Two APHC leaders arrested
SRINAGAR, April 27 — Over 70,000 Shia Muslims participated in the Muharram procession taken out from Botakadal to Zadibal here today to observe the martyrdom of Imam Hussain on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of Muslim calendar year.

70 buildings destroyed in fire
SRINAGAR, April 27 — Around 70 buildings were gutted and six heads of cattle killed in a devastating fire at Lidru village in Anantnag district of south Kashmir today.

Boy killed in firing by Pak troops
JAMMU, April 27 — A boy was killed when Pakistani soldiers opened heavy fire on defence installations and civilian areas along the Line of Control in the Akhnoor sub-sector of Jammu, BSF sources said here today.

11 militants killed in J & K

JAMMU, April 27 (PTI) — Ten militants and two Army Men were among 13 persons killed in different militancy-related incidents in the Jammu region since last night, official sources said here today.

Seven militants and a non-commissioned officer were killed in a fierce encounter between the Army and militants in the Doka Bagla area in Poonch district in the Jammu region this morning, the sources said.

The troops, who launched cordon and search operations on a tip-off in Doka Bagla, 23 km from Poonch, were fired at by the hiding militants, they said.

The troops retaliated, killing seven militants in the encounter lasting several hours.

An NCO, who received bullet injuries in the operation, died on the way to hospital, they added.

A large quantity of arms and ammunition, including five AK rifles, four pistols, one LMG, one RPG and six rifle grenades, were recovered from the scene.

In another encounter, BSF personnel gunned down three militants in the Kotranaka area of Rajouri district this afternoon, the sources said.

Three AK rifles, two wireless sets, two magazines, one revolver and some ammunition was recovered.

SRINAGAR (PTI): The security forces have gunned down a militant and arrested nine others in a series of raids on their hideouts in the Kashmir valley since last evening, an official spokesman said here on Tuesday.

Five of the militants fell in the dragnet of the security forces in the Firdousabad locality of Batmaloo in central Srinagar which has recently witnessed a spurt in militant activities.

Terming the arrest as a "major breakthrough", the spokesman said a pistol, one magazine and eight cartridges were seized from one of the militants.

The security forces stepped up anti-militant operations in the Batmaloo area following a militant attack on an Army camp in Haft-Chinar on Sunday, which was viewed in government circles as a "major security lapse", official sources said.

The attack came at a time when the Civil Secretariat and other offices reopen in the Kashmir valley in the second week of May after six months of functioning in Jammu. The Civil Secretariat is located near the Batmaloo area and has been attacked on a number of occasions.

The spokesman said a militant was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Nasbadra Gund in Anantnag district last evening.

Four militants were arrested during search operations and raids in Baramula, Pulwama, Badgam and Srinagar districts.

The security forces also searched the Katwara Nar forest in Kupwara. A general purpose machine gun, a pistol, two anti-personnel mines, two improvised explosive devices, two grenades and some ammunition were seized from the captured militants and their hideouts.

Question mark over panchayat poll
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, April 27 — Will the panchayat poll, proposed to be held in Jammu and Kashmir in June, be postponed in the wake of the dissolution of the Lok Sabha?

This question is being asked by the state government, the Chief Electoral Officer and leaders of various parties.

Although the Chief Electoral Officer, leaders and government agencies have started making preparations for the proposed poll, two factors are said to have led to rethinking about the poll schedule.

First, the government has not received any firm commitment from the Centre on additional security forces.

Secondly, the government has estimated that over Rs 15 crore will be required for holding the poll.

The state government is not in a position to meet the expenses and security needs unless the Centre comes to its rescue. A section of the ruling National Conference is in favour of holding the panchayat poll either along with the Lok Sabha elections or soon after the general election so that the government does not have to repeat the exercise of sending additional companies of security forces and posting the poll staff.

Reports said the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, who was scheduled to return to India from a foreign tour in the second week of May would discuss the issue of the postponement of the panchayat poll with the Centre and the Chief Election Commission.

