Srinagar, January 27
Amid tight security arrangements and a general strike call given by separatist organisations, Republic Day was celebrated peacefully at all district headquarters in Kashmir valley yesterday. Functions were also organised at Leh and Kargil district headquarters amid severe cold.

The functions were held amid tight security arrangements, while normal life was completely paralysed across Kashmir valley in response to a boycott call given by separatist organisations, including both factions of the Hurriyat Conference. Shops and business establishments were closed and traffic was off the roads as people preferred to stay indoors.

Senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, who recently returned to the Hurriyat Conference, was held up by the police after he submitted a memorandum at the UNMOG at Sonwar here. The memorandum was addressed to the UN Secretary General and sought the implementation of the UN resolutions in Kashmir.

The main function was held at the Bakshi Stadium where Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig unfurled the tricolour and took salute amid snowfall. Several other ministers attended functions at various district headquarters in the Kashmir valley. Reports of functions also came in from Budgam, Ganderbal, Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipore districts.

Jammu: Amid unprecedented security arrangements, the 59th Republic Day was celebrated in Jammu without reports of any untoward incident.

In Jammu, the winter capital of the state, the main function was held at M.A. Stadium, where Governor Lt-Gen S.K. Sinha (retd) unfurled the National Flag and took the salute.

Contingents of the Army, police, paramilitary forces and National Cadet Corps presented the march past. Schoolchildren presented various cultural programmes.

The main attraction of the celebrations were the stunts performed on motor cycle by the daredevil team of the Jammu and Kashmir police.

Highlighting developmental activities of the state government, the Governor asked the youth of the state to join what he termed the “new and progressive” Jammu and Kashmir.

Chief Minister of the state Ghulam Nabi Azad besides other politicians and top civil and military officials were also present on the occasion.

In Srinagar, the main function was held at Bakshi Stadium where the deputy chief minister of the state Muzaffar Hussain Baig unfurled the National Flag and took salute over the march past.

Srinagar, January 27
In an act of supreme sacrifice, one of the highest decorated soldiers of the Army, Naib Subedar Chuni Lal of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, scripted another legendary act of bravery in the Keran sector of Jammu and Kashmir on the night of June 23 last year.

This is not the first time that Chuni Lal courted danger, a defence spokesman here stated. He added that Chuni Lal was awarded Sena Medal for his role in the capture of Quaid Post in 1987, known as Bana Top, at the height of 21,153 feet on Siachen Glacier and Vir Chakra for foiling Pak army’s attempted intrusion in 1992. He was also part of two of the UN peace-keeping missions to Somalia in 1993 and Sudan in 2006.

A small team led by Naib Subedar Chuni Lal was accosted by a group of militants near the LoC, who had managed to sneak under the cover of low clouds and thick fog. The valiant JCO quickly blocked all escape routes and in the initial accurate fire, eliminated two militants. The three militants, desperate to flee, made a suicidal bid to escape. Sensing the criticality of the situation and threat to the life of fellow soldiers, Chuni Lal, in a daredevil act, charged at one of the militants and killed him on the spot, but not before being seriously wounded. Braveheart, Chuni Lal in the highest traditions of the Indian Army, unmindful of personal safety, continued to fire at them till all five militants were killed. Later, he succumbed to his injuries.

This act of bravery has been aptly recognised by the nation by awarding him Ashok Chakra (posthumously), the defence spokesman said.

The gallant lad from the hinterlands of Bhaderwah, Jammu and Kashmir, with his repeated act of personal bravery and courage, has brought glory to the country and the Indian Army.

His wife, Chinta Devi, received the award from Her Excellency, the President of India, Pratibha Patil, on the Republic Day yesterday.

Srinagar, January 27
Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir have celebrated the conferment of the third highest civilian award Padam Bhushan by the Government of India to their veteran leader Mian Bashir Ahmed.

Mian Bashir Ahmed, who was born in November 1923 at Wanghat, Kangan in Kashmir, is a renowned spiritual leader and religious personality and his followers are not only in India and Pakistan but in Arab countries and Europe as well.

Elected three times to the state legislative assembly, Mian Bashir Ahmed has been associated with Shiekh Mohammad Abdullah, Mir Qasam and Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad and has been a minister in their cabinets.

He has worked tirelessly for the poor, nomads, especially Gujjars and Bakerwal community of the state, and made them educationally conscious, socially alert and politically vibrant.

Durin the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak conflict, he worked for peace and prosperity of the state and rehabilitated thousands of people in tribal and boarder belts of Jammu and Kashmir. During the course of ongoing insurgency since 1989, he has worked for eradicating the misconceptions among various communities of the state.

He has been closely associated with various top leaders of the country like Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Shiekh Mohammd Abdullah and others.

