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Results
of six LS seats to be
Villagers
along LoC vote for better tomorrow |
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Major seeks trial outside Northern Command Top
Lashkar militant among nine killed 8 pc
Kargil children are disabled Neglected by govt, villagers install hand-pumps Srinagar-Leh
highway to reopen tomorrow The 434-km Srinagar-Leh national highway will formally reopen tomorrow after remaining closed due to heavy snowfall in the winter. Rs 270
crore project for Dal Lake approved Concerned over the deteriorating condition of the Dal Lake, the Jammu and Kashmir Government today approved a Rs 270-crore project for the preservation and restoration of the pristine glory of the world-renowned lake in the heart of the city. 
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Results of six LS seats to be declared today Jammu, May 12 The results are expected to be declared by the afternoon as the counting will be done at the headquarters of the respective returning officers, except Ladakh where the counting will be done districtwise but the result of the lone seat will be declared at Leh. Prominent among others who are awaiting the results, are two ministers, Mr Madan Lal Sharma and Mr Lal Singh, who were the Congress candidates from Jammu and Udhampur, respectively. Besides the ministers, heads of five political parties also contested the elections. They are Ms Mehbooba Mufti (PDP), Mr Omar Abdullah (NC), Mr Nirmal Singh (BJP), Mr Bhim Singh (Panthers Party) and Mr Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami (CPM). Interestingly, the main three candidates, for the Anantnag seat, Ms Mufti, Mr Tarigami and Mr Mehboob Beg (NC), are sitting MLAs. Mr Bhim Singh, who contested the election from Udhampur as a rebel of the ruling coalition, is a MLC. Mr Nirmal Singh is trying his luck for the second time. Earlier, he lost the by-election for the Jammu seat. Ms Mufti is also contesting the Lok Sabha election for the second time. She lost the election in 1999 when she contested from the Srinagar seat against Mr Omar Abdullah. Mr Bhim Singh has a string of defeats behind him as he has been unsuccessfully contesting the Lok Sabha election in the past. The largest number of 26 candidates are for the Jammu seat. |
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Villagers along LoC vote for better tomorrow Batalik Sector along LoC: Located close to the Line of Control (LoC), a set of eight villages in the Batalik sector are bonded by a strange sense of unity. These are the same villages where heavy enemy shelling took place during the Kargil war and even prior to that. Having suffered together, people here have realised the need of amity, so much so that Muslims frequent Gompas while Buddhists offer prayers at mosques. Due to their precarious location, these villages, including Chullichang, Gurgud, Batalik, Darchik, Lalung, Silmu, Sarche and Sanache, have bulk of difficulties to face. As you travel through the belt located within 5 km of the volatile Line of Control (LoC), you wake up anew to the worth of development. These are the villages where children have to walk for eight hours daily to attend school. Also there are hardly any roads worth the name here. Development continues to elude the area, which has long borne the brunt of war. Facing the towering Jubbar Hills where the first Pakistani intrusion was detected during the Kargil war, these villages remain primitive as ever, though not so much when it comes to voting. Dressed in their Sunday best, the villagers turned up in large numbers to express their mandate. They understand that voting is the only way to assert their rights. All the eight booths in the area witnessed a high turnout, with the voters feeling secure under the protection of the Army. Most villagers admitted that participation in elections was the only way to improve their lot. They are hopeful of the victory of sitting MP Hassan Khan, who is from Silmu village. Interestingly, despite being predominantly Muslim, this area is marked by communal harmony. While Gurgud has mixed Buddhist and Muslim population, Chullichang, Lalung and Batalik are dominated by Muslims. Sarche and Darchik have some Buddhist population. But besides demographic considerations people here coexist peacefully. Collectively they pray for peace so that development may gain momentum in the border area. It may sound unbelievable but children of village Gurgud along the LoC walk eight hours daily to attend the only higher secondary school located far away in Silmu village. Although the Army provides them with transport whenever possible, they have to invariably walk these distances four days a week. Also, there are no roads in the belt. The only track villagers use is the one constructed by the Army to facilitate its operations. Border villages Chhulichang and Gurgud, situated under the nose of the enemy on the LoC are particularly poverty-ridden. Lack of basic necessities like water, salt and vegetables has made life tough for people here. The Army is now helping them raise income. Apart from providing schools for village children, it sources vegetables for its troops from these villagers. Earlier, the vegetables were procured from Chandigarh, and they would often rot due to long travel time. So the Army asked villagers to grow whatever vegetables they possibly could in the given terrain and climate. The decision helps provide income to villagers and fresh vegetables to troops. The Army has also provided for green houses where leafy vegetables are grown.
