Jammu, April 15
If the opposition parties strongly reacted to former chief minister and PDP patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s dual currency idea in the state, then the coalition partner Congress felt that such statements could have serious repercussions.

Mufti during a rally yesterday said the Central government should allow currency of India and Pakistan to be used in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Congress, which had maintained a silence over Mehbooba’s statement at the Pugwash conference over dual control over Jammu and Kashmir, reacted sharply to her father’s utterances.

Congress spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said, “Such statements can have serious repercussions. Hence, the PDP should avoid making such utterances in the public.”

Sharma added, certain limits shouldn’t be crossed and moreover, there were proper forums to speak your mind.

Describing such issues as prerogative of the Union government to decide, Sharma felt that the PDP has played to the gallery at the cost of coalition dharma.

National Conference president Omar Abdullah dismissed Mufti’s demand as a mere poll gimmick. Omar Abdullah reportedly said Mufti made the statement keeping in mind the upcoming state Assembly elections.

Meanwhile, to protest against what they claimed “PDP’s activities inimical to the sovereignty of the country”, the BJP and the Shiv Sena (Hindustan) activists burnt effigies of Mufti Mohammed Sayeed at separate places here.

Shouting slogans against Mufti and his daughter Mehbooba Mufti, the Shiv Sena activists demanded that they be arrested for sedition.

Party president Dimpy Kohli accused Mufti and his daughter of toeing Pakistan agenda in the state and posing a threat to the sovereignty of the country.

Srinagar, April 15
Differences between the two main coalition partners, the Congress and the PDP, have begun to surface even as they are yet to decide on any possible alliance in the Assembly elections months ahead in Jammu and Kashmir. The two parties have launched veiled and direct attacks on each other on various issues ranging from infrastructure development on the one hand and self-rule or withdrawal of troops on the other. The ball was set rolling by Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad at Ganderbal near here last week when he cautioned people against political leaders wanting the atmosphere of violence and killings in Jammu and Kashmir to perpetuate.

Senior vice-president JKPCC and Minister for Social Welfare Abdul Gani Vakil addressing a public meeting near Handwara in North Kashmir yesterday launched a direct attack on the alliance partner,the PDP, and opposition National Conference. He criticised the separatists for preaching negative politics and favouring violence in Jammu and Kashmir which had led to trouble for the past about two decades. “Raising the planks of autonomy, self-rule, withdrawal of troops, dual control, etc. has become the habit of some parties when they are not at the helm of affairs.

Azad at a public meeting in Ganderbal on Thursday last had cautioned people “against political leaders and their pen-wielding supporters who want the atmosphere of violence and killings in Jammu and Kashmir to perpetuate so that they could grind their own axe.” He had also criticised the politicians favouring negative politics and anti-development stance.

Reacting to the chief minister’s assertions, the PDP said peace and development would have been a distant dream without the desire and cooperation of the people of Kashmir and it was only because of the people's resolve that the state was almost out of the dreadful era of violence and blood-letting. A PDP spokesman said despite being forced into deep seated feeling of isolation and alienation due to various political and historical circumstances, Kashmiris have, time and again, reiterated their confidence and trust in the democratic means. “Though Kashmir was at no point of time part of the politics of discord that engulfed rest of the sub-continent in the run up to Partition, this is the only place that continues to pay a price for it,” he said and added that Kashmiris’ assertion of identity at different points of post-independence history were, unfortunately, misread by some and misdirected by others.

Srinagar, April 15
Director-General of the Border Security Force, AK Mitra, said today that infiltration into India from the Bangladesh border remained a concern, and outside terrorists planning to strike in Indian cities could be using its porous borders.

After reviewing the passing-out parade of 282 recruits at the BSF training centre in Humhama here, Mitra said terrorists had reasons to use Indo-Bengal and Indo-Nepal borders, the latter was almost completely porous, but added that they had no hard evidence to buttress these claims.

He, however, refrained from commenting on infiltration across the Line of Control, the most preferred route by Pakistan-based militants, in Kashmir as it was guarded by the Army and the BSF has nominal presence.

He said the BSF and Pakistani rangers had reached an accord to hand over their nationals, who "inadvertently" crossed the international border, to each other within a day. "We have implemented it," he said.

An IPS officer of UP cadre, Mitra said infiltration across international border from Bangladesh was down by almost half due to increased fencing and vigil. But he hinted at the unlikelihood of completely stopping these illegal entries as fencing was still only 60 per cent complete. Even after maximum fencing there would be at least "265 patches", which could not be fenced, he said.

