New Delhi, December 26
After allegedly failing to cooperate with the Jammu and Kashmir police, the Army has been served with a final notice to produce its officers and jawans for questioning in connection with the alleged pilferage of food and clothes meant for troops on the Siachen Glacier.

This is the third and final notice and after this the police will approach a court for issuing non-bailable warrant against the officials besides seeking a direction to the Army for providing details about the scam, official sources said.

Defence minister A.K. Antony informed Parliament earlier this month that after an internal probe by the Army into the scam, the authorities had initiated administrative action against three officers and three junior commissioned officers.

The entire scam came to light after the police found special rations meant for soldiers serving in the Siachen Glacier being sold in open market.

Immediately, the police wanted to question some of the officials, including one in the rank of Brigadier stationed at Leh-based 14 corps.

Officials in Jammu and Kashmir home department said the Army top brass had assured cooperation once its inquiry was completed.

Now that their inquiry report is over, neither the report had been handed over to the police nor the officials handed over for questioning, senior officials said.

The Army had filed a complaint against Leh’s SP Alok Kumar for his alleged aggressive attitude towards its personnel deployed Leh, a charge vehemently denied by the state government.

An IPS officer of 1997 batch, Kumar was instrumental earlier in alleged petrol and diesel scam, where few Army officials allegedly entered into a criminal conspiracy with petrol dealers and sold the oil in open market while filling tankers with water.

In the present case, the police has registered 11 FIRs since July after finding food packets and other equipment meant for Siachen being sold in the open market but the Army has refused to cooperate in the probe.

The police has arrested 31 persons, including shopkeepers, in various areas in Leh. A few of them have made confessional statements before magistrates, during which they named senior Army officers who allegedly supplied the materials to them. — PTI 

Jammu, December 26
Though the ghost refuses to die down completely, there have been significant decrease in the number of fratricidal killings and suicides in the armed and paramilitary forces in insurgency-hit Jammu and Kashmir. The credit goes to the remedial measures taken by the authorities in the security forces.

Talking to The Tribune, Jammu defence spokesperson Lt Col S.D. Goswami said, “After spurt in such incidents in Jammu and Kashmir last year, we have gone on war-footing and initiated various preventive measures. Consequently, the graph has come down considerably this year.”

To substantiate his claims, Goswami said, “Compared to over 50 such incidents fratricidal killings and suicides in the Army last year in the state, 2007 witnessed only 23.”

Some of the measures initiated were prompt redressal of grievances, induction of psychiatrists, a big psychiatric treatment centre at Udhampur-based Northern Command, liberal leave to jawans, formal and informal interaction between jawans and officers, new rest and recuperation centers, yoga classes, besides strict instructions to officers not to hurl insensitive remarks on subordinates.

“Now jawans returning from leave first undergo medical test and an interview to know about their mental condition and domestic problems,” he said.

“Similarly, the civil administration too has been made responsive towards families of serving personnel,” he said, adding “All the forces are also looking into career advancement prospects and probability of allowing family life to jawans.”

“The Army, which has strength of 1.3 million, lost 455 jawans and officers from 2003 to 2007 with over 60 per cent of such incidents reported from Jammu and Kashmir,” said a senior Army officer on the basis of anonymity.

He divulged, “After rise in such incidents, Army commanders have been clearly told that managing stress is their prerogative.”

“In 2006, the Army recorded 23 cases of fratricidal killings in the country, out of which 16 cases were recorded in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

A senior officer of BSF Jammu Frontier said, “When it comes to fratricidal killings and suicides, the BSF always had a better record in the state. Last year, only two cases of suicides were reported from RS Pura and Rajouri.”

The armed and paramilitary forces in the country witnessed 93 fratricidal killings and suicides in 2003, 100 in 2004, 77 in 2005 and 131 in 2006.

Similarly, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which has been predominantly fighting militancy in the state, has also witnessed a drop this year.

A senior CRPF officer on the condition of anonymity provided figures of suicides in the force across the country.

