The Tribune...Jammu and Kashmir

J A M M U C& CK A S H M I R

Saturday, July 18, 1998

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2 killed in blasts, firing
SRINAGAR, July 17 — At least two persons were killed and 45 wounded in two separate incidents of grenade explosions and exchange of fire between the militants and the security forces in Kashmir valley today...

No clue to Rs 19 cr misappropriation
JAMMU, July17 — The government probe into the misappropriation of Rs 19 cr earmarked for the upgradation of 55-km-long Srinagar Bandipore road, has failed to fix responsibility...

Mufti, Azad make
show of unity
JAMMU, July 17 — The two main rivals in the state Congress, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, today accompanied the newly appointed PCC chief, Mr Mohammad Aslam, to Jammu, giving an impression that...

J&K transfers 52
IAS, KAS officers
SRINAGAR, July 17 — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered transfers of 52 IAS and KAS officers. This is the second instalment of these transfers after the Cabinet expansion by the Farooq Abdullah government in the state last month...

Rahul visits Farooq's cousin
JAMMU, July 17 — Mystery shrouds the secret visit of Mr Rahul Gandhi, son of AICC President Sonia Gandhi, to Srinagar...

2 killed in blasts, firing
Tribune News Service and agencies
SRINAGAR, July 17 — At least two persons were killed and 45 wounded in two separate incidents of grenade explosions and exchange of fire between the militants and the security forces in Kashmir valley today.
Two persons, including a 13-year-old student, were killed at Bazarwari in the Tral area of Pulwama district this afternoon, when the security forces retaliated in self defence to the grenade attack and firing by the militants. At least 32 pedestrians were injured in the exchange of fire. The condition of four is stated to be serious, according to the reports reaching here. Five personnel of the BSF were also injured in the incident.
A police spokesman said here in the evening that militants hurled a grenade at the security forces at about 12.30 p.m. at Bazarwari. The troops retaliated in self defence and in the exchange of fire several persons were injured, the spokesman stated.

The spokesman said 13 pedestrians were wounded at Jehangir Chowk at about 10.15 a.m. The grenade intended at a picket of the security forces missed the intended target and exploded on the road causing injuries to 13 pedestrians. Some light motor vehicles were also damaged.
Elsewhere, five unidentified militants and a civilian were killed in separate incidents of violence while the Jammu and Kashmir police apprehended two suspects in Srinagar city. The security forces seized a large quantity of arms and ammunition in different search operations.
Five unidentified militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Kalaban forests of Kupwara district yesterday. Three AK rifles, nine magazines, 120 rounds of ammunition, 20 hand grenades and 60 detonators were recovered from the site of the encounter, a police spokesman said.
The police today recovered the body of Khalil Ahmad Teli from Kandiwara village of Anantnag district. The deceased had been kidnapped by unidentified militants from his house in Hillar Arhama on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a number of villagers in the Gurez sector have migrated to Bandipore as a result of the continued firing and shelling by Pak troops from across the Line of Control.
A police spokesman said here that the villagers of Bhagtore, Tarabal and Izmarg in the Gurez area had shifted to Bandipore.
JAMMU: An ISI plan to blow up the shrine of peer baba near Jammu airport and kill devotees was foiled with the arrest of one of its agents yesterday, the police said on Friday.
Darshan Lal of the Bori area of Jammu city, from whom three powerful, Chinese-made H-36 grenades were recovered, confessed that he was planning to blow up the shrine, where thousands of people, both Hindus and Muslims, offer prayer each Friday.
He was assigned the task by the ISI recently, the police said.

No clue to Rs 19 cr misappropriation
Tribune News Service
JAMMU, July17 — The government probe into the misappropriation of Rs 19 cr earmarked for the upgradation of 55-km-long Srinagar Bandipore road, has failed to fix responsibility.
Official sources said the amount has been shown to have been spent on the development of the Srinagar-Bandipore road between 1991 and 1996 when not more than one kilometer strip has been upgraded. The matter was brought to the notice of the National Conference Government soon after it took over in October 1996. The government ordered a probe but so far no clue has been found regarding the agencies and officials who misappropriated the money.
As the misuse of the government funds continues to elude the officialdom in Srinagar the strategic border road belt has become a death trap for the drivers. Eyewitness accounts say that the drivers prefer to adopt a longer route for reaching Bandipore to getting stranded if they follow Shalteng-Bandipore route.
The entire road, which is usually used by the defence forces for carrying supplies and ammunition to the border, is in a bad shape. At least at five places a large portion of road has been washed away and at other places potholes have replaced the metal surface.
Residents of Sonawari, Safapore, Hajan, Migrund and Bandipore have complained that the entire Sonawari block, including one Assembly constituency of Sonawari, has remained neglected the past two years. As the residents suffer on account of bad roads, lack of civic amenities and faulty public distribution system. According to Haji Abdul Ahad, member village welfare committee, Safapore, several hundred families in the belt had not been covered under the public distribution system. He and others were of the impression that since a non-NC MLA represented the constituency the government had deliberately ignored the interests of the area.
Another complaint is that the government has done nothing to develop Mansbal Lake which could alter tourists as it was not as polluted and choked as the Dal. Several years ago some fishermen encroached upon the banks of the lake. The government decided to remove the encroachments by giving each family alternate land and compensation. Even after having received compensation and land in the nearby Trisoo village the encroachers continue to stay put on the banks of the lake. Possibly they await another round of compensation.
Residents complain that Bandipore town has been neglected by successive state governments at the cost of Baramula and Sopore towns.