When asked if the likely Marxist government in Nepal would abet Maoists fanning insurgency in a vast hinterland across several states, he said it could be probable. "Let's see what happens. As of now your guess is as good as mine," he said.

He admitted to resentment in the paramilitary forces over the recommendations of sixth pay commission, especially as the commission did not accept their proposals for "hard area duty allowance" for those serving under tough circumstances like Kashmir.

Earlier, he told the recruits at an impressive ceremony that respecting human rights should be a primary part of their duty irrespective of the circumstances. "You are being watched over by society and the government. You should keep this in mind that even your enemy is human like you," he said.

Srinagar, April 15
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today flagged off a fleet of Srinagar-bound vehicles from zero point near Gumri across Zojila, marking opening of the 434 km Srinagar-Leh highway, which is closed in winter months.

Officials said this was the first time the road, which remains covered with snow in winters, has been cleared for traffic as early as April 15 as this vital road link between Kashmir and Ladakh regions used to be generally opened for traffic in May.

Minister for Technical Education, Youth Services and Sports, Haji Nissar Ali, Chief Executive Councilor, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil, Asgar Ali Karbalai, 15 Corps Commander Lt-Gen Mukesh Sabarwal and Beacon, project, chief engineer, Brig AK Bhutani were among others who took part in the ceremony.

Azad said this was an important road link as it connected the Ladakh region with the rest of the state and country. "Its early opening has significance for the people and I hope that this would help dispatch of essentials sooner to this mountainous region," he said.

The work for the clearance of snow begins as early as March and has taken up time till June before the road is opened. However, with new technological inputs and more resources the period has reduced. Extreme cold conditions with temperature dipping to minus 22 degree Celsius make it almost humanly impossible to work in the area in winters.

Srinagar, April 15
Snowfall in upper reaches and heavy rains lashed the Kashmir valley since last night bringing temperature further down by 4 to 5 degrees Celsius, and raising water level in river Jhelum and its tributaries and the low-lying areas. Traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only surface link connecting Kashmir with the erst of the country, plied normally.

Snowfall was reported from different areas of Keran, Machil and Karnah of Kupwara district in North Kashmir, resulting in disruption in normal vehicular traffic. Rain and snow were also reported from Sonmarg-Dras axis on the Srinagar-Leh highway that was thrown open to vehicular traffic after winter months today about a month in advance. The weather forecast said that most parts of Jammu and Kashmir would witness rains and snow at many places during the next 24 hours.

According to Met department here, Srinagar recorded 16.8 mm rains during the past 24 hours while it was still continuing in most parts of the valley. This brought down the maximum temperature to 15.9 degrees Celsius today that was ranging between 19 and 20 degrees Celsius during the past few days. The valley has witnessed moderate to heavy rains during the past two weeks, breaking a month-long unusual dry spell during March this year.

Reports from the tourist spot of Gulmarg said that heavy rains amid low clouds engulfed the area while its upper reaches, including Affarvat and Kongdori, witnessed heavy rains and moderate snow since this morning.

Udhampur, April 15
Medical teams comprising specialist doctors and para- medical staff have been rushed to Sudhmadev and adjoining localities of Chenani where water-borne diseases, especially jaundice, reportedly broke out due to the supply of contaminated drinking water to the villagers. Two dozen cases of jaundice have been so far reported from this area and more reports are continued to pour in. "We have deputed teams of doctors and para-medical staff with medicines to the affected areas", Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Udhampur, B B Sharma told The Tribune while admitting that the Health Department has received information about some cases of jaundice in some areas of Sudhmadev. "Our priority is to create awareness among masses to arrest spread of this desease in other areas,” the CMO said and informed that medical teams have been directed to advise the people to use only boiled water for drinking purposes. Resident Lal Chand Musafir while giving reasons for spread of this decease in Sudhmadev area told that contaminated water was supplied to the people at the time of devastating snowfall. "As most of the machines became defunct during snowfall, unhygienic water was supplied to the people which led to the spread of this disease in this belt", he alleged.

Jammu, April 15
Despite the Drugs and Food Control Organisation cancelling 123 drug licenses and sealing 119 unlicensed drug shops last year, the practice of unethical trade hasn’t stopped.

Talking to The Tribune, a chemist in the heart of winter capital said, “Since most of the chemists and druggists sell medicines without doctors’ prescriptions, drug inspectors find them an easy prey.”

He said, “When a drug inspector visits a chemist shop, the owner has to appease him with anything between Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000.” He claimed it to be an accepted practice to do “hassle-free” business.

A former drug controller of the Jammu and Kashmir Drug and Food Control Department admitted that the malpractice had been going on since long.

