The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Rs 2 lakh cr needed to harness state’s hydel potential: CM Says govt wants review of Central power-sharing arrangement Tribune News Service Srinagar, June 11 Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said a “huge investment” of over Rs 2 lakh crore was needed to harness the hydroelectric potential of the state. Omar said this while addressing a two-day 7th International Hydel Power Convention that began here today. He said it was not possible for the government alone to mobilise Rs 2 lakh crore and the process required the active participation of private players and financial institutions. Omar said Kashmir possessed an enormous hydel potential of about 20,000 MW of which only 2,458 MW was presently being harnessed. He added that the government had focused its attention on filling the gap and tapping the hydel potential within the shortest possible time. The Chief Minister said he would want the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) to have a “relook at its terms and conditions”, regarding the implementation of hydroelectric projects while “taking a leaf from the agreement”, the state had entered with a private power company regarding the construction of the Rattle Hydroelectric Project. “The state would otherwise be reluctant to award future projects to the NHPC,” he said. He said the state would like to own power projects constructed by power companies in the state after a fixed period of time and get a substantial share of electricity generated from them. Omar said 15 projects of the capacity of about 2034 MW, including three in state sector, four in Centre sector and eight in private sector, had been allotted and were under execution. He said 30 more projects with a capacity of 6,647 MW have been planned for execution. “These include eight projects in the state sector, one in centre sector, three as joint ventures and 18 in the private sector,” Omar said. Underlining the power potential as the most precious resource for income-deficit states like Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister emphasised the need for leveraging the resource for the overall economic development. He said his government has been persistently demanding a review of the Central power-sharing formula and larger devolution of benefits to resource-bearing states. “This issue has come into focus after the revised 850 MW Rattle project was allotted. The project has to provide 16 per cent free power to the state and 55 per cent power at a tariff of Rs 1.44 per unit. The ownership of the project shall revert to the state. This is more important in the context of the Indus Water Treaty, which has put the state at a disadvantage,” he said. He underscored the need for “north-north cooperation” in managing natural resources judiciously and optimally and preserving them for present and future generations.
	Work in double shifts to clear yatra tracks: Governor ‘Pilgrimage to start on time’ Tribune News Service Srinagar, June 11 Governor N N Vohra today directed the engineering wing of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) and government departments concerned to work in double shifts so that snow was cleared on the tracks leading to the holy Amarnath cave shrine. Vohra said this while reviewing the yatra arrangements at a high-level meeting held under his chairmanship at Nunwan Base Camp in south Kashmir. Persistent inclement weather conditions have been hampering track clearance operations as the Amarnath yatra is scheduled from June 25. The Governor also stressed that water and power supply, availability of rations, LPG, kerosene, medical facilities, telecommunication, firewood and all other essentials must be ensured at all en route yatra camps and at the holy cave area by June 15. Vohra reviewed all yatra arrangements and stressed that the work on the remaining portion of the Pahalgam-Chandanwari road must be completed on priority. The CEO of the Shrine Board, Navin K. Choudhary, dispelled any concern regarding the commencement of the yatra date. He asserted that the pilgrimage would commence from both the routes on June 25. “No doubt the weather conditions have put tremendous hindrances in clearance of track and putting in the required infrastructure, but all necessary steps are being taken to overcome the difficulties,” he added.
