Rain, snowfall dip temperature
NH again closed, 600 vehicles stranded

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Dec 26: The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was again closed for the vehicular traffic this afternoon following massive shooting of stones triggered by heavy rainfall at highly vulnerable spot of Panthal near Ramban.

However, the rainfall had no impact on the air service with all the aviation companies operating their flights as per normal schedule. Even one additional flight of Indian Airlines from Leh to Jammu operated normally.

The rainfall in the entire State and fresh snowfall in upper reaches further dipped the temperature with a severe cold wave sweeping the State and disrupting the normal life.

Deputy Inspector General of Traffic Police Mohd Amin Shah told the EXCELSIOR that in the morning all sorts of vehicles from Srinagar to Jammu were allowed to move on the highway. "As the shooting of stones started at around 12 noon, the traffic police personnel at Qazigund were directed to stop movement of more vehicles beyond Qazigund", he added.

Though the shooting of stones disrupted vehicular movement a number of times yet at 2.30 pm it badly blocked the 300 metre stretch of the highway at Panthal. "Due to closure of the highway about 500 Jammu-bound vehicles including 80 of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and 150 passenger ones got stranded between Ramsoo and Ramban", the DIG said.

About 100 Srinagar-bound vehicles which reached Panthal late last evening were also held up on the highway, Mr Shah informed and added that due to rainfall the highway has also become slippery at many places and it was not advisable to allow vehicles to move.

"Tomorrow morning, Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which is responsible for the maintenance of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, will assess the situation before starting road clearance operation. Only stranded vehicles will be cleared following reopening of the highway", the DIG said.

This was for the fourth time that the highway was closed during December. During the beginning of this month, the highway remained blocked for eight consecutive days and frequent closure of the highway forced the authorities to allow only one way traffic from twin capital cities on rotational basis.

Meanwhile, rains in the plains of State coupled with fresh snowfall in upper reaches further dipped the temperature considerably. The maximum temperature of Jammu was recorded at 15.9 degree celsius as against 20.6 degree celsius yesterday.

Similarly, the day temperature of Kashmir has dipped to 5.4 degree celsius as against 7.4 degree celsius yesterday, a spokesman of Indian Meteorological Department said.

Reports from Srinagar said that severe cold coupled with frequent power failure, shortage of LPG and increase in the prices of essential commodities, has badly affected normal life in the Kashmir valley.

The entire northern belt, including Kupwara, Sadhna Top, Machil, Keran and Karnah received fresh snowfall resulting in severe cold in the plains.

Reports of snowfall were also received from Khilanmarg, Affarwat and world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, where hundreds of skiers from within the State and outside are participating in the adventure sports.

The tourist spots of Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Yusmurg, Deksum and upper reaches of Shopian also experienced fresh snowfall.

Rs 17 lakh worth fraud
SVO books X-En, 3 AEEs, 2 JEs

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 26: The State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) today registered a case against six Engineers of Power Development Department (PDD) including an Executive Engineer, three AEEs and two Junior Engineers of Udhampur for causing a loss of Rs 17 lakh to the State exchequer in execution of works.

The Engineers against whom a case has been registered under FIR No. 30/2006 and Section 5(1) (d) read with 5 (2) Prevention of Corruption Act and 120-B RPC have been identified as Joginder Sapru, the then Executive Engineer, Lalit Kumar Raina, Fareed Ahmed and Saral Singh, the then Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs), Idris Khan and Tariq Hussain, the then Junior Engineers (JEs), posted in Sub Transmission Division, Udhampur.

Official sources said the accused officers had withdrawn bills against non-existent works thereby causing a loss of over Rs 17 lakh to the State exchequer. The bunglings had been committed in construction of 33/11 KV Receiving Station-II at Dalian in Bhadarwah tehsil of Doda district.

Investigations carried out by the Vigilance Organisation revealed that the Government had sanctioned an amount of Rs 1.70 crore for execution of works. Test check of seven works, executed by the accused officers at a cost of Rs 31 lakh, was conducted.

Test check revealed that accused officials had actually executed works for an amount of Rs 14 lakh only but had drawn bills amounting to Rs 31 lakh, thereby withdrawing Rs 17 lakh for unexecuted works.

Works for which test check was conducted include land leveling of Receiving Station Dalian, Bhadarwah, construction of Breast Wall and drain at upper terrace, construction of Retaining Wall along the roadside, construction of Platform Equipments Foundation and Switch Yard at lower terrace, construction of Breast Wall between upper and lower terrace, laying of earthing mat and providing earthing pits in the switch yard and erection of Auxiliary Transformer (63 KVA) including transformer platform.

