Jammu, November 6
Agitating employees of the Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) said if the state government failed to fulfil their genuine demands they will march to the Parliament to hold protest there.

Over 1,000 SRTC employees, who along with their family members yesterday had marched to Jammu from Srinagar, today reached Jammu to join their counterparts to intensify the ongoing agitation.

Around 4,000 employees of the corporation are on strike for the past two months, demanding the release of their pending salaries for the past several months, besides implementation of the recommendations of the sixth pay commission.

“Around 700 employees from Srinagar have already reached Jammu and some 500 are on their way. They have come here to join us to intensify our ongoing stir against the state government for its failure to fulfil our genuine demands,” president of the SRTC Employees Union Ashok Mehra told The Tribune.

He said after all employees of the corporation assemble in Jammu, they would hold a massive protest outside the civil secretariat in Jammu after it opens in the winter capital on November 9 after the annual Darbar move.

“We will wait for the Darbar to open, then we would intensify our stir. If the government again fails to fulfil our demands we would march towards New Delhi and would hold protest outside the Parliament till our demands are not met,” Mehra said.

The SRTC employees are also planning to constitute a committee that would leave for Delhi and request for time from Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to meet them so that they could apprise her of the problems being faced by the employees.

So far the employees had held four rounds of talks with the government negotiator, but the talks have yielded no result. The government has been facing a loss of more than Rs 20 lakh per day as 672 buses and 425 trucks of the SRTC are grounded due to the ongoing strike.

Srinagar: CPM state secretary and MLA, Kulgam, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami has appealed to the government for release of pending salaries of the SRTC employees. Tarigami said release of salaries of these employees was essential for saving the SRTC from further losses and even the employees from starving-like situation. He urged the government to come out with a concrete view on the future policy of all PSUs in the state.

The CPM leader also appealed the striking SRTC employees to call off their strike and come forward for the negotiations with the committee constituted by the government for the purpose.

Srinagar, November 6
Reaching out to hardline leader Syed Ali Geelani, APHC chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said here today that a tripartite dialogue was necessary to clear the ground for talks for an everlasting solution to the Kashmir issue.

He said a bilateral dialogue would not resolve the issue and there was no other alternative than to start a tripartite dialogue process.

Addressing a Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid,the Mirwaiz said the right to self-determination to the people of Jammu and Kashmir was the basis for its resolution and that it would be solved only through the involvement of all three parties, India, Pakistan and the people of Jammu and Kashmir. His statement comes only three days after Geelani’s organisation had turned down the Mirwaiz faction’s plea to join the dialogue process with the Centre. “We stand by our agreement (with Geelani) last year to forge a unity on the talks process as per the Hurriyat’s constitution”, the Mirwaiz conveyed to Geelani. He added that there was no question of any deviation from the agreement as the right to self-determination formed the basis for the resolution of the issue.

On Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s recent statements on Kashmir, the Mirwaiz held that the Indian leadership had accepted that the Kashmir issue needed to be resolved. He added that the APHC believed in a sincere and meaningful dialogue process and urged the Government of India to come forward with a “firm policy devoid of ambiguities and confusion”. The Mirwaiz pointed out that there was variance between the statements of Union Home Minister and External Affairs Minister.

The Mirwaiz said the Kashmir issue had entered the “most delicate and decisive phase” as he referred to his recent visits abroad and statements emanating from different countries on Kashmir. The world, he said, recognised that the Kashmir issue needed to be resolved, adding that it was the responsibility of India and Pakistan to take measures in this direction. 

Srinagar, November 6
A significant but lesser known upshot of the prepaid mobile ban in the state would be a big change in the way security forces are taking on militants here.

Surveillance of mobile phone conversations of militants and their sympathisers and closing in on them by pinpointing their locations with the help of modern technology has been a key to the state police’s success against terror outfits.

A police official connected with keeping track of militants says an overwhelming majority of their successful operations against militants of late owed their success to tracking of their mobile phone conversations and tracking their location. The success rate increased after the Special Operations Group, the anti-terrorist squad of the state police, acquired the mobile surveillance agency in 2006 as they earlier depended on central agencies for the intelligence.

It may surprise many people that human rights violations by the police during their operations were reduced considerably because the intelligence gathered by taping and tracking mobile conversations would be exact and accurate unlike the human intelligence that used to have big margins of error.

Big cordons around an entire village or a locality, something very common in 90s and early years of this decade, when security agencies had to depend solely on human intelligence, became a thing of the past as policemen would exactly know where to go and whom to catch without inconveniencing others.