	Oppn, refugees want Wadhwa panel report implemented Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, June 11 While the government is still “examining” the recommendations of the GD Wadhwa Committee, which had submitted its report in 2008, the Opposition as well as leaders of various refugee organisations have demanded that it is high time the recommendations of the report were implemented to solve the problems of all refugees once and for all. The committee was constituted in 2006 under the leadership of then Financial Commissioner (Revenue) GD Wadhwa to look into the problems of “1947, 1965 and 1971 refugees” from the Pakistani-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and West Pakistan. Although the committee had submitted its report in 2008, the government has yet to take a decision on the recommendations. During the last two successive Budget sessions of the Assembly, this issue was raised by members. However, every time the government’s reply was that it was “examining” the report. “For the past four years, we have been anxiously waiting for the implementation of the recommendation of the Wadhwa Committee report. However, the report has been gathering dust,” regretted Labha Ram Gandhi, chairman of the West Pakistani Refugees Action Committee (WPRAC). Gandhi told The Tribune that a number of times this issue was raised before the authorities concerned, but expect promises no action had been taken so far. He admitted that the Wadhwa Committee had effectively highlighted the plight of West Pakistani refugees, who had been struggling to get citizenship rights since 1947. Bishnah MLA Ashwani Kumar Sharma, who has been fighting for West Pakistani refugees, took the government to task for adopting delaying tactics in the implementation of the recommendations of the committee, which had recommended citizenship rights for the West Pakistani refugees. Chief spokesman for the state BJP Jatinder Singh, while demanding the implementation of the recommendations, said the Wadhwa Committee had conducted the most detailed and elaborate study of the problems being faced by refugees, especially the West Pakistani refugees, in a fair manner. “I don’t know why this government is sitting on the recommendations of the report,” he said. Govt for domicile certificates to West Pak refugees The state government has recommended to the Centre to give permanent domicile certificates to all West Pakistani refugees living in different areas of the Jammu region. At present, domicile certificates are being issued to those refugees who have been living in the state from a particular period. Sources told The Tribune that the state government had written to the Union Government to seek permission for issuing permanent domicile certificates to all refugees to give them some relief. There has been no response from the Centre so far.
	Kashmiri Pandits suspend stir on assurance by CM M Aamir Khan/TNS Srinagar, June 11 A group of Kashmiri Pandits, who were sitting on an “indefinite dharna” here, suspended their stir after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah assured them that their demands would be looked into. Under the aegis of the Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj (YAIKS), the protesters had sat on a dharna at Pratap Park since June 5 against the government’s alleged failure to properly implement the Prime Minister’s rehabilitation package. The Political Adviser to the Chief Minister, Devender Rana, met the protesters late last night and fixed a meeting with Omar Abdullah. After meeting the Chief Minister this morning, the protesters suspended their dharna, saying that they were given an assurance that their demands would be met. The YAIKS joint secretary, Ajay Safaya, said after their meeting, the Chief Minister passed their file regarding appointments to 1,558 posts to the Ministry concerned. Under the Prime Minister’s rehabilitation package announced in 2008, 6,000 displaced Pandit youth were to be appointed in different departments (3,000 under the Central component and 3,000 by the state government). The YAIKS had held a dharna as only 1,442 youth were appointed in the first phase under the Central component and the remaining 1,558 posts are yet to be filled. Safaya said Pandits were also given an assurance that the process of filling of 3,000 posts by the state government would be started at the earliest. The YAIKS had earlier suspended its 22-day-long dharna held in the Jammu region in March after Minister for Revenue and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla and MoS for Home Nasir Aslam Wani had promised it that its demands would be fulfilled.
	Amid trust deficit, Siachen indispensable for India Ravi Krishnan Khajuria/TNS Jammu, June 11 Considering the growing ties between Pakistan and China, presence of Chinese troops in Pak-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) and the geo-political situation in South Asia, the highest battlefield of the world — Siachen — is indispensable for India. Further, to keep the Karakoram highway, which connects Gilgit-Baltistan with China, within “range”, the presence of Indian troops in Siachen is mandatory. “Going by past experience and at a time when China is raising huge infrastructure in PoK, we cannot think of giving up our positions in Siachen just because Islamabad wants it that way,” a defence source confided to The Tribune. No doubt, the high altitude terrain is difficult but Indian troops have never complained about it. In fact, there has always been a race among various units of the Army to get posted at Siachen, sources said. A senior Army officer admitted that troopers who get an opportunity to serve at the Siachen get a special ribbon on their uniform, which is a matter of pride for them. The sources said though the 13th Defence Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan had started at Islamabad, India could not afford to give up its position in Siachen. The Army has already given its feedback to the Ministry of Defence on Siachen. Such issues are seen in a larger perspective keeping in mind the existing geo-political situation in South Asia, they added. While Islamabad has been clamouring hard to convince New Delhi to demilitarise Siachen, there has been no shift in the strategy of the ISI and Pakistani army, said the sources. They haven’t closed even a single terror camp out of a total of 42 in PoK and they have scant regard for the mutually brokered ceasefire agreement. Now, going by these experiences and the growing ties between China and Pakistan, the issue of demilitarising Siachen should be seen pragmatically, they added. The sources also said that advantage over the Karakoram highway between Gilgit-Baltistan and China would be squandered away if India pulled out its troops from Siachen. “Some part of the Karakoram pass is under our dominance and is well within our ‘range’. If we withdraw from the present position in Siachen, the entire advantage will be squandered away to Pakistan and China,” they added. Though India insists upon the AGPL (actual ground position line), along which the troops are presently deployed, Pakistan wants us to withdraw to the positions that existed in 1984, said the sources. The AGPL is not clearly marked beyond NJ-9842, just short of Siachen Glacier, thereby triggering the dispute between the two nuke countries. The growing proximity between China and Pakistan via the Karakoram pass has altogether made Siachen indispensable for us, said the sources.
