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| Friday, October 6, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Army chief: situation
on LoC uneasy Nod to plan on poll
funding Make LoC International
Border: Farooq J&K to get 12 pc
power from seven projects Surjewala for consensus
on Kashmir issue |
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Army chief: situation
on LoC uneasy SRINAGAR, Oct 5 — The Chief of the Army Staff, Gen S. Padmanabhan, here today said that situation along the Line of Control (LoC) was “uneasy with daily exchanges of firing” and lot many attempts of infiltration. Talking to mediapersons here this afternoon on the second day of his three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, first after he took over, Gen Padmanabhan said that there were frequent actions along the borders. He added that the situation within the state seemed to be “alright” and operations against the militants were going on “very well”. In reply to a question, Gen Padmanabhan said that since the primary aim of the Army was to protect the borders, it was “necessary for us to fight the proxy war”. He said the territorial integrity of a country can also be affected by other means like the ongoing proxy war in Kashmir. “In such cases it is like the same fight”, Gen Padmanabhan said. He was replying a question on the press reports about the role of Army within the country. The Army chief said that the Army would continue to fight insurgency and the troops were doing well in the farflung areas of the state. He said that he was happy to know that their morale was good. During the past two days, the Army chief visited different areas of the Kashmir valley and some areas close to the LoC. Gen S.Padmanabhan is scheduled to visit Ladakh areas tomorrow. The Army chief had detailed meetings with the Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police, IGs of the Border Security Force, the Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Mr Girish Chandra Saxena, and the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah and his Cabinet colleagues. Gen Padmanabhan had held the position of the Corps Commander of 15 Corps here in the early nineties. |
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Nod to plan on poll
funding SRINAGAR, Oct 5 — The Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet yesterday approved the proposal for state funding of elections. The Cabinet under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, considered the recommendations of a high-power committee set up by the Union Government for providing state funds to the recognised political parties for elections. The recommendations envisage creation of an election fund for part funding of election by the state government and seeking a contribution of Rs 10 per voter per annum. This amount comes to Rs 5 crore annually for the state. Similarly, the Union Government would also contribute to the fund. In view of the tight financial position, the Cabinet decided to request the Central Government to meet the entire expenditure in full in case of Jammu and Kashmir. According to an official spokesman, under the proposal of State funding of elections, the candidate of a recognised political party will be provided specified quantity of petrol for vehicles, one set of loud speakers for every Assembly segment subject to a maximum of six sets for a parliamentary constituency, one telephone for each Assembly segment and six telephones for a parliamentary constituency. The proposal also provides for a minimum arrangements for campaign booth outside every polling station, refreshment and food packets for counting agents in counting halls. At the state headquarters the recognised political parties will be provided rent free accommodation and telephone with specified free calls. The election laws would be amended to curb the mounting expenses. These include restriction on wall writings, display of cut-outs, hoardings, banners, flags (except at party office and public meetings), use of more than specified number of vehicles for campaigning and publicity and holding public meetings beyond the specified hours. All donations to political parties above Rs 10,000 should be strictly paid by cheques. The state government had already communicated its views to the Union Ministry for Laws and Justice on the proposal of funding of elections and after due consideration of all aspects approved the scheme with some suggestions. Our Correspondent adds: Mr Harsh Dev Singh, National Panthers Party, MLA, has flayed the government for its decision regarding state funding of election. He said the state had hardly funds for development activities and under such circumstances the proposal of the government meeting election expenses of political parties was unjustified.
