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CM admits lack of co-ordination in
two parties NEW DELHI, Oct 15: The Congress heading the coalition Government in Jammu and Kashmir today accused its alliance partner PDP of not giving complete support to it in governing the State. To a pointed question on coordination between the two parties, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that, "we used to be very happy when Congress Ministers accompanied the previous Chief Minister (PDP leader Mufti Mohammed Sayeed)." "The previous Chief Minister was given complete support by all Congress Ministers, which is not the case since the Congress took over the reins of the Government in November last year," he said. He was responding to a question about a perception that the Congress and PDP — the partners in Jammu and Kashmir’s ruling coalition — were not getting on well and there was a lack of coordination between them. The PDP’s action of removing Muzaffar Hussain Baig as its Legislature Party chief forced him to resign from the post of Deputy Chief Minister. Mr Azad said he was "shocked" at the charges levelled against Baig by his alliance partner and even hinted at a lack of coordination between the two parties. "I was shocked to hear the type of chargesheet against (former Deputy Chief Minister) Baig. I was shocked at the way he was called by the PDP leadership and hit left and right for supporting the Chief Minister," Azad, who is in the national capital, said. He was responding to a question about a perception that the Congress and PDP — the partners in Kashmir’s ruling coalition — were not getting on well and there was a lack of coordination between them. The PDP’s action of removing Baig as its Legislature Party chief forced him to resign from the post of Deputy Chief Minister. "What impression does this chargesheet give? My every decision has been to pull the State out from the destruction that has been seen there over the years. Is it wrong?" asked Azad. The PDP had accused Baig of supporting Azad on major issues like the creation of eight districts, double shifts to create infrastructure for the State devastated by over a decade of militancy, appointment of the former Chief Secretary as Delimitation Commissioner and the transfer of senior Superintendent of Police Aashiq Bukhari from Anantnag to Budgam. On the militancy front, Azad said the Pakistan Government "needs to put a heavy lid" on militancy and come down heavily on those who aid, abet and sponsor militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. On infiltration, he maintained it had increased two-and-a-half times in the past year in comparison to the previous year. Referring to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s recent statement that infiltration had come down to a bare minimum level, Azad clarified that "the Prime Minister was referring to the last two months while I was giving a holistic picture of one complete year". "In this full year, infiltration has gone up with the support of the Pakistan Army, ISI and other agencies," he said. "Infiltration and rhetoric on one side and talks on the other side do not go well. The Pakistan Government should take all those who are aiding and abetting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir to task. "Should the Pakistan Government do this, there will be no scope for misunderstanding," he said. (PTI) |
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Navy to act against boat tragedy accused HANDWARA, Oct 15: The Navy will soon take action against personnel indicted by an inquiry for the death of 20 students and two staff of a school in a boat capsize in Wullar lake in May this year. "We will take action as per the law against those responsible for the sad accident on Wullar lake. The recommendations of the inquiry commission would be implemented shortly. It is a matter of a few days," Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash said here today. He was here to lay the foundation of a 15-bed ward in the general hospital in memory of children of Handwara’s Burning Candle School who drowned in the lake when an overloaded Navy boat capsized during a joy ride. An inquiry commission constituted by the State Government held four Navy personnel and the principal of the school responsible for the tragedy. Prakash said the findings of the Army Court of Inquiry as well as the judicial inquiry by the State authorities were received by the Defence Ministry last week. "Their findings and recommendations are very similar to each other and as requested by Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, we shall be acting on them very soon," he added. Prakash said the ward would be completed by mid-2007 and would be furnished with essential medical equipment. It would be operated by the State medical authorities, he said, adding the Army authorities have assured give whatever additional support needed. (PTI) |
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5 pc DA released for State Govt