	INTERVIEW: Ghulam Hassan Mir, Minister for Agriculture ‘People had lost interest in farming, we are bringing profitability back’ Elected for the last two consecutive terms from Gulmarg constituency, Ghulam Hassan Mir is the lone member of his Democratic Party (Nationalist) in the NC-Congress coalition government. Earlier, as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mir was Tourism Minister in the previous PDP-Congress coalition government from 2002 to 2005, after which he distanced himself from the PDP and later constituted the DP (N). In 2009, Mir took over as Agriculture Minister in the present coalition government. In an interview to The Tribune correspondent Ehsan Fazili in Srinagar, the minister talks about the challenges ahead and the agenda of his department. What were the challenges that you faced when you took over as Agriculture Minister in 2009? The department had a challenging task on two vital fronts --- to achieve the national-level target of 25 per cent seed replacement and creating interest among farmers in lucrative crop production. I feel people of the state had lost their interest in agricultural activities because of its non-profitability. To overcome these problems, what measures have been taken so far? I made it a point that our seed replacement target should cross the 25 per cent. Today, for certain crops we have crossed the national-level percentage and for crops like paddy, maize and wheat we are touching the target. My efforts have been to restore profitability and glamour to this sector. The Agriculture Department through various schemes made machinery available to farmers. Now farmers are showing keen interest in the purchase of agricultural tools. There was a problem of taxes on farm mechanisation and agricultural imports. But, now we have done away with these taxes. At present, J&K is a tax-free state for agricultural trade. In view of the varied weather conditions in different regions, what major initiatives have been taken? The Jammu region is famous for production of basmati rice, known for its aroma. But its size used to be very small and therefore the farmers had a problem marketing it. In the international market, rice with a standard size is supplied. The Jammu basmati was not getting marketed. We took up the matter with the Central government, which relaxed the rule for Jammu basmati. Now, Jammu basmati is being exported and the farmers have benefited. We have started Basmati Mission in the Jammu region, whereby we are producing basmati seeds with the help of farmers by providing them inputs, farm machinery and irrigation facilities. Is there any such mission for other areas? In Kashmir, we have launched Saffron Mission with the Central assistance of Rs 372 crore to revive saffron cultivation as people had lost interest in it. Unfortunately, the costliest spice produced from Kashmir was not being shown much interest by cultivators even though it is in demand at the international level. The mission is progressing well and will help farmers in quality production and marketing. Tell us about the contribution of the two agricultural universities in the Kashmir and Jammu regions. A lot of research work done by the scientists at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), both in Kashmir and Jammu, had not reached the farmers. For this purpose, the department organised Kisan Melas in every nook and corner of the state whereby an effort was made to reach from the “lab to land”. This was done by the department in collaboration with the agricultural universities. Has there been any relief to farmers with regard to supply of fertilisers? The crisis over supply of fertilisers has been resolved by taking various measures. A mechanism was developed to ensure timely supply of quality fertilisers at appropriate rates. It was for the first time that reputed companies like IFFCO were found providing fertilisers of substandard quality. The supply was stopped and the company asked to take back the substandard fertilisers.
