Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Mar 21: In second major terror attack on security installation in two days, two fidayeens today attacked Army camp at Mahesar, about four kilometers from Samba and made unsuccessful attempt to force their entry inside but alert troops after nearly six hour long gun fight eliminated both the militants before they could succeed in inflicting casualties on the troops.
Meanwhile, security forces and police today recovered four Pakistan made track suits and four pairs of shoes apart from some other items at border village of Hariya Chak in Hiranagar sector, which had been abandoned by the militants there after infiltration from Pakistan to wear Army dresses and boots. The track suits and shoes had been hidden after digging land at Hariya Chak Nursery.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the militants after their infiltration from Pakistan and changing dresses at Hariya Chak Nursery on Thursday segregated there in two groups (two each), one of which struck yesterday at Rajbagh police station in Kathua district and another at the Army camp in Samba district today. While the group of two militants that struck at Rajbagh yesterday had used a bike, auto and Mahindra Carrier covering more than 25 kilometers distance to reach Rajbagh, the group that tried to target the Army camp today trekked distance of nearly 30 kilometers on foot to reach Mahesar, about four kilometers from Samba district.
“The fact that the militants managed to cover such a long distance to reach Mahesar Army camp, located right on Jammu-Pathankot National Highway despite “alertness” after yesterday’s attack, clearly indicated complete slackness on part of police and other security and Intelligence agencies to check free movement of the militants in the border areas and the National Highway,” sources said.
They pointed out that recovery of Pakistan made four track suits (blue colored) and an equal number of pairs of shoes besides a cap from Hariya Chak Nursery this afternoon clearly indicated that the militants had infiltration from the surrounding Nullahs there along the International Border. They had brought Army fatigues with them, which they changed after abandoning wet track suits at Hariya Chak to set out on the missions assigned to them.
“The militants seem to have deliberately separated themselves in the groups of two each. While one group immediately set out on the task, the other group reportedly hid themselves somewhere on the border and trekked the route last night to reach Mahesar. Unlike yesterday’s attack when the militants used bike, auto and Mahindra Carrier to reach Rajbagh police station, the second group appeared to have covered the distance of nearly 30 kilometers on foot to reach Mahesar,” sources said, adding that “so far no vehicle operator has come forward to report use of his vehicle by the militants to reach Mahesar, which indicated that they trekked entire distance on foot despite alert sounded by all security agencies and police after yesterday’s attack at Rajbagh.
The militants killed today were also carrying a lunch box with them indicating that they had taken food overnight while no such box or food items were found in possession of the militants killed yesterday.
Brigadier RS Rana told the reporters this afternoon after completion of the encounter that two militants opened firing outside Army camp at 5.45 am today but the alert Sentry immediately retaliated and alerted the troops inside the camp. He said due to alertness of the troops, the militants were not allowed to enter inside the Army Cantonment and they continued firing from a civilian building.
Brigadier Rana said there were no casualties of the Army or civilians in firing by the militants or cross-firing and a civilian, who was injured outside the Army area had fallen from the bicycle.
“A large quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants,” he said but declined to confirm identity of the militants. He said he couldn’t say as to whether the militants were Pakistanis or belonged to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).
The Army officer said Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) of the Army immediately swung into action and cordoned off entire Army area to prevent entry of the militants inside. The militants were gunned down by the brave soldiers of the Army.
“Samba is nearest from the International Border. It looks like the militants had come from Pakistan but we can’t say whether it’s fresh infiltration,” Brig Rana said.
Lauding the role of Special Army Forces, who conducted operation against the militants, the Army officer declined to comment on the route used by the militants to reach Mahesar.
According to sources, one militant had been killed around 9 am while his colleague was killed before noon after nearly five to six hours long gun fight. Both the militants were in combat dresses and equipped with large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosive material.
Sources said during the gun fight, the militants lobbed several grenades and resorted to firing with automatic weapons in their determined bid to enter the Army camp. However, alert troops thwarted designs of the militants and eliminated them.
Army displayed bodies of both slain militants and recoveries  made from them at their camp after the operation was over. Even after two militants were killed, Army continued search and cordon operations in the areas.
A civilian Pappu son of Mahadev Prasad, a resident of Ferozabad in Uttar Pradesh, who was on way to Katra for pilgrimage of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi ji shrine from UP on bicycle along with his group, fell down from the cycle when the militants opened firing and was injured. However, he hadn’t sustained bullet injuries but injured due to fall. He has been admitted in the Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu.
