Cong draws up
mass contact plan
JAMMU, Aug 16 — The state unit of the Congress has drawn up an elaborate mass contact programme for the next fortnight to resurrect the organisation at the grassroots level and cash in on the "failure" of the National Conference government to "deliver the goods."

Cong draws up mass contact plan
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Aug 16 — The state unit of the Congress has drawn up an elaborate mass contact programme for the next fortnight to resurrect the organisation at the grassroots level and cash in on the "failure" of the National Conference government to "deliver the goods."

The idea of holding mass contact camps and rallies at all district headquarters has been mooted by a senior party leader, Mufti Mohd Sayeed, who has already helped the new PCC chief, Ch Mohd Aslam, to get introduced to large sections of the people during his recent tour of several areas in the state, including the Kashmir valley.

PCC sources said the plan of holding public rallies and conference was meant to prepare the Congress for measuring swords with National Conference and the BJP so that it musters support to win a majority of the seats in the ensuing panchayat elections. Though no date has been fixed for the poll, the Congress does not want to be caught napping. The ruling National Conference has a plan of holding the elections in November.

Secondly, the purpose of holding the rallies is to gauge the public "acceptability" of Congress leaders in their areas of influence and this exercise could help the AICC reconstitute the PCC. So far the PCC had remained headless for over two years and the recent appointment of Ch Mohd Aslam as PCC chief has paved the way for the reconstitution of the committee. The delay in the formation of the PCC is said to be the result of the large number of aspirants for PCC posts. AICC leaders do not want to create divisions in the organisation by taking any hasty decision. Now that Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari has been expelled for six years from the Congress, the party's leaders want to be careful lest the Molvi, who continues to be in the Cabinet headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah, should win over disgruntled Congress leaders. The Molvi plans to form a new party in case he is not given entry to the National Conference.

A former PCC chief, Mr Ghulam Rasool Kar, is said to have abandoned his plan of joining the National Conference after his supporters and friends had warned him that if he did so he would be "lost in the ocean." His supporters are pleading with the AICC leadership to adjust Mr Kar in the central Working Committee as he had spent 60 years in the Congress.

2,000 migrate to Rajouri

JAMMU, Aug 16 (PTI) — Militants fired three rockets in Nowshera, Jhangar and Darhali areas of Rajouri district in Jammu region on intervening night of August 14 and 15 without causing any loss of life or damage to property, official reports said here today.

The security forces and police have launched searches in the area to track down the militants responsible for the rocket attacks, the reports said.

While one rocket exploded near a house in Bhouwani village of Nowshera area, another fell and exploded near a house in Jhangar area, the report added.

The third rocket did not explode and was found by a police patrolling party at Darhali road, about 10 km from Rajouri town, the reports said, adding these rockets failed to cause any damage or casualty.

Meanwhile, over 2,000 people have migrated from Darhal to Rajouri town due to escalation in militants’ activities in the area.

SRINAGAR: Security forces averted a major tragedy in Kashmir by detecting a landmine planted by militants under a bridge even as seven people, including five militants, were killed in the state since last evening.

Six Pakistan-trained militants belonging to different militant outfits gave themselves up, five militants were arrested by security forces and a hideout destroyed during the period, an official spokesman said here today.

A powerful mine planted by militants under a bridge near Charoo-Sopore in the north Kashmir district of Baramulla was detected well in time by security forces and defused promptly before it could cause any harm, he said.

Two militants each were killed in gun-battles with security forces at Andarnar in Kupwara district and Batgund in Baramulla district of north Kashmir last evening, the spokesman said.

Another militant was shot dead at Kanari border in the border district of Poonch in Jammu while attempting to escape, he said.

The spokesman said the body of a tea stall servant was picked up from Alloochibagh in uptown Srinagar today.

The police picked up another body, identified as that of Bashir who had been kidnapped by militants a few days ago, from Sailian forests in Poonch district, the spokesman said.

Militants hurled a grenade and opened fire with automatic weapons at a residential building in Baramulla town of north Kashmir on Independence Day. However, no one was hurt in the firing, the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, six hardcore militants owing allegiance to different pro-Pak militant outfits, surrendered before Army authorities in Kupwara district on the occasion of Independence Day last evening.

The militants laid down arms before Major General V.G. Patankar, General Officer Commanding of Dagger Division, Kupwara, a Defence Ministry spokesman said here today.

The militants — Mohammad Ishaq Khan, Javed Ahmad Sheikh of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen, Manzoor Ahmad Bhat and Ghulam Ahmad Sofi of Hizbullah, Ajaz Bhat of Al-Burq and Rafique Badana of Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen — handed over four AK rifles, two pistols, 12 grenades, a wireless set and some rounds of ammunition, the spokesman said.

Four militants were arrested during search operations at Shahnagri in Kupwara and another ultra arrested from Bumai in Baramulla district. Four rifles, a grenade and some ammunition were seized from them.

Security forces destroyed a militant hideout at Khumrial in Kupwara and seized four hand grenades, a magazine and some ammunition rounds, the spokesman said.

J & K plan to boost walnut production

SRINAGAR, Aug 16 (PTI ) — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has drawn up a plan to boost walnut production in the state in its bid to tap the full export potential of the crop.

The state has the potential to export walnut worth Rs 500 crore, but only Rs 100 crore worth of walnut kernel was exported last year, officials sources said.

The state government has launched a massive walnut plantation programme in far-flung and hilly areas, the sources said, adding that steps had also been taken to overcome constraints of long gestation period and uneven produce of the crop.

The sources said a vegetative propagation of walnuts (budding and grafting) project was underway with the help of the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation.

The project seeks to reduce the current gestation period of 16 years to four years and also to ensure uniform quality of produce of walnuts in addition to increasing the productivity level from the current 1 metric tonne to 5 metric tonnes per hectare.

At present, 55,000 hectares of land is under walnut cultivation.

J&K announces relief for victims' kin

SRINAGAR, Aug 16 (PTI) — The Jammu and Kashmir Government today announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 1 lakh each to next of kin of all civilians killed during an encounter between militants and the security forces at Jagarpora in Kupwara district early this week.

Making the announcement here, the Minister for Forests, Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, who hails from Kupwara, said the district administration had also been directed to assess the damage to property due to a fire that broke out following the encounter.

A total of 51 structures, including 22 houses, were gutted in the fire rendering 37 families homeless. Ten head of cattle perished, an official release said.

The government would also take measures to provide all possible assistance to those whose property has been damaged, he said.

Meanwhile, officials here said 16 militants, mostly foreigners, and three Army personnel, including Capt Tarun Kumar, were killed in the encounter at Jagarpora.