The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Killing of two youths Curfew in Naidkhai area of Bandipora Azhar Qadri/TNS Srinagar, July 3 Unrest continued for the fourth consecutive day in parts of Bandipora district in north Kashmir where two civilians were allegedly killed in Army firing early this week. Curfew was imposed in the Naidkhai area of Bandipora and restrictions were in place on the movement of civilians in rest of the district to prevent people from marching towards the village where the two civilians were killed. Parts of Bandipora district have remained shut since Sunday to protest the killing of the two youths. Chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Geelani had appealed to the residents of Bandipora to march to Markundal village today and to the residents of Ganderbal district to march to Kondbal village, the native villages of the two slain civilians. The two civilians, Irfan Ahmad Ganai (17), a resident of Markundal village of Bandipora, and Tariq Ahmad (in his early 20s), a resident of Kondbal village of Ganderbal, were allegedly shot by Army soldiers during a counter-insurgency operation at Markundal village on Sunday morning. The Army denied shooting Ganai and said it shot Ahmad in self-defence, when protesters who were agitating against Ganai’s killing, tried to attack an Army ambulance. In Bandipora, protesters threw stones at police and paramilitary personnel at several places in the Naidkhai and Papchan areas, a police officer and a chief district administrative officer said. They said curfew had been imposed in the Naidkhai area of Bandipora and restrictions were in place in other parts of the district. The roads leading to Markundal village were also sealed off. In Ganderbal district, restrictions were imposed in and around Kondbal, a senior police officer of the district said. The officer said protesters threw stones at police and paramilitary personnel at Kurhama. Geelani, who had called for marches to Markundal and Kondbal villages today, condemned the imposition of curfew and restrictions.
	Union Cabinet approves Rs 710 cr for roads in J-K Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 3 The Union Cabinet today gave its approval for sanction of Rs 710 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) to Jammu and Kashmir as a special one-time dispensation for the cost of land acquisition, covering compensatory afforestation, forest land, trees, private land and structures for completion of programmes under the scheme. The amount would be released in two tranches and would enable the state to expedite completion of the PMGSY projects. The approval came at the meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today. The Cabinet also approved the change in the nomenclature ‘Hill States’ under the PMGSY to ‘Special Category States’. This would include Assam on a par with other north-eastern states and would increase the Central share from 75 to 90 per cent for the state. The Cabinet also approved an expenditure of Rs 2,866 crore for implementation of the proposals. The PMGSY was launched in 2000 with the objective of providing all-weather connectivity to all unconnected habitations with a population of 500 and above (250 persons and above in hill states, desert areas, as identified under the Desert Development Programme), tribal Schedule-V areas and 82 selected tribal and backward districts as identified under the Integrated Action Plan in rural areas. Till May 31, project proposals for providing connectivity to approximately 1.32 lakh eligible habitations have been sanctioned. The total cost of sanctioned projects, including projects for upgrade of roads, under the PMGSY is approximately Rs 1.5 lakh crore. Against this, approximately Rs 1.04 lakh crore has been released to states/Union Territories, including admin strative costs. The states have reported that a total length of 3.8 lakh km roads, including upgrade, have been constructed till May 31, 2013, and about 93,000 eligible habitations have been provided new connectivity.
