Flouriculture Park on National Highway at Samba and after spending a huge amount on account of Salaried bills and other charges the same has not been developed yet. Had it been in the hands of private sector it would have come as a model Park on National Highway.

It is suggested that the land may kindly be handed over to some Private parties for its development in the shape of Park and plantation. The Government would save on the one side a sum of Rs two Lac approximately and on the other side the Government will earn a handsome amount by giving it to the Private Sector.

Yours etc....
Romesh Gupta
Kachi Chowni, Jammu.

Sub-Continental Imbroglio

Sir,

Desperate situations call for desperate remedies. So far, Indian leaders have been bending backwards to please the so-called world opinion. It is high time they stood erect and pursued India's interests and objectives with single minded determination. When you set out to please everyone, you end up pleasing none. In this, Russia has provided us a true-to-life example in its policy towards Chechenya.

Pakistani leadership has mismanaged and messed up their own ''Pyara Pakistan''. To divert the attention of their people, they want to bring those ''blessings'' to J&K, indeed India, also. For India and the Indians, time has come to rise to the occasion as one man. We face an enemy which is hell bent for the breakup of our country and all it stands for. The relentless misleading communal poison being spewed by Pak media has lead to communal polarisation. Their constant refrain of ''Jihad'' prompts one to ask ''Jihad for what'', to bring the ''blessings'' of Pakistan and Afghanistan to J&K also?'' Instead of putting their own house in order, they want to extend the mess further. It is for Indian Muslims to think what that Jihad has in store for them and then act resolutely to defeat the Pakistani leaderships mechinations. The time for wishy-washy thinking is long past.

For India, the immediate steps required are as under :-

* Suspend the J&K State Assembly.

* Declare J&K a Disturbed Area which in actual fact it is and apply the Disturbed Areas Act.

* Anti-Indian elements be muzzled, interned, externed on exterminated ruthlessly.

* A campaign be launched to liberate POK even if it entails an all-out war.

* J&K be re-organise into smaller units on the pattern of erstwhile NEFA as per the wishes of local people. These could be Kashmir valley, Homeland for Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir Valley, Ladakh, Poonch (including adjoining areas) and Jammu (Jammu, Udhampur and Kathua Distts). The Governor and High Court can be common as in Punjab-Haryana and Eastern States.

* Pro Pakistani elements be firmly told to fall in line or migrate.

* Abolish Article 370 and implement Sarkaria Commission's recommendations for all states, subject to local conditions. Kashmiris are neither a special people nor they deserve any special treatment.

Mr Vajpayee the Prime Minister, has rightly denounced the puerile argument of Muslim majority state when the population of Indian Muslims is larger than the total population of Pakistan.

Yours etc...
A S Jamwal
110, Exchange Road
Jammu.

Forest Division at Basohli

Sir,

As per media report of 8thAugust 1993, Punjab Government had agreed to release to Jammu and Kashmir Government 86 crores for 1,13,715 kanals 2 marlas of land to be submerged under Ranjeet Sagar Dam at Thein. Out of this 47,784 kanal 16 marlas land belongs to state government and 16,872 kanals specifically to Forest Department, Thus not less than Rs twenty crore are available for purely forest lands.

Since 1991 when I visited Bani Sarthal area of Tehsil Basohli in district Kathua, a genuine demands has been made for establishing a seperate Forest Division at Basohli (also in view of the sad fact that present Billawar Forest Division looks after this area in a superficial manner) so that bare hillocks behind Basohli get afforested In reply to this, the then Chief Conservator of Forests Jammu, contemptuously dismissed the demand and referred in his letter No. 734/Blk dated 1-10-1998 to River Valley Project Thein Dam catchment scheme of Forest Department.

Because we have quite bitter an experiences about catchment Area Treatment Programme on both sides of river Chenab between Salal Tehsil Reasi and Chandarkote Tehsil Ramban, where without establishing a special Forest Range at Bagdar, the Forest Department is simply tinkering with the problem.

Yours etc...
Bansi Lal Kohistani
63 B/D Gandhinagar Jammu.

Delay in Selection lists

Dear Sir ,

In J&K state , though Govt has created many agencies like State Recuritment board ,Employment Exchange , J&K Public Service commission
etc. to see that What ever little is available in terms of Jobs ,is disbursed to the deserving unemployed youth . But it seems that these organisations are not willing to reduce their dose of sedatives Pills.When ever any list containing the names of selected candidates comes out , some aggrieved party moves the court and makes sure that no body gets any thing. And Indian legal system is kind enough to make sure that few persons should not suffer though the full lists of candidates wait endlessly to see their careers take off.Every selection list is followed by a stay order from the court.
Neither the GOVT. and thier Employment agencies nor our Courts is keen in settling the cases at the earliest. Every body just wants to save its face and Govt wants to delay the burden on its exchequer. I in my capacity as a Citizen of J&K , I request the Editor of largest selling paper in J&K to take up this matter in it's News Paper on regular basis so that Our Courts and Govt agencies can be woken up from their sleep.

I hope that my mail will not go unnoticed.

Thanking You.

Harpreet Singh Arora
(harpreet@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in)