J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Pak firing along border continues
Situation disturbing, says BSF officer
R.S. Pora (Jammu), May 28
Renu Bala (16) writhes in pain at Jammu Medical College where she has been admitted for treatment to bullet wounds which she sustained at Garh Kha village in the Akhnoor sector.

3.47 cr sanctioned for Bilaspur
Kathua, May 28
To improve the socio-economic condition of the people of Bilaspur tehsil, the Union Ministry of Rural Areas Development and Employment has sanctioned Rs 3.47 crore under the Naz Watershed Development Master Plan Project, Billawar.

Sec 144 imposed outside exam centres
Kathua, May 28
The Additional Magistrate, Kathua, Mr U.C. Dingra, has imposed Section 144 of the Cr PC within a radius of 100 metres from the examination centres of BA/BSc/BCom part I, II and III examinations of Jammu University. 

Pak firing along border continues
Situation disturbing, says BSF officer
M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

R.S. Pora (Jammu), May 28
Renu Bala (16) writhes in pain at Jammu Medical College where she has been admitted for treatment to bullet wounds which she sustained at Garh Kha village in the Akhnoor sector.

Renu Bala went to sleep outside her house in the wee hours of today as there was no electricity. As she got close to the bed, she was hit by a bullet which was fired by the Pakistan Rangers from across the border.

Since Saturday evening various areas on this side of the international border have witnessed heavy Pakistan firing.

At Jabowal village, people said during the past three days they had to pass sleepless nights. According to Ram Prakash, “We cannot take our cattle for grazing after we lost some in the firing.”

Yash Pal, a sarpanch, said during the past three days five buffaloes were killed in the firing at Jabowal. He said the moment the sun sets “we are tormented by the rain of bullets.” He showed half a dozen houses with bullet marks.

Ram Prakash said: “We sleep inside the house. Nobody dares to sleep on the roof,” adding that “If there is no load shedding, we switch off the lights to avoid being targeted.”

A senior BSF officer said: “We have dug additional bunkers where our troops keep a watch. We are intrigued over the unprovoked firing resorted by the Pakistan Rangers.”

The BSF officer said during the past six months it was quiet not only on the international border but also on the LoC. He said it was surprising that while the peace process was being discussed at a senior level, the situation on the ground was contrary.

When Islamabad announced the receipt of the letter from the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, inviting Gen Pervez Musharraf for talks to Delhi, the Pakistan Rangers resorted to heavy firing, he said.

Yash Pal said: “We were not able to sow or harvest for the past five years. Since the peace process initiated by Mr Vajpayee had reduced tension on the border, we were able to carry out harvesting. But during the past four days we have had to complete thrashing of wheat under difficult circumstances,” he said.

The BSF officer said Pakistan troops were creating panic among border villagers so that they would migrate just as it happened at Pallanwala in the Akhnoor during years ago. Nearly 40,000 migrants have been staying in camps and are not prepared to return to their villages because of fear of firing.

He said the situation was disturbing. In reply to a question, he said: “Our boys retaliate whenever the Pakistan troops open fire.”

He admitted that the Pakistan Rangers have resorted to heavy firing to force the BSF to suspend fencing of the border. He said: “Under no circumstances will we abandon the fencing project.”

“We are fencing the border and barbed wire is being erected on Indian soil and Pakistan should have no objection to it,” he said, adding that “fencing of the border had become imperative after Pakistan agencies concentrated on the international border for pushing militants into the Jammu sector. There were more than 30 infiltration bids last year in which 39 intruders were killed. During the past five months there were 10 infiltration attempts in which 12 militants were killed.”

Meanwhile, the Army has started organising camps for youths in the border villages of Poonch and Rajouri to train them against terrorist attacks.

In the Sunderbani area of Rajouri, more than 100 youths have been given training and it will strengthen the network of the village defence committees.

The programme is to be extended to other areas in Poonch and Rajouri districts where the security forces have started “operation flush out”. During the past five months, nearly 200 militants in Poonch and Rajouri districts have been eliminated. Most of them were foreign mercenaries.

Defence Ministry sources said once Poonch and Rajouri were sanitised, the backbone of militancy in the Jammu region would be broken.

3.47 cr sanctioned for Bilaspur
Our Correspondent

Kathua, May 28
To improve the socio-economic condition of the people of Bilaspur tehsil, the Union Ministry of Rural Areas Development and Employment has sanctioned Rs 3.47 crore under the Naz Watershed Development Master Plan Project, Billawar.

This was disclosed by the District Development Commissioner, Kathua, Mr Mehboob Iqbal, at a meeting of officers here today.

The project is being implemented by the district administration in coordination with the local non-governmental organisations, Shiva Gram Udyog Mandal, Billawar, and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kathua.

Over 8,650 hectares is being developed in the shape of soil conservation, construction of watershed structures, plantation on community land and development of pastures by the Animal Husbandry and Horticulture Departments. In addition, 356 demonstration units are being raised under the project. Special emphasis have been given for the cultivation and processing of medicinal and aromatic plants in the project. With the implementation of the project, the economic condition of the people of the area will improve.

A mini Dal lake is also coming up at Dal Bajeb near Machaddi and it will be surrounded by groves and walnut trees, almond, apple and medicinal plants like menthol glovervre, lemon, tulsi and salvia.

A number of self-help groups for women have been constituted for setting up their own income-generating units of dairy, poultry, fishery, knitting and tailoring under the project. The scientists of the Regional Research Laboratory, Jammu, and experts from the Union Ministry have been creating awareness among the rural masses to take maximum benefits of the scheme and actively take part in the all-round development of their localities.

Sec 144 imposed outside exam centres
Our Correspondent

Kathua, May 28
The Additional Magistrate, Kathua, Mr U.C. Dingra, has imposed Section 144 of the Cr PC within a radius of 100 metres from the examination centres of BA/BSc/BCom part I, II and III examinations of Jammu University. 

According to the order of the Additional Magistrate, the restrictions have been imposed for the smooth and fair conduct of the examinations. This order will remain in force till July 12, 2001.