	Second hydel project in Uri ready to generate power 240-MW project on Jhelum to provide 12% free electricity to state Amir Karim Tantray/TNS Jammu, July 3 The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) has added another feather to its cap as the Uri-II hydroelectric project is ready for use and will be commissioned within a couple of months. The testing and checking of the power project will be completed in one week and after that it will start generating electricity. The 240-mega watt Uri-II hydroelectric project is the second project on the Jhelum in the Uri area of Baramulla district of the Kashmir valley which has been constructed by the NHPC. “Within one week, all sort of testing on the hydropower project will be completed and it will be ready for commissioning. All four turbines, having a capacity of 60 MW each, have been tested and are ready for use,” an NHPC official told The Tribune. The J&K Government will be getting 12 per cent (28.8 MW) free electricity from this project and another one per cent free electricity will be provided by the NHPC for local area development. “Apart from that, one per cent electricity will be used by the NHPC under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for development of local areas,” the official added. Work began on the Rs 1724.79-crore hydroelectric project in 2007. The dam height of the power project stands at 52m and is 157m long. There are four spillways of nine metres each in the dam which will help divert the water to the tunnel for power generation. The head race tunnel of the power project is 4.233 km long. The underground power house is 133m long, 15m wide and 40m high where four turbines of 60 mega watt each are installed. The length of the tail race tunnel is around 3.615 km which carries water from the power house to the river. The Uri-II hydroelectric project will generate 1,123 million electricity units annually giving more stability to the northern grid. Sources said the project was all set to be inaugurated during the Prime Minister’s recent two-day visit to the state on June 25 and 26 but it had to be postponed due to some unavoidable reasons. “All the security drills at Uri-II power project site were completed and preparations to receive the Prime Minister were made but at the last moment, the inauguration was cancelled,” a source said.
	Minister promises help for rehab of ex-militants Tribune News Service Srinagar, July 3 A delegation of released militants yesterday called on Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir and sought his help for their rehabilitation. The delegation informed Mir about the difficulties which it was facing on the economic and other fronts. The minister assured the delegation that he would raise its issues with the state government and the Centre and plead that the released militants should be involved in skill development programmes. “The released militants should be able to live an honourable life. They should be involved in skill development programmes so that they get economic opportunities and are able to live a dignified life,” Mir said. Though there is no exact estimate, hundreds of former militants are living in the region and are having a hard time getting rehabilitated. Many of the released militants have to regularly report to police stations and are not being issued travel documents.
	Govt mum over arrest of five ex-militants on Nepal border Tribune News Service Jammu, July 3 The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) detained 11 people, including five former Kashmiri militants, along the Indo-Nepal border yesterday. The Jammu and Kashmir Government has remained tightlipped over the issue so far. The group of 11 people was trying to enter India from Nepal with their wives from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and children to surrender under the state’s rehabilitation policy. The five former militants were accompanied by four women and two children. They were detained by SSB men yesterday at the Sonouli border and reportedly sent to the Jammu and Kashmir cell in Delhi. While state Home Secretary Suresh Kumar said the J&K Police could furnish the requisite information, the CID which keeps track of such developments refused to say anything on the issue. “It is an operational matter,” said a senior CID officer. Under the rehabilitation policy of the state government which was announced in 2010, the Omar-led government had identified police check post, Attari (Wagah border), Salamabad in Baramulla district, Chakan da Bagh in Poonch district and Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi as routes for the return of the misguided Kashmiri youth who had crossed over to PoK for arms training. None of the ex-militants have so far returned from the official routes. Former militants enter into India through the Nepal border to surrender under the rehabilitation policy. In a similar case, Liyaqat Ali Shah, an alleged Hizbul Mujahideen militant, was arrested on the Indo-Nepal border. He had come to surrender under the rehabilitation policy. He was arrested by the Delhi Police in March which had triggered a war of words between the state government and the Delhi Police. Liyaqat’s case was taken up by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He was granted bail by an NIA court on May 17.
