Convocation held after 12 years
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Sept 29 — The second convocation of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) was held here today with the Vice-President Mr Krishan Kant, as the chief guest. The convocation was held after 12 years.

The Governor, Mr Girish Chandra Saxena, and the Chancellor of the university conferred Ph.D. and masters degrees on students who had completed courses during the past 12 years. Others were given the teachers' degrees in various fields of agriculture, veterinary sciences and animal husbandry and forestry. Fifteen graduates were awarded gold medals.

Tight security arrangements were made on the occasion.

This was the second convocation held at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) since last year. The University of Kashmir held its first convocation after 12 years in November last year at the SKICC, which has hosted such conferences ever since the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, came to power.

The Pro-Chancellor of the university and Dr Abdullah read out exhortations to the students.

Mr Krishan Kant said the long gap between the last convocation and this was the "story of turbulence thrust upon us by those who remained unreconciled to Kashmir's composite heritage. He said "But it is also the story of the heroic struggle of a valiant people determined to preserve and protect their identity and society as an integral part of the pan-Indian culture and heritage."

He appreciated the role of the students who "witnessed strife, conflict and senseless violence and yet remained steadfast in their commitment to academic life.

Mr Kant expressed the hope that vast resources of biodiversity available in Jammu and Kashmir would enable the SKUAST to embark on new areas of research and patenting of new products of value for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. He stressed the need for the creation of an overall vision for the state's economic progress, adding that it was linked to peace, stability and a democratic form of governance.

He said the SKUAST should lay more emphasis on processing and packaging technologies which would create more employment opportunities. "Export of flowers, fruits and ingredients for the much sought-after Kashmiri cuisine can create export markets once infrastructure development is attended to and the problems of market access are solved", he stated. He also stressed the need for the preservation of natural resources.

"Increasing agricultural production and productivity requires investments in infrastructure, such as irrigation, roads, machinery, technology and human resources" adding that there was a "crucial need to impart knowledge among farmers about the new techniques and tools to improve their output".

In his address, Dr M. Yusuf Kamal sought adequate funding for the SKUAST for the fulfilment of its objectives rather than "being a mere salary distributing institution". He also sought support from the state and the Central governments and the ICAR for the inclusion of the SKUAST in the first phase of the World Bank-sponsored project on agricultural human resources development in the country.

BSF kills 9 Pak infiltrators
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Sept 29 — The BSF today foiled a major Pak bid to infiltrate a large group of militants into the Jammu region from the Ramgarh sector of Samba on the International Border, killing nine intruders in the process.

According to the BSF, Pak agencies had brought more than 50 militants, equipped with arms, close to the area across Ramgarh and an attempt was made during early hours of this morning to push them into the Indian territory. The BSF jawans spotted a group of intruders marching within the Indian territory and they were challenged to stop. When the intruders refused to heed the call for halt, the BSF opened fire.

Intruders are also said to have returned the fire. The exchange of fire lasted for half an hour. When the firing stopped the BSF jawans carried out search of the area and recovered nine bodies.

Others are said to have fled back to Pak territory. There were some spots of blood on the track leading to the zero line, indicating that some intruders had been injured and were carried across by their associates.

During the past 24 hours the security forces have killed three militants in the Poonch and Rajouri areas. In the ongoing search operations in the border villages of Poonch and Rajouri, the security forces have recovered large quantities of arms and ammunition from three separate places. These weapons and explosives had been dumped by the militants and these very arms were to be used for striking against the security forces and the soft targets.

Official sources said that the security forces have been directed to intensify their search for arms and explosives which have been concealed in several forest belts in Poonch and Rajouri. The security forces, including the Army, have been asked to maintain round-the-clock vigil on the entire 1260-km Indo-Pak border to foil the Pak plan of sending into Jammu and Kashmir large groups of militants and smuggling heavy quantities of arms and ammunition during the next one month so that the man and machine power were within the state before the border passes were closed on account of snow.

CBI probe into massacres by militants sought
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Sept 29 — The state unit of the BJP has demanded a CBI probe into the massacres carried out by militants during the past several months.

According to the BJP president, Mr D.K. Kotwal, the CBI inquiry into the massacres of Chapnari, Prankot, Dhakikot, Thakrein and Chandi was called for after the state government ordered to high-level inquiry only into the Sailan massacre where militants had killed 19 Muslims.

Mr Kotwal told newsmen here today that the carnages at Prankot, Dhakikote, Chapnari, Thakrein and Chandi had resulted in the killing of 76 persons. Some of those involved in these massacres had been arrested by the BSF but were not being brought to the joint interrogation centres for thorough investigation. He alleged that some of the killers had received patronage and protection from senior National Conference leaders.

The BJP leader wanted the CBI to inquire into this aspect of the problem in which the killers had been identified but were not being tried as per the law of the state.

Mr Kotwal also referred to the drought in Doda district owing to failure of monsoon and wanted the government to send adequate ration to the area to prevent people from dying of starvation. He also urged the government to ensure that ration from the government depots was not allowed to be supplied to the militants.

