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After water for petrol, Army gets ‘substandard’ wood
Intra-Kashmir dialogue raises voice
Six militants killed in Kashmir
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8 killed, 2 injured in road mishaps
Bakaya takes over as Chief Secy
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After water for petrol, Army gets ‘substandard’ wood
Jammu, August 1 The alleged racket got exposed recently when a train carrying about 5,000 sleepers of sub-standard timber in 14 wagons outside the state was seized by the Crime Branch at Bari-Brahmanan railway station near here. Investigations have revealed that mostly low quality chir wood was loaded in these wagons instead of the deodar which was to be supplied. The Crime Branch in its status report of the investigations has come across the fact that certain officials of the central circle of the Forest Department “in league” with some private timber merchants indulged in the supply of sub-standard timber to various military installations and the Railways through the Director General of Supplies and Disposal (DGSD), New Delhi, for the past several years. What is shocking in the status report is that the Crime Branch has stated that the Quality Control unit of the Defence Ministry in connivance with officers of the State Forest Corporation and private timber merchants accepted the sub-standard timber. Moreover, the Crime Branch has stated in the status report to a local court that the forest corporation, which was asked to measure the volume of the timber and also classify it, had expressed its inability to do so as both ends of the timber had been blackened. Test check revealed that the sleepers loaded in the wagon did not bear any hammer mark of the J&K Forest Corporation despite the fact that the corporation is the only source of timber in the state. Over 7,958 cubic metres of timber worth about Rs 17.16 crore was supplied to the DGSD during 2003-04 and 906 cubic metres was supplied during 2004-05. The Crime Branch has observed that the private timber traders have indulged in supply of timber to the DGSD through the Forest Corporation in clear violation of the directions of the Supreme Court. The powerful timber mafia made a futile attempt on the night intervening June 28-29 to quietly get the seized wagons chugged out of the state, but the train was again seized at Samba, about 45 km from here. This was despite the fact that the Crime Branch had asked the Station Master of the Bari-Brahmanan railway station, Mr Rajeev Sabharwal not to let these wagons go out. A wireless signal was also sent to the Senior Divisional Manager (Commercial), Ferozepore, in this regard, but even then these wagons were allowed to proceed towards Pathankot. These rakes were then got stopped at Samba when intervention of the authorities at Ferozepore was again sought. Meanwhile, it is learnt that the powerful mafia is trying to pressurise the Crime Branch. |
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Intra-Kashmir dialogue raises voice for peace
Srinagar, August 1 “We are, however, concerned at the slow pace of progress, which means that the benefits are yet to be felt at the ground level”, a joint statement at the end of the three-day intra-Kashmir dialogue said here today. The three-day dialogue, attended by 53 participants, was organised by the Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation, the Delhi Policy Group and the Forum for Regional Voices. It asked the governments of both the countries to end violence as had been promised by the Indian and Pakistani leadership over the past few years. “Their unspoken commitment was that Pakistan would push for an end to militancy, and India for troop reduction and an end to human rights violations—- including custodial deaths—-by security forces”, the joint statement said. The joint statement was released at the end of three-day dialogue of the representatives from India, Pakistan and PoK. The representatives were led by Ms Shobha Bharve of the Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation (Delhi), writer and intellectual Mr Balraj Puri (J&K) and Justice Abdul Majid Malik from PoK. Ms Bharve said the aim was to strengthen the peace process and to explore how society could play a role in creating an atmosphere in which people from all parts of Jammu and Kashmir on either side of the LoC could decide about their future. She was talking to mediapersons along with other members at SKICC here this morning. Further elaborating Ms Radha Kumar said the meeting had been held to find possible ways for solution of the problems. She pointed out that widest possible discussions would be held in another exercise to be organised after about six months when “we will be able to discuss possible solutions”. The participants, including those from Pakistan and PoK areas, during their three-day stay here also met the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and the PDP president, Ms Mehbooba Mufti. “The Chief Minister expressed his point of view while we have also put forth our views,” said Justice Abdul Majid Malik from PoK and added that they would also be meeting the National Conference President, Mr Omar Abdullah and separatist leaders, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Shabir Ahmad Shah. They had also met the JKLF leader, Mohammad Yasin Malik, leaders of the moderate faction of APHC led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF (Amanullah Khan group). “We have read the faces of the people on the roads…. We have observed the psyche of the people here”, Justice Malik commented and added that it was a good visit. The joint statement urged the governments of India and Pakistan to implement the agreements made regarding the re-opening of the Poonch-Rawlakote, Mirpur-Jammu and Kargil-Skardoo routes, for which deadlines set earlier had not been met. It added the facility to all citizens of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir, including Gilgit-Baltistan, now comprising northern areas of Pakistan, bordering Ladakh region. “Concerning Gilgit-Baltistan, we would also urge that the region should have the same administrative status as that in other parts of the erstwhile state”, the statement said. Referring to the re-opening of the Kargil-Skardoo road, Mr Fida Mohammad Nashad said both India and Pakistan had reached the conclusion that confrontation was no solution and only mutual understanding and dialogue could solve the problems and the main issue of Kashmir. “A significant development was the opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road but that is not the end”, he said and added that there was equally a cultural affinity across the LoC in Kargil-Skardoo sector. There were social, cultural and linguistic similarities under one governance, which needed to be thrown open, not only with the opening of the road link but also by opening telecommunication links. |
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Six militants killed in Kashmir
Srinagar, August 1 They said two Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militants were killed by the security forces in an encounter at Tangmarg Kulgam village early this morning. The encounter ensued after a search party was attacked by the militants. Two AK rifles, seven magazines and 144 rounds were seized from the slain militants, identified as Rafiq, alias Fighter Khan and Mohammad Abbass Khan. A report from Baramula said troops on specific information conducted a search operation at Handwara in North Kashmir late last night. The sources said when the security forces were conducting house-to-house searches, the militants attacked them with automatic weapons. The security personnel retaliated and in the fierce encounter, three militants were killed. Three AK rifle and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants. Another militant was killed by the security forces at Kulgam last night. The another incident, the security forces opened fire on two motorcycle-borne people after they tried to flee when signalled to stop at Nowpora this morning, official sources said. One of them was injured, while another escapes, they added. The injured was taken to a hospital. He would be questioned later, they said. Residents of the area were panic-stricken, fearing another Fidayeen attack. This was the first firing incident in the city after the 24-hour-long fierce gunbattle at Budshah Chowk, near here, which ended on Saturday morning. Two militants and two soldiers were killed and 25 others, including eight journalists, were wounded in the encounter.
— UNI |
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8 killed, 2 injured in road mishaps
Jammu, August 1 Senior Superintendent of Police (Reasi-Mahore) J L Sharma said a speeding tipper skidded off the road and plunged into the Chenab at Gujjar Kothian, near Reasi, resulting in the death of five labourers and injuries to two others. He said the bodies of two persons had been recovered. One person succumbed to his injuries in Government Medical College Hospital here this morning, he added. The dead were identified as Mohammad Latif, Shoba Ram, driver Kuldeep Singh, Mohammad Shabir and Munshi Ram. A CRPF vehicle hit an autorickshaw on the Jammu-Pathankot road at Samba, about 40 km from here, resulting in the death of the autorickshaw driver and two passengers.
— UNI |
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Bakaya takes over as Chief Secy
Srinagar, August 1 A warm send-off was accorded to Dr Bloeria at a function in the Civil Secretariat organised by the General Administration Department. He has been made Adviser to the Chief Minister till his retirement in September next. |
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