Cop kidnapped, gunned down in Tral
Five militants, soldier killed in 4 operations

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, June 25: Even as suspected militants have gunned down a Jammu & Kashmir Police personnel in Dadsar village of Tral and a soldier of Rashtriya Rifles has died in a gunbattle in Kulgam, Police and security forces have killed five militants in four separate operations in Kashmir valley since last evening. Meanwhile, two civilians, who had got injured in a blast in Sopore and in a shootout in Pattan, have succumbed to injuries at hospital.

Informed sources in north Kashmir told the EXCELSIOR that on a specific information, Kupwara Police and troops of 17-Dogra launched a cordon-and-search operation in the interior forest locality of Chak Mohalla in Dardsun, Kupwara, late last night. During the operation, troops learned that a group of five militants was holed up in the village mosque. As they came out and made an attempt to escape with a round of firing at around midnight, troops gunned down two militants in an alley. Sources said that three militants managed to escape, leaving behind one militant's gun. Sources said that the informers of SOG camp Milyal and security forces had followed this group of militants from Kachhama village. A sniffer dog squad was used to track down the escaping militants but it failed to lead troops to the militants' hideout. Both the militants killed in the gunbattle were believed to be Pakistani cadres of Jaish-e-Mohammad.

Sources said that two AK rifles and 10 hand grenades were in a large quantity of arms and ammunition recovered from the site of the encounter. A Jaish-e-Mohammad spokesman confirmed the death of two militants of his organisation but claimed that four soldiers had got killed and three more injured in the gunbattle.

Sources said that on yet another tip off, troops of 4-Para and Kupwara Police killed a Hizb-turned-Lashkar militant, Tasleem Hyder Bhat alias Zubair S/o Ghulam Hassan Bhat R/o Bagh-e-Islam, Baramulla town, in a gunbattle at Chandigam in Lolab valley of Kupwara district last night. Official sources said that Zubair had functioned as an important Hizb militant for the last over two years.

Sources said that Handwara Police and troops of RR 21 Bn had laid a late night ambush at Haran in Chogal area of Handwara in Kupwara district after learning that a group of militants was on way to Sopore area from Kandi. During the operation, three militants walked in the ambush. As the troops opened fire, two of the militants managed to escape. Third one got killed in the shootout. One AK-56 rifle and a copy of holy Quran were recovered from his possession. Sources said that the militants remained unidentified though he was believed to be a Pakistani cadre of either Lashkar-e-Toiba or Jaish-e-Mohammad.

In south Kashmir, informed sources said that Kulgam Police and troops of 161 Battalion CRPF and RR 09 Bn launched a cordon-and-search operation at Kanipora village in Kulgam area. According to a specific information, a group of five militants was present at a hideout. In the wee hours today, the holed up militants opened fire and made repeated attempts to escape. One militant got killed during the gunbattle but four of his associates managed to escape. One of the holed up militants was hit in his leg and he too managed to escape. However, troops got a squad of sniffer dogs and followed the trail of blood upto Naibug hamlet. None of the escapees could be traced. Sources said that one soldier of CRPF 161 Bn got killed in the fierce gunbattle.

Sources said that unidentified gunmen, suspected to be militants, appeared at Dadsar village in Tral area of Awantipore Police District and they kidnapped a selection grade constable, Gulzar Ahmed Sheikh S/o Abdul Gani Sheikh. He was later gunned down after severe physical torture. Some reports said that suspected militants slaughtered the Police personnel.

Meanwhile, one of the civilians injured in the grenade attack at mystic Ahad Sahib's residence last week has succumbed to injuries at hospital. Two civilians had got killed and many others injured in the blast. With this the toll of fatal casualties in this explosion has reached to three.

Meanwhile, a woman, namely Misra W/o Ghulam Hassan Tantray R/o Palhalan succumbed to injuries at SKIMS today. She was among three civilians who had sustained gunshot wounds when troops opened fire on a protest demonstration in Palhalan last week. A class 12th student's death in a controversial firing had evoked massive protests in Pattan-Palhalan belt last week. As Misra's dead body reached Palhalan today, hundreds of residents gathered on the road and they blocked traffic on the highway with slogans against security forces and the government. Near-total shutdown was observed in Pattan-Palhalan belt. Reports said that Police used baton charge, tearsmoke and firing in air to disperse the demonstration.

