272 border violations in over 9 months
JAMMU, Oct 11 — Pakistani troops have violated the Indian border 272 times by resorting to heavy shelling on villages and pickets during the past over nine months.

4 killed, 2 Hizbul
activists arrested
SRINAGAR, Oct 11 — Four persons, including two militants and a nurse, were killed while security forces arrested two top activists of the Hizbul Mujahideen and unearthed a big cache of arms and ammunition in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening.

Villager killed in firing by Pak troops
JAMMU, Oct 11 — An Indian villager was killed and another wounded when Pakistani troops opened fire on Indian positions in the Poonch sector while the BSF foiled an intrusion bid along the international border and shot dead one infiltrator since yesterday, official reports said here today.

High grain prices hit poor
UDHAMPUR: The raising of foodgrain prices being sold under the public distribution system coupled with the rising prices of all essential commodities over the past six months has broken the backbone of the common man.

Panchayat poll in J&K in March
SRINAGAR, Oct 11 — Panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir would be held in March, 1999 after 21 years, an official spokesman said here today.

272 border violations in over 9 months
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 11 — Pakistani troops have violated the Indian border 272 times by resorting to heavy shelling on villages and pickets during the past over nine months.

Although Pakistani soldiers pounded Indian border villages at several places, the most affected areas were the Kargil, Uri, Kupwara and Tangdhar areas in the Kashmir valley. Between January and March, the Pakistani troops used small arms for border violations and between April and May artillery and mortar fire. From June till this day Indian villages in the Kargil and Kupwara sectors and the Siachen area bore the brunt of heavy artillery and missile attacks. During the past four months the Pakistani troops resorted to heavy shelling of Indian territory at several places on the 1202-km-long border 150 times.

Official sources said that Pakistan resorted to the reckless use of weapons and ammunition. It fired over 24.70 lakh bullets from small arms, 2.73 lakh artillery shells and 2.97 lakh shells from 82 mm, 105 mm and 120 mm guns. In addition, 56 missiles, several thousand grenades, 80,000 mortar shells and 37,500 air defence artillery shells were used.

More than 50 persons, including 20 soldiers, were killed in the Pakistani shelling during the past nine months and property worth over Rs 2 crore was destroyed when several barracks, huts and trucks were damaged in the shelling.

According to these sources, Pakistan resorted to heavy shelling on the Indian villages and pickets to provide fire cover to infiltrators, to internationalise the Kashmir issue at SAARC and NAM meetings and to boost the "sagging" morale of the militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir.

They said when Operation Topac was launched in 1989 the militants had been assured that once insurgency took roots in the Kashmir valley Pakistan would attack the Indian border. Islamabad did not implement this part of Operation Topac for several reasons, including opposition from the USA and political leaders who did not want Pakistan to be blamed openly for abetting terrorism in Kashmir.

Instead of opting for direct armed confrontation with Indian troops, Pakistan decided to keep them engaged in intermittent gun battles so that the militants could get time to hit back.

The sources said the Pakistani troops made a series of attempts to capture vital passes in the Siachen area but since April Indian soldiers had repulsed the attacks in which scores of Pakistani soldiers were killed and others wounded.

Referring to China, the official sources said that except for two minor border violations in the Daulatbeg and Changthang areas of Ladakh, the India-China border had remained free of tension. The minor trouble at Daulatbeg and Changthang was resolved at the level of field commander.

The sources said the Pakistan Rangers had violated agreements reached with BSF sector commanders and resorted to regular firing on Indian villages and pickets on the 264-km-long international border. They said during the past 10 months six meetings between the sector commanders of the BSF and the Rangers were held and both verbal and written agreements reached on total ceasefire. However, within hours of the agreements the Rangers attacked Indian villages with heavy fire.

Mufti, Azad told to bury hatchet
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 11 — After the two warring groups, one led by Mufti Mohd Sayed and another by Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, have been told in clear terms to close their ranks, the Congress high command has completed its exercise for reconstituting the PCC which stands dissolved for the past over two years.

Party sources said the new PCC set-up will be announced within next 10 days. It was expected to be completed late last month, but since Mufti Mohd Sayed and Mr Azad were in Srinagar and senior party leader, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, had to undergo a surgery the process was kept on hold.

