J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

2 brothers among 13 killed
SRINAGAR, Nov 14 — Two civilians and 10 militants, some of them foreigners, were among 13 persons killed in Jammu and Kashmir during the past 24 hours, while a carpenter was injured in Pakistani firing near a forward post in the northern sector.

1-cr plan to develop Doda forests
JAMMU, Nov 14 — To save forest belts from further destruction, the state government has drawn up an ambitious plan for preserving the green gold. Under the plan, a massive afforestation programme has been launched throughout the state while four districts, including Doda, have been brought under the Forest Development Agency.

Pak settling ultras in PoK: BNF
SRINAGAR, Nov 14 — Two Pakistan -occupied- Kashmir (PoK) based parties have charged the Pakistan Government with settling terrorists, drug and arms smugglers, and Taliban activists in Balawaristan to convert indigenous people into a minority.

Mafia “buying land” in Uttaranchal
JAMMU, Nov 14 — The state unit of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal today warned the Central Government of Kashmir like situation in the newly created state of Uttaranchal if steps were not taken for the development of this area.

Kashmiris gear up to face winter
SRINAGAR, Nov 14 — With the onset of winter in Kashmir, residents all across the valley have started getting ready to face it. Huge chinars and other trees are fast shedding their leaves that have turned brown due to the autumn wind. “Chillai Kalan”, the hardest part of winter, is only a month away.

2 brothers among 13 killed

SRINAGAR, Nov 14 (UNI) — Two civilians and 10 militants, some of them foreigners, were among 13 persons killed in Jammu and Kashmir during the past 24 hours, while a carpenter was injured in Pakistani firing near a forward post in the northern sector.

An Army spokesman said here on Tuesday evening that the troops belonging to Delta Force killed five militants, three of them foreigners, in two encounter in Bhaderwah tehsil of Doda district.

1-cr plan to develop Doda forests
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Nov 14 — To save forest belts from further destruction, the state government has drawn up an ambitious plan for preserving the green gold.

Under the plan, a massive afforestation programme has been launched throughout the state while four districts, including Doda, have been brought under the Forest Development Agency.

The state government has earmarked over Rs 1 crore for the development of forest wealth in Doda district, which has been ravaged by timber smugglers and militants.

Official sources said that sprawling forest belts in parts of Kishtwar, Bhaderwah, Doda, especially Paddar and Gandhov areas, have witnessed heavy axing of trees during the past five years. Many rich forest belts in this trouble-torn district stand almost denuded. Forest belts in Anantnag, Pulwama and Kupwara districts in the Kashmir valley too have lost more than 60 per cent of their “green gold”.

In Doda district, more than 58 cases of fire in timber depots have been registered during the past five years. In these mysterious blazes, timber worth several hundred crores has been lost. So far, the investigating agencies have not identified the suspects.

The state government has decided to allocate Rs 15 lakh to each assembly segment in the four districts which was meant solely for the development of forest lands, soil conservation and afforestation.

The government has amended the 70-year-old Forest Act giving forest officers additional powers to deal firmly with timber smugglers. According to the Forest Minister, Peerzada Ghulam Ahmed, a forest protection force was being raised. Already several hundred men of the force had been deployed in various forest belts after the required training. These men would be equipped with weapons to deal firmly with timber smugglers.

Officers of each forest compartment had been directed to remain vigilant and check smugglers.

Pak settling ultras in PoK: BNF

SRINAGAR, Nov 14 (PTI) — Two Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) based parties have charged the Pakistan Government with settling terrorists, drug and arms smugglers, and Taliban activists in Balawaristan to convert indigenous people into a minority.

Property worth millions was ruined in Balistan and innocent lives were lost due to isi’s cross-border terrorism, but no compensation was paid to the local people who were badly affected due to these activities, he added.

Mafia “buying land” in Uttaranchal
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 14 — The state unit of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal today warned the Central Government of Kashmir like situation in the newly created state of Uttaranchal if steps were not taken for the development of this area.

Addressing a press conference here today, prominent Uttaranchal leader and founder of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD), Swami Darshan Bharati, said mafia groups of Delhi and Mumbai were purchasing land in the newly formed state and if the process continues, the day would not be far when the state would be ruled by the mafia. He said people of the area had achieved their demand of a separate state after a lot of struggle. But they had failed to get their due share. He stated that the Uttaranchal Government was not an elected government but imposed government which failed to understand the problems of the local people.

Kashmiris gear up to face winter
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Nov 14 — With the onset of winter in Kashmir, residents all across the valley have started getting ready to face it. Huge chinars and other trees are fast shedding their leaves that have turned brown due to the autumn wind. “Chillai Kalan”, the hardest part of winter, is only a month away.

The dry spell of autumn, like previous years, has gradually changed the otherwise lush green environs of the valley. The Mughal gardens have turned brown with a deep cover of dry chinar leaves falling on the sprawling lawns alongside the Dal Lake.

The leaves are a source of income for many. A number of people, mostly belonging to the labour class, earn money through the collection and burning of the dry chinar leaves. The burnt leaves are used as a catalyst in charcoal in the kangri or the fire pot during the winters. The fire pot comes in handy for people in Kashmir to warm themselves in the absence of proper supply of electricity.

The Electricity Department has already started a load-shedding schedule from October 5. Depending upon the availability of power, both from its own hydel sources and from the northern grid, the schedule may be changed during the coming months. As of now, there is a weekly power cut of 42 hours. Due to the decline in the water level of hydel power projects in the valley and decline in the availability from the northern grid on account of the debts to the state, there was a power shortage even during the summer months this year.

In view of the power shortage during winter months when the temperature falls to minus 15 degrees, new mechanical devices have been devised to generate heat inside homes. A kerosene bukhari, designed a few years ago to provide warmth inside houses, offices and business establishments, is becoming popular in the city. A water-heating device has also been designed to provide hot water without the use of electricity using a small quantity of firewood. These are apart from the LPG-run room heaters that were used mostly during the first half of the past decade.

The new devices have taken the place of the traditional use of bukharis which used coke and firewood in most government offices and households.

Kashmiri kahwa, with different varieties, particularly the saffron kahwa, and the special Kashmiri cuisine of Harisa, a preparation of mutton, are a favourite among Kashmiris in the winters. Thousands of people move to the warm environs of Jammu along with the “darbar move” of the civil secretariat and other offices to the winter capital for six months. Many labourers also move to the plains to earn their livelihood and escape the chill.