Work hit in govt offices, PSUs
JAMMU, Nov 30 — Work in several government offices and public sector undertakings was affected when employees remained absent from duty and staged demonstrations at a number of places here today in protest against the delay in releasing two instalments of dearness allowance. The public sector undertaking employees were demanding release of cost of living allowance.

2 BSF jawans hurt in blast
SRINAGAR, Nov 30 — Two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were seriously injured when a landmine planted by militants blew up their vehicle in Baramula district of north Kashmir, an official spokesman said here today.

Nursing students demonstrate
JAMMU, Nov 30 — Students of a nursing training school staged a demonstration here today demanding apology from the Editor of local daily State Times for a report which had been already denied by the government.

Cong men gherao minister's residence
JAMMU, Nov 30 — Congress workers gheraoed the residence of the Power Minister, Mr Syed Abdul Rashid, here today and prevented him from moving out of his house for four hours.

Militants very close to Srinagar: BSF
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Nov 30 — The BSF has launched winter operations against militants in Kashmir, following a series of "sensational attacks" by militants in the past two months, which included attacks on Badami Bagh cantonment and the Civil Secretariat.

Disclosing this here today, the IG, BSF, Kashmir Mr K. Vijay Kumar, said foreign militants were active in Kashmir as well. It was evident from the seizure of sophisticated weapons.

"Foreign militants are very close to Srinagar", Mr Kumar told a press conference on the eve of the 34th Raising Day of the BSF. He said these militants were found in peripheries of Srinagar city connecting it with Budgam district. Claiming that there were about 1500 foreign militants operating in the valley, the IG said more than 12 foreign militants were killed in the area recently in different encounters.

The operations were launched against militants in different areas of central Kashmir and "good results" were coming out. Commenting on the role of the BSF, the IG said there were achievements as well setbacks to the paramilitary troops in different operations during the current year. This was in particular due to the situation in Kargil, he said adding that efforts were on to restore normalcy in the valley.

Giving details of the operations launched by the BSF this year, he said 142 militants were killed and 358 others were apprehended, while 10 had surrendered. The arms and ammunition seized included 387 arms and 21844 ammunition. The BSF also lost 35 personnel during encounters with the militants this year.

Over the past one decade of militancy, 1698 militants had been killed by the BSF while it had apprehended 8710 others, a statement of the BSF frontier headquarters said. It added that 898 militants had surrendered and the BSF had lost 505 personnel which included 23 officers, 40 SOs and 442 other ranks during this period.

Protest against more autonomy to J&K
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Nov 30 — Cutting across party affiliations, the people of Ladakh are up in arms protesting against the move of the state government to introduce a Bill on restoration of greater autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir within the ambit of the report prepared by the autonomy committee in the state legislature.

The people staged a demonstration in Leh yesterday. A protest rally was also organised by members of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA). Leaders belonging to the National Conference, the Congress and the BJP participated in the rally.

The LBA leaders, including its president Tsering Samphel, described the move for restoration of greater autonomy to the states as "dangerous" and said that it would further jeoparadise the interests of the people of the Ladakh and the Jammu regions by subjugating them to the political leadership of the Kashmir valley.

Mr Samphel alleged that the demand for greater autonomy raised by the National Conference was similar to the secessionist activities of the militants. He further alleged that the only difference was that while the militants wanted 'Azadi' through gun the National Conference wanted it by tabling a Bill in the Assembly.

The LBA leaders warned the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, that in case he persisted with his efforts of restoring to the state greater autonomy, the people of Ladakh and Jammu would seek separate statehood. Mr Samphel said be would not oppose greater autonomy for the Kashmir valley and that could be granted only after the bifurcation of the state.

He urged the Centre not to get "swayed" by the "sweet-tongued" Dr Abdullah and realise the gravity of the situation in the state which could assume alarming dimensions if Constitutional status prior to 1953 was restored to the state.

Mr Samphel said that in case the centre was forced to conceed the demand of Dr Abdullah, Jammu and Ladakh should be separated from the Kashmir valley. The protesters raised anti-Farooq Abdullah slogans and set ablaze the copies of the autonomy committee report.

Work hit in govt offices, PSUs
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Nov 30 — Work in several government offices and public sector undertakings was affected when employees remained absent from duty and staged demonstrations at a number of places here today in protest against the delay in releasing two instalments of dearness allowance. The public sector undertaking employees were demanding release of cost of living allowance.

Employees shouted slogans and hundreds of them were stopped by the police a furlong away from the civil secretariat where they planned to hold a demonstration.

The demonstrators were also demanding payment of arrears of the pay revision under the Fifth Pay Commission report. The employees threatened to prolong their strike in case their demands were not conceded.

One demonstration was led by the president of the National Mazdoor Conference, Mr Subhash Shastri, who urged the state government to honour the commitment made to the employees six months ago.

He said since the Centre had assured the state of financial assistance there was no reason for the cash crunch and demanded that part of the central funds be utilised on meeting the long-pending demands of the employees.

The state government functionaries said since the state was faced with serious financial crisis it was beyond the resources of the state authorities to release the two instalments of dearness allowance and arrears of the pay revision. They said the state government had taken up several issues connecting the fiscal crisis with the Centre and the moment additional funds were released the employees demands would be met.

Mr Shastri also demanded regularisation of the services of daily wage earners, increase in their wages from Rs 45 to Rs 100 per day and issuance of uniforms for class IV employees.

2 BSF jawans hurt in blast

SRINAGAR, Nov 30 (PTI) — Two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were seriously injured when a landmine planted by militants blew up their vehicle in Baramula district of north Kashmir, an official spokesman said here today.

Militants had laid the landmine last night on the main road linking Sopore and Bandipora near Adipora village.

The ultras fled the scene after triggering the explosion. No militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the blast so far.

The injured have been shifted to hospital.

The spokesman confirmed a shooting incident at Lal Bazaar here yesterday in which, he said, militants equipped with silencer-fitted pistols shot dead a policeman at point-blank range.
Nobody had been arrested in this connection.

The body of an unidentified person was found in Pulwama district of south Kashmir last night.

Nursing students demonstrate
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 30 — Students of a nursing training school staged a demonstration here today demanding apology from the Editor of local daily State Times for a report which had been already denied by the government.

The female nurses entered into a scuffle with the women police during which one officer was manhandled by the demonstrators. The police rushed to the spot and pacified the nurses.

On the other hand Shiv Sena members led by its President, Mr Ashok Gupta, took out a procession and staged a dharna in a public park demanding a judicial probe into the attack on the newspaper's office by the students of the nursing school. The protesters had ransacked the office and damaged equipment and furniture.

Mr Ashok Gupta opposed the magisterial inquiry ordered by the government.

Cong men gherao minister's residence
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 30 — Congress workers gheraoed the residence of the Power Minister, Mr Syed Abdul Rashid, here today and prevented him from moving out of his house for four hours.

The protesters were demanding immediate measures for providing uninterrupted supply of electricity. The minister first invited some of the leaders for talks but the protesters demanded that Mr Rashid should come out and make a commitment before the agitators.

The protesters were carrying placards criticising the role of the National Conference government in the state and the NDA rule at the Centre.

Mr Raman Bhalla, a Congress worker, demanded the immediate scrapping of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 which had placed restrictions on river water for power generation. He said it was shocking that while Pakistan was sending terrorism to Jammu and Kashmir, India was reciprocating it by sending water to Islamabad.

The Congress workers condemned the state government's failure to utilise funds for the purchase of power from the northern grid and for increasing the generation from local projects.

The geherao was lifted only after the minister assured the agitators that he would examine the matter and try to reduce the load shedding period.