24 officers in Forest Deptt shifted

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, June 25 : The State Cabinet which met on Saturday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, has approved transfers and postings of 24 officers in Forest Department.

S. D. Swatantra, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests has been transferred and posted as Advisor in the Department of Forest and Environment.

I. A. Khan, Chairman, Pollution Control Board has been transferred and posted as PCCF, J&K.

R. D. Tiwari, Project Chief IWDP Hills has been transferred and posted as Chairman, PCB, J&K. He will also retain his existing charge till further orders.

Vinod Ranjan, awaiting orders of posting has been posted as Director, Forest Protection Force, J&K.

Pritam Chand, Director Forest Protection Force J&K shall report in the Office of Principal Chief Conservator Forest till further orders.

Shafat Ahmed, CCF Jammu has been transferred and posted as Director, Social Forestry, J&K.

S. K. Khajuria, CCF projects has been transferred and posted as CCF Settlement and Demarcation in the office of Principal Chief Conservator Forests.

A. K. Srivastava, Director Social Forestry, J&K has been transferred and posted as Chief Wildlife Warden against available vacancy.

Lal Chand, CCF Kashmir has been transferred and posted as Director Soil Conservation, J&K.

A. K. Singh, Director Soil Conservation, has been transferred and posted as CCF projects.

Abhai Kumar, Secretary (Technical) Forest Department has been transferred and posted as CCF Jammu.

Abdul Razak, Member Secretary, Pollution Control Board has been transferred and posted as Chief Conservator Forests, Kashmir.

Suresh Chugh, Conservator of Forests Jammu East has been transferred and posted as Conservator of Forests Research.

S. P. Arya, Project Co-ordinator Chenab Basin has been transferred and posted as Member Secretary, Pollution Control Board.

Ajaz Ahmed, Conservator Forests Central has been transferred and deputed to State Forest Corporation as OSD.

S C Sharma, Conservator Forests, Chenab Circle has been transferred and posted as Project Coordinator Ujh.

Manoj Pant, Director Youth Services and Sports has been recalled and posted as Conservator Forests Jammu East.

H. S. Slathia, Conservator Forests Research has been transferred and posted as Nodal Officer in the Office of Principal Chief Conservator Forests.

Manu Raj Singh, awaiting orders of posting has been posted as Senior Agrostologist.

L. K. Sharma, awaiting orders of posting has been posted as Conservator Forests Central.

M. J. Sharma, Project coordinator Ujh has been transferred and posted as Conservator Forests Chenab Circle Jammu.

Roshan Jaggi, Joint Director Forest Protection Force, Jammu has been deputed to J&K State Forest Corporation.

Asif Mehmood Sagar, Senior Agrostologist under orders of transfer as CEO Poonch Development Authority, has been posted as Project Coordinator Chenab Basin.

V. S. Charak, Joint Director SC Jammu shall report in the office of Principal Chief Conservator Forests for further orders.

Hide-out busted
5 top militants surrender

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, June 25: Dealing a blow to their respective outfits, five top terrorists, including two each of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and Harkut-ul-Jehadi Islami (HUJI) laid down their arms before the security forces in Doda district.

This apart, a hide-out was also busted and four civilians were rounded up by the security forces in connection with the killing of a civilian and chopping off ears, nose and tongue of two others in Dunga, Gulabgarh area of Mahore tehsil on June 14.

An official spokesman said that four militants—— two each of HM and HUJI outfits surrendered before Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Doda, Commander 9 Sector of Rashtriya Rifles, Commanding Officer of 148th Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and SP Kishtwar at Kishtwar today.

They have been identified as Mohd Rafiq ( code Furkan Illahi), son of Mohd Ramzan of Haddad Kuntwara, Javed Ahmed alias Zahid, son of Abdul Aziz of Haddad Kuntwara, both of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) outfit, Mohd Shafi alias Umar, son of Noor Mohd of Patnazi and Bashir Ahmed Sheikh (code Rashid) alias Ismail, son of Ghulam Rasool of Puchal, both of HUJI outfit. Bashir Ahmed Sheikh was the section commander of HUJI.