employees Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 15: In pre-festive bonanza, Finance Minister Tariq Hameed Qarra today cleared payment of five per cent Dearness Allowance to the employees, due from July 1 this year and increased their monthly Medical Allowance from Rs 100 to Rs 300. Mr Qarra told the Excelsior that financial implication due to payment of the DA installment and three time increase in Medical Allowance of over 3.50 lakh State Government employees will put an extra burden of Rs 200 crore per year on the State exchequer. While the DA installment for the months of July, August and September will be credited to GPF of the employees, it will be paid along with salary from October onwards, he said. "This is for the first time that installment of DA is being released in favour of the employees within couple of days the payment by the Central Government. Earlier, it used to be kept pending for months together", Mr Qarra asserted. He announced that monthly Medical Allowance of the State Government employees has been increased from Rs 100 to Rs 300. In another important decision, Mr Qarra cleared regularisation of around 150 daily rated workers in the Sericulture Department. The Finance Minister announced payment of DA installment and increase in Medical Allowance after a meeting with the representatives of Civil Secretariat Non-Gazetted Employees Union. The meeting was also attended by Commissioner/Secretary Finance B B Vyas. Mr Qarra said he has issued orders for payment of DA before Eid festival. Payment of salary to Durbar Move employees before Eid festival had already been issued. He also announced implementation of SRO 210 in favour of the Accounts cadre fulfilling long pending demand of the Accounts Service employees. The decision would besides streamlining the Accounts Service cadre will also offer better promotion avenue to its officers by removing stagnation at various levels. An official handout said the Civil Secretariat Non-Gazetted employees led by Nazir Ahmed Mir, president have expressed gratitude to the Finance Minister for taking a genuine view of their demands. They also lauded Finance Secretary B B Vyas. The handout was, however, silent over the payment of Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) installments to the Public Sector Employees. |
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RDX, grenades seized in Poonch Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 15: Two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, one of them a former Special Police Officer (SPO), today surrendered before security forces and police at Gool under the jurisdiction of Ramban police district along with arms and ammunition DIG Udhampur-Doda range Lalat Indu Mohanty said the militants surrendered before senior officers of Army, BSF and police at Gool this morning. They handed over two AK-47 rifles, five magazines, two hand grenades and 100 rounds of AK ammunition at the time of surrender. They have been identified as Mohd Sharif Koka alias Osama (Call Sign A7), ‘Group Commander’ of Hizbul Mujahideen for Chechwan and Tariq Ahmed alias Waqas, both residents of Gool. Waqas was an active militant of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. Mr Mohanty said Mohd Sharif Koka had earlier been working as a SPO at Ind police post in Gool. He had deserted the police post more than three years back along with three Insas and one AK rifle from the post a month before the police post was attacked by the militants killing more than half a dozen cops and injuring many others. Later, Koka had joined Hizbul Mujahideen and became an active militant of the outfit. He along with Waqas was instrumental in a series of militant activities in Gool, Gulabgarh and Mahore areas for last two to three years. They decided to surrender on being persuaded by the local people as well as security and police officials. Immediately after their surrender, the militants were whisked away for questioning to ascertain hide-outs and contacts of Hizbul Mujahideen, official sources said. Militants lobbed two grenades on the house of a surrendered militant Nissar Ahmed at Gowari in Doda district last night. One of the grenade exploded inside the house while another didn’t exploded after hitting a window of the house. There were no casualties in the explosion, sources said, adding the house suffered minor damage. The militants, however, managed to escape taking cover of darkness. Security forces and police visited the village this morning for investigations. A search operation has been launched for the militants but no arrests have been made so far. Security forces destroyed a hide-out of the militants at Darera in Poonch district and recovered 2.5 kg RDX, five Chinese hand grenades, eight Pakistan made anti personnel mines, two electric detonators and one pouch. Two VDC members—Ghulam Mohd Bhat and Ghulam Hassan Dar—who were allegedly kidnapped by militants from Gundana in Keshwan area of Doda district on Friday night—returned to their houses today. Militants had snatched four rifles from four VDC members including from the kidnapped members. |
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Officials debate status of apple in trans-LoC trade NEW DELHI, Oct 15: Should Kashmiri apples be on the positive or negative list of items for trade between the two parts of Kashmir? As India and Pakistan gear up to open trade between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), a serious discussion on this issue took place in the External Affairs Ministry recently, said officials. Officials from the Commerce and Industries Ministry raised their eyebrows while scrutinizing the list of items for trade between Kashmir and PoK when they spotted apples on it. "Apples are on the negative list of trade between the South Asian Free Trade Association (SAFTA) countries," commented an official from the Commerce Ministry, much to the amusement of others present at the meeting as apples are the mainstay of Kashmir’s economy. According to