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| Tuesday,
July 3, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Major, jawan die in encounter Infiltration bid in Drass foiled Without films for 11 years
A part of the building of Palladium cinema in Lal Chowk area of Srinagar that was gutted in a fire in 1992 has been converted into a security camp. |
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| Shabir doubts summit’s
success Srinagar, July 2 Senior Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah has said the upcoming Indo-Pak summit is a good sign for establishing friendly relations between the two countries but doubted if it could lead to resolution of the Kashmir issue. Generating power in shadow of
militancy Phones set up for
Amarnath pilgrims
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Major, jawan die in encounter Srinagar, July 2 A Major was killed when a group of militants ambushed a patrol party at Yamlar, Handwara, in Kupwara district of north Kashmir yesterday. A jawan was also killed while another sustained injuries. Those killed have been identified as Major SMK Ghori and jawan Beant Singh of the 30 RR. The militants escaped. Two foreign militants, including Abu Talib, “battalion commander” of the Lashkar-e-Toiba, and Abu Jindal, both residents of Pakistan, were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Khimsar Behak in Kupwara district. One of the killed, Abu Jindal, is reported to have been a Pakistani army personnel. Two rifles, four magazines and 110 rounds were recovered from the site of the encounter. The encounter broke out when a joint search party of the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the local police and the Army was fired upon by the duo. In the ensuing encounter, the two were killed. However, it could not be ascertained if Jindal was a Pakistani army regular. He was carrying an identity card no 79150-BOX. A militant of the Jamiatul-Mujahideen, Mushtaq Ahmed, was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Manigah in Kupwara district yesterday. The police said Mushtaq was a “company commander”. An unidentified militant was killed in an encounter with the Army at Chandankul, Machil, Kupwara, yesterday, a police spokesman said here today. An AK-47 rifle, a magazine, 15 rounds, two hand grenades, 50 detonators, and six fuses were recovered from his possession. In another incident in the same area, a foreign militant, Hussain Ahmad, was killed on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. A rifle, three magazines, 35 rounds, two hand grenades, two rifle grenades and a wireless set were recovered from the slain militant. Unidentified militants shot dead Nazir Ahmad Nengroo, alias Noor Khan, near Chadura in Budgam district this morning. The police recovered the body of Fayaz Ahmad Bhat at Wagat in Handwara area of Kupwara district. He was reportedly kidnapped from Panzla area three days
back. |
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Infiltration bid in Drass foiled Srinagar,
July 2 This was the first attempt by militants to sneak into the Drass sector since the 1999 Kargil war. However, the Army suffered no casualties.
PTI |
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Without films for 11 years Srinagar, July 2 The Valley has many Shazias, who have not seen a Hindi film for the past over 11 years. The rise of militancy meant the fall of Hindi film industry in Srinagar as also in the surrounding districts of Baramula, Anantnag and Sopore. Today, seven out of nine cinema halls in Srinagar are lying deserted. Most of them have been converted into Army camps and are being used by the Army jawans for residential purposes. In fact, the Army battalions have been deployed in all the cinema halls except in Naaz, which is located near the Iqbal Park area. As for the fate of cinema halls, they were locked way back in 1989 and ever since the owners have not dared to open the locks for fear of persecution at the hands of fundamental groups, which had banned cinemas in the Valley. Not just that, all liquor vends of Srinagar and the surrounding areas were also forced to close down with the rise of militancy. They were said to be against the elements of Islam, which had to be guarded at all costs. The first brunt of the fundamentalist movement was borne by the entertainment industry, with all the nine cinema halls of Srinagar seeing an instant shutdown within less than a month in 1989. The theatres which were closed down, following a call by the militant outfits, included Broadway (near the Army cantonment area), Neelam (at the back of the Civil Secretariat), Shiraaz (in Khanyaar area), Naaz (near Iqbal Park area), Pladium (in Lal Chowk), Shah (in Qamarwari), Firdaus (in Hamwal area), Regal (again in Lal Chowk) and Khayyam (near Khayyam chowk). The impact transcended much beyond the Valley with the cinema halls in other districts also being forced to cease operation. Hewaan in Anantnag, Thimaya in Baramula, Summer Talkies in Sopore were also ordered to be closed down by the militants, who wanted to secure the Nizam-e-Mustafa. Ever since 1989, the fundamentalist groups have frequently targeted the cinema halls. The sequence of disaster began in 1991 with the famous Broadway cinema hall being gutted down in a major fire. The next in line was Pladium cinema hall, which was damaged in the fire that broke out following an encounter in Lal Chowk area of Amira Kadal in 1992. While Broadway cinema reconstructed on a fresh scale, Pladium still bears the memory of the dark days when militant movement in the Valley was at its peak. The Tribune talked to a cross section of people to know if they missed means of entertainment in Srinagar. Everyone talked but no one wished to go on record. A student of class XI said, “My cousins in Delhi are living in heaven. They have a right to make their own choices. But here the gun still rules.” Similar were the views of another college going student, who misses Hollywood movies. I watch them whenever I go to visit my relatives in Jammu. While seven theatres are still lying closed, Broadway and Neelam began operating about two years back. Said Nazi Ahmad of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, who is on security duty in Neelam cinema: “This area is safe on account of its proximity to the Civil Secretariat and Police Headquarters. This is a