There are apprehensions that any violence during the panchayat poll may cast its shadow on the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll.

A section of the National Conference is also apprehensive of the outcome of the panchayat poll. If the mandate goes against the party, it may cast the party dearly in the Lok Sabha poll.

However, another party section is confident of the party's success and feels that if the panchayat poll is held on schedule, its result could help the party prepare itself for the Lok Sabha poll.

Police makes Sonamarg inaccessible
Tribune News Service

SONAMARG, April 27 — The picturesque tourist spot of Sonamarg, 90 km from Srinagar on the Leh highway, is deserted these days due to the blockade of tourist traffic at Gund, 20 km away.

While the locals claim that the tourist traffic was stopped from April 16, the police said there was no tourist traffic allowed since last winters.

Shops and hotels here have closed down as tourists, both domestic and foreign, have not been coming to this place for quite some time. The "ponywallahs" who made their livelihood from the tourist inflow are bereft of their daily earnings. Only security vehicles and the men and machines of Beacon Project of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) looking after the Srinagar-Gumri road, are soon on the roads. There is hardly any population here, and the hoteliers, shopkeepers and labourers as well as "ponywallahs from nearby villages flood this place only when the tourists are here. They have also their livelihood dependent on the Srinagar-Leh highway, which is yet to open for the summers.

"For the past six days, tourists are not being allowed to cross Gund", alleged Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh, owner of the only big hotel, Sonmarg Glacier". "They (police) say that such orders have come from the higher authorities", Sheikh added. He said an impression was being given that there were security threats to tourists. "This is wrong propaganda against us who are working for livelihood here", Ghulam Mohammad said.

The police authorities in Srinagar deny that tourists were being allowed to cross the road from Gund this winter. "There are no security arrangements along the road and we cannot take any risks", said a senior police officer in Srinagar. "There is no road opening party available along the road", the officer added.

But the locals and hotel owners claim that for the past 10 years of militancy no untoward incident had been reported from the area.

Most ambitious project on Chenab
From Balkrishan Prashar

SALAL: The Salal hydroelectric project has been one of the rarest projects in the country in the sense that it comprises two different dams — rockfill and concrete — both being massive.

The Salal project is considered gigantic in terms of power generation as well as in construction material used such as cement, steel, etc.

The successful completion of the 690 MW (six units of 115 MW each) Salal hydroelectric project with 100 per cent indigenous technology and knowhow has been one of the commendable achievements of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC). The project was constructed at a cost of Rs 931.55 crore.

The project is located near Dhyangarh village about 100 km north-west of Jammu and 21 km north of Reasi in Jammu and Kashmir. The project utilises a natural drop available in the Chenab around Dhyangarh loop for electricity generation.

The Chenab rises in two streams — the Chandra and the Bhaga — in Lahaul district of Himachal Pradesh. These two rivers spring from the glacier that slides down from the slopes of Baralacha pass, at an altitude of about 4900 metres. Thereafter, the Chenab flows for 160 km in a north-westerly direction through the Pangi valley in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh to enter Jammu and Kashmir at a height of 1800 metres.

In the folds of the Shivalik hills lies Dhyangarh hillock, embraced by the Chenab at the base. Legend has it that a former ruler, Maharaja Gulab Singh, had stored his treasure in a fortress atop the hillock. Ironically, this hillock was later marked as possible site to yield a different kind of wealth — hydropower. This became the site of the Salal project.

The hydroelectric potential of all 10 identified projects on Chenab is estimated at more than 5900 MW. Out of these, one is in Himachal Pradesh and nine in J & K, including Salal.

The Salal project comprises a concrete dam 113-metre high and 450-metre long constructed atop Dhyangarh ridge with 12 radial gates and provided with six penstocks of 5.23-metre diameter each and 279-metre long.