“In 2004 there were 24 cases of suicides, in 2005 figures dropped to 19 and in 2006 it touched 30,” he said, adding “figures of 2007 have not come so far.”

Responding to a query, he admitted that the CRPF has the largest deployment in Jammu and Kashmir to tackle militancy and hence most of the cases occur in the turmoil-hit state.

“I do not deny incidents of fratricide killings as well but certainly such incidents have gone down after CRPF initiated remedial measures,” he added.

Jammu, December 26
The people of Kargil would have another good tidings besides a New Year when they wake up for the first day of 2008 with the government and the Indian Air Force having decided to commence weekly air service of AN-32 courier/passenger to and fro service between Jammu and Kargil.

A decision in this regard was taken today at a high-level meeting presided over by minister for social welfare Kargil Haji Nissar Ali. It was attended, among others, by the director, Airport Authority of India, Jammu; the divisional commissioner, Jammu; and the SSP, AHJ Jammu airport.

The air tickets will be available at Kargil House, Jammu, 48 hours before the time of flight. 

Udhampur, December 26
Electricity seems to be a luxury in Kishtwar area where the famous Dulhasti hydroelectric project is situated. The project which generates 390-MW power, provides electricity to many parts of North India. But residents of the town are facing a hard time and have been left powerless during these months of severe winter.

Residents of the town today took out a protest demonstration against failure of the authorities to ensure power supply in the town. Activists belonging to different political groups joined the protest and served an ultimatum to the authorities concerned to ensure supply of power during the on-going winter season. “The Dulhasti power project, which is located in our town provides power to many parts of the country but we are struggling to get power for even a few hours,” complained Shakir Saddiqui, a youth leader.

“Problems of acute shortage of drinking water and power crisis have compounded with every passing day but the authorities are not bothered at all,” rued Anil Parihar, a resident.

Another resident rued that Kishtwar and adjoining localities were facing an acute shortage of power these days. Although power curtailment was a routine affair in this area, during the last one month, the situation has changed from bad to worse. Even on the occasion of Eid and Diwali, power was not supplied in the town, he rued.

“Electricity is a luxury for us as we have to wait for days together to get power for few hours,” said Ashraf, who further added that the worse sufferers were the students as their study had been badly affected due to non supply of power.

The residents stated that when the first phase of the Dulhasti hydroelectric project was commissioned in May this year, they hoped that the problem for power shortage would be solved. But their hopes were shattered as the district was ignored while sharing power, which was generated from the project.

“It is duty of the state government to ensure that at least power from this project should be provided to the locals,” said Anil Parihar. 

Jammu, December 26
Former health minister and senior National Conference leader Mian Altaf Ahmed today criticised the government for adopting a ‘deliberate’ attitude to sabotage the constitutional safeguards available to the tribes, especially the Gujjars.

The Gujjar leader said the Centre had provided tribal status to them in 1991 but the present coalition was bent upon to grab their legitimate rights.

He said all funds under the special assistance to the tribal sub-plan meant for the welfare and socio-economic development of the Gujjars had not been released by the social welfare department so for.

“The working season in tribal areas of the state is already over and the file pertaining to the release of funds under the tribal sub-plan have becomes victims of red tape of the ministry of social welfare,” Mian said.

He said there was no monitoring agency in place to oversee whether the funds meant for the Gujjars and the Bakerwals were actually being spent on the specified schemes or not.

Jammu, December 26
The Panthers Party has decided to move a Bill in the Assembly during its ensuing budget session beginning from January 7, 2008, seeking Amendment to Section 47 of the State Constitution in order to end the imbalance in the number of Assembly segments between the Jammu province and the Kashmir valley.

The Bill seeking an equal number of Assembly seats for the two regions will be moved by the leader of the Panthers Party in the legislative Assembly, Harsh Dev Singh.

Singh said “Imbalance in the distribution of seats between the two regions has been the root cause for political and regional discrimination of the Jammu region,” adding “Under the existing structure, we cannot expect any justice.”