Mian Bashir Ahmed represented the country in the United Nations for establishing peace in Kashmir. He has been heading various delegations of the country to different international forums.

In 1997, Mian Bashir Ahmed left active politics. He has a huge following not only in Gujjars and Bakerwals but also among Pahari, Punjabi and Kashmiris of the state.

Commenting on the award, Mian Bashir Ahmed said it was not only for his tribe, comprising 25 per cent of the state’s population, but it goes to crores of Gujjars living across 11 states of India. He added that he would continue to work for social justice, human rights, peace and prosperity of the state.

He further added that he would continue to be part of the great struggle of tribals for their ethnic rights.

Jammu, January 27
Despite measures taken by the Army to control the growing incidents of suicide and fratricide in the force, the incidents have reported an increase in the past few days and that, too, in the areas where there is little operational stress to soldiers.

There has been an increase in the incidents of suicide by army jawans in Jammu. Also the incidents where soldiers have gone irate and shot at their own colleagues and officers have witnessed an increase in the region.

In the past one week, three incidents of suicide by the soldiers have been reported in the Jammu region alone in which soldiers committed suicide by firing at themselves with their service rifles, and all such incidents were said to be stress-related.

Though the Army had initiated court of inquiry into all incidents and has also adopted various remedial measures to check such incidents in future, there seems to be no decrease in such incidents.

Regular yoga and meditation classes are being organised by the army authorities to de-stress the soldiers. Even counselling by qualified psychologists is being performed to check their stress levels.

But the officers who monitor these soldiers say that a majority of the incidents where a soldier commits suicide is not related to the operational stress but to the stress of domestic problems.

A few days ago an irate army jawan had gone berserk and fired indiscriminately at two of his colleagues before he shot himself with his service rifle in the Akhnoor sector of the Jammu region.

Army sources said that the jawan had some domestic problem, as he had called his house a few moments before he went berserk.

Requesting anonymity, an army doctor while speaking to The Tribune said, “The incidents of suicide are not mainly associated with operational stress, but a majority of them are related to domestic problems.”

He further said, “Jammu, being a peace station, has witnessed more suicides by jawans compared to Kashmir where operational obligations of a soldier are more.”

Recently, the Army introduced Split leave system so that a soldier can go to meet his family whenever the need arose. The soldiers were also given the benefit of travel concession.

“Incidents of suicides are a major issue before the Army which has taken various measures to contain it, but we can handle only operational stress, domestic stress being personal in nature is very difficult to handle,” Jammu-based PRO of the ministry of defence told The Tribune.

Jammu, January 27
Taking strong exception to Governor Lt-Gen S.K. Sinha's Republic Day message in which he ruled out the reduction of troops from the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today said these views were uncalled for.

President of the PDP, Mehbooba Mufti, who was in New Delhi said, while the views of the Governor deserved to be respected, if expressed in confidence, their public expression was completely uncalled for especially if references were made to situations prevailing in three different and independent countries.

She reiterated her party's resolve to work for the reduction of troops deployed on internal security in the state and get the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) scrapped. Reacting to the Republic Day message of the Governor, Mufti said comparisons of different territorial situations on troop deployment was not only surprising but out of place.

The PDP president said her party had taken up the matter of troops reduction with the Central government which was the ultimate decision-making authority and the Prime Minister had responded positively by putting in place a mechanism to address the issue. “Some small beginnings had in fact been made, though these are wholly inadequate,” she said andadded that the decision on troop reduction, whenever taken, would be on the basis of the ground situation in the state and would not be influenced by what was happening in Waziristan or Tibet. “It is for the governments of those countries to assess their requirements in Waziristan and Tibet and respond if they think so,” she said.

She pointed out that it was part of the country's national policy that decisions on the troop deployment in the state would be taken strictly on the merits of the situation. “But Gen Sinha's point of view could create wrong and exploitable apprehensions on this count, both within and outside the state,” she said and added that drawing parallels with other countries internal matters would only complicate the situation and tend to increase difficulties for the people.

Governor Sinha has been forthright in his views about troop reduction that is hitting at the very basic plank of the PDP. Not surprisingly the PDP leadership skipped the “At Home” programme hosted by the Governor on the Republic Day here yesterday.

Jammu, January 27
Reacting sharply to the allegations of forest minister Qazi Mohammed Afzal, former forest minister and National Conference leader Choudhary Mohammed Ramzan has accused Afzal of trying to bury the “real issue” so as to save his face in the wake of the Kundal Committee Report.

Qazi, whose name along with finance minister Tariq Hameed Karra’s name has purportedly figured in the report, had reportedly held Ramzan responsible for corruption in the forest ministry and for the present crisis.
Addressing mediapersons here, Ramzan said, “He (Qazi) accused me of making 750 illegal appointments during National Conference (NC) rule in 1996, which is nothing but a white lie.”