— AT |
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Choppers transport EVMs in Ladakh Leh, May 12 The process of bringing back the EVMs from far-flung and inaccessible areas had been completed, Returning Officer of the constituency Satish Nehru said. He said six helicopter sorties were made today to polling stations in Dipling, Skumpata, Lingshet, Fotoksar, Niraks and Youlchung to bring back the EVMs. Officials of the polling stations set up in places still cut off from the rest of the state were also brought here. He said the EVMs of the Nobra Assembly segment were also brought here and the counting of votes would start at Government Girls Higher Secondary School at 8.00 am tomorrow. Mr Nehru said the counting of votes of Zanaskar and Kargil Assembly segments would be taken up at Kargil tomorrow, and by afternoon the result would be declared. Mr Nehru said Nobra recorded the highest turnout of 76 per cent, followed by Kargil 75 per cent, Leh 70 per cent and Zanaskar 54 per cent.
— UNI |
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Major seeks trial outside Northern Command Chandigarh, May 12 In his petition, that is still to be taken up by a Bench of the High Court, Major Surinder Singh has voiced fears that he may not get justice from a court of inquiry or disciplinary team if the proceedings are conducted in the territory under the Udhampur-based Northern Command of J&K. The petitioner has also sought a fresh inquiry by an independent agency into the complaint lodged by him in the matter. According to information, a court of inquiry headed by Brigadier H.S. Nagra, Deputy General-Officer-Commanding (GOC), 3 Infantry Division, had held that the Major could not substantiate his accusations against his Commanding Officer. It may be recalled that the Punjab and Haryana High Court had yesterday disposed of a writ filed by the Major challenging the decision to attach him to a unit in J&K. The Army had informed the Bench that it has been decided that Major Surinder Singh will not be attached to a unit in J&K. The Army has also stated that disciplinary proceedings against the officer would be held outside J&K. Major Surinder has provided details of fake kills made by companies posted in Siachin. He had told a court of inquiry that the companies, with the knowledge and instructions of Commanding Officer Colonel K.D. Singh, reported kills of militants and enemy soldiers that never took place. In some cases, to provide video support to the claims, soldiers of the company would play dead enemy. He provided specific details of the "kills" to the court of inquiry. Presently, he is attached with N-Area, Chandigarh, on medical grounds. |
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Top Lashkar militant among nine killed Srinagar, May 12 He said an encounter took place between militants and security forces in the Lashtiyal forest in the frontier district of Kupwara last night during which LeT district commander Abid was killed. One AK rifle, five magazines, four rocket boosters and one grenade were seized from the slain militant. The encounter occurred when a search party was attacked by the militants. With this, the security forces have gunned down six top leaders of the Hizbul Mujahideen and other outfits in the Kashmir valley during the past two weeks. In a separate incident, security forces killed a militant at Khamran in the South Kashmir district of Anantnag last night. One AK rifle, 3 magazines, 17 rounds, two grenades and one wireless set were seized from the slain militant, an official spokesman said. Militants entered the house of Abdul Aziz Ganai and shot dead his son Shabir Ahmad Ganai. The house owner was also injured in the firing. He said security forces killed three militants at Keri and two were gunned down at Dhara Sangala last night. A large cache of arms and ammunition was seized from the slain militants, he said. Militants abducted and later killed Manzoor Ahmad Mir at Bandipora in Baramula district last night. Security forces arrested a militant along with one pistol, one magazine and one wireless set at Hargam Pulwama while a hideout was busted at Kishtwar. A ruling People’s Democratic Party worker was shot at in Kashmir valley. The PDP worker identified as Tariq Ahmad was fired upon by militants near his residence at Baba Mohalla in Bijbehara, hometown of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, in Anantnag district of south Kashmir last night, the sources said. Ahmad, who served as a polling agent of PDP candidate Mehbooba Mufti in the Anantnag parliamentary constituency, on May 5, suffered serious injuries in the firing and was shifted to hospital. Self-styled commander of the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen Abu Osama was killed in a gunbattle with troops of Rashtriya Riffles at Khimran in the Achabal area of Anantnag. Another surrendered militant Manzoor Ahmad Mir was gunned down by militants at Onagam in the Bandipora area of Baramula district in north Kashmir. The sources said militants fired upon an army patrol at Sharshali in Pulwama district of south Kashmir today, but none was hurt in the ensuing shootout. Militants attacked a Border Security Force (BSF) patrol with a grenade at the Main Chowk Sopore in North Kashmir this afternoon. However, the grenade missed the target and fell on the roof of a bank, causing minor damage to it. No one was injured in the blast.