SAFTA rules, certain items including apples are on the negative list of items for trade between India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Maldives. However, after an argument by some officials from Jammu and Kashmir, the apple found its way into the list that was handed over to Pakistan recently as the issue could be taken up at the meeting of Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan likely to be held at New Delhi on November 10. Besides apples, India submitted a list that includes carpets, embroidery items, papier mache items, shawls, cricket bats, furniture, dry fruits, floriculture, tinned foods and juices, leather products, medicinal plants, copper and silver items, basmati rice and mushrooms. India is awaiting the clearance of the list by Pakistan. Trade between the two parts of Kashmir was scheduled to open earlier this year but had to be shelved because of some logistical problems and poor response from the Pakistan side. Pakistan did not submit the list of business delegates from PoK who would hold discussions with their counterparts from Jammu and Kashmir to work out modalities for trade. India had submitted a list of over 70 tradesmen to Pakistan authorities nine months ago but no clearance had been received so far, officials said. Pakistan has, meanwhile, submitted a list of items for trade across the Line of Control that includes spices, apples, walnuts, rice, namdas, furniture, marble, onion, medicinal herbs and pine-nuts. The trade issue will come up during the Foreign Secretaries’ meet, which is likely to be followed by a meeting of representatives of Chambers of Commerce from Jammu and Kashmir and PoK. The Jammu and Kashmir Government has already acquired nearly three hectares for building a truck terminal, customs and immigration facilities at Salamabad near the LoC, where the trade is proposed to be started. (PTI) |
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Arms haul near LoC in Valley SRINAGAR, Oct 15 : Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants and a policeman were killed in separate incidents, while a senior Congress leader escaped a militant attack in Kashmir, where security forces unearthed a hideout near the Line of Control today. Two police personnel of Kothibagh Police Station who were on duty near Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower) in Lal Chowk, nerve centre of Srinagar, were fired upon by unidentified pistol-borne militants from point blank range around 12.50 p.m. today, official sources said. Both the policemen were critically injured in the shooting, which created panic in the area, the sources said adding the ultras fled the scene immediately. The injured policemen were evacuated to SMHS hospital where one of them constable Ghulam Mohiuddin, was declared brought dead, while the other constable Ghulam Hassan was battling for life, the sources said adding a hunt has been launched to nab the militants involved in the attack. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit claimed responsibility for the incident. This was the second major strike by militants in Lal Chowk this month. On October four, militants carried out a suicide attack at Badshah Chowk triggering a fierce 20-hour gunbattle which left ten persons including seven securitymen and two ultras dead and 20 others injured, prompting authorities to strengthen deployment in the area. In an encounter in Pulwama, the sources said a Hizbul Mujahideen militant Mohammad Hafiz Kulas was killed in Donaro forest in Keller area today. Another Hizbul Mujahideen militant Abdul Majid Mir was killed by security forces at Motigowran in Anantnag district this afternoon, the sources said. They said two AK rifles, two magazines, four Under Barrel Grenade Launchers with two grenades and 47 rounds of ammunition were recovered from him. Militants opened fire on the heavily-guarded resident house of Block President of Congress Mohammad Maqbool Bhat at village Lajoora in Pulwama district last night, prompting his guards to retaliate, the sources said. However, no one was injured in the gunbattle which lasted for nearly half-an-hour, they said adding Bhat was present in his house at the time of the attack. The sources said troops of 20 battalion Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry regiment unearthed an arms dump during search operations at Gajnar forest near the Line of Control in Machil sector of north Kashmir Kupwara district this morning. A General Purpose Machine Gun (pika) with an additional stand, four drum magazines, 400 rounds, an AK 56 rifle, five magazines, 700 rounds and a sleeping bag were recovered from the hideout, the sources said. They said the arms were apparently smuggled from across the border by arms couriers and dumped in the hideout before carrying these to various parts in the valley for subversive activities. However, no one was arrested during the operation, the sources added. Meanwhile, two people were killed and as many wounded when their car skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge at Kangan, about 30 Km from here, today, official sources said. They said the car with four occupants was on the way to Srinagar from Ladakh when it skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge at Gund near Kangan. While two occupants died on the spot, an equal number were wounded. The sources said the wounded have been hospitalised. (AGENCIES) |
