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Monday,
October
20, 2003,
Chandigarh, India
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Attack site attracts visitors Three-pronged
strategy to check infiltration Need
for air power to tackle terrorism stressed
No toy
plane this |
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Charges
in bleaching powder scam framed 20
senior officials transferred New
power slabs approved
Two
killed, 10 hurt in mishaps
|
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Attack site attracts visitors Srinagar, October 19 “It is a matter of distinction that this huge building (Dr Ali Jan shopping complex) is intact even after a such a long gun-battle”, exclaimed a passerby accompanied by his wife and two children. Traffic on the road was restricted for some time due to the presence of Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Lieut-Gen (retd) S.K. Sinha at a church adjacent to the Chief Minister’s residence, and opposite to the shopping complex. This was in connection with the ongoing 10-day-long Mother Teresa samaroh. Some of the shopkeepers having shops in the shopping complex were prevented by the police from entering the premises till the Governor left. But, Salma, a 10-year-old girl, insisted on visiting the complex asking the reluctant police personnel to let her enter the premises and look around the spot of the encounter, where four lives had been lost and several others injured. The complex looked deserted with a couple of guards and police personnel making rounds. The scene was different today at the nearby bakery shop, Jee Enn Sons, opposite the gate to the Chief Minister’s residence, where the militants struck first on Friday morning. A sense of relief from a tense situation was reflected on the faces of customers in the shop. Their worry had been whether they would get requisite items ordered in advance in time of the special occasions of weddings and engagements. A number of customers had to go without special items from this shop for two days when the encounter was on, said a worker at the shop. The owner of the shop, Mr Ghulam Qadir, said this was the first such incident in the vicinity of this shop during the past 14 years of militancy. He lamented that the choice of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to make the particular house, adjacent to the Banquet Hall, his official residence, had become a matter of security risk. The pavement on the main road in front of the Chief Minister’s residence had a security cover and pedestrian movement was restricted, making it difficult for them. |
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Three-pronged strategy to check infiltration
Jammu, October 19 “We have launched a three-pronged strategy, including the installation of thermal imagers, night surveillance equipment, fencing of the border with Pakistan and reorganisation of troops along the border to put a complete halt to the Pak-sponsored cross-border infiltration into J and K,” Mr Sharma told reporters during his visit to border outposts in Jammu last evening. Under this strategy, foreign and Indian thermal imagers and night surveillance equipment would be installed within six months as the first step to detect infiltration, he said. “We have set up anti-Fidayeen squads in all units and camps to deal with any type of Fidayeen attacks against security forces in Jammu and Kashmir,” Mr Sharma, who is currently on a two-day visit to Jammu, said, adding anti-Fidayeen drills had been started at in all the camps in the state. The night surveillance equipment would detect any kind of intrusion, including infiltration of armed militants up to 5 or 10 km inside Pak territory, Mr Sharma said. As a second strategy, fencing of the border with Pakistan would be completed by 2005. So far, 85 km out of the 190 km had been completed and by the end of this year, half of the total borderline would be fenced and floodlit. Pakistan was targeting the fence and machines and troops engaged in installing it, Mr Sharma said, adding, “If the entire border is fenced, how can Pak push in militants to this side? That is why they resort to heavy firing and shelling.” The third step the BSF is taking in this direction is reorganisation of troops, including inducting more battalions along the border to plug all infiltration routes, he said. BSF troops, who were withdrawing from counter-insurgency areas and being replaced by the CRPF, would be used only to strengthen the border in J and K as well as the eastern and western borders. Once this three-pronged plan was in place, there would be near total stoppage of infiltration, he claimed, and added that 80-85 per cent check on infiltration is expected by the end of 2004 after troop reorganisation and night surveillance equipment installation.
— PTI |
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Need for air power to tackle terrorism stressed Jammu, October 19 Delivering a public lecture on ‘Air Power — India’s Defence’, organised by the Centre for Strategic and Regional Studies University of Jammu here last evening, the former Vice Air Chief, who served as Air Officer Commanding in Jammu and Kashmir during the Kargil operation, said the nature of warfare and technology has been increasing fast and new strategies should be adopted to face new challenges. Referring to the attack at Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s residence, he said using airpower, commandos could be air-dropped to minimise casualties and to make the operation effective. It could prove effective in flushing out terrorists and could have been used in operations like the one at the Ali Jan commercial complex near the CM’s residence where the terrorists were holed up, the former Vice Air Chief said.
