Tributes paid to Sheikh Abdullah
JAMMU, Sept 8 — Tributes were paid to the late Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah at a function held at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here today in connection with his 16th death anniversary.
Technology mission for J&K youth
NEW DELHI, Sept 8 — Under a technology mission schemes like literacy, compact orchards, youth cooperatives, eco tourism, adventure tourism, mother and child health care and training for youth in self employment will be initiated for Baramula, Kupwara, Jammu (Nagorta), Doda, Rajouri and Nobra (Leh) districts.
Women agitators tear-gassed
SRINAGAR, Sept 8 — The police today burst several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse a group of women agitators protesting against water scarcity here

Firing bid to raise bogey of war: Saxena

SRINAGAR, Sept 8 (PTI) — Increasing instances of cross-border firing by Pakistan in the recent months are aimed at raising "a bogey of war" in order to internationalise the Kashmir issue, Jammu and Kashmir Governor G.C. Saxena said here today.

Islamabad’s "strategic reasons" to step up firing across the Line of Control were to "raise the bogey of a war with nuclear overtones" while its tactics was to infiltrate militants and shell road links to cut off Indian communication, Mr Saxena told a team of visiting reporters.

Discounting perceptions of threat from the Taliban in the state following their recent victory in Afghanistan, he said the "Taliban do not have the idle capacity as they are very much preoccupied with their own war".

"Just because they have overrun Afghanistan without much fighting and with the help of other countries does not mean they can create a similar situation here," he said.

Asserting that local support for militants had declined considerably, Mr Saxena said there were an estimated 1,000 foreign mercenaries and an equal number of local militants operating in the state currently, who were aiming at "soft targets" in the sparsely-populated areas.

"We are getting more and more on top in the valley. Here, the overall situation has changed nearly irreversibly in our favour," Mr Saxena claimed, adding the militants had shifted their operations to the far and sparsely-populated areas.

While every house in these areas could not be given security cover, various steps were being taken to strengthen the security network, he said.

A number of pickets of the Special Task Force (STF) had been increased while local police and village defence committees were being equipped and strengthened, Mr Saxena said.

On the migration of people from Kargil due to the recent spurt in Pakistani shelling, the Governor said "large-scale migration is not taking place, except for people in two or three villages falling in the firing range".

Those who had left home were returning now. "But there were many who are prepared to stay. The Army had set up a large number of bunkers for civilians. Some residents of the Gurez area in Kupwara district of Kashmir have sought permanent relocation," he said.

Elaborating on the action plan, the Governor said it included steps to strengthen the state police, enhance and spread the security net, prevent communal tension or migration, upgrade communication and fire-power capabilities and deploy additional forces.

"Intelligence is required on a real-time basis. There should be no time lag and neither should there be a delay in acting on information," Mr Saxena said.

He said the restoration of popular rule after a long spell of President's rule in the state had helped the fight against militancy in a big way.

On charges of corruption in the administration, the Governor said a "supervisory mechanism" was necessary, besides political supervision and added that there was a greater need to monitor expenditure as a lot of reconstruction activity was now taking place in the entire state.

Tributes paid to Sheikh Abdullah
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 8 — Tributes were paid to the late Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah at a function held at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here today in connection with his 16th death anniversary.

The Food and Transport Minister, Mr Bashir Ahmed Kitchloo, said that Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah had formulated a noble programme of "naya Kashmir" in 1950 for the welfare of farmers, labour class and down-trodden sections of society.

He said that Pakistan and its ISI agency was bent upon destroying the communal harmony, but they would foil their nefarious design. He cautioned the people to maintain peace and communal harmony at all costs.

The Industries Minister, Mr Bodh Raj Bali, said that Sheikh Sahib had taken a number of historical decisions, including the Land Reforms Act and free education in the state. He said real tributes to him would be to follow in his footsteps.

The Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies, Mr Ajay Sadhotra, said that Sheikh Abdullah had made many sacrifices for the welfare of poor and backward classes and fought against feudalism.

The Chairman of the Legislative Council, Mr H.S. Bali, said that Sheikh Sahib had given a new trend to the state with special emphasis for the uplift of backward classes and those living in the backward areas of the state.

The function was attended by a large number of workers belonging to different areas of the province.

Technology mission for J&K youth
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Sept 8 — Under a technology mission schemes like literacy, compact orchards, youth cooperatives, eco tourism, adventure tourism, mother and child health care and training for youth in self employment (TRYSEM) will be initiated for Baramula, Kupwara, Jammu (Nagorta), Doda, Rajouri and Nobra (Leh) districts.

The state Minister of Information, Youth Services, Sports, Science and Technology, Mr Ajatshatru Singh told The Tribune.Some 300 core group of trained youth volunteers (five per village) would be deployed in their villages. These along with the local village youth clubs shall be directly involved in development activities in their respective villages, the minister said.

To make the operations more effective, aspects pertaining to organisation, staffing and financial support including monitoring and evaluation shall be worked out after examining the data base.Detailed exercise shall be undertaken to arrive at precise parameters in terms of tasks, functions, time frames and funds, the Minister informed.

Women agitators tear-gassed

SRINAGAR, Sept 8 (PTI) — The police today burst several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse a group of women agitators protesting against water scarcity here.

However, there was no injury in police action, official sources said, adding, the agitators had staged a dharna blocking traffic on the road connecting suburbs with the city.

The police swung into action and tried to presuade the women to disperse, sources said pointing out that they resorted to firing only when the agitators refused to leave the area.