security area.” Right at the entrance of Neelam cinema, an Army bunker has been installed for further security. The last show here is from 4 pm to 6.45 pm. About four Jammu and Kashmir police personnel are deployed here for security. Informed Abdul, who has come to see a film: “The strength of shows is very little — 150 at the most in one show.” The capacity in Neelam is about 518, but most of the seats lie empty. The police also informed that out of the visitors just 2 per cent are ladies. Broadway cinema is also safe on account of a tight Army vigil there. After the Fidayen (suicide squads) of Jaish-e-Mohammad (Amy of the Prophet) attacked the Badami Bagh cantonment area close to Broadway cinema hall on November 3, 1999, the vigil has been further tightened. No traffic movement is now allowed in this area from dusk to dawn. Manager of the cinema hall, Mr Ishfaq Ahmed Beg informed the Tribune that the visitation had not really picked up. Broadway cinema shows an English film on Sundays (10.15 to 12 noon show). The last show here is also over by 6.45 pm, so that people can return to their houses by 7 pm, informed Mr Beg. Another fact worth mentioning here is that Regal Cinema was also opened along with Broadway and Neelam about two years back. But on the very first show of the first day, there was a bomb blast in this theatre, which killed one person, and left another 20 injured. Ever since, it has not been opened for the public. Rests of the halls are also lying closed. |
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Shabir doubts summit’s success Srinagar, July 2 “History and past experience have proved beyond doubt that bilateral talks between the two countries to resolve Kashmir issue have failed”, Shah told a two-member team of the American Embassy who called on him here yesterday. However, he said, Kashmiris see the summit meeting between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf as a good sign for establishing friendly bilateral relations. Dr Robret K Bogs and Elizabith I Milreat, political counsellor and political officer, respectively, at American Embassy in New Delhi called on Shah at the headquarters of J and K Democratic Freedom Party at Rajbagh yesterday and discussed the latest political situation in the state.
PTI |
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Generating power in shadow of
militancy Uri (J&K) The Uri hydroelectric project is on the Jhelum in Uri tehsil of Baramula district. It is located along the Srinagar-Uri National Highway and is spread over a length of 20 km. The Line of Control is only 25 km from the power- house, with the aerial distance being only 7-8 km. The 480 MW project is a run-of-the-river scheme. It consists of, among other parts, a 95 metre-long, 21.5 metre-high barrage with six spillways, a 10.63 km-long headrace tunnel, a 103 metre-high surge shaft and two circular steel-lined pressure shafts connected to four Francis-type vertical shafts. A 2 km-long tailrace tunnel takes way the discharge of the power-house back into the river. According to Mr S.K. Dodeja, Executive Director, Region II of the NHPC, an identical capacity of 480 MW is proposed to be added under Phase II of the project when additional regulating water becomes available with the construction of the Wullar barrage and the Kishanganga project. The annual generating capacity of the Uri project is 2,663 million units (MU). The project was constructed using state-of-the-art techniques, many of these adopted for the first time in India. It was built on a turnkey basis by a consortium of UK and Swedish companies. The project witnessed turmoil in the form of militancy in the Kashmir valley throughout its construction period. Two Swedish engineers were kidnapped on March 30, 1991, resulting in an 18-month setback to the project. The Hazratbal shrine stand-off in October, 1993, and the Charar-e-Sharif episode in May, 1995, adversely affected the progress of work. Despite such unfavourable conditions, the project was completed in a period of seven years at a cost of Rs 3,300 crore. Nearly 4,000 persons worked on this project round the clock. As many as 2,300 of them were employed from Jammu and Kashmir itself. After its commissioning in May, 1997, the Uri project has so far generated over, 8,800 MU of power, with revenue totalling more than Rs 2,200 crore, says Mr Dodeja. Maintenance of the project and keeping the morale of the staff high have not been easy tasks. During the Kargil operations, there was shelling from across the border in areas near the power-house and the township. Insurgency, curfews and bandhs have added to the problems. However, the NHPC and its dedicated team of more than 300 staff members have managed to operate and maintain the project with assistance from the Central Industrial Security Force and the defence forces. The NHPC alone spends more than Rs 6 crore annually on security. |
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Phones set up for
Amarnath pilgrims Jammu, July 2 This was stated by Mr P.C. Chabra, Chief General Manager, Telecom Circle, at a news conference here today. He said two control rooms had been set up at Pahalgam and Sonamarg which will connect the yatra routes one from Pahalgam and another from Baltal to the rest of the country. He said BSF officials and BSNL experts were manning these control rooms and scores of STDs and PCOs. Mr Chabra said that at the Maulana Azad Stadium, from where the pilgrims leave
Jammu for Pahalgam, ISD and STD facilities had been made available. This facility was at Chandanwari, Sheshnag, Panchtarni and Baltal. In reply to a question, Mr Chabra said that the switching capacity in Jammu and Kashmir would be expanded to 34,500 lines and to 35,290 in case of smaller exchanges. He said that DELS would be expanded to 80,000 lines and VPTS to 2745 lines. He said 20 new exchanges were being opened in the state during the current year. Regarding generating employment avenues, Mr Chabra said the BSNL would provide free access to the Internet for 1500 hours in rural and urban areas which can help the unemployed youth to set up cybercafe or Internet dhabas. PCO owners also avail themselves of this facility. Mr R.K. Upadhya, General Manager, said that the department would increase rent receipt counters by five times to help the customers. |
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