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Jammu City to get 3 more flyovers By Sanjeev Pargal JAMMU, Oct 15: In a bid to de-congest over congested roads in the City due to heavy rush of traffic, the Government has decided to construct three more flyovers in the City. Authorities hoped that with construction of three flyovers, traffic rush in the City will be reduced to quite an extent. Official sources told the Excelsior that out of three flyovers in the offing one will link Jewel Chowk to Canal Road with three landing points at Bhagwati Nagar, Talab Tillo and Akhnoor road, the second one will connect Vikram Chowk to Satwari and the third from Ambphalla to Shakuntla Crossing with landing at the existing flyover (Expressway Corridor). The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved Rs 36 crore for 1.2 km long Jewel Chowk-Canal Road flyover, which will be constructed by Economic Re-Construction Agency (ERA), sources said. A blue print with architectural plan required for construction of the flyover are being worked out, they added and said work on the project was expected to be taken up shortly. The flyover will have a launching point at Jewel Chowk and three landings at Bhagwati Nagar, Talab Tillo and Akhnoor road. With this, Akhnoor bound passenger buses and other vehicles and Talab Tillo bound matadors will be able to use the flyover, reducing heavy load of traffic on Jewel Chowk-Canal Road. Asked in what time this project will be completed, sources said: "we will try to complete 1200 meters long project as early as possible". However, they pointed out, the flyover will be constructed within the minimum possible time. Second flyover from Vikram Chowk to Satwari involving a cost of Rs 52 crore could take some time to take off but it is definitely in the pipeline, the sources said. They disclosed that initially the authorities had a proposal to construct the flyover linking Vikram Chowk to Convent School Crossing but now the project is being extended right upto Satwari Chowk. It too will have three landings—one for the vehicles heading towards Jammu-Pathankot national highway, the other towards Airport and the third one towards Cantonment. Take off and landing point of the flyover will be linked to both Tawi bridges so that the vehicles coming and going to Satwari from the City directly land either at Convent Crossing or at Satwari Chowk. This flyover is also expected to reduce traffic congestion on Vikram Chowk-Satwari road especially near Convent School and Govt College for Women, Gandhi Nagar. Third flyover, which is being proposed for the City, will link Ambphalla to Shakuntla Crossing minimising traffic at overcrowded BC Road. This flyover will have one landing point at Shakuntla Crossing for the vehicles wanting to take different routs of the City including the Medical College. It will be linked with the existing flyover and even take vehicles directly to Satwari, the sources said, adding exact cost of this project is being worked out. Sources said the authorities were now busy working out a solution to de-congest Ambphalla-Janipura road where traffic was increasing with every passing day. Widening of the road or raising a flyover over it have been ruled out for the time being due to huge financial implications involved in making compensation to owners of residential and commercial structures. Defence authorities have already ruled out opening Manda-High Court road as an alternate due to security considerations. |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 15: The State Cabinet is meeting in Srinagar tomorrow afternoon under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. Mr Azad, who is in New Delhi, will return to Srinagar tomorrow morning. Authoritative sources told the Excelsior that in addition to a discussion on routine agenda, the Cabinet may appoint full time Planning and Health and Medical Education Commissioner/Secretaries. Charge of Planning is currently being held by Chief Secretary C Phunsog after the arrest of Iqbal Khandey by the CBI while charge of Health and Medical Education is held by Anil Goswami, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister after the shifting of Sonali Kumar. Mr Phunsog and Mr Goswami are expected to be relieved of the additional charge after the appointment of full time Planning and Health and Medical Education Commissioner/Secretaries. Meanwhile, the Government has sanctioned 33 days more leave in favour of senior IAS officer B R Singh. Mr Singh had proceeded on 121 days leave after the appointment of Mr Phunsog as the Chief Secretary. |
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Excelsior Correspondent NEW DELHI, Oct 15: In a bid to expedite projects related to tourism in Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Government today decided to release funds for them at the earliest. This was assured by the Union Tourism Minister Ambika Soni at a meeting today with the State Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad held after he cited lack of funds to carry out the tourism plans. "Adequate and timely release of funds by the Centre for tourism related projects will accelerate pace of work and help to achieve the goal within the scheduled time period," Azad said. The Chief Minister pointed out that the tourism development authorities established in the State under the direction of the Prime Minister is going to help boost tourism potential to ensure economic prosperity in the strife-torn Valley. "The State Government has appointed Chief Executive Officers for all the development authorities and equipped these with necessary staff. Process of land acquisition for the projects is also at the fast pace," he said. While promising all helps, Soni assured that "all projects submitted by the State Government will be considered within this week and funds released accordingly. |
