Srinagar, July 18
Twelve employees were injured when the police used batons and water cannon to disperse hundreds of members of the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) holding a demonstration and marching towards the Civil Secretariat in support of their demands here today.

The employees were demanding the release of the arrears of the Sixth Pay Commission, an increase in the retirement age and the regularisation of the services of those working on an ad hoc basis.

The police used the batons and the water cannon near Exhibition Crossing to stop the protesters,who were trying to proceed towards the Civil Secretariat.Twelve employees were injured and more than 100 arrested by the police.

Being an amalgam of the employees’unions of different government departments,the JCC is spearheading the agitation.It had earlier given a call for a “secretariat gherao” and threatened to intensify the agitation if the demands of the employees were not accepted immediately.

“ The state government is forcing the employees to take to the agitational path.It has practically failed to fulfil the promises and assurances made to us during the past three years,”JCC leader and Teachers’ Forum chairman Abdul Qayoom Wani said.

Meanwhile, the PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti, has condemned the police action against “peacefully demonstrating government employees”, saying it is yet another instance of an inefficient government trying to enforce peace through state violence.

In a statement here, Mehbooba said the “draconian methods” of the Omar Abdullah government were unacceptable. She claimed the “brutal baton charge had left scores injured while hundreds had been arrested. This intolerant attitude of the coalition government was taking the state to new depths of atrocities, misgovernance and administrative collapse.”

She said if the government could be so harsh towards its own employees, how could anyone expect it to deliver on the governance or development fronts.

CPM secretary MY Tarigami also denounced the use of force against the protesting employees. “ It is a violation of the Constitution.The government should desist from such undemocratic practices,”he said and demanded immediate and unconditional release of all the arrested employees.

Jammu, July 18
Decks have been cleared for the use of high-security registration plates (HSRP) on nearly nine lakh vehicles in the state as the Transport Department has issued a tender notice for it, setting the much-awaited process into motion.

“Yes, the tender notice has been issued and anyone can apply,” Transport Minister Qamar Ali Akhoon told The Tribune. “Since other states have already switched to the HSRP, we also wanted to put this system in place in the state,” he added.

Transport Commissioner Syed Mohammed Fazlullah said, “Since the Supreme Court wants the HSRP plan to be implemented across the country, we also want to do it in the state.” The project had remained on paper for several years.

Fazlullah said the tamper-proof HSRP would help the police and other security agencies keep a tab on stolen vehicles or those used in subversive activities.

As of now, there are 4.75 lakh vehicles in the Jammu region while the Kashmir region, including Ladakh, has 4.25 lakh vehicles. “Once the plan is implemented, the police and other security agencies will also have the requisite equipment to read the HSRPs. They are helpful in solving crimes in which vehicles have been used,” said the Transport Commissioner.

The HSRP, it may be stated, has a chromium-based hologram, a self-destructive sticker with the engine and chassis numbers,a unique serial code carved with laser and “India” imprinted with a hot-stamping foil and a non-removable and non-reusable snap lock.

“While New Delhi and Punjab are among the defaulters even today, we are willing to implement the scheme. So, we initiated the exercise and the results will be seen in a couple of months,” said Fazlullah.

About 40,000 new vehicles are sold in the state every year. “For the time being, the legal and financial modalities are being looked into, but we will put the system in place at the earliest,” said the Transport Commissioner.

In 2001, the Centre had issued a notification asking the states to have these plates on the vehicles.

Srinagar, July 18
Governor NN Vohra has underscored the need for organised initiatives for promoting integrated farming, which will be possible if the required harvesting facilities are provided to the growers to enable them to get better economic returns.

Such an approach would also generate more employment opportunities in the state, he said. The Governor was addressing a meeting held here today to discuss the modalities for promoting the cultivation of strawberry, mushroom, floriculture and other cash crops. He stressed the need to achieve self-sufficiency in agriculture and allied sectors in the next three to four years.

The Governor said the state enjoyed a huge potential in agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, cultivation of mushroom, vegetables, strawberry, poultry, animal and sheep husbandry, beekeeping, fisheries and other allied activities. He urged the farm universities and the extension agencies of the state government as well as all the stakeholders to work with coordination for the full growth of these sectors.

Dr Tej Partap, Vice-Chancellor, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir; AH Samoon, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir; FA Lone, Director, Agriculture, Kashmir; GH Shah, Director, Horticulture, Kashmir participated in the discussions. — TNS

Jammu, July 18
Trials are non-starters and investigations long pending in criminal cases like torture and extra-judicial killings involving the security forces in the militancy-hit areas of the state.