Sources said the accused officials of Electric and Maintenance, Sub Transmission Division, Udhampur in connivance with each other and in furtherance of this conspiracy made payment for non existing civil works shown to have been executed. Investigations by the Vigilance team further revealed that on ground, measurements of works executed didn’t tally with measurements for which the payment had been released.

Tosha Khana property of State not any family: Charak

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 26: Minister for Roads and Buildings, Gulchain Singh Charak today made it clear that the precious treasurer of Tosha Khana at Mubarak Mandi belongs to the State of Jammu and Kashmir and not to any individual or family.

Addressing a press conference, Mr Charak took strong exception of, what he called, vicious campaign launched by some groups against decision of the State Government to shift Tosha Khana from Mubarak Mandi to Civil Secretariat for preservation of precious treasurer of Dogra heritage.

"Instead of appreciating State Government for protecting this heritage of Dogras, some groups and individuals have launched a campaign against this decision’’, he regretted and cautioned the people against designs of these groups.

When his attention was drawn towards statement of former Sadar-e-Rayasat Dr Karan Singh who has offered to shift this precious treasurer of Dogra heritage to Amar Museum, Mr Charak said, "Dr Singh has given an offer to shift Tosha Khana to Amar Museum but the Cabinet is of the view that it should be shifted to Civil Secretariat and later restored back to its original place at Mubarak Mandi’’. "Without Tosha Khana Mubarak Mandi will be like a body without soul’’, he asserted.

"Although Amar Museum is a safe place yet majority of the people are of the view that it should be installed back at Mubarak Mandi’’, he observed and added that the precious treasurer will be restored at Mubarak Mandi as soon as possible.

Seeking to ally apprehension aired by some section that this precious treasurer will be taken to Srinagar during Darbar Move Mr Charak assured that Tosha Khana will not be moved with Darbar and will remain in the Winter Capital. "The State Government is conscious of its proper protection and its shifting from burnt complex of Mubarak Mandi to strong room of Civil Secretariat is for the proper maintenance and protection of this treasurer’’, Mr Charak said and informed that all items were properly documented and listed. "Any individual of the State can get any detail of any item from the Government at any time’’, he maintained.

When asked about how much time the Government will take to restore back the precious treasure to its original place at Mubarak Mandi, Mr Charak said that a Society for Preservation of Mubarak Mandi Heritage complex has already been constituted under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad for the preservation of Mubarak Mandi complex and new complex would be projected as one of the prestigious heritage complexes of the State.

"For making new complex at Mubarak Mandi, the Centre has already sanctioned Rs 43 crore out of which Rs five crore stands released’’, he informed.

Mr Charak said that another Tosha Khana, which has been lying in the basement of Jammu and Kashmir Bank at Srinagar, will also be exhibited before the common masses. "We have already taken up the matter with Chief Minister’’, he said and hoped that a decision will be taken shortly in this regard.

Mr Charak blamed successive State Governments for ruining heritage of Dogras and claimed that it was only after formation of coalition regime in the State, that some effective steps were taken to preserve this heritage.

Minister of Roads and Buildings, while replying to another question, informed that he has sought copy of the recommendations of a committee, which was constituted to inquire how many historical manuscripts and documents have been shifted from Jammu to Srinagar.

Earlier the Minister visited Tosha Khana along with senior officers. He checked the lockers in which all items were intact and also examined weaponry and other items kept in other single room. The Minister was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Director Archives and other senior officers.

Soldier, driver killed in Pulwama; 3 injured

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Dec 26 : A soldier and a TATA Sumo driver were killed and three others wounded when militants fired upon a vehicle carrying them at Rekh Litar in Pulwama district of South Kashmir today, an Army spokesman said.

He said militants opened heavy fire on a TATA Sumo carrying soldiers at Rekh Litar in Wachi area of Pulwama district.

Driver of the vehicle identified as Mukhtar Ahmed Sheikh R/o Bhatpora, Shopian was killed on the spot while three soldiers and a civilian sustained serious injuries in the firing, the spokesman added.

He said one of the soldiers later died in a hospital here.

The condition of the other soldier was stated to be critical.

The spokesman said search operation was in progress when reports last came in.

Further details were awaited.

Sources said that unidentified gunmen, believed to be militants, appeared at Wahibugh in Kunzar area of Tangmarg this afternoon and they opened fire on one Irfan Ahmed Tantray. Tantray, who sustained injuries, was rushed to a hospital for treatment. Reports described him as a released militant and small time contractor.