The surrendered terrorists handed over three AK 56 Rifles, nine AK magazines, 260 AK rounds, seven grenades, one grenade thrower and a pouch.

Another militant of Muslim Janbaz Force (MJF) laid down arms before the security forces at Doda last evening. Identified as Manzoor Ahmed Tantray of Krawa, he was earlier an active member of the HUJI outfit before switching over to MUF.

He handed over one pistol and 90 rounds to the security forces.

"These militants were active in Doda district in general and Kishtwar area in particular for the last about two to six years and their surrender has virtually dealt a severe blow to HUJI and HM", an Army spokesman said and added that all the surrendered militants were involved in series of attacks on the civilians as well as security forces.

Head of Army’s Media Cell Col D K Badola said that these terrorists laid down their arms after hard motivation through various sources including local civilians and didn’t rule out the possibility of more terrorists of these outfits coming forward to surrender in near future.

During the last six months, a total of 51 terrorists laid down arms before the security forces. Out of them, 41 ultras surrendered in Doda district only, Col Badola said, adding there has been no decline in the number of militants surrendering as compared to last year.

Meanwhile, a hide-out was busted by the security forces in Nehock area of Udhampur district and recovered one pistol, one magazine and some rounds.

Security forces also rounded up four civilians in connection with the killing of a civilian and choping off organs of two persons at Dunga on June 15. Their questioning was going on.

They have been identified as Abdul Aziz, son of Abdul Gani, Jamal Din, son of Abdul Gaffar, Bashir Ahmed, son of Ghulam Mohd and Abdul Majid, son of Jamal Din, all residents of Nehock area.

2 killed, 46 hurt in Poonch mishap

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, June 25: An infant was among two persons killed and 46 others received injuries when a bus, they were travelling in, skidded off the road and plunged into nullah near Garibdass Temple in Krishna Ghati area in Poonch district this afternoon.

The ill-fated vehicle bearing registration number JK02S-4587 was on its way from Mendhar to Poonch when at Garibdass Temple Morh the bus skidded off the road and rolled down into 50 feet deep nullah killing two passengers including an infant on the spot and wounding 46 others.

On the receipt of information, a police team and Army personnel rushed to the spot and started rescue operation. All the occupants of the bus were brought out of the nullah and shifted to District Hospital Poonch. The condition of four injured was stated to be critical when reports last came in.

A team of specialist doctors led by Col Dr S B Joshi was deputed to the District Hospital Poonch by the Commander of Poonch Brigade Brigadier G S Shergill for the assistance of the civilian doctors in treating the injured.

The deceased have been identified as Kiran Devi and Pritma Dutt. The injured are Sunita Devi, Mohinder Devi, Inder Kour, Shaheen Akhter, Anjali Devi, Madhu Bala, Prince Dutta, Mohd Qayoom, Shazia Kousar, Rekha Rani, Kamlesh Rani, Manchal Sharma, Parveen Akhtar, Sharifa Bi, Shabnam Akhter, Shamin Akhter, Tanveer Akhter, Razia Bi, Farida Akhter, Tasleem Akhter, Parveen Akhter, Latifa Bi, Raj Kumari, Kousar Bi, Sunita Devi, Danesh Kumari, Bimla Devi, Anita Sharma, Shivani Sharma, Surbi Dutta, Tasveer Begum, Imtiaz Ahmed, Mohd Sadiq, Mohd Sajid, Zanib Bi, Nitu Sharma, Sarita Devi, Sunita Devi, Neelam Dutta, Shanti Dulari, Satya Devi and Jasvinder Kour.

Azad briefs Cabinet about Pak hand behind terror activities

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, June 25: The recent escalation in the militant activities and the affects on tourism sector and Amarnath Yatra were discussed at length during the State Cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad at Srinagar late yesterday evening.

