J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Crises plague life in J&K
JAMMU, Jan 17 — With the sunset shops are shut and people bolt themselves inside their homes not only in the Kashmir valley but also in several parts in the Jammu region. Even Jammu city wears a deserted look after 8 p.m.

250 striking employees held
JAMMU, Jan 17 — The police lobbed teargas shells and arrested nearly 250 striking state government employees who took out processions today in several areas to press for dearness allowance and arrears.

Crises plague life in J&K
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Jan 17 — With the sunset shops are shut and people bolt themselves inside their homes not only in the Kashmir valley but also in several parts in the Jammu region. Even Jammu city wears a deserted look after 8 p.m.

In several border areas, including Poonch, Rajouri, Akhnoor, R.S. Pora and Samba, life comes to a halt immediately after the dusk. People in these villages fear strike from Pak infiltrators. While people put up with these crises, the State Government is looking forward to more funds and para-military battalions.

The State Government and security forces are trying to grapple with the situation that has risen from the stepped up militancy-related violence and the 26-day-long strike by the government employees and power cuts.

On the 26th day of the strike today the employees fought a pitched battle with the police at a couple of places here. Thirty persons, including 10 policemen, were injured. The employees once again violated Section 144 of the Cr PC and staged massive demonstrations. They even tried to storm into the Civil Secretariat, but were pushed back by the police.

Shopkeepers put up shutters when they saw employees engaged in a ding-dong battle with the police. Three women employees also sustained injuries. More than 25 were admitted to hospital.

The State Government has announced its inability to concede the demands of the employees. The State would have to shell out Rs 570 crore to pay off DA and wage arrears to the employees. The Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) has accused the State administration of violating agreements it had reached with the employees.

The EJAC seems to have been worked up following the enforcement of Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA). Several political parties, including the Congress and the BJP have condemned the Government's decision to invoke the provisions of ESMA. And for the past 26 days work has been paralysed in the Civil Secretariat, other government offices, hospitals and educational institutions.

The financial crisis has debarred employees from withdrawing a portion of money from their Provident Fund. Pensioners are the worst sufferers. Cases of more than 10,000 pensioners are still to be settled.

Contractors and suppliers, registered with the State Government, is the other affected section. They have not received payments for bills running into several hundred crores during the past over 15 months. Many suppliers are on the verge of closing down their establishment.

Another crisis that has upset life in the state is power cuts up to 20 hours. Though the government announced that power would be supplied for four hours a day, the usual supply period has further shrunk to less than two hours.

Two factors have caused severe power crisis in the valley. First, the steep fall in generation from two major power projects, the 480-MW-Uri project and the 105 MW-Lower Jehlum project. At present out of 585 MW installed capacity in these two projects the generation ranges between 75 MW and 80 MWs. The valley has a requirement of 700 MWs, but gets just 150 MWs. The blowing up of the Wagoora transmission tower and the snapping of 220 KV line has disrupted transmission on the Udhampur-Pampore line.

The power engineers have said it may take two to three months to repair the entire transmission system.

The Jammu-Srinagar highway has been blocked due to heavy snow and landslides. During the past three days the valley has remained cut off from rest of the country.

250 striking employees held

JAMMU, Jan 17 (UNI) — The police lobbed teargas shells and arrested nearly 250 striking state government employees who took out processions today in several areas to press for dearness allowance and arrears.

The arrested were later released on personal bonds, the police said.

Jammu range Inspector-General of Police R.V. Raju told UNI that some persons were injured when the canisters landed on them, but the injuries were minor.

The employees are demanding the release of two instalments of DA and the arrears of the fifth pay commission.

Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has rejected the demands saying the state was facing financial crunch and was not in a position to meet their demands.