He suggested drastic measures to punish corrupt inspectors so as to check the menace. He attributed the unethical practice to shortage of staff in the Drug and Food Control Department.

Admitting shortage of staff vis-à-vis mushroom growth of chemist shops hampering proper functioning of the department, a senior official of Health and Medical Education Department said, “Measures have already been initiated. We had made it a point to inspect every shop at lease once a year.”

To deal with the situation in the backdrop of inadequate staff, the department has started inspection drives every two months in phased manner in all the 22 districts of the state.

“Such drives have been made possible by pooling staff from other districts,” he said.

He claimed that telephone helpline numbers have also worked wonders for the Drugs and Food Control Department leading to detection of unlicensed shops.

Official records suggest that last year the department had lifted 1,215 samples of drugs, out of which 1,029 were analysed in the state laboratories. Only 48 among them were found to be of spurious quality.

The department inspected over 8,200 shops last year.

The department has instructed the officials to maintain records like inspection date, remarks, date of renewal of license but dearth of staff make things difficult to streamline the system.

Jammu, April 15
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court dismissed writ petition filed by one Goutam Kumar holding that husband/wife is entitled to family pension only during his/her lifetime and have no right to transfer this right of family pension either by way of will or adoption.

Kumar had submitted that Lachhaman, who served the Army as sepoy, was allowed service pension after his retirement. After his death, Lachhaman’s widow Beero Devi started getting family pension from April 29, 1979.

Beero Devi died on May 29, 1990. Thereafter, the petitioner, who is alleged to have been adopted vide an adoption deed by Beero Devi on September 11, 1989, as her son applied to the authority concerned for release of family pension. The petitioner claimed it as per the desire of late father Lachhaman. Respondents countered the petitioner’s claim and stated that Beero Devi adopted the petitioner after more than 10 years of death of Lachhaman and as per the Army Instructions of Army Pension Regulations, 1961, only a legally adopted child before the retirement of pensioner is covered by the term “family” for purpose of family pension.

Beero Devi furnished wrong information and did not mention in the adoption deed that petitioner is son of her real daughter and it was in view of aforementioned circumstances as also the rules governing the field, the case of petitioner has been rejected.

The high court while dismissing the petition observed that “A perusal of clause 6 of Rule A I 51/80 OF Army Pension Regulations, 1961 and the note underneath shows that a son or unmarried daughter is entitled to family pension up to a maximum age of 25 years and even a son or daughter, who is legally adopted or born after retirement including a posthumous child is also entitled to pension. The court further held, “The petitioner was not adopted by Beero Devi with the consent of Lachhaman during his lifetime as he had died about ten years prior to the adoption of petitioner by Beero Devi, therefore, the petitioner has no inherent right of claiming the family pension.

Jammu, April 15
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has incurred an unwarranted expenditure of Rs 60 lakh on construction of accommodation and allied works for a project even after it was decided not to go ahead with the same.

The MoD had issued a sanction for undertaking systems study for computerisation of inventory management functions relating to the Army in a chain of ordnance depots and units under the Computerised Inventory Control Project (CICP).

The scope of the study included Divisional Ordnance Unit (DOU) located in Northern Command.

Later, the CICP executive committee decided to drop the systems study and shift the scope of the computerisation from units in Northern Command to those located in Western Command. However, a few months later, Army Headquarters issued sanction for creation of infrastructure to facilitate implementation of the project at the DOU in Northern Command.

Audit documents reveal that the civil works for the project were executed in March, 2006 at a cost of Rs 60.20 lakh under the responsibility of the Zonal Chief Engineer.

In response to audit observations, the DOU stated in January, 2008 that the facility so created was being used for certain other information-technology related purposes. It added that the infrastructure would be utuilised for porting CICP application as and when it would be rolled out to the DOU by the CICP Technical Group.

Udhampur, April 15
A solider was killed when militants ambushed a search party of Rashtriya Rifles in Banihal district early this morning. According to the official sources, a team of the 23 RR and the police on a tip-off launched a search operation at Trigam area of Banihal district during wee hours today.

However, militants ambushed the search party when it was crossing a nallah at Kheriboll and fired indiscriminately on the troops. Though troops retaliated, a solider identified as Lance Naik Daleep Singh of the 23 RR was killed.

When contacted, defence spokesman Lt-Col S.D. Goswami confirmed the incident and said the jawan succumbed to his injuries while being shifted to hospital.

He, however, said that incident occurred at around 9.15 am. Troops have launched a manhunt to track down the militants, he added.