The technology was also responsible for busting more hawala networks than ever and drying up resources for militant outfits, while minimising chances that some corrupt officers would misappropriate the money as their bosses already knew the amount of money involved, a senior official said.

The ban on prepaid mobile would mean that the security agencies would have to depend more on human intelligence and do more legwork to trace a militant. Some officials, however, maintain that militants had reduced their dependence on mobile phones of late to avoid being traced by the police. They would also use multiple SIMs and handsets to keep their hunters guessing.

“Anti-terror exercises are a dynamic drive and priorities and technologies keep changing, but the ban should not affect their dominance over militants,” a top official said. “The ban has been enforced due to security concerns. It is not something forced on us but something opted by us,” he said, downplaying any adverse impact on intelligence gathering.

Jammu, November 6
The ban on pre-paid mobile connections in the state is likely to affect about more than 38 lakh subscribers in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The main reason for more number of pre-paid connections as compared to post-paid connection is the easy manageability of the pre-paid connection, RK Koul, principal general manager of BSNL (mobiles), J&K circle, told The Tribune.

He said for the benefit of the subscribers with pre-paid connection, the department had already distributed forms. After the subscriber furnishes all documents, his/her existing number would be changed into a post-paid connection.

The pre-paid subscribers in the region, most of whom belonged to low-income group, said it was easy for them to afford a pre-paid connection rather than having a post-paid connection with a fixed monthly rental.

“I had purchased a lifetime SIM of a mobile phone company and had given the number to my customers. I seldom used to recharge it, but my customers used to call me for home delivery of items,” Mulakh Raj, a provision store owner in Jammu, said.

A large number of Army personnel and migrant labourers also contributed to a major subscriber base of the pre-paid customers in the state, as it was convenient for them to have a pre-paid connection than a post-paid connection.

“In a year, an Army jawan goes on leave for three months, so there was no need to recharge the connection. But now if the same is changed to a post-paid, we may have to pay the rent for the period that we proceed on leave,” an Army jawan said.

“The migrant labourers also constituted a sizable chunk of pre-paid subscriber base as they used to purchase pre-paid connection with long validity and recharge it when they are in the state. I don’t think they are going to convert their pre-paid to post-paid connection as they will now have to pay the monthly rental,” a senior officer of a private telecom operator company said.

The student community also preferred pre-paid over post-paid as they could recharge their connections with their pocket money, but are unable to pay the monthly rental. 

Kalakote, November 6
Call it withdrawal of troops or redeployment, reduction in the number of security personnel in this militancy-infested region has created fear psychosis among the residents here. The recent attack on Rukhsana’s house has added to that element of fear.

It’s just 7.30 pm and an eerie silence has already engulfed the entire Bagla village. Deserted roads and pathways dotted with vacant bunkers welcome you to the village. Whether it is some crossing, a higher location or a rooftop, such bunkers and barbed wires could be seen everywhere in the village having around 35 households.

The village does not have any bus service as there is no motorable road. The area witnessed some bloodiest massacres of members of minority communities at the hands of terrorists around 7 years ago.

Bunkers were set up by the security forces to protect villagers from terrorist attacks after the villagers, especially those belonging to minority communities, started migrating.

“In 2006, when the BSF was replaced with the SOG, the militant struck a house belonging to a member of the minority community. A woman lost life and several others sustained serious injuries in the incident,” recalled Pritam Sharma. Thereafter, the security forces were again deployed in the village, he added.

“This time also villagers staged a protest in Taryaath market and 15 SOG men were deployed here. But we want the security forces back,” he added.

With the relocation of security forces from this area, people have started living indoors after the sunset. One member of almost every family keeps awake all through the night to keep vigil in the area.

A group of policemen was seen huddled up in a kutcha house. All of them were in plain clothes. None of them carried any night-vision device or looked otherwise geared up to deal with the situation, in case there was any emergency.

“A group of three militants was seen by some people around the village. So we avoid going out after the sunset and during early morning,” said Madan Lal, a villager. Madan had gunned down a militant in 2003 and was a member of the village defence committee.

“Earlier, the villagers used to provide shelter to the security forces and did not charge anything for the service. We used to feel secure in the company of security personnel. We want them back,” Madan added. “Our village is a crossing point for militants. They have killed many people here. Troops have also been shifted from Daggal, Taleri, Tararu, Solki, Taryaath, and Kabakote villages and people in the area are living in the fear of terrorists,” said a group of villagers.

Srinagar, November 6
Kulgam district observed a shutdown today following a call by hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. There were reports of clashes among separatist supporters and the police.

