The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Wednesday, August 23, 2000,
Chandigarh, India

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Gen Padmanabhan to focus on J&K
From Girja Shankar Kaura
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 22 — Having served as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command which has its forces posted in the disturbed state of Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief of the Army Staff-designate, Lieut-Gen S. Padmanabhan, is expected to undertake a thorough review of the deteriorating security environment in the valley.

Immediately after taking over as the Chief of the Army Staff on October 1 from Gen V.P. Malik, General Padmanabhan is expected to make his first trip to the Northern Command to take stock of the situation.

Although it is still over a month before General Padmanabhan takes up the hot seat in South Block, he is understood to have already held discussions with Army commanders serving in the region as well as with senior officials of the Union Government. General Padmanabhan, who is holding the post of GOC-in-C Southern Command, was in the Capital last week for discussions in the wake of stepped-up militant violence.

Government sources said besides meeting the commanders serving in Jammu and Kashmir, the Army chief-designate had also met Cabinet Secretary Prabhat Kumar. Apparently, the prevailing situation in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and avoiding lapses on the part of the security forces stationed there, is his main priority.

Reports do not rule out the possibility of a complete overhaul of the security set-up in the state and also a change in the strategy adopted by the forces. The Army has had a number of setbacks recently in the state, specially after the militants stepped up their activities following the failure of peace talks.

Yesterday a Brigadier and Colonel were among five Armymen made target by the militants. Even in the recent past a number of junior-ranked officers have lost their lives after being targeted by militants, which not only reflects the chinks in the security set-up but also that the forces are not being allowed to function independently.

General Padmanabhan, who was the GOC-in-C, Northern Command, till just a few months before the Pakistani intrusions in Kargil were first detected, is known for his expertise on the region.

Sources said another major decision which General Padmanabhan would be expected to take was on the upgrading of the post of the Indian Commander commanding the UN Peacekeeping Force serving in Sierra Leone. It is expected that Maj-Gen Vijay Jetley would be recalled and an officer of the rank of Lieut-General, with some experience in the rank, be sent there to replace him.

There has been a demand from other countries serving alongside the Indian forces in Sierra Leone for replacing of General Jetley. However, India has been insisting that only an Indian Commander would replace him and apparently a policy-decision to send a higher-ranked officer has been taken.

According to reports, some changes are also expected in the Army set-up in the near future. With the Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lieut-Gen Chandra Shekhar, also retiring on the same day as the Chief of the Army Staff, Lieut-Gen Vijay Oberoi is expected to take up as the second in command to General Padmanabhan.

Among the other changes, Lieut-Gen Pankaj Joshi is expected to be the new GOC-in-C, Central Command, Lieut-Gen S.S. Sangra as the GOC-in-C, Western Command, the present DGMO, Lieut-Gen N.C. Vij as the GOC-in-C, Southern Command, Lieut-Gen G.S. Sihota as the DGMO and Lieut-Gen D.S. Chauhan Military Secretary.