J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Guns silent after 19 months in Akhnoor
PALLANWALA (Akhnoor Sector), Dec 8 — After about 19 months, the Pakistani mortar, MM and LM guns have fallen silent in this border belt where 40,000 persons had been forced to flee to safer places.

Hurriyat chief meets Pak diplomats
NEW DELHI, Dec 8 — The All- Party Hurriyat Conference Chairman, Mr Abdul Ghani Bhat, today had a meeting with the officials of the Pakistan High Commission.

Attack on doc: CM given memorandum
JAMMU, Dec 8 — The Association of Ayurvedic Doctors has expressed its anguish and surprise over the delay on the part of the Jammu and Kashmir Government in providing security cover to one of its leading members, Mr Virender Mahajan, who was attacked by miscreants here recently. Dr Mahajan had suffered multiple wounds and fractures and was admitted to Jammu Medical College.

5000 solar devices for J&K villages
JAMMU, Dec 8 — The Department of Science and Technology will install 5000 solar devices in 194 villages of the state during the current financial year. This was stated by the commissioner secretary, science and technology at a meeting of the executive committee of the department held here yesterday.

Guns silent after 19 months in Akhnoor
Tribune News Service

PALLANWALA (Akhnoor Sector), Dec 8 — After about 19 months, the Pakistani mortar, MM and LM guns have fallen silent in this border belt where 40,000 persons had been forced to flee to safer places.

According to Col R.P. Singh, Deputy Commander of the troops guarding this border belt, after the ceasefire was announced by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, there was a sharp decline in the level of Pakistani shelling and firing.

He said, “The Pakistani guns have fallen totally silent after Islamabad declared that its troops have been asked to observe maximum restraint on the LoC.”

As a team of newsmen visited this border belt, soldiers were seen basking in the sun in dusty fields, polishing their guns. “We feel relaxed because since December 4 there has been no shelling or firing from across the border,” said one jawan. Col R.P. Singh said that prior to the ceasefire announcement Pakistani troops used to “pound our villages with mortar shells and LMG and MMG fire”. He said that on an average, Pakistani troops fired 500 mortar shells and nearly 10,000 rounds from small arms in several border belts of Akhnoor sector.

The heavy shelling and firing had forced over 40,000 border villagers to flee to safer places. During the past 19 months, these hapless villagers have been living in miserable conditions in eight tented camps. Their misery had been compounded when they could not carry out their farming practices.

The prolonged suspension of farming operations has converted fertile fields into barren belts. Tall grass fields have replaced rice, wheat and maize crops.

The news about the Pakistani guns having fallen silent has brought new hope among the migrants. Tarseem Lal, living in the Devipur migrant camp, said, “We are watching the situation. If the respite in the Pakistani gunfire became a permanent feature we will return to our ancestral villages”.

Roshan Lal, whose shop in this town stands closed during the past over one-and-a-half years, said, “I do not want to take the risk of returning in a hurry to my village at Panjtoot and migrate again if the Pakistani guns roar again”.

However, newsmen saw a semblance of life here and in adjoining villages. Some migrants were seen carrying essential commodities back to their deserted houses. Others were seen giving a facelift to their homes by removing cobwebs and dust from their hitherto locked houses.

Darshan Lal said that migrants “have suffered losses worth several crores of rupees”. He said closure of shops of more than 100 shopkeepers here and in other villages for over one-and-a-half years is a big loss to us. Suspension in cropping practices has proved another nerve breaking experiment for us”.

He, however, felt that the way migrant students suffered in the absence of proper facilities in the camp schools “is the biggest loss to us”.

Hurriyat chief meets Pak diplomats
From Satish Misra
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Dec 8 — The All- Party Hurriyat Conference Chairman, Mr Abdul Ghani Bhat, today had a meeting with the officials of the Pakistan High Commission.

While senior Hurriyat leaders attended the Iftar of the Pakistan High Commissioner, Mr Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, yesterday, Mr Bhat’s meeting today assumes significance in the light of the developments of the past few days.

Mr Bhat also met the Pakistan High Commissioner to finetune the Hurriyat response to the government’s offer of talks and Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee’s offer of considering the Hurriyat request for allowing its leaders to go to Pakistan, the diplomatic sources said.

While more details of the meeting are not available the sources said the Hurriyat leadership is tilting towards entering into a dialogue with the government.

When contacted, a functionary of the Kashmir Awareness Bureau told TNS he was not aware of any such meeting today.

A former Hurriyat Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who attended Mr Qazi’s Iftar yesterday, did not go with Mr Bhat to the Pakistan High Commission along with Mr Bhat as the former is said to be favouring a dialogue with the Centre.

Attack on doc: CM given memorandum
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Dec 8 — The Association of Ayurvedic Doctors has expressed its anguish and surprise over the delay on the part of the Jammu and Kashmir Government in providing security cover to one of its leading members, Mr Virender Mahajan, who was attacked by miscreants here recently. Dr Mahajan had suffered multiple wounds and fractures and was admitted to Jammu Medical College.

The demand is contained in a memorandum the association has submitted to the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, and the DGP. In the memorandum the association has appealed to the Chief Minister to intervene, besides providing security to the doctor, direct the police to arrest all culprits.

A former Union Minister Mr R.K. Hegde, has urged the Chief Minister to ask the DGP to take action.

Dr Mahajan told TNS that he felt unsafe after the attack and was highly critical of the delay in arresting the culprits.

However, the police said two persons were arrested and the car used in the offence had been impounded.

5000 solar devices for J&K villages
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 8 — The Department of Science and Technology will install 5000 solar devices in 194 villages of the state during the current financial year. This was stated by the commissioner secretary, science and technology at a meeting of the executive committee of the department held here yesterday.

Those present at the meeting were told that the department would install 3000 house lighting system and 2000 solar lanterns in villages where there was no electricity. In addition solar-driven water mills would be installed in backward areas of the state and 60,000 improved stoves would be made available in different villages by the department during the period.

Under the Border Area Development Programme 200 home lighting systems would be installed in 27 villages of Kargil, 250 in 20 villages of Kupwara district, 600 in 21 villages of Baramula district, 50 in one village of Poonch district and 400 in 18 villages of Rajouri district.