Meanwhile, Handwara police has recovered a women namely Haniefa Bano, wife of Mohammad Maqbool Bhat of Kangroosa Rafiabad and arrested her abductor Abdul Rashid War, Son of Sabir War of Sheikhpora Haril from Sheeri Baramulla.

Mohammad Maqbool Bhat of Kangroosa Rafiabad had lodged a written complaint with police station Kralgund that his wife Haniefa Bano was abducted by one Abdul Rashid War, Son of Sabir War of Sheikhpora Haril from the residence of his father in law at Haril. On this report, FIR was registered and investigation set in to motion.

During the investigation, strenuous efforts were made to locate the abductee as well as abductor. Nearly after 10 days the police party headed by SHO Kralgund recovered the abductee from the accused Abdul Rashid War. After recovery, the girl was medically examined. SDH Kralgund confirmed that the abductee has been sexually exploited by the accused. The girl has been handed over to her father Habibulla Tantry resident of Haril.

Meanwhile, one person namely Mehraj-u-Din Mir, Son of Mushtaq Ahmad Mir resident of Beaner was arrested by Handwara Police for making a fake bank cheque.

A written complaint was recovered from one Mohammad Afzal Dar, Son of Habibullah Dar of Baba Raza, Manager J&K Bank Branch Langate stating that one person Parvez Ahmad Lone, Son of Ghulam Mohammad Lone of Kralgund Handwara presented a scanned cheque bearing No. 13909352 for payment of Rs. 40,000. The cheque was presented for payment to the counter clerk. On perusal, the cheque was found fake and the accused was handed over to P/S Handwara for further course of action.

Upon this, FIR was registered in police station Handwara and investigation taken up. During the investigation on the disclosure of Parvez Ahmad Lone, one Mehraj-ud-Din Mir, Son of Mushtaq Ahmad Mir, of Beaner Baramulla was arrested, who had scanned the cheque. His personal computer was seized in the instant case, which had proved the scanned cheque still in the system. Both the accused are presently in police lockup.

BSNL proposes standby OFC
*Via Anantnag-Sinthan Top-Udhampur

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, Dec 26: In view of frequent disturbance of its services due to landslides on the 300-km Srinagar-Jammu national highway following heavy rains and snow, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has proposed to have a standby optical fibre cable diversity via Anantnag-Kokernag-Sinthan Top-Kishtwar up to Udhampur.

A BSNL spokesman said India's largest telecom operator has already drawn up a proposal to have standby optical fibre cable via Anantnag-Kokernag-Santhantop-Kishtwar up to Udhampur.

A proposal was also with the corporate level for execution to increase the bandwidth between Jammu and Udhampur for immediate media diversity by deploying a new microwave system, he added.

The spokesman also clarified that at 0930 hrs on December 22, optical fibre got cut between Ramban and Banihal, thereby disrupting broadband and internet services of the state-owned operator.

''This was due to heavy landslide on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway. The repair could not be started until Beacon authorities cleared the debris where the fault had occurred. The team went to the site and started OFC repair work. Simultaneously one more cable got cut between Ramban and Batote at 1200 hrs,'' he added.

Due to this, the spokesman said the media was faulty up to Jammu.

However, the landline and mobile services were functioning normally in microwave and satellite system, he added.

The spokesman said media was partly working up to Jammu but beyond the winter capital also got cut at three places between Pathankot and Jalandhar.

This resulted in media cut between Jammu and Chandigarh and also Jammu and Jalandhar. Chandigarh is the nodal centre for mobile and Jalandhar the main trunk exchange for landline for north India.

''Due to this, the communication system got affected which was beyond the control of BSNL officials,'' he added.(UNI)

‘Remove chicken, meat from essential commodities list’

SRINAGAR, Dec 26: The State Government has recommended the Centre to remove chicken and meat from the list of essential commodities, Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Taj Mohiuddin said.

Participating in a Doordarshan programme, Mr Taj said about 50,000 chicken are being sold in the Srinagar city alone everyday.

Similarly thousands of kg of meat is also being sold everyday in the city limits, he said.

Mr Taj said majority of the chicken and meat is being imported from different cities of the country as local production was not enough to meet the requirement.

He said chicken and meat is not an essential commodity as only those who can afford it can buy it.

"We have recommended the Centre to remove chicken and meat from the list of essential commodities", he said adding that he fail to understand why these items were included in the list of essential commodities in the past.

He said an ordinary person cannot afford chicken and meat.