	Will not talk about AFSPA for now: Omar Azhar Qadri/TNS Srinagar, July 3 Days after a deadly ambush killed eight soldiers on the outskirts of Srinagar and two civilians were killed in alleged Army firing in Bandipora, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah appears to be in a dilemma about whether the Armed Force Special Powers Act (AFSPA) should stay or go from the state. Omar, who has been vociferously demanding partial revocation of AFSPA for several years, said the incidents of the last 10 days go both in favour of and against the removal of the Act, which has often been dubbed by critics and separatists as “black law”. “I will not talk about AFSPA for now because in the last 10 days or so, two such incidents have happened which provide evidence both for the presence as well as the revocation of AFSPA,” Omar said while talking to reporters on sidelines of a function here in the city. Omar, who is an ardent advocate of the revocation of the Act, said those who wanted AFSPA to stay were citing the example of the recent ambush on the city outskirts where two militants attacked an Army convoy and killed eight soldiers on the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the city. “They say with things like these happening, you cannot remove AFSPA,” he said. The ambush took place in Srinagar, one of the three Kashmir districts from where the Chief Minister had demanded the Act should be revoked. The Chief Minister said those who wanted its revocation were citing the “Sumbal incident” where two civilians were killed in alleged Army firing in a counter-insurgency operation early this week. “It is evident that had AFSPA not been there, it may not have happened,” he said. Omar said the discussion over AFSPA will, however, continue. The Army has remained steadfastly reluctant to agree on partial revocation of the Act from anywhere in the Kashmir region.
	CM sanctions Rs 1 lakh for Uttarakhand flood victim’s kin Tribune News Service Srinagar, July 3 Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has sanctioned Rs 1 lakh to the family of a Kathua resident who lost his life in the flash floods in Uttarakhand recently. An official spokesman said Rs 1 lakh was sanctioned by the Chief Minister here today. The Chief Minister, in a condolence message to the family of the deceased, has also conveyed his sympathy and prayed for peace to the departed soul, the spokesman said. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said on the sidelines of a function here today that there was no comparison between Uttarakhand and Amarnath pilgrimage. “There can be no parallel between Uttarakhand and Amarnath yatra. While in Uttarakhand there was no limit on the people coming, we had a control here. This year for the first time we have stopped 15,000 unregistered pilgrims who wanted to go for the Amarnath pilgrimage. This year, after Uttarakhand (floods), we have decided not to allow any unregistered pilgrim.” Omar said what happened in Uttarakhand would not “possibly” happen here. But we are taking all precautions which we should take,” he said.
	Infiltration attempts have increased: Lt Gen Hooda Ranjit Thakur Jhanger (Nowshera), July 3 Border areas with Pakistan are tense, but the situation is under control along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. This was expressed by Lt Gen DS Hooda, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 16 Corps, at Jhangar today. Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of Jhangar Day, the Army Commander said there were strong possibilities of the border action team (BAT) attack our forces from the Pakistani side. Infiltration attempts and ceasefire violations had increased in the past few months on the LoC, General Hooda said, adding that, “Infiltrators are attacking on our security forces, targeting our posts more openly, but are able to infiltrate in the Kashmir valley because of heavy snowfall.” Replying to a query on the report about the change of Government in Pakistan escalated tension on the LoC, he said, “It’s premature to attribute escalation tension on the borders to the change of Government in Pakistan, but the number of ceasefire violation and infiltration attempts have increased in the past two months. “Two militants have been killed in the Keri sector and a number of ceasefire violations incidents have occurred in the twin border districts within a week’s time,” he said. “The Army is maintaining utmost vigilance along the border with Pakistan,” he added.
	HC takes suo motu cognisance of paper leak in entrance exam Issues notices to Chief Secy, BOPEE Secy Ishfaq Tantry Tribune News Service Srinagar, July 3 The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the recent paper leak in the J&K Common Entrance Test (CET-2013), which was cancelled by the J&K Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (BOPEE) recently. While issuing notices to the Chief Secretary and Secretary, BOPEE, in the matter, the High Court has asked them to explain reasons behind the paper leak. These directions were issued today by a division bench of the court comprising Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur after it took suo motu cognisance of the media reports about the CET paper leak. The CET is held for various professional courses in engineering and medical colleges of the state and is conducted by BOPEE, an autonomous body. The biology paper was leaked on June 22. In its orders passed today, the HC bench asked the official respondents to file their response within two weeks, explaining therein the reasons for the paper leak. Advocate General M Ishaq Qadri appeared on behalf of the Chief Secretary and accepted the notice. However, he submitted that BOPEE was an autonomous body and had its own standing counsel in the High Court. After the news of the paper leak appeared in a section of the media on June 23, CET aspirants lodged protests against the board. The board authorities later cancelled the whole examination and issued a notification on June 29, saying the entrance exam will be conducted afresh. After public pressure and a lot of criticism for its conduct, the BOPEE authorities later said an interim inquiry had been ordered into the issue. However, the findings of the inquiry have not been made public yet. No one has been held accountable for the paper leakage so far.
