J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Keen tussle for Mayor’s post
Jammu, February 12
After the Congress secured an absolute majority in the Jammu Municipal Corporation the tussle for Mayor’s post seems to be only between Mrs Rani Beloria, wife of the State Chief Secretary, Mr S.S. Beloria, and Mr Bansi Lal Gupta, an Independent member who along with six other members announced support for the Congress.

Power breakdown plunges valley into darkness
Srinagar, February 12
The Kashmir valley has been plunged into darkness due to a snag in the 132kv Chenani-Srinagar transmission line following heavy snowfall and rain in the Pir Panjal range over Banihal through which the transmission line passes.

Army men carrying their belongings boarding an Air Force plane for onwards journey to Srinagar on Friday. — PTI

4 militants killed
Jammu, February 12
Four militants were killed by security forces in two encounters in Poonch and Doda districts today, the Army said.

81 pc cast ballot in Udhampur
Jammu, February 12
Despite inclement weather and intense cold wave, 81 per cent of the electorate cast their ballots in the civic polls in Udhampur district and about 65 per cent in Doda district today.

Keen tussle for Mayor’s post
M.L. Kak

Jammu, February 12
After the Congress secured an absolute majority in the Jammu Municipal Corporation the tussle for Mayor’s post seems to be only between Mrs Rani Beloria, wife of the State Chief Secretary, Mr S.S. Beloria, and Mr Bansi Lal Gupta, an Independent member who along with six other members announced support for the Congress.

Mr Gupta, an old Congressman, had contested the recent election to the corporation as an Independent candidate after he was denied ticket by the Congress. While Mr Gupta had won from Ward No. 20 in Gandhi Nagar, Mrs Beloria bagged the Sidhra seat.

Mr Raman Bhalla, Minister of State for Transport, has suggested to the Congress high command that a corporator elected from any ward in Gandhi Nagar be elected as Mayor. In support of his contention he has said that out of 24 wards in his Gandhi Nagar Assembly constituency the Congress has won 18, which included three Independent candidates supported by the Congress. He has said that since the Gandhi Nagar Assembly constituency had enabled the Congress to secure a majority in the corporation a corporator from this area deserved to be the Mayor.

The choice thus seems to have boiled down to Mr Gupta, who besides being an influential and rich businessman is believed to be a good administration. On the other hand those Congress leaders who support Mrs Beloria argue that since the Congress is committed to the empowerment of women Mrs Beloria as a Mayor will send right signals in the state.

Sources close to Mr Bhalla said that the minister had plans to meet Ms Sonia Gandhi in this regard. Since the Congress leadership is happy with Mr Bhalla’s efforts to woo seven Independent members into the partyfold, his suggestions might carry weight.

Power breakdown plunges valley into darkness
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 12
The Kashmir valley has been plunged into darkness due to a snag in the 132kv Chenani-Srinagar transmission line following heavy snowfall and rain in the Pir Panjal range over Banihal through which the transmission line passes.

This follows damage to four towers of Kishenpur-Pampore transmission line of 320kv on Tuesday night. While heavy snowfall and rains in the region have hampered the restoration work, there is no immediate hope of restoration of power supply in the valley, which requires over 700 mw of restricted power during these months.

A spokesman of the Power Development Department (PDD) here said this evening that efforts were on to restore the power supply in the valley. The supply has, however, been provided to essential services like hospitals and telephone exchanges.

There has also been disruption in the mobile services of the BSNL in the Kashmir valley for the past three days due to damage to an optical fibre cable. These services were restored today.

The highway blockade has led to shortage of essential commodities like kerosene, LPG, mutton and poultry items, grains and cereals in the valley. Official sources, however, claimed that there was no shortage of essential commodities in the valley. They said that the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department had geared up to check the hoarding and sale of essential commodities in the black market.

4 militants killed

Jammu, February 12
Four militants were killed by security forces in two encounters in Poonch and Doda districts today, the Army said.

Acting on a tip-off about the presence of three militants in a house at Qureshi Mohalla near Surankote in Poonch, troops of romeo force laid a cordon around there, an Army spokesman said.

When the troops challenged them, the militants took the inmates, including women and children, hostage and made an attempt to flee. The troops rescued the hostages and shot dead all the three militants in an over hour-long gunbattle, he added.

In another encounter, troops killed a militant at Patimahal near Kishtwar in Doda. — UNI

81 pc cast ballot in Udhampur

Jammu, February 12
Despite inclement weather and intense cold wave, 81 per cent of the electorate cast their ballots in the civic polls in Udhampur district and about 65 per cent in Doda district today.

The Additional Chief Electoral Officer, J and K, Mr B.S. Jamwal said Udhampur recorded a turnout of about 81 per cent, while in Doda, 60 to 65 per cent of voters cast their ballots.

The polling started at 8 a.m. and came to an end at 2 p.m.

The polling was peaceful with no report of any untoward incident from the two districts, he added.

The police, however, said in a clash outside a polling station in ward No. 11 at Bhaderwah in Doda, Congress worker J. Beigh was wounded after the supporters of another political party attacked him with sharp-edged weapons at about 11 a.m. He was admitted to the sub-district hospital, Bhaderwah. — UNI