Jammu, August 13
Despite confronting natural calamity of a big magnitude in the form of flash floods and landslides, which has rendered nearly a million people homeless and several killed, Pakistan’s ISI looks desperate to push armed militants into Jammu region.

“No doubt, they are faced with a gigantic task, but at the same time they want to make best use of monsoon to push militants into Jammu region,” said sources in the Army.

Pakistan’s ISI, which is a parallel authority in the neighbouring country, knows fully well that when rivers and rivulets are in full spate during monsoon, fence on the LoC and the international border gets damaged because of flash floods. So they want to make use of the inclement weather, they added.

It may be stated that areas in northwest, south and central Pakistan and PoK have been hit hard by torrential rains triggering flash floods and landslides.

The United Nations on August 11 appealed the international community for $460 million in emergency aid for flood victims.

“During monsoon, high velocity squalls, heavy rains and fog do make border guarding task a difficult one and that is where ultras and their mentors try to take advantage but we are fully alert to their designs,” they added.

The sources admitted that of late, there had been a spurt in intrusion bids, particularly along the LoC, attributing the upward swing to monsoon.

During winter, it becomes difficult for militants to trek snow-capped mountains and ridges to sneak into the state whereas they feel monsoon gives them an opportunity, they said.

“Every year during June, July and August, there is a spurt in intrusion bids and militancy related activities,” the sources said.

Amarnath yatra, Independence Day and Budha Amarnath Yatra, all fall during these months, but more importantly ultras have always been desperate to disrupt Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations.

The sources also referred to the recent seizure of deadly RDX in huge quantity from Rajouri and Poonch districts.

“Militant attack on an Army convoy and a passenger bus on August 11 in the Thannamandi area of Rajouri district left no suspicion about desperation on the part of militants to flare up violence,” they said.

Similarly, on 239-km long international border, Pakistani troops had adopted new modus operandi, throwing explosives and fake currency on this side of the fence for the conduits so as to see the consignment reach their “destinations”.

The BSF in the recent past recovered such consignments in the RS Pura and Arnia areas.

The sources also said security forces had been keeping a close surveillance on the borders and at the same time, ultras were being hunted all the time so that they did not get sufficient time to plan and strike accordingly.

“The Army has been hunting them all the time. We are smashing their hideouts so that they don’t get time to carry out their nefarious designs,” the sources added.

Jammu, August 13
The unexpected rains in the current monsoon season have exposed the tall claims of the authorities. While as the farming community of the Jammu region is smiling over this year’s monsoon, officers of different government departments are worried because downpour has exposed them before higher-ups.

Before the commencement of the rainy season, all government departments claimed to have taken preventive steps, but as soon as the monsoon arrived, their measures proved futile. While most parts of the region are flooded, a large chunk of the population has been confronting with the problem of acute shortage of potable water these days.

Heavy rainfall has made water supply schemes defunct as in some areas pipes laid down by the PHE Department have been washed away in floods, while in some areas, it was due to accumulation of silt in pumping stations.

Accumulation of silt in the Shitile Pumping Station has once again exposed the claims of the authorities. The station, located on the outskirt of the city, is considered as the lifeline of the city as it caters to more than 70 per cent of the population of old Jammu.

Silt in the intake pumping station at Shitile has become a routine affair and every year before the commencement of the monsoon, the authorities claimed to take preventive steps.

A huge quantity of water mixed with silt entered in the station after the first flood in the Tawi. After the silt accumulated in the pumping station, six out of the 12 pumping machines installed in the station became defunct and affected 50 per cent supply of water in the city. Shitile pumping station usually supplied 16 million gallon of water to the city everyday, but after the floods the supply has been decreased by 50 per cent.

This is not the first time that silt has been accumulated in this pumping station. Four years ago, the station virtually became defunct when water flooded this station. It took more than one year to properly restore water supply from the station. Instead of taking some precautionary steps after that incident, the authorities seem to be more interested in just doing formalities as this time also, silt accumulated in the station.

Interestingly, the authorities have pressed water tankers into service to cope up with the problem of the shortage of drinking water, but this effort also proved futile as tankers failed to streamline the supply in the interiors of the city.

“Supply water through tankers is only a formality because they can not enter the narrow lanes where people have been confronting with the shortage of potable water,” said Ravinder Singh, a resident of Ustam Mohalla. “The concerned department is supplying water once in three days,” he added.

Amarnath Cave, August 13
Visit any tourist place in India and you will find beggars there. The menace has even affected the revered Amarnath cave shrine, which lies at a height of 13,500 ft.

Due to this pilgrims have been facing difficulties while having “darshan” at the shrine. Beggars have come in hordes here and can be seen occupying vantage points in and around the holy cave.

A number of beggars, some of them physically challenged, can be seen sitting near the cave. Interestingly, the majority of them have come from other states, as they see it a good opportunity to make good money in a short period.

“I am not against giving some money to beggars, but at least they should sit at some distance from the cave so that one can peacefully pay obeisance to Lord Shiva,” said Ashwani Kumar, a pilgrim from New Delhi.

He added, “The menace is growing with every passing year, but the administration or Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) has failed to keep a check on it. If the authorities cannot tackle them completely, they should be asked to at least keep some distance”.

People from across the country come here during the yatra period of two months every year and some anti-national elements in the guise of beggars can also harm the yatra.

A CRPF officer said, “A person (beggar) comes after climbing the arduous mountainous track. How can we prevent him to sit here?”

However, he added, “If we found anyone disturbing pilgrims, we immediately apprehend the person and hand over to the police.”

Srinagar, August 13
The Department of School Education, Kashmir, has opened 567 new primary schools out of the target of 691 during 2009-10 in 10 districts of the Valley under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). As many as 158 primary schools were also upgraded out of the target of 199 during the same period.