	Police plans to get corner-shot guns to fight terrorists Ravi Krishnan Khajuria Tribune News Service Jammu, July 3 The J&K Police, which has been combating Pakitan-sponsored terrorism for the past over two decades, has been planning to acquire sophisticated laser and camera mounted corner-shot guns to take on terrorists in urban areas. This year there has been a shift in warfare tactics of terrorists in Kashmir, who after attacking security convoys, have been taking refuge in houses in urban areas having sizeable civilian population. At the same time there has been a spurt in infiltration bids from across the Line of Control (LoC). Corner-shot guns, which are effective in room intervention operations, enable the operator to effectively engage targets from multiple directions without exposing his body to the hidden enemy. In today’s world this Israeli gun has been labelled as the best weapon for counter-insurgency operations, particularly in close combat missions. While IGP (Kashmir zone) Abdul Gani Mir said the police headquarters was dealing with the issue, the ADGP, Police Headquarters, SP Vaid refused to say anything on the phone. “These things are not discussed over phone,” said Vaid. However, a senior police officer of the Special Operations Group (SOG), the counter insurgency arm of the J&K Police, while speaking on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the J&K Police had been planning to acquire corner-shot guns. “The gun might have been used in Kashmir on a trial basis but it hasn’t been provided to us as yet,” he said, adding that the police was planning to have them for the SOG men. “In the changed scenario in Kashmir with terrorists taking refuge in houses after attacking convoys of security forces and engaging us in urban warfare, the gun becomes indispensable in close combat situations as it gives plenty of safety to the operator and ensures operations without causing collateral damage even during night,” he added. While the Army’s special forces in the state have this weapon, the CRPF conducted trials last month in Kashmir to have it in their weaponry as well. “Though operationally, the gun has not been inducted in the CRPF here in J&K as yet. After trials, a report was sent to the Home Ministry. We are hopeful of getting it soon,” said CRPF officer Kishore Pratap. The system (corner-shot gun) is basically an assembly of laser, camera and a pistol, he added.
	Hizb vows to avenge militants’ killing in Pulwama encounter Suhail A Shah Anantnag, July 3 Two days after three Hizbul Mujahideen (Hizb) militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Tral area of Pulwama district in south Kashmir, the outfit has vowed to carry out attacks on police personnel to avenge the killings. According to sources, posters stamped and handwritten on the letter head of the outfit, were pasted outside mosques and other public places. The outfit has also threatened panchayat members of dire consequences, if they did not stop being police informers. The posters held the state police responsible for the operation carried out against militants in Mundoora village of Tral on Monday. “We know that the whole operation was carried out by the police to please their political masters,” a poster read, “Now, these conscienceless cops should worry about their well-being.” The posters, which paid tributes to the three slain militants, further read, “Our brethren who laid their lives yesterday have met their fate and we will make sure that the cops responsible for their killing meet theirs.” Implying that policemen will come under fresh attacks, the outfit has advised the public not to mingle with police personnel. “People should refrain from hanging around the cops in market places,” it read. “Some people trying to be in the good books of police officers visit police stations and camps of special operation groups. They are requested to change their habit at the earliest,” the poster read. The outfit has also warned the sarpanches and panches of the area of dire consequences, if they did not stop informing the police. “Panchayat members should consider this as the last warning.” The poster said whosoever befriends police personnel would be considered a traitor. A Hizb commander and two militants of the outfit were killed in a joint operation by the police, Army and the CRPF in Mundoora village of Tral on Monday. While the Kashmir valley is witnessing a resurgence of militants, the south Kashmir region in the last two months has seen an increase in militancy-related incidents.
