Jammu Srinagar

Panel to suggest site for university
JAMMU, Oct 24 — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has set up a committee to recommend the site and infrastructure for construction of Mata Vaishno Devi University.

Pak troops fire, minor girl hurt
JAMMU, Oct 24 — Pakistani troops today opened fire from across the Line of Control in Laam sub-sector of Rajouri district in Jammu division, wounding a girl, official reports said here.

• 3 children killed as shell goes off

BJP to play role of Opposition party
JAMMU, Oct 24 — The state unit of the BJP today pledged to struggle against those forces which were trying to reverse the integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the Union of India.

Fiscal crisis echoes in J&K House
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Oct 24 — The eight-day autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, which concluded here on Saturday, revolved round the financial crunch faced by the state. Two major issues of education and power sectors raised repeatedly in the House also hovered round the financial crisis.

However, this was not the first time that financial crisis echoed in the state legislature. It has been the centre of all discussions about development in various sectors for the past about two years. Ever since the National Conference took over the reigns of power in 1996, after a gap of seven years, it had been confronted with reconstruction measures in all sectors. The reconstruction of roads, bridges, school buildings and getting things back in shape after about seven years of destruction due to militancy, became a challenge for the new government. But, soon the state faced financial crisis due to the "step-motherly attitude" of the Centre.

The lack of adequate financial assistance in almost all sectors in the state has been responsible for slow development. But, there has been concern particularly over the ailing education system and worsening power situation. These two sectors were the main focus of attention during the eight-day Assembly session, even as the issue also found its place in the 36-member Legislative Council. The elders also expressed serious concern over the derailed education system and the poor condition of power supply in the state.

Even the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, who attended only the first two days of the session, before his departure on a foreign tour, regretted the plight of schools in the state, especially the ones in remote areas. "Our education system is in shambles. We have not been able to put it back on the rails", Dr Farooq Abdullah said in the House. The Minister for School Education also hinted that the non-availability of funds was largely responsible for the lack of proper facilities in schools. While the government had reconstructed 489 damaged schools at a cost of Rs 43 crore, there was still a need for another Rs 15 crore to refurbish 339 damaged schools, the minister said.

Similar views were also expressed by the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr P.L. Handoo. Mr Handoo admitted that the education system was in a disarray and there was a need to refurbish it with adequate financial assistance. He intervened during a discussion on a resolution moved by an opposition member.

As regards the power sector, a sum of Rs 320 crore had been spent already during the past six months for the purchase of power out of the total budgetary allocation of Rs 550 crore during the current financial year. This might aggravate power crisis as the state would have to purchase more power during winters in view of the decline in water level in hydel projects. These views were expressed by the Minister of State for Power, Mr Syed Abdul Rashid, in reply to the calling attention motion of Sheikh Abdul Rehman of the BSP.

The minister said "electricity produced in our own power stations and free supply from the central generating stations at Salal and Uri is extremely inadequate to meet the demand. Efforts are being made to meet the gap by importing electricity from the northern region, subject to the availability of funds," The state requires 850 MWs of power in the evenings, while less than 200 MWs are generated from the hydel projects in the state. The state owes an amount of Rs 854 crore to the Centre in the power sector alone.

There is already resentment among people against hike in power tariff and decline in the availability of power. The state has already started daily load shedding for at least 10 hours a day in the valley.

Be it the education or the power sector, the payment of second instalment of arrears under the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations to the employees, or completion of work on Legislature Complex, the State is handicapped on account of the financial constraints.

The Opposition members have blamed the state government for utilising funds in various sectors "injudiciously", as the common man suffered a lot on account of relief in various sectors, including employment avenues.

1,800 militants entered valley in summer: Jagat

SRINAGAR, Oct 24 (PTI) — Conceding that there has been a spurt in militancy-related incidents in Kashmir, Director-General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Gurbachan Jagat has said nearly 1,800 militants sneaked into Kashmir from different sectors on the Line of Control (LoC) during this summer.

Taking advantage of the withdrawal of troops for Kargil operations and involvement of the police and paramilitary forces in the elections and smooth conduct of Amarnath yatra, the militants, 60 per cent of whom are foreign mercenaries, sneaked into the valley with directions to disturb peace, he told reporters at Baramula, 55 km from here, yesterday.

During the past two weeks several foreign militants had been killed and large cache of arms seized by the security forces in a major offensive launched in Kupwara, Poonch and other places.

Mr Jagat said the operation had contained militancy to a large extent.

On the recent incident in which three pro-government militants owing allegiance to Ikhwan, working with Army and had succeeded in looting Rs 10,000 at gunpoint from two jawans of 63rd battalion of the Border Security Force (BSF) at Bandipora, Mr Jagat said action under law would be taken against those found guilty.

Earlier, Mr Jagat inaugurated a bridge over river Jhelum which has been renovated by the state police at a cost of Rs 90,000.

This bridge is the only communication mode to Bihama and other surrounding villages in the Baramula district.