“He said Jammu region had more area and population than the Kashmir valley but still the former has 37 Assembly constituencies, while the latter has 46,” he added.

He said the successive state governments had “by design” ignored the genuine demand of the Jammuites for increase in the number of Assembly segments. “It will be an acid test for the Congress-led government because if it opposed the Bill, it will falsify its claim on removing regional discrimination.” He said what was the rationale behind allotting just six seats to Doda district which had an area of 11,000 sq km when the valley with an area of 15, 000 sq km, was allotted 46 seats.

“You have a constituency for Gurez which has a population of 14,000 but for about 2 lakh people in Jammu west, you have only one constituency,” he stated.aSingh said he would also move a Bill for the Amendment to the State Constitution.

Jammu, December 26
Accusing the coalition government of announcing 18 new degree colleges purely on political considerations, National Conference (NC) legislator from Surankote, Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, along with his supporters staged a protest dharna outside the Raj Bhawan here today.

Demanding the opening of a degree college at Surankote, Bukhari termed the move of the coalition as “biased”.

Addressing people, he said: “A sense of discontent has gripped the people of Surankote against this government for announcing 18 new colleges on personal liking and disliking of MLAs of the ruling alliance.”

“The genuine demand of the people of Surankote was ignored on party basis,” he added.

Bukhari said: “It is not a question of politics but the issue is directly connected with the future of the students of Surankote.

“The college had been approved by the erstwhile National Conference government in a Cabinet-cum-district development board meeting of Poonch district in 2001, but people of the area have been discriminated by this government.”

Party president, Jammu province, Ajay Sadhotra, and other leaders also expressed similar views.

Khardung (Leh), December 26
Many of us find it difficult to drive along mountain roads in cold weather. But give a thought to those who are engaged in building and maintaining them - the men of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).

The BRO, manned by the Corps of Engineers of the Army, have constructed roads along the border, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir and in the North-East for over four decades.

One of the toughest assignments they have had is the construction of the road from Srinagar to Leh and beyond to the India-China border. They constructed the road to Khardung La at an altitude of over 5,600m (18,300 f) above sea level.

The road is the second highest motorable point on earth. While the road was built decades ago, the BRO has to maintain it to keep it motorable for the Army convoys, engaged in transporting supplies to troops in Siachen.

The work, at times, involves clearing 12-foot-high snow layers. The men of the BRO have to clear the road with the help of dozers and shovels.

“From December onwards this place witnesses heavy snowfall. The roads here are blocked by snow. Hence, to clear the roads and to make them commutable, the Army has deployed dozers at every kilometre,” said Sepoy Ram Kaval Yadav of the BRO.

“If a vehicle is blocked anywhere, dozers rushes for help. We have to be ready round the clock,” he added.

Considering the strategic significance of Khardung La, the BRO operates a vital maintenance centre there alongside link posts and pickets of other Army units.

“One has to warm his body by gas stove or bonfire. If a vehicle has a flat tyre, a dozer is needed to push the vehicle,” said Naik R. Sunil of the BRO posted at Khardung La.

The road work at Khardung La commenced in the mid-60s and was almost ready by 1976 when the BRO started to be known as GREF (General Reserve Engineering Force).

However, it was opened to other motor vehicles in 1988. Until then only the Army convoys and government vehicles were permitted to traverse this route.

Khardung La (la means pass in Tibetan) is the gateway to the Shyok and Nubra valleys that further lead Karakoram heights and also the Siachen Glacier where the Army guards the frontier at minus 40 degrees Celsius temperature. — ANI 

Srinagar, December 26
Electricity across the Kashmir valley will remain off for 10 hours from 8 am for four days from tomorrow, a Power Development Department spokesman said.

Quoting executive engineer, transmission line maintenance division-I, he said there would be a shut down of 220-KV DC Barn-Kishenpur transmission line for undertaking repair.

