Militancy regaining ground in valley?
JAMMU, Nov 14 — Is militancy regaining ground in the Kashmir valley? This question has assumed significance following a series of incidents of subversive violence in different parts of the valley during the past one month.

J&K to set up 2 media complexes
JAMMU, Nov 14 — The Minister for Information, Science and Technology, Mr Ajatshatru Singh, has underscored the need for the modernisation of communication facilities in the Information Department for speedy dissemination of information to people and the media.

3 Pak nationals repatriated
JAMMU, Nov 14 —The Border Security Force authorities repatriated three Pakistani nationals to Chenab Rangers at a simple function at Jabwal border outpost in R.S. Pura sub-sector near the international border here last evening, the BSF spokesman said today.

Militancy regaining ground in valley?
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Nov 14 — Is militancy regaining ground in the Kashmir valley? This question has assumed significance following a series of incidents of subversive violence in different parts of the valley during the past one month.

Though the upward curve in the graph of militancy-related incidents is much lower than the one recorded between 1990 and 1996, it is definitely on the higher side when compared to the first nine months of the current year. Besides, the encounter between the BSF and the militants in Srinagar City on Friday, in which three BSF personnel, including one Commandant, were killed against two foreign mercenaries, has confirmed earlier reports that Pak and Afghan guerrillas have established their hideouts in the summer capital.

Official sources have reports that foreign mercenaries have sneaked into Srinagar in large numbers during the past two months. They have been directed to lie low till they get more men and machine power.

Eyewitness accounts said that security forces have spotted foreign mercenaries moving freely in several towns, including the summer capital, but patience seems to have been the strategy adopted by the security forces.

Bomb explosions in Kashmir were a rare phenomenon but, of late, the valley has witnessed a series of such blasts. In the two major blasts in Budgam and Pulwama more than four persons were killed and 10 others injured.

It is believed that it is a definite strategy on the part of agencies across the border to buy time so that they could send more arms and ammunition and infiltrators into the valley. As part of this strategy Pak troops engaged the Indian security forces on the border after the former resorted to heavy shelling in different sectors since June last. An impression had been allowed to grow in Kashmir that Pak agencies had limited their anti-India campaign to border firing and to kicking up incidents of subversive violence in Poonch, Rajouri and Doda districts in the Jammu region.

In these three districts, militancy-related violence had witnessed an upward trend during the past two years. In fact, militancy took roots in Poonch, Rajouri and Udhampur districts in 1996 when the National Conference assumed power in the state.

J&K to set up 2 media complexes
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 14 — The Minister for Information, Science and Technology, Mr Ajatshatru Singh, has underscored the need for the modernisation of communication facilities in the Information Department for speedy dissemination of information to people and the media.

Addressing a meeting of senior department officials here yesterday, the minister said this had been necessitated by the revolution in mass communication at the national and international levels.

The minister said the government was considering various proposals for the modernisation of the communication network. These included the availability of modern gadgets like photo film equipment, fax, pagers and Internet. He said two media complexes, one each at Jammu and Srinagar, equipped with all modern facilities would be set up for which suitable accommodation was being identified.

Modalities were being worked out to revive the Kashmir bureaux of information at Mumbai and Calcutta and strengthen the Information Bureau at Delhi. Facilities at the district and tehsil centres were also being modernised and broadbased.

The monitoring of news and public relations would be further improved at the directorate level for speedy and timely flow of information. All measures would be initiated to make available experienced and qualified staff to augment manpower in the department.

The Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Information said the setting up of the media centres and connecting the department with Internet would help broadbase the activities of the department and improve its functioning.

The Director, Information, Mr Sudhanshu Panday, apprised the minister of the functioning of the department and requirements in respect of qualified staff and modern communication gadgets.

Jamaat has no role in militancy: Bhat

SRINAGAR, Nov 14 (PTI) — The Jamaat-e-Islami chief, Mr G.M. Bhat, today said his organisation had no role in the ongoing militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and wanted a solution to the Kashmir issue in "a democratic way".

Militants in the state had chosen a different way to find a solution to the Kashmir issue, he told reporters here.

Asked whether the militancy was the right course in resolving the issue, Mr Bhat said "we cannot comment. We are not muftis to announce decrees."