The sources said since the group led by the Mufti was the largest it has sought more representation in the PCC. A formula has been worked out under which the Azad camp may be given 25 to 30 posts in the PCC and that led by the Mufti 70 to 75 seats. Senior party leaders, including sitting legislators, MPs and former legislators and MPs would be given key posts. In addition to this in the enlarged PCC those candidates who had contested either the Lok Sabha or the Assembly poll and had lost would also be accommodated.

The PCC president, Ch. Mohd Aslam, is leaving for Delhi shortly to finalise the names for the PCC posts. Among the former legislators and MPs who are sure to get key posts in the PCC are Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, Mr Madan Lal Sharma, Mr Dharam Pal Sharma, Thakur Diwakar Singh, Mr Beli Ram Kundal, Mr Talib Hussain, Dr Mehboob Beg, Mr Taj Mohiuddin, Peerzada Syed, Mohd Syed, Mr Balwan Singh, Mr Raman Bhalla, Mr Pradhuman Singh.

Among the sitting MLAs Mr Ashok Sharma and Mr R.S. Sharma are likely to get important posts. Since the number of aspirants to the PCC posts is quite large the party high command has been advised by Mufti Syed and Mr Azad to increase the number of posts of vice-presidents, general secretaries and secretaries. The AICC may consider favourably the suggestion.

4 killed, 2 Hizbul activists arrested

SRINAGAR, Oct 11 (PTI) — Four persons, including two militants and a nurse, were killed while security forces arrested two top activists of the Hizbul Mujahideen and unearthed a big cache of arms and ammunition in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening.

The spokesman said two unidentified militants fell to the bullets of the security forces in an encounter at Kanthpora-Lolab in frontier district of Kupwara today.

Body of a nurse, Rashida Begum, who was working in the Kalakote Hospital was found from a forest near her village at Agri in border district of Rajouri last night.

He said one person was killed in a shoot-out between militants and security forces at Thath-Kungal in Doda district today.

He said security forces unearthed a major haul of arms and ammunition during search operations at Kalaroos, Kurhama, Yandoori, Nilipora and Kigam in Kupwara district yesterday.

The spokesman said village headman Abdul Qayum, who was kidnapped by militants, has been let off by his captors after five days of captivity in Poonch district today.

He said a villager was kidnapped by a group of unidentified gunmen from his house at Mehmoodaba in the Durro area of Anantnag district last night.

He said an exchange of fire between militants and security forces took place at Peth-Makhama in Badgam district last night, but no loss of life or damage to property was reported.

Militants also fired at a joint party of the police and village defence committee (VDC) at Manwas in Doda district. None was hurt in the exchange of fire, he said.

He said the two VDC members who were kidnapped by militants after looting a large quantity of arms and ammunition from two villages of Doda district on Friday night were released in an injured condition last evening.

Villager killed in firing by Pak troops

JAMMU, Oct 11 (PTI) — An Indian villager was killed and another wounded when Pakistani troops opened fire on Indian positions in the Poonch sector while the BSF foiled an intrusion bid along the international border and shot dead one infiltrator since yesterday, official reports said here today.

The Pakistani troops opened unprovoked fire in the Gotrian border area in the Poonch sector from across the Line of Actual Control yesterday, wounding two Indian villagers seriously, the reports said.

Later, one of them, identified as Lal Din succumbed to his injuries in hospital while another, Mohammad Latif, was battling for his life, the reports said.

Pakistani border guards also targeted the border outposts of Regal, Londi, Bobiya, Pansar, Sangral, Alfa Machal, Nikowal and Jamna Bela in the Samba and RS Pura sub-sectors in the Jammu region last night without causing any casualty on the Indian side, the reports said.

The BSF foiled an intrusion bid by Pakistani infiltrators near the Mala Bela post in the Pargwal area (Akhnoor sector) last evening and killed one of them during an encounter, a BSF spokesman said.

He said troops noticed eight armed infiltrators sneaking into Indian territory and challenged them. The infiltrators opened fire. One infiltrator was killed on the spot in return fire and another was injured, he said, adding the others fled to the Pakistani side.

High grain prices hit poor
From Ramesh Gupta

UDHAMPUR: The raising of foodgrain prices being sold under the public distribution system coupled with the rising prices of all essential commodities over the past six months has broken the backbone of the common man. The authorities so far have not taken necessary steps in overcoming this problem and provide any relief to the common man. He has been badly hit by both P.D.S. and open market prices. He now has to depend on substandard foodgrains available at ration depots run through the PDS as his choice in the open market has also been restricted because of the substantial rise in rice and flour prices.