Similarly, repair of various 400/220-KV transmission lines, including 400-KV Kishenpur-Wagoora transmission line would also be done for smooth power supply during the winter when the lines got damaged due to snowfall and felling of trees and electric poles.

Therefore, he said, there would be a total shutdown from December 27 to 30, between 8am and 6pm in the entire valley.

The local power generations in the valley has considerably dropped due to fall in the water level in the Jehlum, the Sindh and its tributaries because of dry weather during the past three months.

The power department is importing power from different states to meet the local requirement.

However, people in many areas said they were facing frequent and unscheduled power cuts. — UNI

Srinagar, December 26
A two-day Indian Classic Film Festival - 2007 began here at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Complex (SKICC) on the banks of the Dal Lake.

The festival, organised by Doordarshan Kendra, Srinagar, was inaugurated by former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Justice Bashir Ahmad Khan.

Prof Rehman Rahi, a veteran poet and critic, was the guest of honour. Several films made by veteran producers including locals would be screened during the festival.

Inaugurating the festival, Justice Khan stressed upon the need to adhere to the basic concept of public broadcaster that he said had an important role to play to inform, educate and entertain people.

He criticised the mushroom growth of channels and said this had totally resulted in substandard programmes, especially the news part of it.

He said Doordarshan Kendra, Srinagar, had served as pointer in producing serials and other award-winning programames which later became basis for the whole Doordashan programme production in the country.

Prof Rahi, in his address, appreciated the role played by the Doordarshan in preserving and projecting Kashmiri culture and traditions.

Earlier, deputy director-general, Doordarshan, Basharat Ahmad gave a full resume of concept of producing Indian classic programmes by Doordarshan and said this noble cause had been taken up by the public broadcaster for the preservation of this national treasure called “Indian Classic”. — UNI

Srinagar, December 26
The crime branch of the Jammu and Kashmir police today chargesheeted five persons including four of a family for allegedly running a bogus finance company and duping hundreds of people of their hard-earned money promising higher interest rates.

The accused in furtherance to a criminal conspiracy motivated innocent people to deposit their hard earned money with their finance company, Sunrise Investment and Finance limited, for better interest rates and subsequently grabbed it, the chargesheet submitted before a competent local court said.

It said the crime branch received a complaint from Ghulam Mohammad Thakur, registrar

Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, stating that he deposited an amount of Rs 50,000 with the non-banking finance company after being attracted by the lucrative schemes offered by it.

However, on maturity even principal amount was not returned by the company, the complainant alleged and said a post-dated cheque provided by the company on his insistence was not honoured by the concerned bank for want of sufficient money in the company's account.

The company accepted huge deposits from common people including the complainant and subsequently wound up its business thereby subjecting the depositors to wrongful loss, the chargesheet said.

Those chargesheeted include Nissar Hussain Khan, his two sons — Azhar Abbas and Adeel Abbas and daughter-in-law Nighat Abbas and Piryary Lal Aima. — PTI

Srinagar, December 26
One jawan was injured when militants opened fire at a CRPF battalion camp in Tral. The militants managed to flee. In another attack, assailants fired at the house of Awami League leader Mohammad Ramzan Itoo at Zainpora in Pulwama last night.

The police said the politician had been provided security in view of general threat they face in the valley from rival and militant groups.

The police party guarding his house retaliated the fire from the militants, but assailants managed to escape taking advantage of prevailing darkness, the police said.

However, cops managed to identify one of the accused as Rameez Ahmad Ganie, who is also a local resident.

The police has launched a search operation for the culprits but no arrest has been made so far.

Jammu, December 26
Terming the dialogue process between India and Pakistan as a meaningless exercise, Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani today said the Kashmir issue should be resolved in consonance with aspirations of the people of the state.

“We will not accept any decision on the matter if it is not in consonance with aspirations of the people of Kashmir,” he said.

The Chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference was commenting on media reports suggesting that India and Pakistan might reach some agreement on the Kashmir issue. “We will wait till the agreement between the two nations is made public and then react appropriately,” he said.

