* Several villagers trapped in fields for hours

Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, July 16: Reviving hostilities along the International Border after a long time, the first after takeover of Narendra Modi Government at the Centre, the Pakistani Rangers today resorted to indiscriminate firing on the BSF posts and civilian areas in Arnia sector killing a BSF jawan and injuring seven others including three security personnel and four civilians.
Several civilians, who were working in their fields in the forward areas at Pittal, Pindi, Kaku De Kothe and adjoining areas of Arnia sector, were trapped in the Pakistan firing for more than couple of hours and reached to safety only after the firing stopped.
This was second major incident on the borders after Modi Government took charge, the first being on the Line of Control (LoC) in Mendhar sector of Poonch district in which an Army jawan was killed and five others were injured in an IED blast, which was reportedly triggered from across the LoC with a remote control. Today’s incident was first major on the IB in the new Government.
The first spell of firing by the Rangers took place from 11.30 am to 1.30 pm while in the second spell they opened firing at Nikowal and Treva areas of Arnia from 4.30 pm to 5.15 pm. There were no casualties or damage in second round of firing.
However, the intermittent firing from Pakistan side continued till late tonight.
Official sources and eyewitnesses told the Excelsior that the Pakistani Rangers started firing from their South Jarwa Post at 11.30 am with a sniper shot hitting BSF’s Observation Tower at Pittal Post of Arnia sector causing serious injuries to BSF 192 battalion jawan Som Raj. Two BSF jawans ASI Madan Lal and constable Sanjay Dhar went to evacuate Som Raj but the Rangers resorted to more firing causing serious injuries to both of them.
Inspector Madan Lal, who led another team to the spot, was also hit by the bullet and got injured.
The BSF jawans took positions and retaliated.
The Rangers also targeted the civilians working in the fields in forwards villages of Pittal, Pindi, Kaku De Kothe and surroundings in Arnia sector. Even a bullet fired by the Rangers hit a civilian inside Arnia town in Ward No. 13 causing him a bullet wound at his thigh, leading to panic in entire Arnia town and the border villages.
Three Bihari labourers, who had been hired by the locals for cultivation of crops, were also hit by the bullets and got injured.
Several civilians were trapped in their fields during the firing. They lied down in the villages to survive the firing and remained held up in the field for couple of hours till the guns of the Rangers were silenced with effective retaliation given by the BSF.
Exchange of firing in which small and heavy arms were used by both sides continued till 1.30 pm.
Senior BSF officers rushed to the spot. All eight injured including four BSF jawans and four civilians were evacuated from the site of firing and shifted to Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu, where seriously injured BSF jawan Sanjay Dhar succumbed to his injuries.
Other injured have been identified as Inspector Madan Lal, ASI Madan Lal and constable Som Raj, all belonging to 192 battalion of BSF and Jaiwan Mandal, 25, son of Chui Mandal, Jai Nandan Mandal, 22, son of Vidya Nandan and Jatta Nandan, 24, son of Vidya Nandan, all Bihari labourers and Mukesh Kumar son of Jara Singh, a resident of Ward No. 13, Arnia.
All the injured were responding to the treatment in the GMC Jammu.
Sources said the BSF jawans not only fired at the BSF posts but directly targeted the civilians working in the fields. They added that the Rangers didn’t want the people to cultivate the crops as it would stop growth of `sarkanda’ (wild grass) giving the BSF a clear view of the International Border and thwarting plans of the Rangers to push infiltrators into this side.
“This was one of the reasons that the Rangers wanted to create scare in the minds of villagers to prevent them from cultivating the rice crop. If the crop was sown, there would be no growth of `sarkanda’, which would hamper the Pakistan plan to push militants into this side under the cover of wild grown up grass,” sources said.
Only yesterday, the BSF and Rangers had held a flag meeting at Chambliyal forward post in Ramgarh sector in which the BSF had lodged protest over two incidents of firing on the BSF posts.
Sources pointed out that the Rangers appeared determined to give cover to the infiltrators ahead of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which was the reason that they wanted to stop cultivation of crops and keep `sarkanda’ grown up.
Meanwhile, BSF, police and civil officers visited the site of firing and the GMC Jammu for investigations and inquire condition of the injured. Body of martyr Rajesh Dhar has been shifted to the BSF headquarters and would be sent to his native town in West Bengal tomorrow morning with full honours and tributes.