It is not only the civilians, who are the victims, sources of the security forces have also fallen prey to the brutality of the Army.

Even eight years after an SPO with the state police died due to the alleged torture by the Army, his family is still awaiting justice. Despite recommendations by the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and the Home Department, the family has not got any ex-gratia relief so far. Also, the police has failed to produce a challan against the accused for want of evidence.

Tasveer Hussain (26), an SPO posted in Poonch district, was picked up by Army personnel on August 23, 2003. He was beaten mercilessly, resulting in his death in a hospital four days later.

In its judgement of November 10, 2008, the SHRC stated that Tasveer, a resident of Baghyal Dara in Haveli tehsil of Poonch district, was picked up by jawans of 2 JAKLI. “He was beaten mercilessly and later handed over to the police. He was admitted to hospital where he died after some days,” the SHRC said. It added, “The police registered an FIR, but till date the accused had not faced any trial.”

“This is a brute kind of human rights violation by the Army. It is recommended to the state government that a relief of Rs 1 lakh with benefits under SRO-43 be given to next of kin of the deceased,” the SHRC said.

The members of Tasveer’s Family said he was not happy with his monthly salary of Rs 1,500 and wanted to go to Saudi Arabia to earn money. They said the Army, however, wanted him to work for it as a source in the counter-insurgency operations.

“Tasveer did not agree with the Army as he knew about the fate of some of the local Army sources,” said Mohammad Hussain, brother of the deceased SPO. He added that, “This prompted the Army to use coercive measures.” “The state Home Department issued an order on May 5, 2009, granting ex gratia, but it has not been paid to us so far,” he added.

SSP, Poonch, Ashkoor Ahmed Wani said, “The investigation in the case is going on. The challan could not be produced against the erring Army personnel for want of evidence.” He expressed helplessness saying, “With the passage of time it becomes difficult to collect evidence. Army units shift to different locations while the Army officers concerned retire.”

“There are cases of military abuse against the security forces in the police records, but their number is limited,” he said.

Srinagar, July 18
Militant outfits in the Kashmir valley have found social networking sites like Facebook an easy and safe way to remain connected with each other and plan their activities.

“Now, they are using social networking sites like Facebook, not only to spread their doctrine, but also to remain connected and plan their future course of action,” a senior official of the counter- intelligence force told The Tribune.

He said the militants had now started to rely more on the Internet and social networking sites and manual communications.

“They no longer rely on mobile phones and satellite phones, as they know these are easily traceable and their conversation is easily intercepted,” the official said.

During the four months of unrest in Kashmir last year, Facebook played a major role in spreading rumours. “Last year, we saw the negative use of Facebook by some people. When the government imposed a ban on the short message service on mobile phones, anti-national elements used Facebook to spread rumours and asked youth to gather at a particular place and throw stones on the security forces,” sources said.

Last year, the stone throwers and their mentors also made various provocative pages on the Facebook, which played a major role in the incidents of stone throwing.

However, the new trend is being seen as a major security threat by the security forces.

“This indeed is a security threat, as a single individual can have multiple Facebook profiles. It is very difficult to trace their conversation on the site,” the officer added.

The officer said not only militants present in the Valley were using Facebook, but also their handlers across the border were using the social networking site to stay in touch with their cadre in Kashmir.

This has baffled the security agencies, who are now finding ways to counter the threat.

Jammu, July 18
The Government Railways Police today detained two CRPF and four Army personnel and recovered six double-barrelled guns and 50 cartridges from their possession.

All the six personnel, who hailed from other states, had even managed to get gun licences, carrying the seal and signature of the district magistrates of Poonch, Doda and Kishtwar.

Addressing a press conference here this evening,SSP,Railways, Raghubir Singh said in the wake of the Mumbai blasts,the GRP had been keeping a strict vigil at Jammu railway station for the past few days.

“During the course of the vigil,we stopped Ravi Kumar, an Army jawan, who was carrying a gun.On being questioned, he informed us that he had purchased it from the Singh Armoury, a shop near the railway station, and had also managed a licence for it,” he said.

Singh said the licence had the seal and signature of the District Magistrate of Poonch.

“Subsequently, we intensified our investigations and detained five more personnel, two of the CRPF and three of the Army, from whom we recovered five double- barrelled guns.

They, too, had got the licences, which carried the seal and signature of the district magistrates of Kishtwar and Doda, said the SSP.

