J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Demining to be done in phased manner
Jammu, December 14
Gradual demining has been started in several areas on this side of the international border (IB) in the Jammu sector. Defence Ministry sources said that demining had been ordered in phased manner.

Civilian hurt in Pak shelling
Jammu, December 14
Pakistani troops fired mortar shells near the Line of Control in the Naushera sector in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir injuring a civilian, official sources said today.

Police fires in air to disperse agitating docs
Srinagar, December 14
The police today fired in the air to disperse agitating doctors who tried to attack a Station House Officer while protesting against arrest of three of their colleagues on a charge of attempt to murder of a constable, official sources said.

A ‘gift’ from Pak
Jammu, December 14
After several years’ wait, a male sambhar has been found for mating with a 13-year-old deer in the Manda sanctuary on the outskirts of the city.

English from Class I in J&K schools
Jammu, December 14
Jammu and Kashmir Education Minister Harsh Dev Singh today announced that English would be introduced as a medium of instruction in the state’s schools.

Demining to be done in phased manner
Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 14
Gradual demining has been started in several areas on this side of the international border (IB) in the Jammu sector. Defence Ministry sources said that demining had been ordered in phased manner. The areas selected for demining are in those strips of the international border where fencing has been completed.

So far, a stretch of 40 km has been fenced. Work on fencing another 30 km is in progress these days after there was a considerable decline in the intensity of Pak firing and shelling on Indian border villages in the Akhnoor, R.S. Pora and Samba sectors.

By March, 2003, the 30 km border stretch will be fenced with floodlights installed to check infiltration. Another stretch of 110 km is expected to be covered under the fencing plan within the next one year.

The border belts in the Akhnoor, R.S. Pora and Samba sectors were mined following the Indian military build-up on the IB and the LoC about 13 months ago. The decision to deploy additional forces on the border had been taken after reports had reached Delhi that Pakistani troops were planning to carry out a Kargil-type adventure in other sectors of the state. The report had also revealed that large groups of militants had been brought to the “launching points” across the border for being pushed into Jammu amd Kashmir.

As part of the military build-up more than 30,000 acres of land was occupied by the Army. A major portion of it was used for laying mines to check the march of enemy troops.

The mine-laying exercise had affected several thousand farmers who failed to carry out the cultivation of rabi and kharif crops during the past one year. The Centre has agreed to pay over Rs 32 crore by way of compensation for the land occupied by the Army.

Defence Ministry sources said that withdrawing additional forces from the border was not as time consuming and risky as demining work. The sources said that since demining had to be done in a phased manner, it may take more than two months to clear the fields for use by farmers.

Civilian hurt in Pak shelling

Jammu, December 14
Pakistani troops fired mortar shells near the Line of Control in the Naushera sector in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir injuring a civilian, official sources said today.

Police fires in air to disperse agitating docs

Srinagar, December 14
The police today fired in the air to disperse agitating doctors who tried to attack a Station House Officer while protesting against arrest of three of their colleagues on a charge of attempt to murder of a constable, official sources said.

The agitating doctors of a dental college, besides trying to attack the SHO of Karan Nagar police station, also beat up an autorickshaw driver who was passing by, they said.

The doctors were protesting against the arrest of their three colleagues after a constable Bilal Ahmad was allegedly beaten up by three doctors two days ago.

The doctors alleged that their colleagues were being framed and have struck work since then.

The constable’s condition was stated to be critical, the sources said. PTI

A ‘gift’ from Pak
Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 14
After several years’ wait, a male sambhar has been found for mating with a 13-year-old deer in the Manda sanctuary on the outskirts of the city. “It is a gift from Pakistan, “said a senior Wildlife Protection officer, expressing hope that the new guest would help in adding to the sambhar population in the sanctuary.

According to the police, the sambhar had strayed into the Indian territory through Khariyal village in Arnia sector on this side of the international border two days ago. Border villagers handed it over to the police. It was later handed over to the Wildlife Protection authorities.

The sambhar has been lodged in an enclosure adjacent to that of a female sambhar in the sanctuary. “It was love at first sight,” said an official of the Wildlife Protection Department.

Mr Syed Ahmed a Ranger, officer of the department, said: “We have kept the sambhar under observation of veterinary surgeons.”

English from Class I in J&K schools

Jammu, December 14
Jammu and Kashmir Education Minister Harsh Dev Singh today announced that English would be introduced as a medium of instruction in the state’s schools.