The Pakistani firing reminded the border villagers of September 2013 heavy firing and shelling along the International Border right from Hiranagar to Pargwal in Akhnoor in which several BSF jawans and civilians had been injured. The BSF had retaliated effectively forcing the Rangers for flag meeting in October after which the hostilities ceased.
There was panic among the villagers after today’s heavy firing by the Rangers as they feared that the season of crop could be spoiled if the firing continued. Today also, several villagers had miraculous escape in the firing as they remained trapped in the villages for couple of hours.

*DyCM, Bhalla, Sham stage walkout

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 16: State Cabinet today witnessed clash between Congress and National Conference Ministers over one time full and final settlement of the claims of the refugees with Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Housing and Minister for PHE staging walkout over discriminatory attitude of their Ministerial colleagues from the alliance partner.
Due to the protest by the Congress Ministers, the Cabinet meeting remained suspended for nearly one hour. It was only on the intervention of the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah that the issue was resolved and the Cabinet in principle agreed to clear the rehabilitation package prepared by the Revenue Department in the next meeting after placing it on top priority.
Sources told EXCELSIOR that as soon as the memorandum of the Revenue Department regarding rehabilitation package for one time full and final settlement of the claims of PoK Displaced Persons of 1947 and Chhamb Displaced Persons of 1965/1971 came up for discussion, National Conference Ministers-Abdul Rahim Rather and Ali Mohammad Sagar objected to the same.
“Since the proposal was submitted shortly before the start of the Cabinet meeting, we have not gone through its intricacies. Moreover, this is a sensitive issue and needs to be cleared after thorough discussion”, sources said quoting National Conference Ministers’ observations made in the Cabinet.
Smelling conspiracy aimed at scuttling the rehabilitation package, Minister for Housing and Horticulture, Raman Bhalla objected to the stand taken by the National Conference Ministers and remarked, “this memorandum has been placed as per the previous decision of the Cabinet and we would not allow lingering of decision any more”.
On this, the NC Minister said, “this issue is pending during the past 65 years and why you are in hurry to resolve it now”. This infuriated Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Sham Lal Sharma, who remarked, “I have failed to understand why you are creating hurdles in providing justice to those people, who have been meted injustice during these years”.
“Moreover, when West Pakistan Refugees have already been segregated from the proposal and would be discussed separately what sensitivity you are talking about”, he said, adding “the PoK and Chhamb Displaced Persons are the bonafide citizens of Jammu and Kashmir and they cannot be denied justice anymore”.
As there was no positive response from the Cabinet, Mr Bhalla stood up in protest and walked out of the meeting. Mr Sham, who was having verbal spat with the NC Ministers, too left the meeting along with the Deputy Chief Minister after making it clear that issue of refugees was more important for them than routine Cabinet agenda.
Due to their walkout, Cabinet meeting remained suspended for nearly one hour. As routine agenda and transfers of Deputy Commissioners could not be taken up due to the walkout, Chief Minister deputed Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir, Minister for Tourism, G A Mir and Minister for Higher Education, Mohammad Akbar Lone for convincing Congress Ministers to take part in the Cabinet meeting, sources said.
Later, Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for PHE and Minister for Housing took part in the meeting only after the Cabinet in principle agreed to clear the proposal in its next meeting after placing it on top priority. “The rehabilitation package would be approved in next Cabinet meeting and Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah has also given positive response in this direction”, sources said.
Following this, Cabinet took up routine agenda and cleared the same.
According to the sources, the Revenue Department has proposed payment of ex-gratia compensation in favour of PoK DP families and Chhamb DPs of 1965 and 1971 at the rate of Rs 25 lakh per family against the losses suffered by them on account of immovable and moveable properties left out in Pakistan.
It has also been proposed that recommendations be made to the Government of India for providing job reservation in paramilitary forces/army and other Central Government services and reservation in professional colleges outside the State for the children of PoK and Chhamb refugees and inclusion of left out families for providing incentives.
It is pertinent to mention here that during last Cabinet meeting held on July 2, 2014, Congress Ministers had lodged strong protest over discrimination with the PoK and Chhamb refugees and it was only on Congress protest that Cabinet had directed the Revenue Department for moving fresh proposal on package for these refugees.

Mir Iqbal
While the people of Kulgam district in South Kashmir have witnessed new developmental works after it was carved out from Anantnag, but the people in Kulgam Assembly constituency are still struggling for basic amenities like pure drinking water, health care and electricity.