“What prompted him to level these allegations after 11 years that, too, when the forest ministry witnessed six ministers after my exit,” Ramzan asked.

“After a couple of complaints even the high court and the Vigilance Organisation had given a clean chit describing these appointments in the department, the State Forest Corporation and State Pollution Control Board as fair and impartial,” he asserted.

In turn Ramzan raised fingers on Qazi’s credibility saying, “Even today the forest department has vacant posts of 60 assistant directors, 600 of assistant conservator of forests and rangers and 43 of divisional managers. Instead of filling up vacant posts, Qazi with a jaundiced mind has been trying to search skeletons in the cupboard, which were never there.”

“In fact he is the one who is involved in transfers of even class IV employees,” he added.

Ramzan said, “During my tenure as the forest minister, State Forest Corporation was the only profit making corporation of the state. Not only we increased timber quantity from five lakh cubic feet to 40 lakh cubic feet but earned Rs 120 crores.”

“However, this government created artificial scarcity of timber in the state going for the imports only to meet its ulterior motives,” he added. Ramzan claimed that during his stint as forest minister till 2002 every work in his ministry was done through proper tenders.

He, however, claimed that 50,000 horses and 200 trucks have been plundering green gold in the state from the last five years.

“Apart from 873 illegal saw mills in deep jungles in total contravention to apex court orders, 1.50 lakh green trees were cut in the last five years,” he said.

Requesting Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to cleanse the mess from the forest department, Ramzan said, “Owing moral responsibility Qazi should better resign.”

Jammu, January 27
The completion of fencing at the Line of Control (LoC) has worked wonders. According to a report submitted by various intelligence agencies operative in the state to the ministry of defence, since 2004 there has been a 75 per cent decline in the number of infiltration bids.

As per the report, 2001 saw maximum number (2,417) of terrorists getting infiltrated into the Indian side. In 2002, the figure dropped to 1504, in 2003 it was 1373 but in 2004 after the completion of the LoC fence, the figures dropped to 537 in 2005, 597 and in 2006, 573 and in 2007 the figures stand between 200 to 300 terrorists successfully sneaked into the Indian side of the Line of Control from Pakistani side.

Now, to further increase the vigil at the LoC, modern gadgetry procured from Israel have been installed. Apart from conventional monitoring system (thermal imaging devices, radar based surveillance devices, underground sensors, infrared sensors, LOROS and handheld surveillance devices) the Army has also deployed long endurance UAV (unmanned ariel vehicle) with fully automatic take off and landing facilities to continuously monitor the entire length of the LoC.

To enhance the reach of the UAV it has been connected with satellite links. Though the LoC fence has proved to be a hindrance for the infiltrators, but as per sources militants undergoing training across the border are given special training to damage the fence.

Jammu-based PRO of the ministry of defence, Lt-Col S.D. Goswami said, “They use special chemicals to damage the wire of the fence; even silent explosives have been used to damage the pillars of the fence. In terrorist camps they have erected models of the LoC fence and provide special training to their cadre as how to damage the fence.”

Adding he said, “You cannot just construct the fence and leave it, it has to be backed by artillery fire and round the clock manual surveillance.”

Jammu, January 27
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has a tough job ahead for tomorrow to evolve a consensus with the opposition parties, particularly the National Conference (NC), for ensuring smooth functioning of the state Assembly.

The Assembly is adjourned from January 24 till January 28 after the NC members refused to allow business. They have
been demanding the resignation of two ministers - Tariq Hameed Karra (finance) and Qazi Mohammad Afzal (forest) for their alleged implication by the Kundal Committee.

Ideally during such situations, leader of the House, who is the Chief Minister, should have convened an all-party meeting to facilitate the smooth functioning of the House. But given the level of rivalry, that borders hostility, between the NC and the PDP, it is unlikely that they will sit together at the first instance, leave apart help in evolving a consensus on smooth functioning of the House. The Chief Minister's silence on the issue is understandable. Because if he speaks he can either please the NC or the PDP but in no case, both of them. Under the present circumstances he can only please one of them, while antagonising the other, which he can hardly afford.

Azad's cordial relationship with the NC is no secret. It is expected that he will use his good offices and the influence with the NC to motivate them to allow the smooth functioning of the state legislature. On January 24, the NC legislators had almost come to blows with the PDP members. Some of them had even lifted chairs apparently aimed at their opponents. The situation was saved by the marshals and the Speaker had not option but to adjourn the House till January 28.

The NC has made it unambiguously clear that it will not allow the functioning of the legislature till the two ministers were not shown the eixt. Emboldened by the resignation of the Education Minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, who was also the Pradesh Congress Committee president, the NC had expected that it could use the precedent against the PDP ministers. The two PDP ministers are the worst bete noires of the NC and for this reason they are keen about their exit.

