The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Police claims vital leads in Wular Lake project attack Militant threat casts shadow on site work, which remains suspended Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, August 31 With the identification of three local militants who allegedly intimidated and threatened workers at the Wular Lake conservation project site, the J-K police has claimed that it has got vital leads in the case. “We have identified three local militants and an equal number of over ground workers (OGWs) of the Hizbul Mujahideen who had stormed the Wular Lake construction site at Aadipore in Sopore on Monday night,” said a police officer. “We have got vital leads in the case and hopefully we will get these militants soon.” Senior police officers in Srinagar said the investigators were also looking into other possibilities and motives to the attack. “The police is investigating all angles to the incident, including extortion as well as intimidation and threat to the workers,” said a police officer in Srinagar. “We are looking into local angles as well as it could have been a ploy by locals to settle their land dispute in the area,” he added. Meanwhile, work on the project site continues to remain suspended for the third consecutive day. On Monday night, a group of heavily armed militants had barged into workers’ huts at Aadipore village, near Sopore town. While intimidating them, the militants had asked them to stop the work on the site. The militants also snatched mobile phones from nearly 20 workers and demolished an embankment which was being raised by the workers. Police sources said that soon after the incident, the militants fled to the Nigli area (marshy and densely forested periphery of the lake). The Wular Lake project, which started last year, is located close to the suspended Tulbul Navigation Lock Project, also called Wular Barrage. Pakistan has been strongly opposing the construction of Wular Barrage, and intelligence agencies believe that the militants had raided the site on the directions of Pakistan as they suspected that the Wular Lake project was a part of the suspended Wular Barrage project.
	Heritage tag for 110-yr-old power project Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, August 31 The state government has decided to turn the country’s second oldest power project, Mohura Power House, into a heritage site. Located close to the Line of Control in the Uri area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the Mohura Power House was constructed in 1902 by Dogra ruler Maharaja Pratap Singh. It was the first electricity-generating unit in the state, supplying power to the palace of the king. It became a target of the Pakistani tribals who attacked it on October 24, 1947 during their march to Srinagar, plunging the Valley’s top offices and palaces into darkness. A detailed project report of this wooden colonial structure, which snakes through the tough terrains of Uri, has been sent to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for its preservation. “The government wants to preserve the wooden flume (tunnel),” said Managing Director, Power Development Corporation (PDC), Bashaarat Dhar. “We have prepared a detailed project report and it has been sent to the MNRE. The government has decided to turn the country’s second oldest power project into a heritage site.” The PDC, which owns the defunct project, plans to use the wooden flume and make the existing tunnel water-proof. The wooden tunnel served as the water supply channel to run the power-generating unit. “We have identified the technology for making the tunnel water-proof. The heritage power house as per the proposal will generate 9 MW power, which can be utilised by the neighbouring localities. Though the project will not be economically profitable, it is important that we preserve our heritage,” said another official of the PDC. Due to recurring losses, the project had been closed 15 years ago. Its 11-km-long wooden flume is the country’s oldest existing canal constructed by German engineers. The powerhouse was the only source of electricity in the state for the first five years of its establishment. In September 1992, massive floods in Uri damaged some portions of the power house. Since then the project has been defunct. With its closure, its staff was shifted to other power projects in the state. At present, nearly 25 employees are posted at the power house. They take care of the damaged machinery, stores and the dilapidated power house building.
	Army to take nine months to procure mini UAVs for J-K Tribune News Service Jammu, August 31 For the first time after the eruption of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir over 22 years back, the Army will use mini unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in counter-insurgency operations in the border state. Once procured, the mini flying machines will be used in vulnerable stretches along the 776-km-long Line of Control (LoC), including the 272-km-long LoC south of the Pir Panjal range, said a senior Army official. “This is the first time in the state that these mini UAVs will be used along the LoC to keep a hawk’s eye on the movement of terrorists. Accordingly, a strategy will be devised to deal with them,” said the official. Once the Army gets these equipment, the soldiers will be able to track the movement of the ultras and foil their intrusion bids more easily, said the source. “We won’t be sending these machines to the other side of the border to respect international conventions but a recce in the suspected areas will be conducted by way of these UAVs so that we can neutralise the nefarious designs of the ultras,” the official said. The process of procuring 20 mini UAVs for the state is likely to take at least eight to nine months, he said. The UAVs would give vital intelligence inputs about terrorists to the Army and would be frequently used for scouting to equip the soldiers in a better way to take on the armed militants on the border, added the source. These easy-to-use mini machines are being bought by the Udhampur-based Northern Army Command. “The Northern Command has already issued a tender for the mini UAVs in the global market,” said an Army officer. Sources said the procurement was being made under the Northern Army Commander's special financial powers. The UAVs which are being bought weigh less than 10 kg and can be carried by soldiers in difficult terrains. They have cameras with infrared facilities besides being equipped with recording devices and sensors for surveillance. These are propelled by electric motors, which make them noise-free after attaining a height of 500 metre above the ground level. HI-TECH FEATURES The UAVs which are being bought weigh less than 10 kg. They have cameras with infrared facilities besides being equipped with recording devices and sensors for surveillance. These are propelled by electric motors, which make them noise-free after attaining a height of 500 metre.