Recoveries made from the possession of slain militants included two AK-47 rifles (one of them with Grenade Launcher), 12 AK magazines, 13 hand grenades, two UBGL grenades, one Chinese pistol, 298 AK-47 rounds, 38 pistol rounds, two daggers, one floating water bag, two haversacks, two tiffin boxes, two syringe needles, one mobile card, one wrist watch, Cello tape in black color, two pairs of hand gloves, two pencil cells, one torch and one pair of socks.
Authorities once again suspended traffic on Jammu-Pathankot National Highway immediately after getting report of the fidayeen attack to avoid civilian casualties. Large number of vehicles were stranded on either side of the highway, which included pilgrim vehicles heading towards Katra, the base camp of Mata Vaishno Devi ji shrine.
Pilgrims faced tough time spending in the vehicles for hours together. Traffic was restored only after the operation was completed with killing of all militants.
With today’s killing of two militants, the toll in two fidayeen attacks in past two days at Rajbagh police station and Mahesar has reached nine including four militants. Five others included two CRPF jawans, an equal number of civilians and a police constable.
The militants had struck Mahesar earlier also on September 26, 2013 and killed three soldiers including Lt Col Bikramjeet Singh before being eliminated. Prior to Mahesar attack, they had targeted Hiranagar police station and killed four police personnel and two civilians.
Senior police officers from Jammu and Samba reached the spot. Anti-Fidayeen Squad from Jammu led by SP Dushyant Sharma also reached Samba.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 21: Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu will present maiden budget of 21 days old PDP-BJP Government in the Legislature tomorrow with tough road ahead for the Government in view of shattered economy of the State due to devastating September 2014 floods and various other factors including less own resources and slow flow of funds from the Centre this fiscal.
This will also be first budget of Drabu, who had taken over the charge of the Finance Ministry only 18 days back but decided to go ahead with presentation of full budget instead of taking Vote-on-Account.
The budget will be presented simultaneously in both Houses of Legislature at 12 noon tomorrow.
All six budgets of previous NC-Congress coalition Government presented by then Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather and six budgets presented prior to him by PDP leaders Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Tariq Hamid Qarra during PDP-Congress regime were zero deficit.
Official sources said the budget could spell out the roadmap for development and employment and present financial position of Jammu and Kashmir, which hasn’t been able to even release 17 per cent pending DA of employees and pensioners for 2014.
Few days back, Drabu had met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley seeking healthy funding for Jammu and Kashmir for next financial year
The budget could project an amount the Government would seek under Annual Plan, Centrally Sponsored Schemes and other resources for next financial year.
Meanwhile, the Government has started a pilot project to webcast the budget session live. The initiative is a joint effort of Finance Department and IT Department. It is the first time in the history of J&K that such an IT initiative has been taken.
The budget session will be telecast live on the website of Finance Department http://jakfinance.nic.in and the recording will be available in the archives.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 21: Describing the Samba militant attack, second during the past 24 hours, as a sharp departure from the past attacks, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today expressed his concern over the incident.
In a tweet, he said, “If Samba is indeed a terrorist strike it marks a sharp departure from past attacks. Two attacks in 2 days in same area of Jammu very unusual.    “In yesterday’s fidayeen attack on Rajbagh police station in Kathua six persons, including both the militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba, two CRPF, a police personnel and a civilian were killed.
Immediately after the Kathua attack, Mr Abdullah said “These Fidayeen will have walked across the border last night and launched their attack this morning which is the past pattern as well.
“My thoughts are with those brave security personnel dealing with the Fidayeen attack in Kathua town of Jammu this morning.

Nishikant Khajuria

JAMMU, Mar 21: Trouble makers in the Jammu University will be taken to task as restoration of discipline is on top of the agenda of the new Vice-Chancellor, Prof R D Sharma, who recently took over as eighth VC of the 50 year old University.
In an exclusive interview with the Excelsior, the new VC admitted un-necessary delay in disposal of things in Jammu University and said that only 10 percent of the university staff was punctual as a culture of regularity was ruined over the past few years.
“Restoration of discipline in the university is the immediate requirement and all pending issues need to be sorted out for which  initiatives are being taken,” he said while listing his  priorities, which include timely conduct of  examinations and  declaration of results,  holding Board of Research Studies meetings regularly, extension of  Choice Based Credit System to Off-site campus etc.