But the PDP has already made it clear that there was no question of their resignation. The PDP patron and former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is learnt to have remarked, the agenda of Kundal COmmittee was too limited and the inquiry was completed in too brief a period to warrant the resignation of the ministers. He is learnt to have also expressed displeasure over the way ungraceful exist of Peerzada from the ministry and also from the party post.

Azad's relationship and the influence with the NC and his political relationship with the PDP, as the Congress is in alliance with the party, should help in drawing a balance so that the house functioning does not suffer. Crucial business hours of the house have already been wasted. With the NC still continuing with its adamant attitude to force the adjournment until the miister's resign, there is all likelihood that the house may not be able to function smoothly even tomorrow.

Jammu, January 27
It is surprising that even after 60 years, women in the state are lagging behind men in every sector. Despite the fact that women constitute 47 per cent of the total population, they remain a neglected lot.

On the educational front there is a huge gender gap between the male and female population in the state.

While 66.60 per cent of the male population of the state is literate, only 43 percent of the female population gets education, thus making a gender gap in literacy by 23.60 per cent.

The percentage of female education in the state is much lower than the national level which is 54 per cent, while the gender gap in literacy at the national level is 21 per cent, way below in the state.

The figures in the adjacent states are much better in Punjab, the gender gap in literacy is as low as 12 per cent and in Himachal Pradesh it is 18 per cent.

In rural areas where 61.65 per cent of male population gets education, only 36.74 per cent of females get the similar chance. The situation is not better in urban areas where 80.00 percent of males get education and only 61.98 percent of female population gets the similar chances.

Jammu, January 27
Having a hydro-electric potential of more than 20,000 mw, Jammu and Kashmir has so far been able to exploit only 1,478 mw, which makes only 9 per cent of the total power potential of the state.

As per the economic survey conducted by the directorate of economics and statistics Jammu and Kashmir for the year 2007-08, the state, with an estimated hydro-electric potential of 20,000 mw, has identified only 16,480 mw, of which only 9 per cent (1,478) has been exploited so far.

Another area of concern which the power sector faces in the state is the transmission and distribution losses which are more than 63 per cent of the total electricity generation of the state.

According to the report, the transmission and distribution losses are about 50 per cent, while the rest 13 per cent are collection losses, making it an aggregate of 63 per cent.

Another disturbing factor revealed by the survey is that the state with such a huge hydropower potential had to purchase 90 per cent of the total electricity consumed in the state in 2006-07 from central power agencies.

The report further states that the state government has initiated measures to tap the unutilised hydropower potential of the state.

Dulhasti Power Project in Kishtwar, with a capacity of 390 mw, was commissioned during 2007-08. Seven more power projects with an installed capacity of 2,799 mw have been started through the NHPC.

Six power projects with installed capacity of 453 mw have been taken up for execution under state sector.

As per the report, six grid stations at Kathua, Samba, Hiranagar (Kathua), Bari Brahamna (Jammu) Zainakote (Srinagar) and Pampore (Pulwama) with 360 mva capacities are almost complete and expected to be commissioned this year.

Srinagar, January 27
Two lecturers and a senior official in the Education Department were arrested for allegedly misusing their official position in Anantnag district.

The arrests were made after blank and written answer books along with other certificates were recovered during a search of the house of lecturer Peer Mohammad Amin Makhdoomi at Brakapora in Anantnag by the officials of the crime branch, a police spokesman said.

The blank and written answer sheets were issued to Makhdoomi and another lecturer Ghulam Mohammad Rather of Sadoora Anantnag for conducting the examination of higher secondary part II last year.

These lecturers did not deposit the unused stationery in the board office thereby misappropriated the same by misuse of their official position, the spokesman said.

The spokesman said investigations also revealed that a service book in respect of one Mohammad Ishaq Mir of Achabal in Anantnag was also recovered during a house search which was proved to have been fraudulently prepared by a senior assistant Mohammad Afzal Khanday in order to ensure his fraudulent appointment in education department.

A marks card recovered during house search was found to be fake and forged, the spokesman said. — PTI

Jammu, January 27
The Muslim community of Jammu, Udhampur and Kathua districts, who were rendered refugees during the 1947 holocaust, have appealed to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to include them in the next Round Table Conference (RTC) to be held in New Delhi.

Addressing mediapersons here, Minority Welfare Front chairman M.S. Khan said, “During 1947, Muslims of Jammu, Udhampur and Kathua districts were rendered refugees at the hands of fascists and anti-social elements.”

“As a consequence of a deep-rooted conspiracy several innocent Muslims were killed, their houses burnt and their properties looted. However, even after 60 years, affected Muslim families are crying hoarse for their survival,” he said.

Khan further said, “The affected families not only lack opportunities for their socio-economic progress but continue to live in inhuman conditions.”