Labour panel by year-end
SRINAGAR, Oct 17 — Conference of Labour Ministers of the northern region has observed that child labour was a major problem in the region, especially in Uttar Pradesh. The Centre has asked these States to conduct periodical surveys and withdraw and rehabilitate working children in accordance with the Supreme Court directives.

Apple crop: pesticides play villain in J-K
SRINAGAR, Oct 17 — The apple growers in Jammu and Kashmir have suffered losses because of premature fall of apple and spurious pesticides.

2 militants killed, 4 held in J&K

SRINAGAR, Oct 17 (PTI) — Two militants were killed and two security jawans wounded as militants triggered four explosions while four ultras, including a self-styled district commander of a militant outfit, were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening.

An official spokesman said two militants were killed in an encounter during search operations by security forces at Nagrad-nar in Kupwara district last night.

Two security jawans were critically wounded as the vehicle they were travelling in ran over an IED (improvised explosive device) planted by militants at Nihalpora-Pattan road in Baramula last night, the spokesman said.

Another IED planted by militants at Boulatpora-Kreeri road also exploded but no one was hurt in the incident, the spokesman said, adding two powerful explosions took place at Fazalabad in the Surankote area of Poonch also without damage.

A self-styled district commander of the Al-Jehad militant outfit, Bashir Ahmad Lone, was arrested from Chanpora area of uptown Srinagar last night along with three AK rifles, six magazines and 150 rounds of ammunition, the spokesman said.

He said three more militants — two from Anantnag and another from Badgam — were arrested along with a pistol and a hand grenade.

Security forces recovered a pistol, four hand grenades and some rounds of ammunition from a militant hideout at apple garden at Mader-Bandipora in Baramula district, the spokesman said.

Pak Rangers fire at 6 Indian posts

JAMMU, Oct 17 (PTI) — Pakistani rangers targeted six border outposts (BOPs) along the international border in the RS Pura and Samba sub-sectors of Jammu division last night without any casualty or damage on the Indian side, a Border Security Force (BSF) spokesman said here today.

Pakistan rangers using light arms continued intermittent firing on Bobiyan, Londi, Palwa, Siderwan, Mamabela and Sangral from 7.30 pm yesterday to 0430 a m today in these sectors, sources said adding Indian troops also retaliated.

However, no loss of life or damage to property was reported on our side during firing exchanges.

Meanwhile, some unidentified militants kidnapped one Anayat Ullah of Collan-Kothidar village in Doda district early today and later shot him dead, a police spokesman said.

In another incident, one Sakhi Mohammad of Dhar Sakeri area in Rajouri district was injured in militants firing last evening.

NC-BJP ties under strain
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 17 — The National Conference, alliance with the BJP at the centre hangs by a slender thread. Developments of the past three months indicate the relationship between the two parties under strain.

National conference sources say that security related affairs and the acute financial crunch may ultimately force the ruling party in the state to adopt a course of confrontation with the BJP which could help it politically in the Kashmir valley. The prolonged cash crunch in the state, according to the Finance Minister, Mr Mohd. Shafi, "is entirely Delhi made". In this context he has dished out figures in support of his contention that the Central Government had failed to fulfil its financial commitment to the state. He has said against the fiscal requirement of Rs 3180 crore for the complete protection of Rs 1900 crore Plan projected by the state government, including the Rs 1280 crore non-Plan deficit, Centre has released Rs 1200 crore and has asked the state government to generate internal resources to the tune of Rs 720 crore.

However, the state Finance Department is pessimistic about any success in mobilising additional resources of the order of Rs 720 crore as unpleasant security environment would make it difficult for authorities to take tough steps for clearing arrears of power tariff, sales tax and other duties. The consumers owe to the Government nearly Rs 130 crore as power tariff and additional Rs 200 crore was due from security agencies for using electricity during the past eight years. The state's financial difficulties have also enhanced when it has to buy power from the Northern grid and other agencies at over Rs 512 crore per year.

The BJP-led government has turned a deaf ear towards the State Government's persistent demand for waiving the central debt of over Rs 1275 crore because the state loses about Rs 440 crore on the servicing of the Central debt.

This and the delay in reimbursing the security related expenses have caused irritation to the Jammu and Kashmir Government. The recent tight-lipped criticism of the BJP leaders and open mouthed condemnation of Central bureaucrats by the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, indicate his bruised feelings. Sources close to him say that Dr Abdullah had expected a fair deal from the BJP-led Government as he had promised to end militancy and separatism in Jammu and Kashmir. The Chief Minister does not want the Centre to equate Kashmir with any other state in view of the ongoing proxy war launched by Pakistan which has started turning into what he terms as "an open war".

He and his Finance Minister have explained to the Centre in detail the economic depression the National Conference Government had inherited when it took over in October 1996. What seems to have embittered the state government is the way the Central leaders have refused to "listen to reason".

But the other part of the story is that the Central Government is unhappy with the fiscal indiscipline in the state government which has led to plundering of both state and Central funds. The Union Finance Ministry has asked the state government to explain in detail and that too item-wise the amount spent on security related matters. The details were sought after the Centre received reports that money spent on activities unrelated to security was shown to have been used on security related matters. The Centre is said to be unhappy over the reckless use of aircraft by the Chief Minister and other bigwigs in the state which had cost the state exchequer several crores of rupees.

The Centre had suggested to the state government to impose austerity measures but till the end of September no such measures were taken in hand. The one taken are expected to simply save Rs 17 crore.

