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Imam, 4 militants killed in J&K
Congress-PDP alliance loses House seat
Overgrazing by livestock threatens wild ass
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Govt undecided on security to passengers
Jammu, April 11 The Jammu and Kashmir Government is yet to take a final decision whether the passengers,cleared by the authorities in Pakistan occupied Kashmir for travelling to Muzaffarabad by the Jehlum valley road,were to be lodged under security cover two days before their departure for Uri on April 21. Father quits MC, son released
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Imam, 4 militants killed in J&K
Srinagar, April 11 The spokesman said militants gunned down 50-year-old Ghulam Qadir Sheikh, an imam (priest) of the local Jama Masjid, at Kither Bonjwah in Kishtwar tehsil of Doda district last night. He said ultras killed Reyaz Ahmed Bhat, a former militant, and wounded another person, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, at Dooru in Sopore town of the border district of Baramula this morning. While Bhat died on the spot, Dar sustained serious injuries and was rushed to hospital where his condition was stated to be critical, he added. The spokesman said the security forces killed a Jaish-e-Mohammad militant, identified as Mohammad Irfan of Bhawalpur in Pakistan, in an encounter in the Wani Daroosa forests in Sogam of Kupwara district last night. One AK rifle, four magazines and 58 cartridges were seized from him. He said militants kidnapped Jammu and Kashmir Police constables, Mohammad Shafi, Bashir Ahmed and Nazir Ahmed, and Special Police Officer (SPO) Mohammad Sharief, of Mahore police station from the Gulabgarh area in Udhampur district of the Jammu region last night. They had been deployed for the examination duty. Later, the body of SPO Mohammad Sahrief was recovered from the same area. Militants also took away three AK rifles, one INSAS rifle, 12 magazines and 400 cartridges from the police personnel, he added.
— UNI |
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Congress-PDP alliance loses House seat
Jammu, April 11 Elections for six vacant seats of the Upper House were held in the legislative Council in which 88 MLAs participated. Despite its strength to win only one seat, the NC managed to secure two seats. Those who were declared elected are Mr Tassadaq Hussain (PDP), Mr Abdul Gani Vakil (Cong), Mr Basharat Bukhari (PDP), Ms Sakina Ittoo (NC), Mr T.S. Wazir (NC) and Mr Ashok Sharma (Cong). The Congress in particular has suffered a setback due to the defeat of its candidate, Mr Shivdev Singh, as the coalition had enough strength in the Lower House. This also indicates groupism within the Congress and also the other coalition partners as Mr Wazir polled 37 votes that were 11 more than what he would have got with the NC having only 26 members in the Assembly. The NC had chosen him as the candidate for the Jammu seat probably as he had the potential to create cross voting and he did so. The NC had yesterday lost one of its MLAs, Haji Abbas, who died here. This had reduced the party’s strength in the Assembly to 26. There was no cross voting by the coalition members in the case of Mr Tassadaq Hussain (PDP), who secured all the 60 votes for the seat that was reserved for Poonch district. The results came as expected for the three seats of the Kashmir valley where the Congress, the PDP and the NC shared one seat each. However, the surprise came when counting for the three seats of Jammu began. Mr Shivdev Singh managed to muster only 18 votes, although as per the strength of the Congress, he should have got 30. Mr Ashok Sharma polled 32 votes and won. Mr Vakil got 31 votes, while Ms Ittoo 25 votes which was one short of the total strength of the NC. Among those who have lost the election were Mr Nizamuddin Khatana (PDP), Mr Nassar Khan (NC), Mr Tassadaq Hussain (PDP) and Mohammad Rahid Qureshi (NC). This is not for the first time that the coalition has suffered a setback in the recent past. The Congress recently lost the election for the post of the Mayor of the Jammu Municipal Corporation to the BJP. Shortly before that the coalition candidate lost the Lok Sabha seat in the Kashmir valley and the NC was the gainer due to infighting in the coalition. |
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Overgrazing by livestock threatens wild ass
CHANDIGARH: Overgrazing by livestock in and around the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary in Ladakh has biologists worried. The reason is obvious. It is home to a large number of endangered species, including the Tibetan wild ass, the black-necked crane and the bar-headed geese. The small population of the wild ass, also known as kiang, has made environmentalists sit and think about its conservation. Dr Nita Shah, Asian coordinator for equid specialist group, International Union of Conservation of Natural Resources, says India, Pakistan, Bhutan and Nepal have only 10 per cent of the Tibetan wild ass population. The rest are in China. The Indian cold desert alone has more than 8 per cent of its population. In India, two species of asses are found — one in the hot desert of the Rann of Kutch and the other in the cold desert. The wild ass is found in high plateaus (5,000 m) of Ladakh and North Sikkim along the Indo-Tibet border. The Tibetan wild ass is the largest of all Asiatic wild asses. Like all wild asses, it has a short upright mane and a dark chocolate-coloured dorsal stripe along the back extending from nape to tail. On the basis of colour and size, three sub-species of the wild ass have been identified. China is home to all three subspecies — the eastern kiang, the southern kiang and the western kiang. In Ladakh, the western kiang is found, while in Sikkim the southern kiang is found. According to Dr R.M. Sharma, officer in charge, Zoological Survey of India, Solan, the wild ass is mainly threatened due to habitat degradation. Grazing pressure by livestock results in competition among animals. The construction of roads and overexploitation of the flora by local people and herdsmen have resulted in the loss of biodiversity. Dr Shah, who has been monitoring the wild ass population since 1994, says their estimate in the sanctuary ranges between 1,500 and 2,500. Their number varies as it is a trans-boundary species. A team of the Solan-based Zoological Survey of India, comprising Dr Sharma and Dr P.C. Tak, during its 14-day study in 2002, had counted 159 asses in the sanctuary. Rugged with sandy plains and surrounded by barren mountains, the sanctuary is spread over 4,000 sq km. The sanctuary is a southwest extension of the Tibetan plateau. The sanctuary abounds with brackish and freshwater lakes, including the Tso Moriri, which was recently declared a wetland of the international importance.
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Govt undecided on security to passengers
Jammu, April 11 A senior police officer posted in the summer capital said today, “We have not yet received any instructions on the matter from the government.” He said, “We will take these passengers by the second bus service under security cover if we are directed by the state’s Home Department or by the Chief Minister’s secretariat.” Already the two sides have exchanged a lists of 119 passengers who were to be permitted to travel on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road in phases. In the light of the “fidayeen” attack on the Tourist Reception Centre where the first batch of 29 passengers had been lodged under security cover,the government agencies are sharply divided. While one set of officials favour making the journey a normal affair, the other wants that at least for another one month those cleared for travel be lodged under security cover a day before their journey. |
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Father quits MC, son released
Srinagar, April 11 The police said 14-year-old Mehrajuddin, son of Mr Ghulam Rasool Dar, a councillor of Sopore, was kidnapped by some unidentified people when he was playing cricket outside his home at Mahrajpora, Sopore yesterday. The Class VIII student reached home safely at around 1.30 pm today, the police said, adding no arrests had been made so far. The police ruled out that any ransom was paid to secure the release.
— UNI |
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