When a questioner asked why his department was not keeping any check on prices of chicken and meat, Mr Taj said it was not possible to keep a check on every shopkeeper in the city as 50,000 chicken are being sold everyday from hundreds of outlets.

There could be some shopkeepers charging Rs four or Rs five more which hardly matters, he said adding the main thing is the availability of chicken and meat, which we are maintaining. A correspondent who visited different markets in the city today saw chicken being sold Rs 65 to 75 per kg, depending upon the area, against the Government-approved rate of Rs 55 per kg. Similarly, the rate of mutton per kg was Rs 150 against the Government rate of Rs 125.

People blamed that the CAPD Department for failing to check the prices of these items. They are getting their share from the shopkeepers, they alleged.

About the ban imposed by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) on the import and sale of chicken within the city limits, Mr Taj said that it was done just for publicity.

"The Health Officer of the SMC has no authority to declare chicken fit or unfit for human consumption, he said, adding this has to be decided by veterinary experts.

About the criticism from different quarters against the lifting of ban by the Government in February this on the entry of poultry in Jammu and Kashmir from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana to prevent spread of bird flu, he said the decision was taken after thorough discussion with the experts.

He said the Government had received a letter from the GOC XV Corps, requesting to lift the ban on the import of poultry for army personnel.

Justifying the lifting of ban on the poultry, the Defence Ministry said will never allow soldiers to eat anything which is harmful for their health.

The Punjab and Haryana Governments had also demanded the lifting of ban, saying the poultry industry in these states suffered daily losses to the tune of Rs one crore.

An official of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) on Saturday said the step to ban the import of layer chicken was taken in the best interest of the people.

"The layer chickens are being fed with some substance which is harmful for human consumption," the official added.

He said the entry of chickens from outside the State also caused loss to local poultry units. (UNI)

Full working day in JKBL on Dec 30

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, Dec 26: In anticipation of three consecutive holidays falling around Eid-ul-Azha, to facilitate the bank’s customers, all the branches of J&K Bank in Kashmir valley will observe December 30, (Saturday) as a full working day.

Further, the Bank shall be crediting pension in advance in the accounts of State Government pensioners drawing their pension from J&K Branches. All the pensioners can withdraw their pension on December 30, 2006.

Iqbal to hold charge of Secy Tourism

Excelsior Correspondent

Jammu, Dec 26: According to a Government order Commissioner/Secretary PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Mehboob Iqbal shall hold the charge of Administrative Secretary Tourism Department also in place of Naeem Akhtar, who is on medical leave

Halder to be new IB chief

NEW DELHI, Dec 26: P C Halder will be the next head of the Intelligence Bureau, taking over from E S L Narisimhan who retires at the month-end.

The name of Halder, a 1970 batch IPS officer of the Bihar cadre, was cleared by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today and a notification from the Home Ministry on his appointment is expected to be issued tomorrow, official sources said.

The 59-year-old Halder, who has been in the organisation for over three decades, will take over the post on January 1, 2007.

With the advantage of a two-year tenure, Halder will carry forward reforms in the country’s intelligence machinery to meet the challenges due to the changed tactics of elements inimical to the country.

Halder, who will celebrate his 60th birthday on January 21, brings to the post experience in VIP security, counter-surveillence and tackling insurgency, especially in the Northeast.

He has also served in various missions abroad, including the High Commission in Britain.

There was no immediate word about appointments to key posts under the Home Ministry like the Director General of the CRPF and Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the Ministry.

The three-year tenure of Delhi Police Commissioner K K Paul will also end next month. The Chief of the Bureau for Police Research and Training, Kiran Bedi, is considered to be among the front-runners for this post.(PTI)

Top LeT ultra held in Doda

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 26: Police today arrested a dreaded Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant from Bharat area in Doda district. He has been identified as Mohd Iqbal son of Mohd Akram, a resident of Bharat.

Police said Mohd Iqbal, 22, had joined militancy in 2000 but was arrested by police and security forces in April 2001. He was released in June 2003. However, he again joined militancy in 2005 and was deputed by Abu Umar, LeT commander to kill a civilian Jaffar Hussain son of Mohi-ud-Din R/o Bharat.

Jaffar was killed on November 6.

Arrested militant is being subjected to sustained questioning to ascertain clues about the hide-outs of Lashkar-e-Toiba.

43 SIs, 7 ASIs adjusted

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 26: Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu range Dr Shesh Pal Vaid today allotted range to 43 Sub Inspectors and seven Assistant Sub Inspectors (ASIs) after they were allotted Jammu zone by Police Headquarters.