Mufti, Azad make show of unity
Tribune News Service
JAMMU, July 17 — The two main rivals in the state Congress, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, today accompanied the newly appointed PCC chief, Mr Mohammad Aslam, to Jammu, giving an impression that the problem of disssidence that has plagued the party for the past eight years has been resolved.
Congress leaders and workers belonging to different factions had assembled at Jammu airport to greet Mr Aslam, who, on his arrival, announced that he did not belong to any group and would carry every party man with him. "Groupies has to be finished" to strengthen the Congress which had to play an affective role as an opposition party, he said.
While the Mufti lambasted the ruling National Conference (NC) for its failure to deliver the goods and for its inability to check corruption, Mr Azad adopted a soft posture towards the state government.
The Mufti said, "We have to act as an effective opposition organisation so as to highlight peoples' problems and to force the government to improve its functioning." He made it clear that the role of the Congress as an opposition party did not mean that "We have to dislodge the government" headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah.
Mr Azad made it known that the Congress had plan to disturb the present political set-up. In reply to a question he said a notice had been issued to the Minister for Housing, Maulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, to explain why action should not be taken against him for having allegedly violated the party discipline and stand by refusing to resign from the Cabinet.
When reminded that he Mr (Azad) had played a key role in October, 1996, in ensuring a cabinet seat for the Maulvi, Mr Azad said, "These are old stories. Let us wait what reply he (Moulvi) will give to the show-cause notice served to him by the AICC."
Mr Aslam and the Mufti hailed the reconstitution of the PCC, which had been dissolved after the dissidents launched an open campaign against Mr Ghulam Rasool Kar, the former PCC president.
Both the Mufti and Mr Azad claimed that after the appointment of Mr Aslam as PCC chief there was no groupism in the state Congress.
There are indications that as long as the Congress is in the opposition at the Centre, the AICC leadership will not create an embarrassing situation for Dr Abdullah. It is because of this that Ms Sonia Gandhi preferred to appoint a non-controversial Congressman as PCC chief. The National Conference would have treated the appointment of the Mufti to this post as an affront.

J&K transfers 52 IAS, KAS officers
Tribune News Service
SRINAGAR, July 17 — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered transfers of 52 IAS and KAS officers. This is the second instalment of these transfers after the Cabinet expansion by the Farooq Abdullah government in the state last month.
An order to this regard was issued here last evening by the state General Administration Department.
Mr Khursheed Ahmad Ganai, who is presently on his training abroad, has been posted as Commissioner/Secretary to the Rural Development, Cooperative and Panchayat Department, while Mr Najamus Saqib has been posted as Sales Tax Commissioner.
Mr Harbajan Singh, Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission, has been transferred as Director, Stationery and Office Supplies while Mr M.C. Verma, Director, Stationery and Office Supplies, has been posted as Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Public Services Commission.
Mr Charanjit Singh, Additional Secretary, Education Department, has been posted as Director, Libraries, while Mr Paramjit Singh, Additional Secretary to the Public Works Department, has been transferred as Director, Handlooms Development Department. Mr V.K. Gupta, Director, Handlooms, goes as Additional Secretary to the General Administration Department.
Mr Syed Fazlullah, Additional Secretary in the Chief Minister's Office, has been transferred as Managing Director, J&K Women's Development Corporation, on a deputation basis, while Mr B.L. Raina, Additional Registrar Cooperatives, Jammu, has been transferred as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Ramban, vice Mr V.K. Bakshi, who shall report to the office of Divisional Commissioner, Jammu.
Mr Jeet Lal Gupta, Director, Youth Services and Sports, has been posted as Additional Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, in place of Mr Nayeem Akhtar, who has been transferred as Additional Secretary, Public Works Department vice Mr S. Parmjit Singh.
Mr Mohammad Gulzar, Director Land Records, Kashmir, has been transferred as Administrator, Srinagar Municipality, while Mr Farooq Ahmad Pir has been posted as Additional Secretary, Rural Development Department.
Mr Ghulam Rasool Ghani, Administrator, Srinagar Municipality, has been posted as Executive Director, J&K Energy Development Agency vice Dr G.N. Qasba, who shall report to the Commissioner-Secretary, General Administration Department, for further adjustment.
Mr Yadullah, Additional Secretary, Ladakh Affairs, has been transferred as Additional Secretary, Home Department. The charge of the post of Additional Secretary, Ladakh Affairs Department, shall be held by the Rakesh Gupta, Special Secretary, Planning and Development Department, in addition to his own duties

Rahul visits Farooq's cousin
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service
JAMMU, July 17 — Mystery shrouds the secret visit of Mr Rahul Gandhi, son of AICC President Sonia Gandhi, to Srinagar following his stay with a cousin of the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah.
Though Mr Gandhi along with his friends has been in Srinagar for the past two days he has not met any prominent political leader. Dr Abdullah has been away from Srinagar since Wednesday and has left for London tonight. Observers attach significance to Mr Gandhi's visit to Kashmir. Most of the time he has been seen visiting places which his grandmother, Ms Indira Gandhi, used to visit. He showed keen interest in visiting the world famous Dachigam sanctuary, 14 km east of Srinagar, which used to be a favourite with the late Indira Gandhi.
Ms Sonia Gandhi has so far turned down Dr Abdullah's request for a meeting on several occasions which he had made before and after she took over as Congress president. Of late, Ms Gandhi is said to be opposed to the policy of the state unit of the Congress to try to dislodge the Farooq-led government. In this connection, observers do not rule out the possibility of Ms Gandhi playing the role of a mediator for bringing about a reconciliation between the Congress and the National Conference.