There is a general complaint by consumers that the rice and flour supplies through P.D.S. depots are not of the standard quality and the department concerned is maintaining no proper check on the system. There is also no proper timing with regard to the opening of depots. The depots are sometimes opened in the morning and at times in the evening which upsets the daily schedule of consumers and a lot of their time is wasted in purchasing rations. The situation turns precarious when they do not find all ration items at the depots and they have to make an additional round of ration depots. Sugar is never provided on time.

The ration depot holders often bring the sugar in the last week of the month with the result, the same is not bought by all consumers which ultimately ends up in the black market. At times consumers are supplied under-weight ration.

In the remote hilly areas of Udhampur district, the position is worse. Those living in far-flung areas are reportedly accustomed to substandard foodgrains due to apathy of the PDS officials. They are even deprived of ration for days together. Such problems exist in Latti, Dudu Basantgarh, Gool Gulabgarh and Bamagh areas.

Another problem being faced in these areas is the irregular supply of kerosene. Though there is no shortage of kerosene but consumers say that it is rarely provided. The distribution system seems to be faulty.

It is the general complaint of people that in certain urban localities there are two or three kerosene depots while in remote areas there is not even a single kerosene depot. However most people do not even know when the supply comes and thus they are deprived of their quota. Except PDS ration depots, the poor customers cannot rely on open market where prices of essential commodities are sky-high. During the past three months, the prices of rice and flour have increased manifold in the open market. It is for the Food and Supply Department to ensure that drastic measures are taken to improve public distribution and check any irregularity by depot holders so as to provide succour to the poor, who are dependent on the PDS.

* * *

The people of Udhampur and adjoining areas have expressed grave concern over the shortage of basic amenities at the District Hospital. According to them, the hospital gets a quota of medicine every year, but it is a matter of great concern that indoor patients are not provided medicines and glucose at the hospital and have to purchase it from the open market.

Reliable sources have revealed that there is a pilferage of medicine stocks and there is no check on the activities of certain corrupt elements. There is no supply of drinking water at the hospital. Water coolers often remain out of order. Apart from this, patients face a lot of problems due to shortage of medical staff. Doctors mostly attend hospital in the morning and a majority of the outdoor patients remain unattended. The worst off are the patients coming from far-flung areas.

In addition, the mortuary located near the indoor ward of patients sometimes creates fear and anxiety among patients and needs to be shifted from its present location to allay fears. The hospital authorities should tone up the hospital working by taking appropriate steps to resolve the problems faced by patients.

* * *

The Department of Telephones instead of mitigating the sufferings of subscribers has added to their woes. It is an established precedent that telephone bills must be sent to the subscribers in the first week of every month and payment should be made within two to three weeks. A time period has been provided to subscribers to make payment at notified post offices and telegraph offices, but it has been observed that bills are received at the 11th hour leaving just a couple of days for payment, which puts subscribers to great discomfort. There is a great rush of subscribers who want to avoid paying a surcharge. Many a time subscribers have to return without making payment and ultimately they are put to discomfort and have to pay a surcharge. To mitigate this problem, the telephone authorities should ensure timely preparation of bills and despatch it without delay to subscribers so as to reach them well in time.

Panchayat poll in J&K in March

SRINAGAR, Oct 11 (PTI) — Panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir would be held in March, 1999 after 21 years, an official spokesman said here today.

Panchayat elections would take democratic process to the grass-roots level and quicken the pace of development in the state, he said.

The reiteration of the government came in the wake of discussions between a group of visiting officers from the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and senior government officers here last evening.

He said the government was implementing a multi-pronged strategy to restore normalcy and ensure speedy and harmonious development of all areas of the state.

He said in the past two years situation has taken a positive turn though militants are causing blasts here and there to seek publicity.

Locals had distanced themselves from militancy and Pakistan was banking on foreign mercenaries but even this effort is bound to fail, he said, adding the people have seen through the designs of the elements inimical to peace and frustrated their machinations.

Appreciating the role of security forces, he said it was due to their cooperation the government achieved the success.

He said tourism was another priority sector and efforts were being made to restore tourist activity. Kashmir valley witnessed more foreign tourists this year while as the number of pilgrims visiting the holy cave shrine of Amarnath touched a record number of 1.49 lakh.