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Make LoC International
Border: Farooq SRINAGAR, Oct 5 — The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah has reiterated that the conversion of Line of Control (LoC) into International Border is the only tangible way to solve problems between India and Pakistan. During a two-hour interaction with five-member British parliamentary delegation, Labour Friends of India, here yesterday, the Chief Minister extensively dwelt on Indo-Pakistan relations, India’s initiatives of peace with the neighbouring country and Pakistan’s active abetment to terrorism in the state. He said the Lahore initiative by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was a major opening towards normalising relations with Pakistan, which infortunately received serious setback due the Kargil incursion by Pakistan, India did not close its doors for dialogue but easing of border tension and stopping terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir was imperative for picking up the threads of talks again. He however, ruled out any third party mediation and said all issues with Pakistan have to be sorted out bilaterally. The Chief Minister emphatically stated that though India yearns for peace, it couldn’t be discussed under pressure or threats. For this onus of creating congenial atmosphere by showing sincerity of purpose lies on Pakistan. Pakistan, he said, has fuelled hostilities with India for over half a century that could jeopardise relations of Indian Muslims with their compatriots. If sincere efforts were not made to grapple with the situation, innocents may become victims, he said, adding that status quo would lead to animosity between various communities in the country. He said Pakistan should reconcile with the reality and help in bringing about peace in the region. Pakistan could also consider giving
greater autonomy to the part of Kashmir under its occupation where the people have neither rights nor the government. Dr Abdullah said Pakistani shelling on borders, though retaliated by Indian forces, has made life of border people miserable. For their safety, erection of massive bunkers has become a necessity. Describing Jammu and Kashmir as proud part of India, the Chief Minister said it would be prudent for Islamabad not to create hype of Kashmir becoming Pakistan. In fact, Pakistan leadership has been thriving on this bogey for 53 years and the time has come for bold leadership to call spade a spade. Dr Abdullah said leaders in the Hurriyat conference were confused. Some talk of plebiscite, some of so-called azadi and others were for merger with Pakistan. He said people of the state had been fed up with gun culture unleashed at the behest of elements from across the border and want peace. He agreed that talks were necessary for bringing about peace in the region and said the recent Centre-Hizb talks fizzled out in just seven days because of Pakistan sabotage. “Talks would have at least given a chance to peace for sometime”, Dr Abdullah observed. |
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J&K to get 12 pc
power from seven projects SRINAGAR, Oct 5 — Jammu and Kashmir will get 12 per cent of the power generated from seven hydel power projects taken up by NHPC in the state. These projects will be returned to the state under a mechanism to be worked out between the Centre and the state government. For the first time, these projects will be constructed on the “boost” basis i.e., build, own, operate and transfer, an official spokesman stated here. The state Cabinet at a meeting here yesterday approved the terms for the execution of these power projects by the NHPC. The Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, chaired the Cabinet meeting. Announcing the decision of the Cabinet, the Chief Secretary, Mr Ashok Jaitly said under the MoU signed by the state government with the Union Ministry of Power, the NHPC would invest Rs 16,000 crore in the next five to seven years on these hydel projects, having a total installed capacity of 2800 MW. The projects are Kishanganga, SEWA II, Uri II, Nimo-Bazgo, Chutak, Burser and Puckal Dal. Special consideration had been given to provide employment to residents of the state. Class III and Class IV staff would be selected from the local areas while 30 per cent of officers and engineers would be taken on deputation from the state government. The NHPC had also agreed to give preference to the applicants of the state in direct recruitment. |
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Surjewala for consensus
on Kashmir issue JAMMU, Oct 5 — The Youth Congress has suggested to the BJP-led NDA Government to take into confidence all major political parties for evolving a consensus for resolving the Kashmir turmoil. The President Youth Congress, Mr Randeep Singh Surjewala, told newsmen after a two-day visit to the border areas of the Jammu sector, here today that the NDA Government should invite all political party leaders in order to frame a policy on resolving the Kashmir turmoil. Mr Surjewala said the government should take firm steps in dealing with the militants. He favoured suitable measures for defeating Pakistan’s plan of stopping up cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and in other states. The Youth Congress President, who was accompanied by the state unit leaders including Mr Yogesh Sawhney, visited border areas in R.S. Pora and the Akhnoor sector yesterday and today. He announced that the Youth Congress would hold a massive anti-Pakistan rally in the Jammu sector next month and such rallies were to be held in other states to awaken people about the nefarious designs of Pakistan Mr Surjewala urged the Central Government to take suitable steps so that the USA, UN and other world bodies declare Pakistan a terrorist state. He said India should persuade the world bodies to dismiss Pakistan from world agencies for exporting terrorism to India. He wanted the central and sate governments to pool their resources and announce an economic package for several thousand displaced families from the border villages in the Akhnoor sector owing to heavy shelling. He said these border villages were living a miserable life in the camps for the past over one year. He urged the state government to introduce special job package for the educated youth among the displaced people. |
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