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3 Hizb militants among 11 killed
Srinagar, June 6

Seven militants, including three of the Pir-Panjal Range of the Hizbul Mujahideen, were among 11 persons killed even as security forces seized a large cache of arms and ammunition in Jammu and Kashmir during the past 24 hours, an official spokesman said today.

Discipline CRPF, says rights panel
Srinagar, June 6

Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission has directed the CRPF Director-General to ensure “proper” and “decent” behavior from the personnel. The commission on March 28, 2003 received a complaint from residents of Buchwara against CRPF personnel stationed in a hotel here stating that they made “obscene remarks” while women passed by the hotel. 

Patnitop bears brunt of pollution
Patnitop (J&K), June 6
The Pollution Control Board and the Patnitop Development Authority are sitting as mute spectators while hoteliers and visitors are defying rules to pollute this only tourist spot on the hills of Jammu. Local as well as outside tourists throng this place on the Jammu-Srinagar highway these days.


The tourist spot of Patnitop on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. — Photo by N. R. Sharma



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  BJP renews demand for civic body poll
Jammu, June 6
The state unit of the BJP has renewed its demand for holding civic elections in Jammu and Kashmir as early as possible. The BJP spokesman, Dr Hari Om, said here today, “we want municipal corporations in Srinagar and Jammu to be elected bodies.”
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3 Hizb militants among 11 killed

Srinagar, June 6
Seven militants, including three of the Pir-Panjal Range of the Hizbul Mujahideen, were among 11 persons killed even as security forces seized a large cache of arms and ammunition in Jammu and Kashmir during the past 24 hours, an official spokesman said today.

He said Shabir Ahmad and Zahia Bano died in a blast at Sumlar Bandipora in north Kashmir today.

An encounter took place between militants and security forces at Lassana today during a search operation. In the fierce clash three Hizb militants were killed. Three AK rifles, seven magazines, 90 rounds of ammunition, eight grenades and one wireless set were seized from the slain militants.

The spokesman said in a similar encounter at Mankote, security forces gunned down two militants of the Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) last night. Two AK rifles, seven magazines, 130 rounds, one grenades and Rs 18,000 in Indian currency and Rs 150 in Pakistani currency were seized from the slain militants.

Two more militants were killed by the security forces today at Root Marmat, the spokesman said, adding that a large cache of arms and ammunition were seized from the site of the encounter.

Militants abducted and later killed Rishi Kumar in the Gubar forest and Mohammad Iqbal, a carpenter at Nalthi nullah last night.

Militants abducted Jan Mohammad Deva from his Shopian house while security forces arrested two militants along with three UBGL grenades and a hand grenade at Pulwama.

Security forces and the police, in a joint operation, seized two IEDs, 27 kg explosives, and five UBGL grenades at Aram Naka and Banihal last night.

JAMMU: A special police officer (SPO) was killed when militants lobbed a grenade at a police patrol party in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said here on Sunday.

A police party was on its way to an operational area, when militants hurled a grenade on them near the Doda forest area last night.

The grenade hit SPO Inder Singh critically injuring him. He died on way to hospital. — UNI, PTI
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Discipline CRPF, says rights panel

Srinagar, June 6
Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission has directed the CRPF Director-General to ensure “proper” and “decent” behavior from the personnel. The commission on March 28, 2003 received a complaint from residents of Buchwara against CRPF personnel stationed in a hotel here stating that they made “obscene remarks” while women passed by the hotel. The complaint also said that they were involved in power theft from the service line. In his two-page judgement, Justice A.M. Mir took strong exception to passing of obscene remarks and described it as violation of Human Rights.

The security forces, Justice Mir said, were defence forces and they should behave in a decently and dignified manner.

“Our people I know for obvious reasons are not in a position to report matters to the higher authorities of these forces... This is perhaps why they find it easy to approach the commission,” he added.

Justice Mir also directed that the unit stationed at Bachwara should be supervised.

About the power theft by the CRPF personnel, the commission observed that the matter pertains to the Power Development Department and said, “It is for department to take proper action.” UNI
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Patnitop bears brunt of pollution
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Patnitop (J&K), June 6
The Pollution Control Board (PCB) and the Patnitop Development Authority (PDA) are sitting as mute spectators while hoteliers and visitors are defying rules to pollute this only tourist spot on the hills of Jammu. Local as well as outside tourists throng this place on the Jammu-Srinagar highway these days.

Several green deodar trees have dried up in the area as most of the hotels, which have mushroomed during the past few years, are releasing untreated waste water in the forest.

The ban on carrying polythene bags here is being defied not only by tourists, but also by various government agencies functioning in the area. The lush-green meadows here are littered with polythene bags and waste material. The District Magistrate, Udhampur, had banned carrying and use of polythene bags here since April 22 last year, but the order has remained only on paper.

According to a report of the PCB, not a single hotel, including the government-owned Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation, has installed any effluent treatment plant and the effluents are being allowed to flow into the forest. This has resulted in drying up of more than 25 deodar trees.

Proper disposal of garbage and its collection is lacking. There are very few dustbins and the area is littered with polythene bags. The PCB has pointed out that the mismanagement reflects the inefficiency of the authorities. The PDA has not involved the residents of the area in the desired manner for its upkeep and the Forest Department is helplessly watching the destruction of trees.

Erosion of soil has started at many places in the area as a number of hotels and lodges have been allowed to be constructed. The construction of several roads has also taken its toll on green trees.

The PCB has vainly been trying to persuade the PDA and the Tourism Department for taking action against erring hoteliers. The hotel owners have not bothered to respond to the repeated notices issued by the PCB, it is learnt.

More than 50 kg of garbage and 70,000 litres of liquid waste are being generated here everyday.

The Supreme Court had some time ago issued instructions that there should be no threat to deodar trees and that hotels, lodges and guest houses should install effluent treatment plants.
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BJP renews demand for civic body poll
Our Correspondent

Jammu, June 6
The state unit of the BJP has renewed its demand for holding civic elections in Jammu and Kashmir as early as possible. The BJP spokesman, Dr Hari Om, said here today, “we want municipal corporations in Srinagar and Jammu to be elected bodies.”

He said the BJP was doubtful if the PDP-led government would go in for early elections to the Civic bodies. “Neither is the congress in a position to win the municipal elections in Jammu nor can the PDP win a majority of the seats in the Srinagar corporation elections,” he said.

Dr Hari Om said “We will wait for another month and in case the government does not order elections to the civic bodies the BJP will launch an agitation.”

He accused the Congress and the PDP of creating confusion over the coalition stand on the Permanent Resident (disqualification) Bill, adding that while Congress leaders were opposed to the adoption of the Bill the PDP leader and Finance Minister, Mr Muzaffar Hussain Beig announced a day earlier that the Government was committed to passing the Bill.”

He wanted the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and the AICC President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, to remove the confusion created by their contradictory stand on the issue.

The spokesman said the Jammu unit of the BJP would shortly finalise its strategy for winning the support of the electorate in the Basholi and Akhnoor Assembly constituencies where the byelection is due after the two MLAs from these areas, Mr Lal Singh and Mr Madan Lal Sharma, were elected to the Lok Sabha.
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