While elaborating, Prof Sharma said that weekly review of the university affairs was on his agenda for ensuring timely completion of assignments. “We have to pursue the things and motivate the employees for developing work culture and punctuality,” he said and hastened to add that a change in overnight could not be expected.
Listing some examples of administrative inertia in the past, the Vice-Chancellor informed that around 50 percent of the UGC funds, provided for construction of off-site campus buildings were not utilized. “Under Five-Year Plan, Rs 117 crores was sanctioned by the University Grants Commission for construction of the off-site campuses buildings but only half of the amount has so far been utilized because of technical reasons and other problems, which could have been sorted out,” he said and added that if the university request for extending the grant is not accepted by the UGC, the un-utilized amount of approximately Rs 50 crores would get lapsed after March 31, 2015.
Talking about the quality of education and research work, Prof Sharma stressed that special emphasis is being given for activating research in the university. “For the purpose, we have decided to make it mandatory for each faculty member to have at least one research project,” he informed.
Similarly, he added, reforms have been initiated at Under Graduate and Post Graduate level by introducing Semester system and Choice Based Credit System, respectively.  “Even as the introduction of semester has put additional burden on the concerned staff since number of exams at UG level has increased from three to 12, the same would ensure more involvement of students and qualitative change,” he opined.
For ensuring timely conduct of UG examinations and declaration of the results, the VC said that the University was also going to approach the Government for a control over college teachers to make them accountable for completion of syllabus at time. “Besides, enforcement of Academic Calendar will be ensured so that there may be no delay in exams,” he added.
Reiterating that there would be no comprise on quality of education, the Vice-Chancellor said that the university would introduce only need based courses besides consolidating the existing ones. He expressed concern over poor response to MCA as well as MBA courses in the Bhaderwah Campus because of its locational disadvantage and said that a few initiatives were being taken to improve the situation. “We are planning to engage senior faculty and  organize campus placement drives there for improving quality of education and attracting students,” he elaborated and disclosed that a recent proposal for admission in these course at Bhaderwah Campus without entrance test was rejected as that  would amount to lower quality.
Regarding the issues of employees, the Vice-Chancellor admitted that the university staff was overloaded and they need to be taken into confidence for further development   and progress of the institution. “Around 50 percent of the university staff is contractual or adhoc and we can not run the institution without these employees, whose issues and grievances will be addressed,” he added.
Prof Sharma, who is a local and  has had been serving  Jammu University for the last more than three decades on different positions, was  fully confident of streamlining the JU affairs  with the cooperation of all the stakeholders.  “Students as well as the teachers are positive and there is hardly any indication of a negative approach from any quarter,” he said.

Mohinder Verma

JAMMU, Mar 21: Notwithstanding tall claims of the successive Governments about making Jammu and Kashmir energy exporter, the experiment of making use of State’s key resource of hydropower by way of constructing small power projects has failed twice during the past 12 years. Due to this, the fate of 18 projects having the capacity to generate 250 Mega Watts of electricity is hanging in balance and nobody knows whether these projects would see light of the day.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that in order to tap hydropower potential by getting small power projects constructed through private sector participation, the State Government vide Order No.211-PDD dated October 9, 2003 brought out its hydel policy. Besides expeditious development of available hydropower, the objective of this policy was maximization of benefits to the State by meeting its power requirements, giving fillip to economic growth and providing employment opportunities to the people of the State.
Under this policy, 10 projects were awarded to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in the year 2005 but only five of them could be completed albeit beyond the scheduled date of completion while as fate of five others is still hanging in balance.
The projects, which were taken up in 2005 but yet to be completed despite lapse of 10 years are 12 Mega Watt Hirpora in Pulwama district, 4 MW Kahmil in Kupwara district, 12 MW Boniyar in Baramulla, 12.50 MW Mandi in Poonch district and 5 MW Drung in Kathua district. In respect of Hirpora, Detailed Project Report preparation is still in progress even 10 years after award of the project. Similarly, land acquisition and clearances are still in progress in respect of Drung project while as work is yet to be completed in respect of three other projects.