Construction of ministerial bungalows a convention centre, new guest houses and circuit houses are some of the issues which the Centre had opposed on the plea that all such expenses had been made on non-productive activities.

However, the problems created by nine-year-old insurgency in the state need a hefty economic package for the state. It would be in the interest of the state and the country that if the Centre sets up a monitoring cell to supervise use of Central funds. It is treated by the experts here a suitable option instead of resorting to curtailment of funds to general peoples anger against the state government.

Jailbreak by 3 Pak militants
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 17 — Three Pakistani militants have escaped from the Kotbalwal Jail after breaking the steel bars of the window last night. Their escape was detected this morning by jail staff.

According to official sources, the three Pakistani nationals, including Irfan, involved in the January 26, 1997 bomb explosion in Maulana Azad Sports Stadium in which eight persons were killed, have escaped.

The escape of the militants from the jail guarded by 13 checkposts manned by the CRPF and other jail officials has surprised authorities.

There are indications that some local agencies might have assisted the militants in the jailbreak. The police have launched a manhunt to nab the militants.

The government has ordered a high-level inquiry and one DIG CID has been entrusted with the task of investigating into the jailbreak. The escape, according to the sources, had been carried out during the night because till yesterday afternoon the militants were present in the jail.

When the jail officials went round the cells this morning they found the cell window broken and the three inmates missing. An alarm was sounded and the para-military forces, the police and the jail employees carried out search of the huge jail complex, but there was no sight of the three militants.

Labour panel by year-end
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Oct 17 — Conference of Labour Ministers of the northern region has observed that child labour was a major problem in the region, especially in Uttar Pradesh. The Centre has asked these States to conduct periodical surveys and withdraw and rehabilitate working children in accordance with the Supreme Court directives.

This was disclosed by the Union Minister for Labour, Dr Satyanarayan Jatiya while briefing reporters here this morning on the deliberations of the one-day Labour Ministers' meet held here yesterday. He said that Rs 250 crore had been allocated for the rehabilitation of these children under the Ninth Five-year plan, which envisage an annual allocation of Rs 50 crore.

"India has the largest number of working children in the world .... they work unremittingly but do not receive minimum wages and are subject to a ruthless exploitation .... the problems of child labour are acute in some of the States of the northern region especially in UP, the Union Labour Minister, Dr Satyanarayan Jatiya stated in his address to the conference held at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) on Friday.

To a question, Dr Jatiya said that Identity cards were being issued to the labourers of Jammu and Kashmir working in other parts of the country, especially in Himachal. The Kashmiri labourers in Himachal were faced with various difficulties who were asked to leave Himachal Pradesh following recent killings at the hands of unidentified militants. The minister said that such labourers would also be given Pass Books for providing them with Provident Fund facilities. The minister added that such facilities would be provided to all such labourers anywhere working outside their States within the country.

The Union Minister stated that the coverage of the Employees Provident Fund Act, 1952 would be extended to Jammu and Kashmir, adding that the State had agreed to consider the same. He stated that this was necessary with reference to the pension scheme for non-government employees both in organised and un-organised sector.

Referring to the daily wages of labourers, the Union Minister has also directed the Jammu and Kashmir government to fix minimum wages of Rs 40 per day. Presently the daily wagers in Jammu and Kashmir are getting Rs 26 per day.

A proposal envisaging 100 per cent Central assistance to Jammu and Kashmir as a special case to set up ITIs has been submitted to the Planning Commission and Finance Ministry, Dr Satyanarayan Jatiya said. He added that there was a considerable intra-regional disparity with very little facility for vocational training in Jammu and Kashmir. He added that all state governments in the northern region had been asked to open new ITIs with private sector support.

The Union Minister stated that the Centre in collaboration with Jammu and Kashmir Government would review the position in the existing ITIs and try to upgrade the facilities for one ITI at each of the 14 districts in the State.

The Labour Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi and senior officers of the ministry from these states and the Centre participated in the one-day meet here yesterday. The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah also attended the meet.

PTI adds: A new labour commission would be set up before the end of the current year, Union Labour Minister Satyanarayan Jatiya said today.

The Union Government was actively considering amending the National Labour Act as the existing laws were very old and did not meet the changed situation and demands, Dr Jatiya told newsmen here. Dr Jatiya said number of child labour had declined to 11.28 million as per the 1991 census against 13.60 million before.

Apple crop: pesticides play villain in J-K

SRINAGAR, Oct 17 (ANI) — The apple growers in Jammu and Kashmir have suffered losses because of premature fall of apple and spurious pesticides.

The apple growers estimate that nearly half of the total crop worth Rs 150 million has been damaged. It is mainly because of less and untimely rain in the region. They say the use of spurious pesticides also adversely affected the crops.

"First, it was unseasonal rain which caused some damage. Later, we came to know that the pesticides we used were spurious. The leaves started falling and later we lost half of our crop", said Mr Mohammed Yesin, an apple grower.

The disease, which causes premature falling of the fruit, is a common phenomenon with the apple crop of neighbouring Himachal but it has been noticed for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir.

The state government has directed agricultural experts from Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology to provide medicinal relief to the growers.

"It is not true that half of their crop is destroyed. I have inspected several regions. The apple growers exaggerate the losses to get more compensation than they deserve," said Mr Nissar Ahmed Khan, Horticulture Minister.

The state exports nearly 900 million apple boxes but will now have to face a shortfall of Rs 4.5 million in terms of revenue loss.

Jammu and Kashmir is India’s largest producer of apple, contributing 35 per cent of the total production.