Informed sources told the EXCELSIOR that while referring to the steps initiated by the administration in defeating the designs of the saboteurs, Mr Azad told his Cabinet colleagues that the intelligence reports suggested that Pakistan and its agencies were definitely behind the recent militant activities to flare-up the tension in the Valley.

The Chief Minister, the sources said, while quoting inputs of central intelligence agencies, told the Cabinet that it was apprehended that there could be further escalation in the terrorist activities, as desperate attempts were being made to create communal tension and unrest within various sections of the Society. The targeted attacks on tourists from Gujarat, West Bengal and Rajasthan and an attempt to kill a spiritual Saint in Sopore were aimed at to create communal tension.

Mr Azad, however, was optimistic that the designs engineered from across the border will be defeated, as intelligence agencies have further been strengthened and security forces kept abreast of the situation to tackle it.

It may be mentioned here that Union Home Secretary, V K Duggal too had recently hinted towards Pakistan hand behind spurt of militant activities in the State.

Duggal, who addressed the Editors’ Conference in Srinagar on June 23, blamed Pakistan for exporting terror by keeping the terrorist camps intact and functional in its territory. The Home Secretary also shared the intelligence inputs with Mr Azad during the one-to-one meeting that day.

Earlier on June 21, concerned at the continued increase of violence in Jammu and Kashmir, National Security Advisor M K Narayanan, who had made a surprise visit to the Valley, asked all the security agencies to ensure synergy among themselves with one point agenda of defeating the militant designs and make concerted efforts to counter terror groups, who were out to flare-up the violence.

Army Chief Gen J J Singh, who too was in the Valley that day, referred to the increase in infiltration and termed it a " big challenge". The General who talked to reporters at Titwal, mentioned about the presence of 1,500 militants in the Valley and Army’s determination to take on them.

Considering the escalation in militant activities and visits of high dignitaries to the Valley last week, it was in the back-drop of intelligence inputs that Mr Azad briefed the Cabinet about measures being taken to meet the situation, the sources added.

Jammu becoming breeding ground for health hazards

By Mohinder Verma

JAMMU, June 25: Jammu is virtually turning into a breeding ground for cropping up health hazards, as 450 tonnes of municipal solid waste is being mishandled while disposing off in the most unscientific manner everyday.

The present trend of garbage generation in Jammu city indicates that by the year 2020 there would be generation of about 1200 tonnes of municipal solid waste every day which will prove disastrous for the population of the city if scientific method is not adopted right from its handling to disposal.

Most unfortunate part is that Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), which is responsible for proper disposal of the solid waste, is openly and blatantly violating its own Municipal Solid Waste Management and Disposal Rules.

As per the record of the Jammu Municipal Corporation based on a survey conducted by Environmental Engineers of a Government of India (GOI) Public Sector Undertaking RITES, 8 lakh population which include migratory and floating population of area falling under its jurisdiction, has been generating 450 tonnes of solid waste per day.

Municipal solid waste of Jammu contains 54 per cent bio-degradable, 14 per cent recycleable and remaining 32 per cent inert material on dry weight basis with 45 per cent moisture content. Chemical analysis shows 36 per cent volatile matter and 19 per cent organic carbon, the survey pointed out.

Though the management of municipal solid waste in scientific manner is essential for protection of environment and health of the citizens but the same has remained neglected in Jammu, where solid waste is still being handled and disposed off in most unscientific manner, the survey remarked and said that Jammu and Srinagar are the only capital cities throughout the country where scientific disposal of municipal solid waste has not been adopted so far.

Municipal trucks shifting garbage from the site of generation to the place of disposal without covering the same with plastic sheets is just a tip of an iceberg of violation of law.

At present, municipal solid waste is being collected from about 100 open collection points besides community bins but segregation of waste at source of generation is not being practised. Moreover, discrete solid waste such as bio-medical, industrial, construction and demolition material is also mixed with municipal solid waste thereby creating a waste of complex nature.

Above all, there is no landfill site with the Jammu Municipal Corporation for disposal of solid waste and for the years together the entire waste is being taken to Nikki Tawi area and disposed off there by digging trenches which is considered as outdated method of treating municipal solid waste.