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SRINAGAR, Oct 15: Two persons were killed and two critically injured when their car skidded off the road and fell into a 200 ft gorge on Srinagar-Leh National Highway today, official sources said. Atul Bhawa and Nirmal Singh, both residents of Punjab, were killed instantly and two locals, Balwant Singh of Rafiabad and Gulzar Naseeb of Kargil, were critically injured when the car they were travelling in fell into the gorge at Gund, 60 km from here, the sources said. They were returning from Kargil to Srinagar when the driver of the vehicle lost control over the wheel resulting in the accident, they said. The injured were rushed to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences here for treatment, the sources added. (PTI) |
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Jaitley for POTA to check terror ABOHAR, Oct 15: Former Union Minister and BJP national general secretary Arun Jaitley today called for effectively implementing pota for checking terrorism in the country. " We will support the Government on all steps it takes to counter terrorism", he declared while addressing the ‘Nari Shakti Sammelan’ organised by the Punjab unit of the BJP Mahila Morcha here. He said that it was rather unfortunate that the UPA Government was playing vote bank politics and ignoring the security concerns of the nation. Ever since the UPA-Government came to power, the security scenario had become a matter of serious concern, he added. "Countries are coming up with stringent laws to counter terrorism but in India POTA is not being used effectively", he added while pointing out that it was the NDA-Government had made this act a law despite opposition from various political parties. Referring to appeals for mercy for terrorist Mohammed Afzal, the BJP leader said that the contention being put forward for pardoning the terrorist "was not reasonable" and he should be meeted out the capital punishment announced by the Court. "Kehar Singh (Indira Gandhi assassination case) was hanged even though he was not present at the scene of the crime", he pointed out. Referring to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the BJP leader claimed that she was interfering in the working of the UPA Government. "Certain decisions taken by the Government are later defered at the instance of Mrs Gandhi", he claimed. "Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is a puppet in the hands of the UPA chairperson", he added. Turning to Punjab, Mr Jaitley predicted that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP alliance would come to power after the next Assembly polls. The Government led by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had nothing to offer to the electorate, he said. While claiming that there had been no development in Punjab in the last four and half years, Mr Jaitley said that Capt Singh had only pursued the politics of vendetta against his political rivals. The Punjab Government was neck deep in corruption, he alleged while referring to the much publicised Ludhiana City Centre scam. Referring to the agricultural sector in Punjab, he said that farmers had been left in the lurch by the State Government. The Government has offered subsidies to big industrial houses and nothing to the debt ridden farmers, he added. Others who addressed the rally included Karuna Shukla, national chief of the BJP Mahila Morcha, Punjab BJP president Avinash Rai Khanna and a number of other senior leaders. (UNI)
Two Lashker terrorists held, bid to attack markets foiled NEW DELHI, Delhi Police today foiled a major terrorist plot to attack crowded markets in the capital during Diwali by arresting two suspected Lashker-e-Toiba militants, hailing from Bangladesh, with 1.5 kg of plastic explosives. Mohd Alamgir Hussain alias Roni and Abdur Razzaq Jeewon were arrested from the Old Delhi Railway Station at around 5 am on their arrival from Jammu by Pooja Express. They were carrying 15 sticks of plastic explosives. "The duo were here to hand over explosives to a Laskher module in the capital which is tasked to carry out blasts in a market during Diwali," Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Karnal Singh told reporters here. During interrogation, they told police that their job was to deliver the explosives to the module and to ferry the members back to Bangladesh immediately after the blasts, but were unaware of the exact plot. "This consignment was certainly for Diwali. The module was to carry out the blasts and we are working to crack it," Singh said. They were arrested on the basis of "specific information" about their movement. "We have been receving intelligence inputs since September last that Bangladeshi activities in the capital is on the rise," he said. The LeT denied that the arrested persons had any links with the outfit. A person identifying himself as Abdullah Gaznavi and claiming to be the spokesman of the outfit told PTI on phone in Srinagar that "LeT has no links with the arrested persons". The arrest comes at a time when security in the capital is on an all-time high in view of the festive season as security agencies are working overtime to avert the repeat of last year’s blasts. (PTI) |
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