— UNI, PTI |
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Army plan to flush out terrorists Jammu, May 12 The troops have eliminated at least six top leaders of various terrorist outfits. Two of them were killed in an encounter in the Surankot area last evening. Encouraged by the operations in the Hilkaka area where 83 terrorists were killed last year, the new operation has been focussed in the Surankot area that has become a haven for the terrorists. The security forces had earlier left the thick forest territory across the Suran river at the disposal of terrorists. “Operation Silver Strike” would last 20 days, during which most of these areas would be combed. The terrorists are demoralised and are virtually on the run following the killings of their top leaders. Special forces of the Army have been engaged in the operation. |
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8 pc Kargil children are disabled Kargil, May 12 The situation gets depressing with an increasing number of special children seeking admission to Aasha School, the only school for disabled children in Kargil. This scenario is mainly attributed to inclement weather and peculiar cultural practices of the region which has about 95 per cent Muslim population. Aversion to family planning contributes to high fertility and birth rate. Poor nutritional of women is another vital cause behind the birth of frail babies who run the risk of contracting disability due to weak defences. In winters Kargil is heavily short of fresh vegetables like spinach, carrot and bitter gourd, which are essential to boost immunity. The food of the people is cereal and meat-based. Although meat makes up for protein deficiency, it cannot provide minerals which expectant mothers require to bear healthy babies. Where the vegetable requirement is about 280 gm per day per adult, people here consume much less because of the non-availability of fresh stocks. If that was less, women in higher reaches carry huge loads on their backs, further exposing themselves to disease and weakness. Primitive medical facilities and lack of care during pregnancy compound the problem, which is assuming grave proportions here. As present Aasha School, being run by the Army under Operation Sadbhavana, has 28 special children on its rolls. Hailing from villages within a 14-km radius of Kargil, the children suffer from mental ailments like cerebral palsy and Down’s syndrome. Among those physically disabled are deaf and dumb kids who are receiving speech therapy at Aasha School. Doctors attached with the school confirm that 8 per cent children in Kargil are disabled. Meanwhile, Principal Akhtar Bano told The Tribune that many women in Kargil often produce children at the age of 40 to 45 years. “Fertility rate is high and family planning awareness is low. Each family has an average of five children. There are women who have as many as 10 children and are still under pressure to produce more,” she said. Trained in physiotherapy from Srinagar Medical College, Ms Akhtar holds classes in personal hygiene, medical support and parental education. |
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Neglected by govt, villagers install hand-pumps Loundhi (Kathua), May 12 The village is at a distance of about 4 km from the main town of Hiranagar, but the authorities have not provided the residents with tap water. Earlier, the only source of drinking water was a tubewell at a border observation post of the BSF. A resident of the village, Shobha Rani, said her husband had recently spent about Rs 9000 for installing a hand-pump in the house. This solved their water problem, but they did not get any incentive or subsidy by the government. She said a boring of about 150 ft had to be done to reach the water level Crores of rupees were spent by the government on construction of the Ravi-Tawi canal to irrigate kandi areas of Kathua district, but this village, with 185 households, not included in the scheme. Many farmers have installed their own tubewells to irrigate their land that have remained uncultivated for the past five years because of the situation at the border. They were now preparing the fields for sowing the next crop as the Army had removed landmines and given the land back to its owners. However, Sanjay Singh, a resident, said he was afraid that the Army had not been able to remove all land-mines. His father’s, leg was blown away as he had stepped on a landmine. Many farmers said their agriculture land gone on the other side of the border fencing for which they had not been given any compensation. Krishna Devi remembers how her son Ranjit Singh was killed as enemy bullets hit him while he was ploughing his field on October 2, 1998. Villagers fled to safe places around Hiranagar when tension escalated between the two countries and returned a few months ago after spending about four years like refugees. Raghubir Singh, another villager, was not hopeful that peace between the two countries would last long. He said he had been witnessing firing from across the border ever since he could remember and many residents of the village had lost their lives due to indiscriminate firing from the Pakistan side. |
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Srinagar-Leh highway to reopen tomorrow Srinagar, May 12 Official sources said the road would be opened for civil traffic tomorrow as the snow on the highway had been cleared by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the road links between Srinagar, Drass, Kargil and Leh. The reopening of the highway, which was closed in November last year, was delayed due to heavy snowfall in the first week of this month at Sonamarg, Zojila pass and Gumri. However, Army vehicles were plying on the highway from the last week of April, official sources said. About 16 to 22 feet of snow was cleared on the highway, taking special precautions in the avalanche-prone areas. Imported sophisticated machines and trained BRO personnel ensured completion of the task without any casualties, the sources said. About a dozen BRO men and civilian labourers were killed during the snow-clearance operations in the nineties on this highway.
— UNI |
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Rs 270 crore project for Dal Lake approved Srinagar, May 12 The project would make the adoption of approved sewage treatment technology by house boat owners and Dal dwellers compulsory. A host of other measures would also be initiated an official spokesman said after a high-level meeting convened by the Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Tourism, Ghulam Hassan Mir here today. He said a world bank project for Wullar lake was also in the offing. Meanwhile, with the increase in tourist influx, the government has initiated measures to augment facilities to the visiting tourists for their smooth and comfortable journey.
— UNI |
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Transportation of cows banned Jammu, May 12 In an order issued here, the District Magistrate, Mr Naveen Choudhary, has said that the transportation of animals such as cows, oxen, bulls and calves from Jammu district would not be allowed except with the written permission of the Additional District Magistrate and under certain conditions imposed by his office from time to time. This order would come into force with immediate effect and would remain in force for two months, he said.
— PTI |
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Fire damages police station Srinagar, May 12 Three carbine rifles, a .303 rifle, a self-loading rifle, two pistols and two wireless sets kept in the police station were also damaged, they said. Some records and ammunition were also destroyed. The fire was controlled within two hours. — PTI |
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