He said the Jamaat was for a negotiated settlement of the issue between India and Pakistan and the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"We want a solution to the issue in a democratic way. The solution to be acceptable to the people of all the three regions of the state — Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh," he said.

The situation prevailing in the state at present would have been different had the then rulers of the state "in league" with the Centre not resorted to "large scale rigging and malpractices" in 1987 Assembly elections in the state.

3 Pak nationals repatriated

JAMMU, Nov 14 (PTI) —The Border Security Force (BSF) authorities repatriated three Pakistani nationals to Chenab Rangers at a simple function at Jabwal border outpost (BOP) in R.S. Pura sub-sector near the international border (IB) here last evening, the BSF spokesman said today.

The spokesman said all the three teenagers identified as Mohammad Abdul, Aziz-Ullah and Sohail Sajjad of Bajra village of Sialkot were handed over to Chenab Rangers amid exchange of sweets.

All of them "negligently" sneaked into the Indian side on November 8 the spokesman said adding they were arrested by the BSF.

Two officers, Commandant of 102 battalion of BSF, Mr B.S. Bhadure and Sq Leader of Cheban Rangers, Mr Asif were present at the repatriation ceremony, the spokesman said.

Need to promote NGO culture
From Ramesh Gupta

UDHAMPUR: There are some non-governmental social organisations which do not enjoy good reputation and credibility among people, but there is every justification and necessity for boosting the NGO culture and make it a viable and vibrant movement as envisaged in the Five-Year-Plan documents.

There are, however, some NGOs in Udhampur like the Rotary Club, the Lions Club, the Samaj Sudhar Manch, Jagriti, the Congress Seva Dal and the Seva Bharati which are playing a very useful role in supplementing and complimenting efforts of the government in socio-economic development of the people. The NGOs function as a bridge between the people and the government and work at the grass-root-level in inaccessible and remote areas where government agencies often fail to reach.

The NGOs are doing useful service in sectors of remote sensing and environment, social forestry, social welfare, health and education, but ironically the NGO culture is getting strangulated in its infancy because of the callous attitude of government agencies. On the one hand, the government agencies want to involve NGOs for socio-economic development and rehabilitation of the disadvantaged segment of society, on the other, they deprive them of financial assistance due to them for performing social works like vocational training of deaf, blind, mentally retarted, handicapped, widows, destitutes and aged people.

As per rules of the Social Welfare Department, it is meant to provide 50 per cent of the requirement of the NGOs and the matching amount has to be managed by them from public contributions and donations, but the department is meeting only 10 to 15 per cent of the requirement of the NGOs. The same is the case with the other government agencies. For the past four or five years, the grant meant for welfare programmes run by NGOs has decreased manifold.

Following the present financial crunch in Jammu and Kashmir, the performance of the NGOs has been affected badly. The NGOs of Udhampur are the worst-affected. These were to some extent running some social work with public donation but in view of the price hike of essential commodities the donors too have become scarce. It shall be in the best interest of the government and the NGOs that adequate funds are made available to the NGOs. A financial crunch should be no excuse for the disruption of social services being rendered by different NGOs.

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More than a decade has passed that the women college, Udhampur, was housed in the old district hospital building. The college is now facing an acute shortage of space due to an increase in the number of students.

Most of the time, students fight for a seat which often results in chaos and confusion. A good number of students have to take lessons standing somewhere in the open.

Besides, there are other problems which include ill-equipped library, lack of space for games and hostel facilities.

The state government has acquired land for the construction of a new college complex at Battal Ballian, but there is no progress in the matter.

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All medical centres throughout Chenani tehsil of Udhampur district are prone to mismanagement and chaos. The service conditions in these health institutions are quite unsatisfactory. The service conditions in the sub-district hospital, Chenani, are very bad. The hospital has recently been upgraded from a primary health centre. The hospital lacks x-ray and other infrastructural facilities for the poor patients who cannot go outside for treatment.

The drinking water and sanitation arrangements are very poor and the atmosphere in and around the hospital is deteriorating. There is no boundary wall around the hospital and stray cattle usually roam about for food and shelter.

There is no provision for emergency lights and the shortage of medicines has added to the woes of the suffering people. The hospital has become the venue of scandals like rapes and misappropriation of medicines and funds provided for food and milk for the patients.