The construction of the project took over 5 lakh tonnes of cement and about 50,000 tonnes of steel. About 250 different kinds of heavy earthmoving equipment operated by 2000 skilled workmen were deployed for the construction of the rockfill dam. During construction 12,000 persons, including contractors, worked round-the-clock to complete the project.

According to project engineers, the first stage of the Salal project was commissioned in November, 1987 while the last unit of the second stage was synchronised in 1995. The project supplies power to the Northern Grid for onward distribution to Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh.

The power generated from both these stages is supplied to the Northern Grid through four 220 kv transmission lines — two double circuit Salal-Kishenpur lines and two single circuit Salal-Jammu lines. Till date, the project has generated about 22,000 million units of electricity and currently power is sold to the beneficiary states at a low rate of 60 paise per unit.

With the project operating in the Reasi area, a new urban culture has been developed in and around the project. The Salal project has provided prosperity to the local residents either directly or indirectly. Under the afforestation programme, over 6.5 lakh saplings have been planted, of which about 5.34 lakh have developed into trees.

Two APHC leaders arrested
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, April 27 — Over 70,000 Shia Muslims participated in the Muharram procession taken out from Botakadal to Zadibal here today to observe the martyrdom of Imam Hussain on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of Muslim calendar year.

The police, however, prevented groups of people from taking out Muharram procession in Abi Guzar, Guru Bazaar and Exchange Road areas in the Civil Lines area. Two leaders of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), Javed Ahmad Mir and Agha Syed Mehdi, who is also a Shia leader, were held by the police on the Residency Road here today.

The police said the arrests were made for violating restrictions in the city under Section 144, Cr P.C.

Till reports last came in a huge procession taken out on the occasion was going towards Zadibal. Earlier the procession was taken out from Botakadal on the outskirts of the city. The procession culminates at Zadibal, the centre of Shia religious organisations in the city.

This is for the second consecutive year that a Muharram procession was taken out here. The civil administration has been imposing restrictions on the procession in the Civil Lines area. Since last year, the procession is being taken out in the Zadibal area only. A large number of Shia population resides in the area.

MALERKOTLA (FOC): Shia Muslims here on Tuesday observed Muharram to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain Prophet Mohammad's grandson. A Tazia procession was taken out by Anzuman-e-Hussainia from Imambara Khojgan, which passed through Sadar Bazaar, Shish Mahal, Delhi Gate and ended at Karbala near the local bus stand.

A "matam" of swords and chains was performed by a devout in front of the Shish Mahal. A number of Shia families from other states also took part in the procession.

Tight security arrangements were made by the administration on the occasion.

70 buildings destroyed in fire
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, April 27 — Around 70 buildings were gutted and six heads of cattle killed in a devastating fire at Lidru village in Anantnag district of south Kashmir today.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Official sources said the loss of property due to the blaze is estimated at Rs 3 crore. Relief measures were launched soon after the blaze was brought under control.

The structures burnt in the devastating fire included 27 residential houses, 21 cowsheds, 17 kothars or granaries and six shops. The villagers were caught unaware by the fire which began at about 10 a.m.. The flames soon engulfed the whole village.

Relief work by the civil administration included on-the-spot distribution of 50 kg or rice per family in addition to five blankets, 10 kg of sugar and Rs 5000 in cash to the each family.

The Rashtriya Rifles (RR) unit located in the area provided 40 tents as shelter to the villagers who lost their houses in the blaze.

Boy killed in firing by Pak troops

JAMMU, April 27 (PTI) — A boy was killed when Pakistani soldiers opened heavy fire on defence installations and civilian areas along the Line of Control in the Akhnoor sub-sector of Jammu, BSF sources said here today.

The Pakistani troops, using medium weaponry, targeted Najwal village, wounding the boy and some cattle.

The 17-year-old boy, Lovely Kumar, was taken to hospital, where he was declared brought dead, the sources said.

Indian troops fired back from the Pallanwalla, Khour, Jogwan and Najwal areas.

However, no Indian soldier was injured in the firing by the Pakistani troops which began yesterday and ended today.