	Ladakh fest begins today Yangchan Dolma Leh, August 31 An 8-day-long Ladakh Festival in Leh district will begin tomorrow. It is being celebrated to attract tourists during off season to the Ladakh region. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is scheduled to inaugurate the festival. He will be accompanied by Tourism and Culture Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora. The festival will begin with a cultural procession by artistes of various villages of the district. The artistes will display the rich cultural and traditional diversity of Ladakh to tourists. The procession will start from Chubi village of Leh town, pass through the main market in Leh and culminate at Polo Ground. A traditional food festival, handicraft and photo exhibition, music concert, Buddhist mask dance, traditional archery contest and polo match will be the highlightsof the festival.
	Army to hold fair in Kargil Tribune News Service Jammu, August 31 As part of the Army’s endeavour to connect with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and improve their socio-economic conditions, the ‘Forever in Operations’ Division is going to organise an “Army mela” in Kargil on September 3. The Army in the state is enthusiastically involved in civic programmes with an aim to bring a palpable improvement in the quality of life of the people. The division has planned a series of events for the mela. The highlights of this show include awareness programmes for youth and children, felicitation of war widows and ex-servicemen, display of military weapons and equipment, para-motor display, Army dog show, pipe band display, cultural programmes and sports activities. A multi-specialty medical camp will be organised wherein the Army doctors will provide healthcare advice and free medicines to patients. The event is likely to witness a lot of participation from locals and employees of the state government departments. The event aims to showcase military prowess and strengthen the bond between the people of the region and the Army.
	Parents must encourage kids to respect their teachers: Farooq Recalls incident when his father sided with the teacher who slapped him Bismah Malik/TNS Srinagar, August 31 Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah today said the execution of 26/11 convict Ajmal Amir Kasab would take place since his death sentence had been upheld by the Supreme Court. “Ajmal Kasab will be hanged,” Farooq told mediapersons on the sidelines of the centenary celebrations of Mallinson Girls School, one of the oldest girls’ missionary school of Kashmir, at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) here today. Farooq lambasted the BJP for creating disruptions during the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament. “The Prime Minister should intervene and not let BJP create a ruckus in Parliament,” he said. Recollecting his schooldays at Tyndale Biscoe and Mallinson School, Farooq said despite being the son of state’s legendary leader Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, he was treated just like any other student of the school. In a lighter vein, Farooq shared an incident when a schoolteacher slapped him hard on the face. “When my father came to know about the incident, he talked to the teacher and rather complimented him for adhering to the rules and not succumbing to the pressure of royal families. The profession of teaching was so much respectful back then and a teacher was held in high esteem,” the Union Minister said. Farooq said that with changing times, students have become more relaxed in their conduct with teachers. “Parents should encourage their children to respect their teachers. Often times, we complain about teachers when they punish our children, but we should always adopt an intermediary approach,” asserted Farooq, addressing students, their parents and the teaching faculty.
	NC members meet former interlocutors Tribune News Service Srinagar, August 31 A delegation of the ruling National Conference, led by the Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs Abdul Rahim Rather met the two visiting former interlocutors on Kashmir, Dileep Padgaonkar and Radha Kumar, here today. The two sides held a wide-ranging discussion on issues related to the recommendations made in the interlocutors’ report last year, which was presented to the then Union Home Minister. The delegation included Minister for Industries and Commerce SS Slathia. The interlocutors reached here last Monday to obtain inputs on their report from various political parties and representatives of a cross-section of society.
	Youth’s mysterious death case solved RK Kichlu Batote, August 31 A day after a youth’s body was found near the residence of former J&K Deputy Chief Minister DD Thakur in Batote, the police cracked the mystery behind the case. The youth has been identified as Ashwani Koul alias Ashu, 22, who was residing in a rented accommodation at Bakshi Nagar in Jammu. According to sources, Ashu was a drug addict and had a criminal record. He was involved in at least four cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, apart from an attempt to murder case, all of which were registered in different police stations of Jammu city. Sources said the preliminary medical examination revealed that he was suspected to have died due to excessive consumption of an intoxicant on empty stomach in or near the house of a person named Ghulam Ali in ward no. 7, Batote. Ashu, along with his four friends, reportedly his accomplices in various crimes, had come to Batote on the morning of August 29 for the condolence of Ali’s grandson Raju, who too was found dead under mysterious circumstances about a fortnight ago. Except Ashu, all his friends left for Jammu on the same night. Sources claim Ashu’s body was thrown in the bushes in the wee hours on the request of a young leader of a state-level political party who has been identified by the police. However, the police is yet to disclose his name and how he is involved. Ashu’s family members say he was missing since the evening of August 28 when he had left to visit his ailing father at a Jammu hospital. He was found dead by some students on Thursday morning. He was found barefoot and without his cellphone or any document except a small piece of paper having the mobile number of one of his friends, which helped in cracking the case.