	Sarpanches accuse Kathua official of heckling panchayat member Arteev Sharma/TNS Jammu, July 3 While the state government is yet to decide the hierarchy of sarpanches and panches in the protocol list, there is no end to confrontation between government officials and elected panchayat members. Days after the Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, allegedly made panchayat members do sit-ups and recite multiplication tables as punishment after they were caught napping at an official function, sarpanches of the Kathua block today accused Tilak Raj, Assistant Commissioner Development (ACD), Kathua, of heckling a panchayat member when he visited the ACD’s office to make a complaint. Around 12 sarpanches, who assembled outside the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Kathua, held a demonstration and demanded either transfer or suspension of the officer. The agitating panchayat members said the ACD allegedly not only heckled the sarpanch of the Mehtabpur Panchayat, Halqa Dillawar, but also misbehaved with him after the latter visited his office some issue. “The panchayat members are being badly treated in government offices. The officers should know that they are grass-roots elected representatives of the people and they deserve some respect. We demand an immediate suspension or transfer of the ACD, who heckled the panchayat member and misbehaved with him. We will disrupt the District Development Board meeting to be held tomorrow in case the administration doesn’t initiate an action against him,” the protesters said. However, Tilak Raj refuted the allegations and said he would resign if the allegations were proved. “I was chairing the meeting of block development officers (BDOs) and Executive Engineers when the panchayat member (Dillawar) entered my office twice in an indecent manner with cellphone in his hand. I told him that I would look into his problem later, but he made an issue out of a non-issue,” Raj said. The state government had recently admitted in the Legislative Council that over 33,000 elected panchayat members were yet to be incorporated in the J&K State Warrant of Precedence which decided their hierarchy in the protocol list. On June 11, panches and sarpanches of Udhampur district had alleged that the Deputy Commissioner made them do sit-ups and recite multiplication tables as punishment after some of them were caught napping at an official function. The incident had taken place during a two-day interaction-cum-awareness camp for panchayat members. Some sarpanches and panches had even walked out of the function.
	Soon, online bookings for Jhelum cruise M Aamir Khan/TNS Srinagar, July 3 Tourists wishing to cruise on the Jhelum here to view the rich heritage of the old city would soon be able to book tickets online. Even as the cruise service was first launched last year to provide an alternative means of transport to counter traffic snarls on city roads, it became popular among tourists amid efforts of the government to bring downtown Srinagar on the Valley’s tourism map. “We have already launched website www.rivercruise.co.in for cruise bookings. However, the online booking will start later this month,” said Ufair Ajaz, head of the Kashmir Motors Marine Service (KMMS), which provides cruise service on the Jhelum. “As the cruise ride has become popular among tourists, we are therefore starting online bookings so that visitors can book their tickets well in advance.” Ufair said the water transport service had been launched in an effort to popularise water transport and give a boost to the government’s plans of promoting heritage tourism. The authorities wanted to make water transport service popular just like the way it is in places like Venice in Italy, he said. By taking the Jhelum cruise, tourists can catch a glimpse of several heritage structures, including temples and shrines. The cruise starts its journey from the Dockyard, Rajbagh, and culminates at the Maharaj Gunj bank of the river. Currently, four ferries of the KMMS ply on the Jhelum. While tourists usually visit the Mughal Gardens and resorts like Gulmarg and Pahalgam in Kashmir, the government had last year said it would promote heritage tourism in a big way. While several events to boost heritage tourism in the past have already been held, heritage tourism is still in its infancy in the Valley. Heritage tourism By taking the Jhelum cruise, tourists can catch a glimpse of several heritage structures, including temples and shrines. The water transport service has been launched in an effort to popularise water transport and give a boost to the government’s plans of promoting heritage tourism