The constituency is represented by the CPI(M) General Secretary MLA, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami since 2008. He was first time elected from this constituency in 1996 and represents this constituency since then.
The inhabitants of dozens of villages while talking to EXCELSIOR said major projects like Mini Secretariat, District Hospital building and intra-district roads were built, yet they complain about day to day problems faced by them.
“What is the fun of constructing mega buildings and roads when people are being slowly poisoned to death by supplying highly contaminated water,” Haji Bashir Ahmad Dar, of Kulgam town told EXCELSIOR.
Dar said their representative should focus on pure water supply, improvement of health care services and ensure uninterrupted, scheduled power supply, and then these buildings and roads would be meaningful.
The inhabitants accused the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department of providing them contaminated water.
They said innumerable sewerage outlets and drains of upper areas open in the water supply channels, which is then supplied to them through taps without filtration.
Inhabitants of Chekpora, Ashmuji, Brazul, Skinder, Amnoo and other areas said from last five years water-borne disease break out in these villages due to which hundreds of people including women and children are suffered from diseases like gastroenteritis, diarrhea, typhoid and hepatitis.
Despite crores of rupees being spent on the construction of water supply schemes to ensure the supply of quality water, authorities continue to supply the water to the people without any filtration and chlorination.
Mohammad Yousuf parry, Lumberdar of village Chekpora said scores of latrines at Village Amnoo, wastage of CRPF camp located in the south of Kulgam town on Devsar road, garbage of a revered Shrine in main town Kulgam and pollutants from district hospital Kulgam are directly dumped into the canal, thus, posing threat to thousands of lives.
Parray said even cattle don’t drink tap water that is being fed to the humans. The tap water contains insects, earth worms and yellowish particles remain floating in it.
Locals said that the PHE has dipped pipes into the Veshav stream at village Mirhama and supply it directly to inhabitants in the area without any filtration.
“Nallah Veshav, which drains most of the northern face of Pir Panjal is the main left bank tributary of river Jhelum and traverses through District Kulgam, has been polluted to the extent that fowl smell emanates from it due to which health of thousands of inhabitants is at risk,” Mohammad Yaqoob, a local said.
Terming the contaminated water supply as “poison”, the inhabitants said the water pipes are also damaged at many places which suck dirty water of canals and drains at several places through big holes and the same water is being supplied without any filtration.
The residents alleged that despite crores of rupees spent on construction of water tank at village Amnoo and Panepora water supply scheme, the authorities failed to supply filtrated water.
“Recently, a water borne disease spread in our village which affected health of more than 30 people, we visited Chief Medical Officer, Kulgam and he asked people not to take tap water without boiling,” said Master Mohammad Khalil Bhat of Chekpora, adding when the villagers asked CMO that district hospital waste also contaminates the water canal, he downplayed the issue.
The angry villagers said that they visited Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam thrice after the spread of water borne disease; he didn’t pay any heed to their pleas.
Since farming is the main source of economy in this constituency, the inhabitants said for that they need proper irrigation canals, but the canals are dysfunctional as these are not cleaned by Irrigation Department despite the users paying irrigation tax (Aabiyan) regularly.
The locals also leveled allegations against the PHE for setting their main office building on fire to hide the mass bungling carried out by some vested interested people from past some years.
“We filed an RTI to know the status of Duderkoot to Yamrash and Kulgam water supply schemes, but instead of replying us, they (PHE) official set the building on fire,” they alleged.
The residents also said dozens of other villages in the constituency which include village Laroo, Shurat, Bugam, Poniwah, Awgam, Katrasoo, Shalipora, Chancer, Okey, Hadigam, Awhatoo, Amnoo, Checkpora, Mirhama, Lisoo, Chehlan, Behibagh, Nanibugh, Sangus, Nillow, Mahipora, Daderkoot, Tantraypora, Sempora, Munad Guffan, Manchiva, Dessand, Hanjan, Turigam, Parigam, Pariwan, Odura are facing similar problems.
Similarly, inhabitants of this Constituency said that they are satisfied with the timely construction of many projects with the personal efforts of local CPI (M) leader and MLA Kulgam Assembly constituency Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, but maintained that little attention was given to some other important projects like drinking water supply, electricity and health care.
They said 105 villages from Nehama town to Ashmuji village and Munad to Devsar regions are facing irregular power supply and it has become too faulty to cater to the genuine energy needs of consumers in the constituency.
