J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Installation of electronic meters at  a snail’s pace in J&K
Jammu, December 12
The installation of electronic power meters in Jammu and Kashmir is moving at a snail’s speed as a section of the pampered employees of the Power Development Department (PDD) has allegedly not so far reconciled with the idea of parting with the booty it was earning by leaking electricity.

Two top Harkat militants among five killed
Srinagar, December 12
Two top militants belonging to the Harkat-ul-Jehadi (HUJ) outfit were among five persons killed while a Kashmiri Pandit was shot at and injured in militancy-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since last night, an official spokesman said here today.

Gujjars demand reservation in govt jobs, Parliament
Jammu, December 12
While listing a series of problems Gujjars and Bakerwals face in Jammu and Kashmir, leaders of the Gujjars United Front threatened to boycott the next elections if the ethnic groups were not given due reservation in the state legislature and Parliament.

Resin factory faces closure
Miran Sahib, December 12
Once a flagship of industry in Jammu and Kashmir, the government-owned resin and turpentine factory here is virtually shut without any raw material for producing rosin.

Installation of electronic meters at a snail’s pace in J&K
S. P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 12
The installation of electronic power meters in Jammu and Kashmir is moving at a snail’s speed as a section of the pampered employees of the Power Development Department (PDD) has allegedly not so far reconciled with the idea of parting with the booty it was earning by leaking electricity.

According to a top functionary of the PDD, not more than 3500 meters have been installed in the past over two months against nearly 11 lakh genuine power consumers in the state. Besides, over 10 lakh illegal power connections have been identified in the state.

At this slow speed, it might take a couple of years to complete the job and check the pilferage of electricity which was as high as 60 per cent.

What has baffled people was that the ministers and top functionaries of the government —instead of setting an example by getting these meters installed first in their own houses —have started the exercise in areas where common people reside.

The move was being resented in the Kashmir valley but the authorities have started installing electronic meters in Gandhi Nagar and Trikuta Nagar plush localities of Jammu. Most of these meters have been installed in these colonies, as there was no threat of resistance from the house-owners.

The government had earlier announced that the metering job would be assigned to the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) on a turnkey basis, but the proposal did not materialise as officials of the NTPC were virtually hounded out by the PDD which did not cooperate with them. PDD officials point out that the NTPC was demanding 22 per cent of the total project cost as the cost for installing meters.

This reporter detected that officials of the PDD were installing electronic meters on a selective basis in Gandhi Nagar. While meters have been installed in most houses, a pick-and-choose policy has been adopted in connecting these with the main powerline, thus leaving room for linemen and meter readers to continue with the loot.

PDD Chief Engineer B.L.Garoo said offers would be sought from private parties to simultaneously undertake the job of meter installation to speed up the work.

About five lakh electronic meters are to be installed in Jammu and nearly six lakh in the Kashmir valley.

With the soaring percentage of pilferage of electricity, the government has resorted to a daily power cut of six to seven hours.

It would be an uphill task for the PDD to install these meters particularly in the old city where most power consumers violently resisted the move two years ago.

The state government has procured one lakh meters at a cost of Rs 10 crore. However, these had been lying in the stores of the PDD as the Congress had alleged during the National Conference regime that the meters were faulty. After the PDP-Congress coalition came into power, a committee of ministers was set up to have a look at these meters.

Two top Harkat militants among five killed

Srinagar, December 12
Two top militants belonging to the Harkat-ul-Jehadi (HUJ) outfit were among five persons killed while a Kashmiri Pandit was shot at and injured in militancy-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since last night, an official spokesman said here today.

Acting on a tip-off, troops launched a combing operation to pull out hiding militants in the Kot Bagar area in Gool tehsil of Udhampur district in Jammu today.

The ultras opened fire on seeing the troops and in the resultant gunbattle. the two militants identified as Mohmmad Rafiq and Abdullah were killed, official sources said.

A former militant Khurshid Ahmad Khan succumbed to his injuries at a hospital here today. He was shot at and critically injured by militants at Baramula on November 27, the spokesman said.

The police today recovered two bodies from Jammu and Udhampur districts, the sources said.

During a routine patrol near river Tawi a body was recovered by the police from under the bridge in Jammu city this morning, they said.