Geelani has been calling for strike in one district every Friday for the last three weeks, demanding withdrawal of the Army from the valley. However, the police this time managed to prevent Geelani from dodging them and going to Kulgam, as he had done on last two Fridays by disappearing on the sly from Srinagar and reaching Baramulla and Shopian to lead anti-India protests. His spokesman Ayaz Akbar said Geelani was brought to the Humhama police station yesterday and he remained there.

Geelani has moved the high court against his frequent detentions despite the court quashing the Public Safety Act invoked against him by the state police. Police officials said Geelani used his freedom to incite people into committing anti-national acts and his detention was necessary to maintain public order.

Local people said at least 10 persons, including some policemen, were injured in Kulgam as the police tried to disperse a group of protesters by firing teargas shells.

Srinagar, November 6
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah has asked hard line APHC leader Syed Ali Geelani to reciprocate to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s appeal for talks to find a solution to the Kashmir issue.

Talking to mediapersons here this evening, the NC president held that the Centre for the first time was serious about holding the dialogue process with all shades of opinion in the state. He added that it was time for Geelani to reciprocate in a positive manner so that different opinions were put forth to find a solution to all problems.

Farooq said the fresh initiative of the central government was clearly an all inclusive process and no opinion would be neglected.

Referring to the ban on pre-paid mobile phone connections in the state, the Union Minister lamented that some people at the Centre were having little knowledge about the ground situation in Kashmir, which had led to the decision. He said he would be taking up the issue with the government and opined that the ban on mobiles would be a temporary phase. He, however, added that due care of the security concerns would also be taken while the common man would not have to suffer in the state on this account.

Jammu, November 6
Panthers Party MLA Harsh Dev Singh supported the demand of XII lecturers regarding removal of their pay anomalies and their placement in pay band-III instead of pay band-II in conformity with recommendations of the SL Bhat Committee.

In a statement issued here today, Harsh Dev Singh asked the government to take a holistic view of the SRO 93 (2009) and review it, particularly with regard to anomalous situation created due to clubbing of gazetted pay scales with non-gazetted establishment.

He pointed out that conversion of 30 pre-revised pay scales into five pay bands had created resentment amongst various categories of employees, besides contravening the established practices, norms and service regulations of different classes of employees.

He said the government was required to undo the wrong caused to the affected categories, including teachers and lecturers, and ensure the issuance of rectification orders in this behalf without further loss of time.

He also demanded honouring of the agreement reached by the government with doctors before the expiry of scheduled deadline. He called for issuance of a comprehensive common order redressing the grievances of all categories after a proper review of SRO-93 so as to put an end to uncertainty prevailing in various government departments and unrest caused amongst employees due to faulty implementation of the 6th pay panel recommendations.

Jammu, November 6
Expressing concern about the shortage of fertilisers in the Jammu region, president of the Kissan Morcha Choudhary Sukhnandan today charged the Agriculture Minister as well as officers of the Agriculture Department with befooling farmers of the area by giving conflicting statements.

Addressing a press conference, Choudhary Sukhnandan, who is an MLA from the Marh area of Jammu district, said “either the Agriculture Minister is being provided wrong information by his department or he has knowledge of everything and is misleading the poor farmers of the Jammu region by stating that there is no shortage of fertilisers”.

Taking strong exception to the statement of the Agriculture Minister who had stated that the department’s godowns were overflowing with fertilisers and there was no one to lift the same for distribution, the Kissan Morcha president claimed that he had proof that a number of dealers from the Jammu region had deposited huge sums amounting to lakhs of rupees with a number of government agencies during the last two months but not even a single bag of fertiliser had been released to them for sale to the needy farmers.

Choudhary Sukhnandan pointed out that he had brought this matter to the notice of Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir who had claimed that there was no shortage of fertilisers in the Jammu region.

Jammu, November 6
Due to the scarcity of drinking water,residents of some areas of Rajouri district are planning to migrate to other places.

This was alleged by Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) general secretary and spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, who conducted a tour of several villages hit by the shortage of drinking water.

In a statement issued here today, Congress spokesman said there were certain areas where people were planning to temporarily migrate if the conditions did not improve in the next few days.

He expressed concern over the acute problem of drinking water, especially in the Sunderbani and Nowshera areas of Rajouri. He also voiced his concern over non-availability of fertiliser to farmers.

Sharma was also apprised by the people about shortage of fertilisers in the entire belt. Already, the farmers have suffered a lot due to drought and defective maize seed. He sought arranging the supply of fertilisers in the area.