Geelani said the solution to the Kashmir issue lay in giving people the right of self-determination.

He termed the talks between India and Pakistan and between the Centre and the people of Kashmir to resolve the issue as futile exercises. There had been more than 130 such exercises since 1947 to resolve the Kashmir issue, the Hurriyat hardliner said.

“These exercises are meaningless and cannot be result-oriented unless the people of Jammu and Kashmir are given the right of self-determination,” he said. Geelani demanded withdrawal of special powers conferred on security forces in the state. — PTI

Jammu, December 26
A deputation of the Jammu and Kashmir All-Departments Clerical Staff Association today met the divisional commissioner (DC), Jammu, and submitted a memorandum to him for removing the pay anomalies.

According to a press statement, the association blamed the state government for anomalies in  their pay scales.

The DC was apprised of the problems that the clerical cadres had faced in the past two-three decades.

The association stated that it would hold a protest demonstration in front of the DC’s office on January 16, 2008.

Jammu, December 26
The state government has worked out a proposal to have five-star hotels in Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Srinagar to cater to the needs of high-pending tourists.

Currently, the valley has only one hotel of five-star category, Grand Palace, at the eastern bank of Dal Lake in Srinagar. But it alone hardly meets the accommodation requirements of tourists during the peak season.

In Srinagar, according to the proposal, another five-star hotel would be constructed at the site of the tourist reception centre in collaboration with a firm owning chain of luxury hotels, a tourism official said here.

The government is also planning to take over the India Tourism Development Corporation hotel at Gulmarg and Centaur Lake View Hotel in Srinagar to upgrade accommodation facilities there. The proposal prepared by the state tourism department would be placed before the government soon, the official said.

The plan was first thought of in early 2006 but could not be implemented as the then tourism minister Muzzaffar Hussain Baig, who was the inspiring spirit behind the move, was stripped of his post in August last year.

But the proposal has resurfaced after Baig returned to the cabinet as deputy chief minister and was also given tourism portfolio. Tourist numbers in the valley have touched the three-lakh mark this year despite fear stalking visitors owing to the grenade attacks last year, which killed 19 tourists. — IANS

Jammu, December 26
Jammu and Kashmir would soon be on the map of the wildlife eco-tourism destinations of the country as the J&K Wildlife Department in collaboration with Jungles Lodges and Resorts is planning to convert sanctuaries and wetlands in the state into eco-tourism resorts.

Speaking to The Tribune, chief wildlife warden of Jammu and Kashmir, A.K. Shrivastava said, “Jammu and Kashmir has a tremendous potential to be developed as a wildlife eco-tourism destination and this concept would be first of its kind in the state.”

Jungle Lodges and Resorts, a company owned by the tourism department of the Karnataka government, has a good name in promoting wildlife eco-tourism in the state of Karnataka. “The company is a premier in the industry and has made Karnataka into a destination for wildlife lovers,” Shrivastava said.

A team from the company recently conducted a survey in the state and identified some wildlife sanctuaries, wetlands and lakes to be developed in the first phase.

“They have identified few places in Jammu region and Kashmir region that would be developed in the first phase of the programme,” he said.

The Wildlife Department felt that the new venture would add value to their tourism potential.

“Wildlife eco-tourism though a new concept in this state, has a lot of potential. Our state which has already a huge tourism inflow, this would be an added feature as a nature friendly tourism, where visitors can go to natural places, spend some time in the pure environment, appreciate the flora and fauna,” Shrivastava said.

The department is hopeful that the new concept when introduced in the state would help generate employment for the residents.

“The company would provide special training to the locals, who in turn would work as tourist guides and resort operators, thus generating new employment opportunities in the state,” he said.

The environment-friendly resorts that would soon come up in the state would take care of all the environmental related issues.

“These resorts would be environmental friendly where vehicles would be battery operated, no polythene or littering would be allowed,” Shrivastava said.