	Pak violates ceasefire in Poonch, BSF jawan injured Tribune News Service Jammu, June 11 A BSF jawan was critically injured when Pakistani troops fired at Indian forward posts along the Line of Control in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district today afternoon. “Around 12.05 pm Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire and resorted to small arms firing along the Indian forward posts in Krishna Ghati sector. A BSF jawan PK Mishra of 94 Battalion was hit in the neck,” said an Army spokesperson. The spokesperson said Mishra was critically injured and was airlifted to Command Hospital, Udhampur. His condition was stated to be critical, he said. The Pakistani troops fired from the Daku and Chuha posts. This was the 11th ceasefire violation by the Pakistani troops this year. The Pakistani troops had violated the ceasefire agreement on May 22 by targeting forward posts along the LoC in Poonch district.
	Hurriyat shutdown call hits life in Kashmir M Aamir Khan Tribune News Service Srinagar, June 11 Normal life in the Kashmir valley was hit today in view of the shutdown called by the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani. The call was given in memory of those civilians killed in the summer unrest of 2010. The maximum effect of the hartal call was felt in and around Lal Chowk, the heart of the summer capital, and old city areas. Shops and other business establishments in the vicinity of Lal Chowk and the old city areas remained closed. The movement of public transport also remained restricted in these areas but a few private vehicles were seen plying on the roads. Work at most of the offices, barring those of the civil secretariat, and educational institutions remained affected. However, a few private buses and vehicles were seen plying on the roads of civil line areas of the city. Several shops in the civil line areas of the city also remained open but normal life took a hit as Lal Chowk, which connects different parts of the city, remained shut. While the overall situation remained peaceful, stray incidents of stone-throwing were reported from downtown areas of Srinagar. Reports reaching here said normal life was disrupted in other parts of the Valley as well due to the strike call. Geelani’s shutdown call coincided with the second death anniversary of teenager Tufail Mattoo, whose killing on this day in 2010 had triggered a cycle of protests across the Valley. The hardline Hurriyat faction had earlier urged people to observe martyrs’ week from June 11 to 17 in memory of those killed by the security forces during 2010 protests.
	Students’ union protests against collapse of scheme Tribune News Service Jammu, June 11 Activists of the Young Panthers and National Panthers Students Union (NPSU) today staged a protest outside the office of the Chief Engineer, PMGSY, Jammu, against the “total collapse” of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana scheme. Protesters accused the authorities concerned of failing to implement the ambitious flagship programme of the Central government in a ‘right perspective’. They alleged large scale lapses, omissions and commissions in the functioning of the PMGSY. They demanded a thorough probe into the working and the present status of all PMGSY schemes sanctioned during the last ten years. Led by provincial secretary of the Young Panthers Pawan Dev Singh and president of the NPSU Pratap Singh Jamwal, the protesters raised slogans against the department and alleged that “negligence and lethargic” approach of the authorities had deprived people of the benefits envisaged under the scheme.
	Sindu festival on Indus banks starts today Leh, June 11 A three-day-long annual Ladakh Singay Khabas Sindu Festival will begin with much fanfare on the banks of the Indus near Shey village in Leh district tomorrow. Minister for Tourism and Culture Nawang Rigzin Jora will inaugurate the festival. The festival is being organised to attract more tourists to Ladakh by the Tourism Department, Leh. During the three-day event, activities of tourist interest are being held at various places in Leh. A folk cultural show, traditional archery and horse polo sport will be the main features of the festival. The festival will begin by hoisting of the Tricolour and a joint prayer by various community religious heads. — OC
	3 quakes rock Valley in an hour Srinagar, June 11 Three earthquakes, including two of moderate intensity, rocked the Kashmir valley within an hour today morning. A light intensity earthquake measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale shook the Valley at 10.05 am, an official of the Meteorological Department said. The official said the epicentre of the earthquake was along the Sikkim-Nepal border. Later, two moderate intensity earthquakes measuring 5.4 and 5.7 on the Richter scale were recorded at 10.32 am and 10.59 am, respectively, the MeT official said. The epicentre of the earthquakes was along the Hindukush region of Afghanistan. No damage to life or property was reported, an official of the Natural Disaster Management Cell said. — TNS