J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

‘Tehelka’ expose: Cong MLAs ordered out
Jammu, March 15
The Congress members were marshalled out of the Assembly today when they staged a demonstration in the well of the House protesting against the Speaker, Mr Abdul Ahad Vakil’s ruling on adjournment motion moved by them yesterday on the revelations of tehelka.com.

SPO, sarpanch killed, 25 hurt
Srinagar, March 15
At least one special police officer (SPO) was killed and 24 others, including four SPOs, were injured, some of them seriously, in a grenade blast at Anantnag in south Kashmir this afternoon while militants attacked a BSF camp in the down town city this afternoon.

Plans to combat drought in J & K
Jammu, March 15
Contingency plans are being formulated for the Kashmir valley and Jammu region to meet the situation arising out of the continuance of a dry spell threatening the ensuing khariff crop in the state.

10 employees hurt in lathi charge
Jammu, March 15
Atleast 10 employees of public sector undertakings were injured when the police resorted to lathi charge and lobbed teargas sheels to prevent the employees from marching to the civil secretariat to press for release of two instalments of 5th Pay Commission arrears and cost of living allowances.

‘Tehelka’ expose: Cong MLAs ordered out
Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 15
The Congress members were marshalled out of the Assembly today when they staged a demonstration in the well of the House protesting against the Speaker, Mr Abdul Ahad Vakil’s ruling on adjournment motion moved by them yesterday on the revelations of tehelka. com.

Mr Ashok Sharma of the Congress had moved an adjournment on the expose on purchases made in the Defence Ministry. The Speaker today ruled that since the issue was out of the purview of the state and the Assembly he would not allow the adjournment motion to be tabled. The ruling was applied to another adjournment motion moved by the Panthers Party member, Mr Harsh Dev Singh.

Mr Vakil quoted Constitution and the rules of procedure in support of his ruling saying that since Defence was the central subject it could not be discussed in the House. The Congress members protested and they too cited instances when the central issues were discussed in the House. When the Speaker disallowed any discussion the Congress members walked to the well and shouted slogans against the NDA Government.

Some BJP members including Mr Ashok Khajuria too countered the Congress members by shouting anti-Congress slogans from their seats. There was pandemonium in the House and the Speaker ordered the security staff to push out of the House the slogan-shouting Congress members. Mr Vakil said that if they including Mr Ashok Khajuria of the BJP continued to disrupt the proceedings of the House he would have no other alternative but to suspend the members for the rest of the remaining Budget session of the Assembly.

The Speaker rejected another adjournment motion moved by one NC member, Mr Abdul Gani Naseem, on the plea that the decision to declare Kashmir valley and Poonch and Rajouri districts as disturbed area under the provisions of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1998 was an old decision and the period of the Act had been extended.

Mr Vakil said that the Act had been promulgated during the then Governor’s rule. He, however, directed the state Government to make a statement on the matter by way of explanation since the members had sought to know whether the state government was consulted when the Act was promulgated again.

SPO, sarpanch killed, 25 hurt

Srinagar, March 15
At least one special police officer (SPO) was killed and 24 others, including four SPOs, were injured, some of them seriously, in a grenade blast at Anantnag in south Kashmir this afternoon while militants attacked a BSF camp in the down town city this afternoon.

Elsewhere in the state, a ruling National Conference Sarpanch was among four persons killed during the past 24 hours.

Official sources told UNI that militants hurled a hand grenade towards security forces at Anantnag this afternoon, causing injuries to 25 persons, including five SPOs.

One injured SPO Ghulam Mohammad Wani later died on way to hospital.

The injured were admitted to different hospitals, sources said.

Militants fired three rifle grenades towards a Border Security Force camp at Shiraz cinema in the down town city this afternoon around 5.45 pm.

The grenades exploded in the compound of the camp without causing any damage, officials said.

Pro-Pakistani Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the attack on the BSF camp.

Militants hurled a hand grenade at a Border Security Force picket at Ali Kadal in the down town city this afternoon, injuring two jawans.

Militants shot dead Sarpanch, Mohammad Ramzan Sheikh, at Waterkhani in the frontier district of Kupwara late last night, while the body of a three wheeler driver Mohammad Shafi Mir was recovered at Bona Dayalagam in the south Kashmir this morning.

Militants shot at and wounded one Bashir Ahmad Lone at Botengoo Sopore last evening. Mr Lone, a shopkeeper, succumbed to injuries in hospital this morning.

The police said unidentified militants entered the house of one Habib at Madoon Darhal and shot him dead late last night. His wife sustained injuries in the militant firing, he said. UNI

Plans to combat drought in J & K
Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 15
Contingency plans are being formulated for the Kashmir valley and Jammu region to meet the situation arising out of the continuance of a dry spell threatening the ensuing khariff crop in the state.

The contingency plans will take care of the cropping pattern in different agro climatic zones keeping in view the availability of irrigation facilities.

A decision to this effect was taken at a joint interaction held between scientists of Skuast, Kashmir, Agriculture University, Jammu, and Heads of the Development Department yesterday.

The Financial Commissioner, Agriculture Production, Mr I.S. Malhi, presided. The Vice-Chancellors of both universities also attended the 8th interaction session, which lasted nearly six hours.

10 employees hurt in lathi charge
Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 15
Atleast 10 employees of public sector undertakings were injured when the police resorted to lathi charge and lobbed teargas sheels to prevent the employees from marching to the civil secretariat to press for release of two instalments of 5th Pay Commission arrears and cost of living allowances.

Yesterday also several employees most of them belonging to the state Road Transport Corporation were injured in the police action when the protesters blocked the main highway near the Tawi bridge.

After the police action near Shalimar Chowk today scores of PSU employees squatted on the main road shouting slogans alleging discrimination by the state government. The protesting, employees said that the state authorities had violated their own commitment made to the PSU employees and for the past three years cost of living allowance arrears had not been paid. They said despite some PSUs showing profit for the past four years the state government continued to give a raw deal to them.