The police chief also visited the rehabilitation centre set up under the civic action programme of the J & K police at Bijhama in Uri area of the district for the destitute.

Mr Jagat said on the occasion that a computer training centre would be set up at the rehabilitation centre.

The police chief also inspected police stations at Sheri and Baramula and the Indian Reserve Police fifth battalion headquarters.

Kamal’s assurance to medical students

SRINAGAR, Oct 24 (PTI) — Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Medical Education Sheikh Mustafa Kamal has appealed to private medical college students on an indefinite fast here to end their stir saying a favourable decision on humanitarian grounds would soon be taken.

The students are on fast since October 14 demanding that they be admitted to various government medical colleges, as promised by Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, as despite affiliation to Kashmir University no examination has been held in the prime medical college since four years.

Kamal told reporters yesterday that the government would take up the issue with the Union Health Ministry and the Medical Council of India.

BJP to play role of Opposition party
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 24 — The state unit of the BJP today pledged to struggle against those forces which were trying to reverse the integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the Union of India.

This pledge was taken at a function to celebrate the 116th birth anniversary of the late Pt Prem Nath Dogra, founder of the Praja Parishad which later merged with the Jana Sangh.

The Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, said the BJP was committed to following two cardinal principles laid down by Pt Prem Nath Dogra: preserve the country's unity and struggle against injustice and separatist forces.

Professor Gupta said under the Instrument of Accession Jammu and Kashmir had become a part of India and "we will fight all those forces that try to reverse this accession."

He said the recent Pakistani misadventure in Kargil had forced those world powers which were trying to undo the accession to realise the ground realities. They had now begun supporting India's stand on Kashmir.

Sensing the anger of party workers and leaders over the prolonged power load shedding, Professor Gupta said the BJP would continue to play the role of an Opposition party in Jammu and Kashmir notwithstanding the fact that the ruling National Conference was a constituent of the NDA. He said the BJP would focus on the people's problems.

While paying tributes to Pt Prem Nath Dogra, several BJP leaders criticised the state government for giving a "raw deal" to the people of the Jammu region. They referred to the prolonged power cuts which had made the life of Jammu residents difficult.

Report on Kargil in few weeks
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 24 — The Subramaniam Committee constituted by the Centre to probe into the reasons for the Kargil intrusion in May this year will submit its report to the government within a few weeks.

Talking to mediapersons here this afternoon, the committee Chairman K.Subramaniam said the panel had almost completed the report. The members of the committee, Mr K. Subramaniam, Mr B.G. Verghese, Lieut-Gen K.K. Hazari, Mr S.D. Pradhan, Brig Ajit Gandotra and Group Captain R. Mohan, who were on their third visit to Jammu and Kashmir, said they had received all cooperation from the people, the civil administration, Army officials and the media in the completion of their findings.

Mr Subramaniam informed that the committee had two terms of reference. One was to review the development leading to the intrusion and the other was to ensure that such a thing did not recur and suggest remedial measures.

The Chairman said the panel had investigated everything that had been published regarding Kargil, including the letter by Brig Surinder Singh to his bosses. The committee members also met the officer, he added.

Pak troops fire, minor girl hurt

JAMMU, Oct 24 (PTI) — Pakistani troops today opened fire from across the Line of Control in Laam sub-sector of Rajouri district in Jammu division, wounding a girl, official reports said here.

Five-year-old Akhtar Begum of Parkhon village in Laam sector received bullet injuries in her leg outside her residence and was later rushed to the Army hospital, the reports said.

Reports of exchange of fire between Pakistani and Indian troops since last evening have also been received from some areas along the international border in the division.

However, there was no loss of life or damage to property on the Indian side, the reports said.

3 children killed as shell goes off

SRINAGAR, Oct 24 (PTI) — Three children, two of them brothers, were killed and another was injured seriously when an unexploded shell they were fiddling with went off in a village field in Baramula, official reports here said today.

Four children, three of them brothers, while playing in the field at Panar village near Bandipora town yesterday, found the shell and started fiddling with it.

The shell then exploded killing three of them on the spot. Another boy was injured seriously the report said.

Those killed have been identified as Shabir Ahmad Khan (7), Nazir Ahmad Khan (12) and Mumtaz Ahmad Khan (10).

Panel to suggest site for university

JAMMU, Oct 24 (UNI) — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has set up a committee to recommend the site and infrastructure for construction of Mata Vaishno Devi University.

The state government had passed the Mata Vaishno Devi University Act last year and Gen K.V. Krishna Rao, the then Governor, had laid the foundation stone of the university at Katra in April, 1998.

Official sources said here that the committee would submit its report as early as possible. The six-member committee includes Mr Mohinder Mishra, former Vice-Chancellor, Sampurnanand University, Dr Viad Nath Director Institute of Technology, Delhi University, Prof R.R. Sharma, VC, Jammu University, Mr S.S. Kapoor, Commission/Secretary, Education, J and K, Dr D.N. Kotwal and Mr H.L. Maini.

The first meeting of the committee will be held in November. The shrine board has already allocated Rs 20 crore for the university.