Another body in a decomposed state was recovered by the police from Barmeen village of Udhampur district, the sources said.

The body has been identified as that of one Raj Kumar of Gordi village in the district.

Militants shot at and injured a Kashmiri Pandit, Rinku Kumar, at his residence at Lalpora in the Sogam area of Kupwara district last night, he said.

An ultra of the Al Fatah militant outfit at Baderhar in the Handwara area of Kupwara district was apprehended last evening, the spokesman said, adding that an AK rifle and ammunition was recovered from him.

Security forces busted a militant hideout at Bhaderwashan in Banihal sector of Doda district and recovered three detonators, some clothing and 150 kg of ration, the spokesman added.

An Over Ground Worker (OGW) Yaqoob was arrested by troops in Patnitop in Doda district from Thanamandi forest in Rajouri district last night, the sources said. — PTI

Gujjars demand reservation in govt jobs, Parliament
Our Correspondent

Jammu, December 12
While listing a series of problems Gujjars and Bakerwals face in Jammu and Kashmir, leaders of the Gujjars United Front threatened to boycott the next elections if the ethnic groups were not given due reservation in the state legislature and Parliament.

The threat was issued by the leaders at a one-day convention here today. The Food Supplies Minister, Mr Taj Mohiuddin, presided over the convention.

A resolution adopted at the convention demanded reservation of Gujjars and Bakerwals in government services and in professional colleges.

It said the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes had set up its sub-offices in every state except Jammu and Kashmir. It said in the absence of such a sub-office, the funds earmarked by the Centre for Tribal Welfare were being misused by the state government.

It demanded representation of Gujjars in the National Commission for Tribals as was done in case of Buddhists in Ladakh. A demand was also made for setting up a tribal ministry or a director for tribal welfare in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr Anwar Choudhary, president of the front, said whatever benefits could have flowed to the ethnic community after it was given a Scheduled Tribe status were blocked by the Kashmir-valley centric politicians and bureaucrats.

Through a resolution, the Gujjars demanded setting up a Gujjar Regiment in the Army.

Concern was expressed over lack of the Government help in providing means to Gujjars and Bakerwals for leading a smooth life. The leaders said, “Our community has not received any healing touch with the result over five lakh Gujjars and Bakerwals continue to live in dismal atmosphere in alpine forest belts.”

Mr Taj Mohiuddin said the government was aware of the problems of Gujjars and Bakerwals and measures were being taken to fulfil their genuine demands. He, however, refused to fix a time frame for meeting the demand of Gujjars for reservation.

Resin factory faces closure
Tribune News Service

Miran Sahib, December 12
Once a flagship of industry in Jammu and Kashmir, the government-owned resin and turpentine factory here is virtually shut without any raw material for producing rosin.

Nearly 160 factory employees have been without work for the past two months, as there has been no raw material to produce rosin. The factory is not in a position to purchase the raw material in auction from the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Corporation.

The town near the Indo-Pakistan border was once famous for this factory, but its decline started in the early 1980s when the extraction of resin was completely nationalised and the work was taken over by the forest corporation.

The factory was established in 1938 with an installed capacity to process 5500 tonnes of resin annually. However, it received only about 1600 tonnes last year and the officials are not expecting much raw material during the current year as the forest corporation has fixed a target of extracting only 6000 tonnes of resin to be auctioned to this and other private factories. The corporation extracted more than 30,000 tonnes during 1974, workers of the factory point out.

The two other resin factories of the government at Sunderbani and Rajouri were closed down in 1998 because of non-availability of raw material.

Following the intervention of the government, the forest corporation reportedly issued 1100 tonnes of resin at a price of Rs 18.20 per kg to keep the factory running for some time last year. However, another consignment of 300 tonnes was given at the market price of Rs 24 per kg.

With its monthly wage bill of Rs 10 lakh, salaries were paid to the employees after four months before Divali. A senior employee said it was not certain when they would get their salaries again.

Because of the factory, this small town enjoyed fame during the pre-partition days as it was located on the road that led to Sialkot. The resin produced in the factory had a market in Lahore and other important destinations of Punjab.

The other famous willow factory here has also closed down and a school for the children of police personnel has been opened on the premises.