This was disclosed at a high-level officers meeting of the Education Department, chaired by Minister for Education and Public Enterprises Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed here yesterday.

An official spokesman said detailed discussions were held with regard to various activities of the department, including the construction of school buildings, upgrading, opening of primary schools under the SSA, release of funds, monitoring of attendance of teaching and non-teaching staff and filling up of vacant posts in primary and middle schools on the pattern of the Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT).

The meeting was informed that 191 schools were taken up, out of which 14 were completed. Whereas plinth level works of 156 schools completed. It was informed that against the target of 1,780, 1,208 ReTs were engaged during 2009-10.

The Minister directed the concerned to achieve the targets in a stipulated timeframe. He asked them to use funds judiciously and discharge their duties with zeal and dedication. He asked the concerned to submit data format under the Secondary Education Management Information System (SEMIS) immediately. The Minister also directed the concerned to furnish a list of opening of new three schools under the SSA within a week’s time and girls’ hostel and model schools within a fortnight in the Valley.

The Minister asked the authorities to provide mid-day meal at the educational institutions of all areas as per norms. He stressed for ensuring functioning of schools in the rural areas and directed to send confidential report of all those teaching and non-teaching staff who are always in the habit of remaining absent from their duties.

Peerzada instructed the officers to complete the syllabus by starting extra classes so that the academic loss could be compensated. The Minister also asked the Director, School Education, Kashmir, to monitor the functioning of private educational institutions also. He said registration of such schools, which were not functioning, would be cancelled.

Those who attended the meeting included secretary, education, GA Peer, director, School Education, Kashmir, Shagufta Parveen, director, SSA, Vinay Mohan Raina, chief education officers and principals of District Instate of Education and Trainings) DIETs of the Valley and senior officers of the Education Department.

Jammu, August 13
Finally, a bridge over Troti rivulet near Jourian in Akhnoor subdivision has brought relief to several villages and even defence personnel deployed on the forward areas of the border.

"We convey our gratitude to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for meeting a long-pending requirement of people of this area," said Mohinder Kumar, a village elder from Jourian.

"The bridge, a long-cherished dream, will now serve as a lifeline for villagers across the Troti because during the monsoons, the entire area used to remain cut-off from Akhnoor town causing us immense hardships," he added.

"Last year, an Army truck, while crossing the rivulet, got stuck in a flashflood," he said, adding that women and children, too, were facing difficulties in the absence of a bridge.

"Throughout my life I dreamt of a bridge over the Troti. The rivulet, when in spate during monsoons, has posed serious threats to the lives of villagers here, but finally we got a bridge," said Savitri Devi, an old woman who was all praise for the BRO.

"Of course, the younger generation would not face the hardships like we faced through our lives," she said, adding that the bridge would be a lifeline for the villagers on both sides of the rivulet.

The bridge, constructed at a cost of Rs 5.70 lakh, 3 km from Troti village, was inaugurated by Lt-Gen MC Badhani, DG, BRO, on August 8.

While talking to mediapersons, Badhani said the BRO completed the project seven months prior to the stipulated time period. He also appreciated the work done by the 50 Border Roads Task Force of Project Sampark. Among others who attended the inaugural ceremony were GOC 10 Infantry Division, Maj Gen Rakesh Sharma, Chief Engineer, Project Sampark, Brig SK Tiwari, and other dignitaries from the defence and civil administration.

Srinagar, August 13
Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand has directed the Srinagar Municipal Corporation to ensure that during the fasting month of Ramzan, residents of the summer capital do not face any difficulty as far as the civic amenities are concerned.

Reviewing the developmental and other issues related to the holy month of Ramzan at a meeting with various MLAs of Srinagar city here, the Deputy Chief Minister directed the SMC Commissioner to constitute special market-checking teams to maintain the price line in all city markets. He called for intensifying market checking to prevent hoarding and black marketing. He also asked him to ensure that people got fresh essential items at reasonable rates. Tara Chand called for undertaking special sanitation and cleanliness drives during the month. He instructed the authorities to spruce up the city roads in view of the sacred days. He also ordered the installation of streetlights around the mosques so as to facilitate Sehri and Tarawi prayers. Similar instructions were issued to the Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation for maintaining health and hygiene, proper lighting during Ramzan.

Meanwhile, Qamar Ali Akhoon, Minister for Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution (CA&PD) and Transport, has said that people would get additional 1 kg of sugar per ration card for the holy month of Ramzan. This was decided at a meeting of officers chaired by the minister here. It was also decided to deploy more State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) trucks in all districts of Kashmir division for timely distribution of foodgrains.

Akhoon stressed upon the officers to gear up their field staff to ensure that essential commodities reached the consumers in every nook and corner. The minister asked the officers to conduct tours of their respective areas and interact with the people to get suggestions for smooth supply of ration. He asked the market checking staff to intensify checking to curb profiteering and black marketeering. Akhoon asked the representatives of LPG distributors to make sufficient quantity of LPG cylinders available to the people. He also asked the officers for providing kerosene as per entitlement to people.

The meeting was informed that 297610 quintals of rice, 37220 quintals wheat and 24740 quintals sugar is available in the godowns of FCI and CA&PD in Kashmir.

Life style has changed in Kashmir in view of the continued strikes and curfew restrictions. The two-decade-long militancy had earlier also changed the day-to-day life of the common man. Everybody would prefer to be indoors by the dusk and if possible, in the absence of a crackdown on a locality in search of militants, everybody would move out early in the morning.

This practice continued for a number of initial years of militancy though it was relaxed with the passage of time. But, over the past two months, the continued curfew restrictions have changed the day-to-day life. Most of the people remain indoors during the day while those in earnest need to fetch eatables, essential items, medical aid or travel, venture out only in the evenings (See picture).