“Kulgam seems to be at the receiving end of this power crisis. Villages receiving erratic power supply for the most of the time face numerous other problems on account of low voltage,” Ghulam Hassan, a local Sarpanch said.
While the Power Development Department (PDD) attributes the erratic power supply to overloading and pilferage, the residents blame the Government for the crisis.
“The unscheduled power cuts are adding to our miseries and there is no improvement in power supply from last many years despite people here staged protested several times in the past,” Hassan said, adding, the situation has gone from bad to worse now as power cuts are more frequent and extended during the evening hours.
The residents also expressed their dissatisfaction with the functioning of district hospital Kulgam, and other health centers in the constituency, adding only construction of huge buildings doesn’t guarantee better health care, but deployment of human resources in good number with accountability would have played a major role in health sector here.
Abdul Rashid Tantray, a local resident said that the doctors most of the time remain absent from their duty during the night hours, due to which a number of death cases were reported in the hospital for last few years. “A woman doctor has unleashed her might and rule and if any attendant of patient raises genuine issue regarding treatment, she starts hurling abuses and threatens of police action,” he said.
Tantray said the referral records of this hospital would suggest the number of patients who were referred to territory hospitals in Srinagar after surgeries conducted at Kulgam hospital.
People’s Democratic Party, candidate for Kulgam Assembly Constituency, Nazir Ahmad Laway said that there are some medicos deployed in hospital, who have made it their personnel property due to their contacts with a particular political leader.
“Some medicos are enjoying political patronage, which has ruined the quality treatment of patients,” he said, adding, District Hospital Kulgam is the only hospital where police has registered maximum FIRs against the attendants rather than those responsible for the death of precious lives due medical negligence or any other issues.
The constituency is represented by Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami who defeated PDP candidate Nazir Ahmad Lawvey by over 200 votes in 2008 Assembly elections. Tarigami polled 17175 votes while Lawvey polled 16939 votes.
MLA Kulgam Constituency, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said that his style of developmental work is different because of which he completed almost all the major projects on time. “You will not see massive development in any constituency in Kashmir except in my constituency,” he said.
When asked that water borne diseases broke out in some villages including Chekpora, Ashmuji, Brazul, Skinder, Amnoo and others, Tarigami said when he received the information about the spread of water borne diseases in the area, he directed a team of doctors to visit the area and ensure proper treatment of patients. “I visited the villages to ensure that people won’t suffer from basic amenities including drinking water,” he said.
“Doctors found Hepatitis B and C have broken out there because of intake of excessive drugs,” said Tarigami. He said some people who tried to hide their fault and shifted the blame on impure water. “Work on several water supply schemes, filtration plants, service reservoirs are near completion. Some new water supply schemes have been approved,” he said.
Commenting on electricity crisis in Kulgam constituency, the MLA said that his constituency does not face any power crisis. “Power crisis is the problem of whole Kashmir, not confined to his constituency,” he said.
Claiming that Kulgam has the best healthcare facilities available in South Kashmir, Tarigami said district hospital Kulgam was constructed in record time where almost all the facilities are available. “We have latest equipment available in the hospital”, he said.
Showing displeasure against some doctors for preferring to serve only in cities, the MLA said those doctors selected on reservation quote like RBA, SC, ST and ALC don’t want to stay in their remote areas.”I requested these doctors to stay here to help poor and needy,” he said.

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, July 16: The State Vigilance Commission has directed for registration of a case against some Revenue officials and others for conferring ownership rights of a prime land under Roshni Act in favour of a dead person.
Vigilance Commission inquiry revealed that one Sita Devi was conferred ownership rights under Roshni Act in respect of prime State land measuring 4 kanals at Rajbagh after clearance by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir on 30.06.2007 on the recommendation of Nazool Department against the payment of Rs 72 lacs.
Interestingly, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar on March 4, 2008 ordered conferment of ownership rights upon Sita Devi for 4 kanals of land under survey number 1317 and 1318 in estate Nursing-grah though she had already expired on January 21, 2008.
Enquiry by Commission further revealed another person namely Shamsher Singh, who represented himself as an attorney holder of Sita Devi, in connivance with concerned Revenue authorities, got the mutation entered in the mutation register in favour of Sita Devi on April 16, 2008 though only part payment of Rs 54 lacs had been made and Sita Devi was already dead, thereby conferring ownership rights on a dead person as the proprietor of the land.