He also demanded that development works be started in the backward district to enable people to earn their livelihood.

J&K Govt owes Rs 18 cr to
Telecom Department
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Sept 29 — The telecommunication circle in Jammu and Kashmir is facing a ticklish problem of recovering arrears worth over Rs 18 crore from various state government departments as the normal means of clearing the arrears by resorting to disconnection are not permissible.

The telecom circle has been sending repeated reminders to the government but there has been no response as the state too is facing an acute cash crunch. Though the arrears have accumulated over the past several years, they have increased after the National Conference assumed power.

According to the Chief General Manager, Jammu and Kashmir Telecom circle, Mr Ramesh Lalwani, measures are afoot to increase the number of telephone lines and provide connections on demand by next year.

Mr Lalwani said against a target of 20,000 new connections, they were able to provide 20,819 connections in 1997-98 and the target for the current financial year had been fixed at 30,000 connections. There were 1,400 STD PCO booths and the department earned 35 per cent of the total revenue from them. He said higher capacity IDR (intermediate data rate) satellite terminals were being installed at Leh and Kargil for improving STD links.

Pilgrims to the Mata Vaishvo Devi shrine would benefit from the 256-line exchange installed at Bhavan. During the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, telecom facilities were set up at Sheshnag, Panchtarni, Sonamarg and the holy cave, enabling the pilgrims to make 15,000 calls from which the department earned a revenue of Rs 25 lakh.

Several places and town would be connected with optical fibre cables which would ensure reliable STD facilities. Efforts were on to connect border towns and other far-flung areas, including Poonch and Rajouri, through optical fibre cables.

As many as 37 out of 64 exchanges in the state had STD facilities and by the end of next year 13 more exchanges would have the facility.

The Internet had also been made available in Jammu.

2nd phase of watershed
project to begin in April

SRINAGAR, Sept 29 (PTI) — Work on the second phase of a Rs 160 crore World Bank-aided integrated watershed development project in Jammu and Kashmir will commence from April next year, state Environment and Forests Minister Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan said yesterday.

Under the five-year project, 62,000 hectares of arable and semi-arable land would be treated, the minister said laying the foundation stone of the office complex of the project at Rajbagh.

The project would improve water harvesting and land management practices in the state to restore the productive potential of the Shivaliks and Karewas regions, he said.

A holistic approach for the treatment of Kandi watersheds would also be developed in an integrated manner besides improving the rural infrastructure like roads, improving vegetative cover and live stock breed, he added.

Temple renovation in full swing

SRINAGAR, Sept 29 (PTI) — The last phase of renovation work on the centuries old Zeestha Devi temple at Zeethyar in interior Srinagar is in full swing and expected to be completed soon.

The Jammu and Kashmir Projects Constructions Corporation (JKPCC) has undertaken the work as a part of the state government’s plan to renovate all ancient Hindu temples in the valley.

The Zeestha Devi temple is among the six temples identified by the government for renovation. The other temples are Ganpatyar, Somyar, Kathleshwar, Vital and Hari Parbat.

Over 200 skilled and unskilled workers are working round-the-clock to ensure its timely completion.

Bathing ponds for women and men are also being reconstructed.

The government has also decided to provide a grant-in-aid for the reconstruction of the 14th century Khanqah-i-Faiz Panah at Tral, 40 km from here in Pulwama district of South Kashmir.

The shrine was gutted in fire in December last year.

Credit cards for J&K farmers

SRINAGAR, Sept 29 (PTI) — Farmers in Jammu and Kashmir will be issued kisan credit cards to provide them an easy access to credit facilities for agricultural inputs.

A time-bound crash programme has been chalked out for issuing these cards to the farmers before October 17, an official announcement said here yesterday.

Using the cards, the farmers can avail unlimited credit facility subject to a minimum of Rs 5,000, the announcement said, adding the amount of credit would depend on the land holding, nature of crop and the assessed loan requirement of the beneficiaries.

The credit provided under the new scheme would be short-term loans to be repaid after harvesting the crop.

They would remain valid for a period of three to five years, it said.

The cards would be issued to a majority of the farmers through co-operative and commercial banks in a phased manner. The facility of credit cards was in addition to the existing channels of agricultural credits to the farmers.

Different co-operative banks in the state would identify the farmers who are not members of any co-operative society and evolve a mechanism for direct lending to them.

The banks in the Kashmir valley would first focus on the orchardists and vegetable growers, it added.

4 killed as van falls into gorge

JAMMU, Sept 29 (PTI) — Four persons, including two children, were killed and eight injured when a Maruti van skidded off the road and fell into a 200-metre-deep gorge near Doda, 174 km from here, today, the police said.

The van, which was on its way from Ganika to Doda, was overloaded, it said.

While six of the injured have been admitted to the District Hospital in Doda, two were brought here by helicopter for specialised treatment.