While Ravi Kumar, who was posted in Amristar, claimed he was issued a bill of Rs 11,500 against Rs 35,000, which he had paid to the gun dealer, “we have decided to probe the case threadbare,” he said.

Jammu, July 18
To channelise the potential of the youth in the Surankote area of militancy-infested Poonch district and ensure society-building in a focused manner, the Youth Employment and Guidance Node (YEGN) set up by the Army continues to render yeoman service to society.

Established in Surankote on April 13 this year under the aegis of the Romeo Force by the Sector Rashtriya Rifles, YEGN, which is located at the hub of the population centre has left no stone unturned to provide the youth with the much-needed guidance.

It has a well-established library which has a wide range of books covering various aspects of employment and job opportunities, books for various competitive examinations and a well-established computer laboratory with Internet facility.

YEGN has been successful in providing a platform for the target population as more than 400 young boys and girls have enrolled themselves with it.

Kalim Khan has cleared the written examination for the Staff Selection Commission and is awaiting medical test.Many more youth have benefitted from YEGN.

Shoukat Ali, a 19-year-old student, said: “I wanted to read books for competitive examinations, but could not afford them. Here in YEGN, I got access to a vast library which has come as a dream come true for me”.

Students like Shoukat Ali are regular visitors and utilise the facilities to prepare themselves for various examinations and interviews.

“At YEGN, I have not only learnt the basics of computer but also the Internet facility has enabled me to resolve many queries which have been agitating my mind for long,” said Mumtaz Ahmed, a Class XII student.

Jammu, July 18
The security forces today recovered arms and ammunition from the Khodra area in Budhal tehsil of Rajouri district.

Official sources said troops of the 60 Rashtriya Rifles (Counter-Insurgency Force Uniform) and the police recovered a cache of arms and ammunition hidden by the militants.

The cache was hidden in a natural cave near a nullah wrapped in a plastic bag in the dense part of Khodra, approximately 4 km north of Budhal, in Rajouri district.

The cache included one AK-56 rifle, three AK-56 magazines, 251 bullets of AK-56, 15 bullets of PIKA gun, six UBGL grenades, one RPG 7 grenade, one Chinese grenade, two radio sets ICOM, one radio set ALINCO and 73 propellant strips.

In the recent past,numerous hideouts of militants have been busted and caches have been recovered in the area of the Counter-Insurgency Force (Uniform).

This is indicative of the strong intelligence network of the security forces and also the willingness of the local populace to cooperate with the Rashtriya Rifles units in the area of responsibility of the Uniform Force.

Srinagar, July 18
After the panchayat poll in the state, decks have been cleared for elections to block development councils and district-level committees to complete the process in three phases.

Describing the three-tier panchayat elections as a landmark achievement of the coalition government, the Minister for Rural Development, Law & Parliamentary Affairs, Ali Muhammad Sagar announced here today that in the second phase, the process for elections to the block development councils would be set into motion on August 2.

In the third phase, elections to the district-level committees,which would oversee the functioning of the panchayats, would be held, Sagar informed.

Replying to questions, the minister said 11,00 seats of panch and 47 seats of sarpanch mostly in the Sopore, Zainageer and Rafiabad areas of Baramulla district in north Kashmir and Tral, Pampore and Keller areas of Pulwama district in south Kashmir were yet to be filled. The minister said the elections in these areas would be completed by September. A total of 29,700 panches and 4128 sarpanches had been elected.“This is for the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir that the panchayat poll has been completed successfully”, Sagar said.

The participation of nearly 90 per cent of the people in the elections was more in the Kashmir valley than in the Jammu region, Sagar pointed out. “This is a weapon to run the administration and end corruption by closely monitoring the development schemes at thegrass-roots level”, the minister said.

Srinagar, July 18
A meeting of the selection committee of the State Accountability Commission (SAC) to appoint the chairperson and the members of the panel was postponed today with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah cancelling all his engagements for the day due to “high fever”.

“A meeting of the selection committee of the SAC was scheduled here for today to appoint its chairman and other members, but was postponed due to the non-availability of the Chief Minister. A decision on the fresh date of the meeting would be taken later,” an official said.

The SAC, formed during the PDP-led coalition government, has remained headless as the National Conference-led government has failed to appoint its chairman and members.

The non-availability of PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti and the deterioration in the law and order situation during summer in the past three years had led to the postponement of the earlier meetings of the selection panel also.

The anti-graft body, constituted under the Jammu and Kashmir Accountability Commission Act-2002 to inquire into the grievances and allegations against public functionaries and for matters connected therewith, would have a chairperson and two members. — PTI