To prevent Jammu from facing health hazards, segregation of waste at household level is required which can be done by generating mass awareness and collection and transportation system need to be mechanised, the survey has suggested.

When contacted, Mayor of the Corporation Ch Manmohan Singh said that Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA), an executing agency for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) projects, has agreed to provide machinery worth Rs eight crore for scientific disposal of the garbage provided Corporation identifies a suitable land and submits a detailed project report after obtaining No-Objection Certificate from the Pollution Control Board.

He added that land has been identified at Nagrota By-Pass which will be shown to the engineers and consultants of the ERA for approval. "The scientific disposal of municipal solid waste is not a distant dream now", he further said.

Contrary to the claims of the Mayor, there seems to be no immediate end to this problem as even after approval of land by ERA, the coming up of scientific landfill site would take time because of finalisation of detailed project report and other formalities, which would normally take a period of one year.

It is really astonishing that a landfill site could not be adopted so far by the Corporation.

Promotion, recruitment rules of Engg cadre amended

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, June 25: The State Cabinet that met here under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, amended the promotion and recruitment rules in various engineering departments.

As per the new rules, even a junior engineer, who completes just three years of service, will be entitled for promotion.

The step has been taken as number of posts were vacant due to the technical reasons and adhoc arrangement was prevailing in the entire engineering system.

The Cabinet, accordingly approved certain revised eligibility criteria to replace the existing criteria in the Engineering Gazetted Services Recruitment Rules which have been coming in the way of timely filling up of vacancies at different levels on substantive basis.

Meanwhile, for promotion as Chief Engineer, at least 20 years of total gazetted service would be required with at least one year of working experience as Superintending Engineer.

For promotion as Superintending Engineer, at least 17 years of total gazetted service would be required with at least four years of working experience as Executive Engineer.

For promotion as Executive Engineer, at least 15 years of total gazetted service would be required with at least four years of working experience as Assistant Executive Engineer.

For promotion as Assistant Executive Engineer, at least 10 years of total gazetted service would be required with at least four years of working experience as Assistant Engineer.

For promotion to the level of Assistant Engineer, a Junior Engineer must have at least three years experience as Junior Engineer.

The length of experience at different levels required for promotion in the existing rules was found to be large and the current structure and profile of the engineering services allowed few of the candidates to fulfill this requirement.

For Diploma holders, the requirement of length of total service (wherever number of years of services is prescribed for promotion), the requirement shall be two years more than that for degree holders.

All rules would be amended forthwith to enable the engineering departments to fill vacancies at different levels in accordance with the new eligibility criteria.

In view of the fact that hundreds of posts of Junior Engineer are presently vacant in different engineering departments consequent to the slow process of recruitment by the Subordinate Services Board, the Cabinet decided that even as the process of recruitment would be speeded up by the SSB, a parallel process of recruitment of Junior Engineers against available vacancies on contractual basis would be started at district level to fill vacancies in a time bound manner.

Cabinet further decided that a Committee comprising the District Development Commissioner as Chairman, representatives at Superintending Engineer level of R&B, PHE, PDD and District Employment Officer would be constituted to select candidates for contractual appointment in their respective districts with the following timetable:

List of vacancies of Junior Engineers to be provided by Engineering Departments simultaneously to District Development Commissioners concerned and General Administration Department by 5 p.m on June 26, 2006.

Vacancies to be widely advertised by the concerned District Development Commissioners (Chairman of the Committee), through both print and electronic media, enabling eligible candidates to apply at district level and interviews to be commenced on 1st July 2006.

The committee to interview all candidates who respond to the advertisement (by 5th July 2006) within a period of 10 days between 1st July to 10th July 2006.

The entire selection process to be completed by 15th July 2006.

The engineering departments to issue orders for contractual appointments latest by 20th July 2006 after getting the select lists vetted by the General Administration Department in terms of reservation rules and vacancies.

These steps, which is in nature of a systematic reform in the recruitment process of engineering departments, is expected to result in accelerated substantive promotion thereby raising morale and professional standards of the rank and file in various engineering departments.