SIs allotted Jammu-Kathua range are Shakti Devi, Nazir Ahmed, Rajeshwar Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Rakesh Singh Sambyal, Vinod Kumar, Vijay Kumar, Pawan Singh, Nayat Ali, Mohd Tufail, Sadaqat Hussain, Ravinder Mehta, Kamal Singh, Suraj Pathania, Bharat Bhushan, Sathinder Pal Singh and Kuldeep Kumar.

Those given Udhampur-Doda range include Sudhir Sharma, Sunil Kumar, Sameer Jeelani, Sudhir Sudhotra, Mohd Irfan, Ajay Singh, Mohd Farooq, Padamdev Singh, Vijay Kumar, Parvez Ahmed, Shamim Ahmed, Vijay Kotwal, Nishant Gupta, Sanjay Raina, Rajinder Sharma, Manoj Kumar Dhar, Javid Akhtar and Sandeep Parihar.

SIs adjusted in Rajouri-Poonch range are Pushpinder Singh, Sureshwar Dev Singh, Fareed Ahmed, Jhangir Ahmed, Mohd Sadiq, Javid Iqbal, Mohd Sharief and Javed Iqbal.

ASIs Parvez Sajjad, Vinay Gupta, Sumeet Sharma, Deepak Sharma and Jatinder Singh have been allotted Rajouri-Poonch range while ASI Jeet Singh has been given Jammu-Kathua range. ASI Anil Kumar was given Udhampur-Doda range.

NHRC notice to Defence Secy, CS

NEW DELHI, Dec 26: The National Human Rights Commission has directed the Defence Ministry and the Jammu and Kashmir Government to inform it about the compensation given to victims of human rights violations by the armed forces in the strife-torn state.

Taking suo motu cognisance of a newspaper report, the Commission has asked the Defence Secretary and the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary to file the reply.

According to the December 17 report, 76 army personnel had been punished over the past few years after complaints against them.

The report said the violations were taking place despite instructions to the armed forces to make anti-insurgency operations "people friendly" and minimise collateral damage.

Punishment for the guilty security personnel included dismissal from service. (UNI)

National Highway re-opens for vechicular traffic

JAMMU, : The 300-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway re-opened for vehicular traffic today after authorities cleared blockades caused due to shooting stones and accumulation of snow at different stretches of the key highway.

The highway was blocked yesterday due to shooting stones triggered by rains at Panthal, 168 kms from here, and slippery conditions caused by snowfall around the Jawahar Tunnel.

The road near Panthal has been restored by Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which maintains the highway, police said, adding the snow has also been removed on the road leading to the Jawahar tunnel, officials said.

However, only stranded vehicles, including passenger buses, have been allowed to move to ply from 1000 hours today.

The regular traffic from Jammu and Srinagar would be allowed to ply only after the stranded vehicles pass, officials said.

Several hundred vehicles were stranded yesterday following rain and snowfall near the highway, the only road linking Kashmir to rest of the country. (PTI)

Terrorists using Nepal, Bangaladesh borders to enter India

NEW DELHI, : Terrorists are using new routes from Nepal and Bangladesh to sneak into India, Army chief Gen J J Singh said here today asserting that authorities had taken steps to block these entry points.

"As terrorists are finding it hard to penetrate the fence and new anti-infiltration systems placed all along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and in Punjab," Singh said they were now exploring new means to sneak into India.

"The areas bordering Nepal and Bangladesh are still porous and intelligence reports suggest that terrorists are trying to use them to infiltrate into India," he said on the sidelines of a function held here to launch the logo and mascot for the World Military Games to be held in Hyderabad in October 2007. It is being held for the first time in India.

Army Chief's comments assume significance when seen in the backdrop of official figures tabled in Parliament, which said that rate of infiltration from across the Line of Control had come down this year, even though terrorist infrastructures remained intact on the Pakistani soil.

Minister of State for Defence M Pallam Raju, who was also present, said that people trying to use these routes into mainland India were largely economic migrants.

"These people try to sneak into India for economic gains and may try to end up becoming tools of fundamentalist forces, if they did not find financial gains".

On reports of delay in equipping the special forces with new lethal weapons, the Army Chief strongly refuted these saying that frontline weapons and weapons with greater fire power potency had already been given to these forces.

"Arms procurement are a lengthy and time consuming process," Singh said adding that while main weapons systems had been procured and made available to special forces, some sub-systems were still in pipelines.

He said under the infantry modernisation programme, the special forces were being given re-orientation in operations. (PTI)