	Incentives for docs in remote areas fetch positive results 57 of the 67 posts in remote areas get filled Varun Suthra /TNS Jammu, August 31 After the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) increased the incentives for MBBS doctors who opt for serving in inaccessible and remote areas, doctors have shown a keenness to serve in such areas and most of the vacant posts have been filled. Expressing satisfaction over the response of MBBS doctors, Dr Yashpal Sharma, Mission Director of the state NRHM, said 67 posts of MBBS doctors in Category ‘A’ (inaccessible) and Category ‘B’ (very difficult) areas were advertised, and of those 57 vacancies have been filled. “Efforts are under way to improve the health care facilities in the rural belt by ensuring the availability of doctors and other paramedic staff. The Chief Secretary of the state and Commissioner Secretary, Health and Medical Education, have taken some major decisions in this regard,” Sharma said. The shortage of doctors in far-flung areas has always been a big challenge for the government but its recent move to enhance incentives for the doctors serving in such areas has shown positive results, he added. “A similar exercise will be carried out for vacant posts in Category ‘C’ (difficult) areas for MBBS doctors in health institutions. At present, 27 posts of MBBS doctors are vacant in Community Health Centres and Primary Health Centres.” Minister for Health Sham Lal Sharma said, “To ensure better health care facilities in the remotest areas, we had first advertised for the inaccessible and very difficult areas and now we will soon advertise the posts for difficult areas.”
	12 security men killed in Pak firing this year Ravi Krishnan Khajuria/TNS Jammu, August 31 With Pakistan continuing its proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir to foment trouble, at least nine Army soldiers and three BSF constables have lost their lives this year while performing their duty along the Line of Control (LoC), the international border and in the hinterland. Three soldiers and an equal number of BSF men were injured, some of them seriously in Pakistan’s misadventures this year so far. The state has a 293-km-long international border (IB), 776-km-long LoC, 121-km-long AGPL with Pakistan on one side and 804-km-long LAC, and IB with China. South of the Pir Panjal range, the Jammu region has a 272-km LoC out of which 224.5 km is being guarded by the Army, 192 km IB by the BSF and 14.5 km IB is being guarded by the Army control. “We lost three border guards along the IB and the LoC so far this year. On June 11, we lost BSF guard PK Mishra in a sniper fire in the Nangi Tekri area of the KG sector along the LoC in Poonch district. Border guard Deepak Singh was killed by a sniper fire in the Samba sector along the IB on May 30 this year. On August 16 we lost a constable, Chandan Rai, in a sniper fire at the Abdulian post along the IB,” BSF DIG NS Jamwal told The Tribune. “In all the three incidents, Pakistan opened sniper fire killing our personnel,” said the DIG. “Besides these incidents of sniper fire which killed three of our men, three other personnel were injured along the IB this year — one in sniper fire and two in truce violations by the Pakistan Rangers,” said Jamwal. On August 6, the Pakistan Rangers had opened RPG fire on the Pansar post of the BSF in the Hiranagar sector when two border guards, Bhuvneet Singh, a resident of Gurdaspur, and Hari Mohan, a resident of Kanpur, had sustained splinter injuries, he added. On August 11, the Pakistan Rangers had opened fire in the Arnia sub-sector, targeting the Pindi post where border guard Ram Avatar had sustained injuries in his right thigh. The Army has also lost nine jawans so far this year along the LoC and in various counter-insurgency operations in the state, said a senior Army officer, who wished anonymity. “In June this year, when there were repeated truce violations and incidents of sniper fire from across the LoC in the KG sector, we lost Lance Naik Harvinder Singh while three other soldiers sustained injuries,” he said.
	Hideout busted in Kishtwar Tribune News Service Jammu, August 31 The Army today smashed a hideout in a forest area of Keshwan in Kishtwar district and recovered arms and ammunition. “Based on specific intelligence inputs, a column of 11 Rashtriya Rifles launched a search operation at 8:45 am in the Junga forest area of Keshwan,” said an Army spokesperson. The large quantity of weapons, including a 12 bore rifle, two UBGL grenades, two Chinese grenades, two Pakistani grenades, one RPG round, 14 rounds of assorted ammunition, one pouch and 1-kg explosive were recovered from the hideout.
	Bharti Vaid is Media Adviser Tribune News Service Srinagar, August 31 The state government today appointed Bharti Vaid of Indian Information Service (IIS), who is at present posted as Additional Director General, News Service Division, All India Radio, New Delhi, as its Media Adviser. The government orders issued today stated that Bharti's salary would be paid by the Home Department. “Her office will be located at the police headquarters or any other location assigned by the Director General of Police,” the government order said.
	Local bodies’ poll by year-end Srinagar, August 31 The state government has decided to hold elections to the Block Development Councils and the Urban Local Bodies by the year-end. A spokesman of the goverment said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had instructed the Rural Development and Housing Department and the Urban Development Department to take necessary steps for conducting elections to the Block Development Councils and the Urban Local Bodies respectively by December. — TNS