As the policy of 2003 failed to yield desired results, the Government vide Order No.205-PDD dated July 7, 2011 revised the State Hydel Policy in order to give further impetus to exploitation of hydel potential. However, this policy too failed to yield any positive result till date, which is evident from the fact that out of 13 projects awarded in the year 2013-14 no substantial progress is seen in respect of six projects while as seven others are to be re-awarded after the earlier companies failed to fulfill the conditions following issuance of letter of award.
The projects, which are required to be re-tendered are 10 MW Shranz (I and II), 9 MW Sukhnag, 9 MW Bairass, 9 MW Tamasha, 6.50 MW Gulabgarh, 6 MW Nihama and 3 MW Sultanpathri. The other six projects, which otherwise don’t face any impediment but yet to make substantial progress are 45 MW Bichlari, 40 MW Ans-I, 27 MW Kanzil Wangath, 12 MW Girjan Ki Gali, 7 MW Chandanwari Uri and 21 MW Patnazi Bunjwa.
“Due to this, the experiment of making use of State’s key resource of hydropower by way of constructing small power projects has failed twice during the past 12 years”, sources said, adding “not only this objective even the plans of maximization of benefits to the State by meeting its power requirements, giving fillip to economic growth and providing employment opportunities to the people of the State could not be achieved till date”.
In response to a question, sources said that various aspects of the policy are not investor friendly and investors can get benefits of the projects only after the lapse of 10 to 12 years, which is preventing investors from coming forward to evince interest in such projects.
According to the sources, imposition of Water Usage Charges under Jammu and Kashmir Water Resources Management Act is also playing spoilsport as due to these charges the cost of the projects will go up considerably and the independent power producers will not derive much benefit.
“The issue was taken up at the highest forum for giving relaxation vis-à-vis water usage charges to the independent power producers but no decision has been taken till date”, sources regretted.
According to the survey, there are large number of un-electrified villages/hamlets in the State. So there is need for development of hydroelectric power on a scale serving a small community. Micro/Mini Hydel power has tremendous potential for generation of electricity in the State as the topography of State provides extensive network of canals and streams.

Fayaz Bukhari

Srinagar, Mar 21: Jammu and Kashmir Police is seeking help from Central agencies to nab international drug baron Harjinder Singh alias Happy Singh of Punjab who is wanted by police for running an international drug trafficking racket through Srinagar-Muzaffarabad trans-Line of Control (LOC) trade route.
The two major consignments of drugs that were recovered from Pakistani trucks in Uri during past one year were meant for Harjinder Singh. He is absconder in the police records of Punjab Police and in Chandigarh where he has shifted from Amritsar and is untraceable.
A team of Jammu and Kashmir Police went twice to Punjab and Chandigarh last month to arrest Singh but couldn’t get him. Last year as well, police teams went to Amritsar twice in search of Singh but failed to nab him.
Last month on February 6, 305 packets of brown sugar were recovered from a Pakistani truck bearing registration number P-9627 during its search at Salamabad Uri in North Kashmir.
Pakistani driver, Syed Inayat Hussain Shah, resident of Kumikote Muzaffarabad from whose truck drugs were recovered was arrested and so were three traders – Zahoor Ahmad Mala, Abdul Majeed Shala and Mohammad Yusuf Dar- for whom the consignment of oranges was meant.
After initial questioning of the three traders it revealed that the drugs were meant for Harjinder Singh and when a police party went to Punjab to look for him they could not trace him out.
Earlier last year in January, Police had seized 114 packets of brown sugar from a truck (RIS-2137) driven by Mohammad Shafiq of Sarwar Muzaffarabad in Salamabad Uri. The 114 kilogrammes brown sugar that was recovered was worth Rs 115 crore.
The inquiry into the seizure of the drug haul found that the consignment was meant for Harjinder Singh. Police believes that Harjinder Singh’s arrest can solve the two cases that has international link.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG), North Kashmir, Gareeb Dass told Excelsior that Harjinder Singh is the kingpin of this drug trafficking gang. “His arrest is vital for breaking this link. Our efforts are on to arrest him. We are seeking help from Central agencies as well”, he said.
Dass said that police is also looking into modus operandi of some of the traders who indulge in such kind of criminal activities. He said that the oranges that came in a Pakistani truck from which brown sugar was recovered last month were to be delivered in Punjab where there is no market for oranges. “The market of oranges is till Jammu only and we got suspicious about this consignment of oranges being sent to Punjab. It was one of the reasons that we became suspicious about this truck”, he added.