Jammu, October 18
With truce violations becoming a routine for Pakistan, its border guarding force, Pakistan Rangers, this morning targeted two Indian posts along the international border in the RS Pura sector of Jammu district, prompting the BSF to respond in equal measure.

“Around 4.45 am, Pakistan Rangers opened unprovoked small arms and automatic weapons’ fire on two Indian posts — Sangral and Mangral in the RS Pura sector. The BSF retaliated strongly,” said an Intelligence source.

“The gun duel lasted for nearly two hours till 6.45 am. Rangers fired at our posts using small arms and automatic weapons. We effectively retaliated,” said a BSF officer.

“They (Pak) didn’t target civilian areas,” he said.

However, there were no casualties or injuries on the Indian side.

A similar truce violation happened last evening in the RS Pura sector. Pakistan had opened fire around 4.35 pm yesterday firing 24 rounds at the Allah Mai De Kothe and Niki Tawi area.

A resident of RS Pura said villagers from border areas along the international border still move into relief camps before sunset and next morning they go back to their villages to look after their cattle and do other domestic chores.

There have been four ceasefire violations along the international border and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Poonch districts during the past over 24 hours.

Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag on Saturday told his commanders to continuously assess the situation in view of security transition in India’s neighbourhood and also maintain constant pressure on terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir to ensure peaceful Assembly elections.

The international border and the LoC in the Jammu region have been witnessing heavy mortar shelling by Pakistani troops since October 1, leaving nine persons dead and over 95 injured, including 13 security men. Over 35,000 people have fled their houses along the international border.

Srinagar, October 18
Barring the ruling National Conference (NC), all the political parties, including its coalition partner, the Congress, in Jammu and Kashmir have favoured holding of the state Assembly elections on time, even as the administration has been engaged in post-flood relief and rehabilitation process.

The political parties whose leaders met the Election Commission of India (ECI) here today included the ruling National Conference, Congress, BJP, opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), CPM, CPI and the J-K Panthers Party.

Senior NC leader and minister Ali Mohammad Sagar, who led the three-member delegation before the poll panel, headed by Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath, said it was not the right time to hold the polls as the government and its machinery were engaged in massive relief and rehabilitation process after the devastating floods.

“After the devastating floods, we are facing a humanitarian problem and time is not right for holding the polls. This time the priority of government should be rehabilitation process,” Sagar said, adding that time is not conducive for holding of polls in the state due to a large-scale destruction caused by the floods that hit the state in the first week of September.

The other members of NC delegation included provincial president, Kashmir, Nasir Aslam Wani, and provincial president, Jammu, Devender Rana.

The Congress delegation, comprising Tourism Minister and MLA from Kokernag GA Mir, member of the Legislative Council Ghulam Nabi Monga and former minister Khem Lata Wakhloo, favoured elections on schedule.

“People are suffering due to floods and their rehabilitation should be taken care by the new government and the elections should be held on time. If the elections are delayed, it means imposition of the President’s rule in the state that will affect rehabilitation of flood victims,” said Monga.

The PDP also vociferously favoured the idea of holding the Assembly elections in the state on time.

“We put forth the idea of holding elections on time and let the present government complete its present term,” PDP leader Haseeb Darbu said after the meeting. “The PDP is in favour of holding the elections on time….. the present government has failed to deliver and end the miseries of people on all fronts, including the recent floods,” he said. “The ECI made it clear that elections would not affect the rehabilitation process,” he added.

The three-member BJP delegation, led by its state general secretary Bali Bagat, said the party, too, was for timely elections and strengthening of the democratic institutes.

“The rehabilitation of flood victims is required and it will not be complete in a month or two. But it will take at least five to 10 years for the complete rehabilitation. Let the new government be formed and it will take this responsibility,” Bagat told the ECI during the meeting. “The election and rehab of floods victims can go side by side.” 

Srinagar, October 18
An association of doctors today said the flood-hit schools in the region were infected and warned that students were at the risk of bacterial and fungal infections.

The Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) in a statement warned of a “serious threat” of infections in the flood-affected schools, saying: “The contaminated flood-hit schools make students vulnerable to bacterial and fungal infections.”

“The visible fungus in some flood-hit schools make them unsafe for children as molds can cause allergies, asthma, rhinitis, skin infections, severe respiratory and fatal central nervous system infections,” said DAK president Nisar-ul-Hassan. He said “improper decontamination” of school buildings would put schoolchildren at “risk of deadly infections”.

“Schools have to be disinfected as per the Environmental Protection Agency infection remediation guidelines,” the association said.

It added that the porous material — carpets, upholstered furniture, paper products, baby toys and insulation — have to be removed and discarded while as non-porous material — floor, walls, metal, glass and plastic — have to be disinfected.