— UNI |
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Jammu, October 19 “Pakistan-backed militants, particularly those of the
Laskhar-e-Toiba, have smuggled 20 remote-controlled toy planes to Jammu to target VIPs and aircraft in Jammu and Kashmir and cause terror and security problems,” the sources said. The toy planes, made of plastic material, have been smuggled from across the Line of Control and the international border from Pakistan’s launching pads —
Bhimber, Nikiyal, Samani, Kalsan, Basanter and Koteqube — during the past over a month, the sources said, quoting intelligence reports and intercepts. These toy planes, weighing 3 to 4 kg, have a capacity to carry up to 2 kg of explosives, enough to damage an aircraft or blow up a vehicle, they said.
— PTI |
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Charges in bleaching powder scam framed
Jammu, October 19 Special Judge, Anti-Corruption M.K. Hanjura framed charges under Prevention of Corruption Act yesterday against former Superintending Engineer, Leh, D.N. Sumbali, former Executive Engineer, PHE, Leh division, Hamid-ullah Trali, ex-engineer, mechanical division R.P. Gupta and Kewal Gandotra, the proprietor of M/S Megha Enterprises, Jammu. After hearing arguments from both defence and prosecution, Mr Hanjura observed that the action of the accused was “replete with dishonesty”. The accused engineers had paid a huge amount to accused Gandotra in order to cause wrongful loss to the state and corresponding gain to themselves and the owner of the firm. The intention of the accused in this case was to rob the state by purchasing material at exorbitant rates though its purchase in bulk was not the requirement. The accused by practising deceit took an advantage to which they were not entitled to and they have thus acted dishonestly, the judge observed. The court further observed that there is prima facie evidence on record to suggest that the accused has committed the offence imputed to them and accordingly they are charged for the offence under Section 5(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act read with Section 120-b of the IPC.
— PTI |
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20 senior officials transferred
Srinagar, October 19 Mr B.R. Singh, who was Principal Secretary to Mr Abdullah, has been appointed Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir special tribunal in the reshuffle which involves seven IAS and 13 Kashmir administrative service officers. The transfers and postings in the administration were okayed at a Cabinet meeting held here yesterday, official sources said today. Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, A.H. Samoon, and Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Shailendra Kumar, swaped places, while Ashok Parmar, Director Employment, has been appointed Deputy Commissioner Udhampur, replacing Atal Dulloo who is appointed as Secretary to government, Public Health Engineering, in place of Khursheed Ahmad Malik who joins the Labour and Employment Department as Secretary. Masooda Yasin, Director Technical Education, has been appointed Managing Director of Jammu and Kashmir Women’s Development Corporation, replacing G.H. Jkhan, who has been posted as Director, Technical Education. Chandra Gupta, Secretary Women Commission, is transferred and posted as Additional Secretary Social Welfare. Joint Director Tourism, N.A. Bhat, will be Director Tourism, Kashmir, while Nirmal Sharma Joint Director, Handicrafts, Jammu, has been posted Director Tourism Jammu.
— PTI |
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New power slabs
approved Srinagar, October 19 However, there is no change in tariff rates, which have remained constant since 1999. Under the revised slab structure, all consumers with power consumption upto 250w would now be required to pay Rs 50 per month as against the initial proposal of Rs 140. The earlier rate was Rs 48.80 per month. A new slab has been introduced for those who consume power between 250w and 350w. They would be required to pay Rs 100 per month. Earlier, those consuming more than 250w were required to pay Rs 140.30. The rate for consumers of more than 350w, but less than 500w, would continue to be Rs 140.30.
— UNI |
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Two killed, 10 hurt in mishaps Jammu, October 19 A police spokesman said that Dr G.L. Koul was critically injured after he fell from his scooter near Army School, Barnai. He was rushed to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. In another road accident, one person was killed and five others injured in a collision between a truck and car near Ramsoo bridge under Banihal police station. In yet another accident, three schoolchildren and a scooterist were injured when their two-wheeler was knocked down by a speeding car at Nai Basti under the Gandhi Nagar police station in the city. Meanwhile, Sheetal Kaur, allegedly tried to end her life by consuming some poisonous substance at her residence. She was rushed to hospital.
— UNI |
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