In the Jamabandi register, deceased Sita Devi was entered as owner and the land was shown in her personal possession. Strange enough on the same date Naib Tehsildar, after entering deceased Sita Devi as the owner of the land showing the land in her personal possession, mutated the same land of deceased Sita Devi in the name of Shamsher Singh on the basis of a will deed which is under scrutiny. As per the complaint the land has further been handed over by Shamsher Singh to Mohammad Younus son of Ghulam Ali Dar of Nowshera Srinagar and Hakim Zaffar Ali son of Hakim Shair Ali of Nishat under agreement to sell for a consideration of Rs 15 crores and a Commercial Hotel has also been established on the land in question.
Holding that these facts prima-facie disclose commission of a cognizable offence by the Revenue officials in connivance with said Shamsher Singh and others, the State Vigilance Commission directed the Director, Vigilance Organization to register a case against the concerned officials for thorough investigation. This apart, a reference has also been sent to the Chief Secretary of the State with the recommendation to take administrative action against delinquent officers and restore the disputed land as per law.

LEH/NEW DELHI, July 16:

Chinese troops have reportedly made two incursion attempts in the last three days in Demchok and Chumar areas of Ladakh sector in Jammu and Kashmir but were pushed back into their territory by Indian security personnel.
The incursion bids by the Chinese People’s Liberation (PLA) came even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised on the need to find a solution to the Boundary Question during their meeting in Fortaleza in Brazil yesterday on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.
The latest incident occured in Charding Nilu Nullah Junction (CNNJ) in Demchok sector yesterday when PLA personnel entered the area on their vehicles in the wee hours claiming it to be Chinese territory, official sources said today.
The PLA soldiers who wanted to have a round of the area were stopped by the Indian Army and personnel of Indo Tibetan Border Police(ITBP), a force which guards the India-China border.
After a 30-minute long stand-off followed by a banner drill where armies of both the countries warned each other against moving a step forward, the Chinese PLA returned to their side, the sources said.
The Chinese troops, riding on horses, had earlier entered through Chumar area on July 13 only to be confronted by Indian soldiers and after the usual banner drill between the two sides, the PLA patrol returned to their territory.
The incident took place at Patrol Point number 62, the sources said.
Located 300 km east of Leh, Chumar has been an epicentre of heightened activities of the PLA who had been making increased attempts to enter through this region as India has a dominance in this sector.
Chumar, a remote village on Ladakh-Himachal Pradesh border, has been an issue for Chinese which claim it to be its own territory and have been frequenting it with helicopter incursions almost every year. In 2011, it dropped some of the soldiers of PLA in this region and dismantled the makeshift storage tents of the Army and ITBP.
This area is not accessible from the Chinese side whereas the Indian side have a road almost to the last point on which the Army can carry a load upto nine tonnes.
Chumar had become a flash point during the fortnight long stand-off last year in Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) last year as the Chinese side had objected to overhead bunkers erected by the Indian side.
As part of an agreement reached at the flag meeting to end the stand-off from April-May 2013 at DBO, India had to dismantle some overhead bunkers in Chumar.
Again, Chumar witnessed Chinese troops walking away with an Army surveillance camera on June 17 last year which was meant for keeping an eye on the PLA troops patrolling there. The same camera was returned after a few days. (PTI)

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, July 16: A soldier of Territorial Army (TA) was killed by militants in South Kashmir district of Kulgam today.
Police said Gowhar Ahmad Mattoo, a soldier of TA and a former surrendered militant, was shot at and critically wounded when some gunmen fired upon him at Khudwani.
Mattoo was immediately rushed to hospital where he was declared brought dead.
Senior police and Army officers rushed to the spot and searches have been launched to nab the gunmen responsible for the killing.
In the meantime, a senior People’s Democratic Party leader Ghulam Mohiudin Wachi today escaped unhurt in an attack at Batpora in South Kashmir district of Pulwama.
Sources said unidentified person hurled an unknown explosive device at Wachi’s vehicle at Batpora, when they were on way to Pulwama from Srinagar.
The explosive device exploded on the roof of the vehicle, they said, adding due to low intensity of the blast no one was hurt.
Unidentified persons pelted stones and later hurled a petrol bomb at PDP candidate from Noorabad constituency Abdul Majid Padroo’s vehicle at Koimoh, Kulgam, when he was coming back from Srinagar yesterday.
Padoor escaped unhurt. However, one of his security guard was injured in the incident.