“Heating, ventilation and air conditioning system has to be disinfected with hydrogen peroxide which kills spores, otherwise resistant to usual disinfectants,” the DAK said.

It further said the flood-hit schools should have a safety health certificate from authorised body before reopening them for children.

Srinagar, October 18
The Kashmir traders today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce an immediate relief package for the flood-affected community of the Valley as well as those who have been rendered homeless by the floods.

During a rally in the Lal Chowk area of the city, The State Economic Reconstruction Forum (SERF), an amalgam of various trade and commerce bodies of the Valley, hit out at the state government for not announcing a comprehensive relief package.

The forum said the state government’s proposal of providing a relief package of Rs 44,000 crore would “not be sufficient”.

The traders’ community, including the members of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries and Kashmir Economic Alliance, raised slogans against the “inefficacy of the state government”.

“We had earlier submitted a detailed proposal to the state government where our assessment of losses due to floods in the Valley was put at Rs 1 lakh crore. The state government, however, is only ready to pay Rs 44,000 crore, which by all means is inadequate,” said SERF convenor, Nasir Khan.

The forum urged the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank to help revive the economy of the state by aiding the business fraternity.

It also requested the government to provide accommodation to those rendered homeless by the floods in government residential quarters reserved for the Secretariat employees.

The Secretariat employees are scheduled to shift to Jammu during the forthcoming Durbar move.

“In any case these residential quarters will remain vacant for six months when the Durbar is shifted to Jammu. Hence it could be a better idea to relocate the homeless there,” Khan said. 

Reasi, October 18
Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Reasi, Dr Parminder Singh today recommended the termination of Medical Officer Dr Shakti Devi’s (Indian System of Medicine) services after she was found absent from her duty.

The CMO, who conducted an extensive tour of the remote areas of the district along with the District Programme Management Unit, Reasi, and the Medical Mobile Unit, also sought explanation from Dr Arun Deyol and Dr Aijaz Lone for dereliction of duty.

Both the doctors were chargesheeted and asked to explain their position for unauthorised absence.

The CMO also visited various building of the Health Department which are under construction and reviewed the stock position.

The official also held a review meeting at Mahore in which progress of institutions and schemes running under the Nation Health Mission in the block were discussed in detail.

Dr Singh directed the staff to work sincerely for the better implementation of schemes.

The members of the District Programme Management Unit, including District Programme Manager Wassim Akram and District Monitoring & Evaluation Officer Vikas Anand, checked all the records in detail in all the far flung institutions of block Mahore. 

Batote, October 18
Heavy traffic jam was witnessed along the 300-km-long Jammu-Srinagar highway with commuters forced to spend the night in their vehicles.

“I had to join duty on October 17 at Srinagar. I started off from Jammu with my family at 6 am yesterday. We had to spend the night in our vehicle at Ramsu. It was a terrible experience,” rued RK Raina, Assistant Director, All India Radio, Srinagar.

Long queues of vehicles were witnessed between the Kud and Banihal.

The sick, children, examinees and those who had to board trains or planes from Jammu appeared to be a worried a lot.

“I have been on the road for the past 50 hours without any sleep and proper food,” claimed DSP, Traffic, Banihal Sector, Farooq Ahmed Khan.

Heavy traffic jams have been witnessed along the highway since the two-way traffic was restored on October 16.

Jammu, October 18
Executive Director, Power Grid, Northern Region-II, SK Sharma today handed over an ambulance to Government Medical College (GMC), Patiala, in an impressive function at the 400/220 KV Substation at Patiala.

Principal, GMC, Patiala, Dr KD Singh received the ambulance in presence of senior doctors and senior officers of the Power Grid.

The Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd has undertaken initiative of providing ambulances to government hospitals/medical colleges/ rural health centres as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme. The Power Grid has donated 28 such ambulances to various government hospitals across the country with the objective that it will strengthen the public health infrastructure.

SK Sharma, on the occasion, highlighted various CSR activities being undertaken by the Power Grid and stressed that such initiatives were the manifestation of its commitment to a better future for all.

Srinagar, October 18
The police and the Army today arrested a local militant in Sopore town.

“Irfan Ahmad Bhat, alias Irra, of Panzipora Tarzoo was arrested from Sopore with the assistance of the 52 Rashtriya Rifles. A pistol and a pistol magazine were recovered from his possession,” a police spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said Irfan was motivated and recruited into the outfit by Al-Badr district commander Muzaffar Ahmad Naikoo, alias Muz Molvi, to build a network of the group operatives for the execution of various violent actions in and around Sopore.

“After being indoctrinated with the jihadi ideology and positioned into the said militant outfit, Irfan was assigned various tasks of couriering weapons and money, identifying the targets vis-a-vis security installations and carry out grenade attacks on VIP rallies, police and security forces on the directions of Muz Molvi,” he said. — TNS