8 killed in J&K violence
SRINAGAR, Jan 13 — Five persons were killed eight according to PTI and 15 others injured in separate incidents of militancy across Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

J-K panchayat electoral rolls to be updated
JAMMU, Jan 13 — The Chief Electoral Officer of Jammu and Kashmir has ordered the revision of panchayat electoral rolls with January 1, 1999, as the qualifying date.

City cries for more parks
UDHAMPUR: Parks and gardens enhance the beauty of a town or a city providing an opportunity to the citizens to spend their leisure time. Every big town or a city located particularly in Kashmir valley has gardens and parks, but unfortunately excepting Jammu city, the towns or cities in Jammu region are usually lacking the facility of gardens and parks.

8 killed in J&K violence
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Jan 13 — Five persons were killed eight according to PTI and 15 others injured in separate incidents of militancy across Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

At least 15 persons were injured in two explosions caused by suspected militants in Budgam and Anantnag district headquarters today. Police here said that an explosive device placed in an abandoned post of the taxi stand, Budgam went off at 12.40 p.m. today causing injuries to nine persons. About a dozen vehicles parked nearby were damaged due to the impact of the explosion. Three of the injured were discharged after first aid.

In another incident six persons were injured when militants hurled a grenade at a vehicle of the security forces at Lal Chowk in Anantnag town this afternoon. No damage was caused to the vehicle as the grenade missed the intended target and exploded on the road. Six pedestrians were injured in the explosion. Tension gripped the town after the explosion.

Suspected militants shot dead two policemen at Soura on the outskirts of Srinagar city this afternoon. Identified as Constable Ghulam Mohiuddin and Mohammad Latif of the Soura Police Station, they were shot at by the militants near Sabzi Mandi Soura. They were shifted to the hospital where they succumbed to their injuries.

A girl identified as Jawahira Akhtar was shot at and killed by militants in Anantnag, police here said.

One militant was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Devar in north Kashmir district of Kupwara.

PTI adds: Seven people were injured and some vehicles damaged when an explosive device, planted by militants, went off at the 'Matador' stand in Badgam district of central Kashmir.

Six others were hurt in a grenade explosion, targeted at a security patrol, outside the State Bank of India at Lal Chowk in Anantnag district this morning.

Security forces gunned down two militants and arrested seven others during anti-militant operations in the valley during the period, the spokesman said.

The body of a special police officer and three counter-insurgents associated with the Ikhwan were recovered by police from Runipora area of Anantnag district early today, he said, adding they had all been abducted.

Militants also killed two persons including a young girl at Brimersar in Anantnag and Tulhama in Kupwara district.

In an encounter with security forces, an unidentified militant was killed at Diwar in the frontier district of Kupwara last evening.

Security forces also gunned down two militants at Lathoong in Surankote area of Poonch district today. The operation in the village was in progress and further details were awaited.

The spokesman said four militants were arrested by the local police from Motiyar-Rainawari and Natipora in Srinagar, while three suspected militants were picked up for questioning from Pulwama during search operations yesterday.

A pistol, three 107-mm rockets and some ammunition were recovered from the captured militants, he added.

J-K panchayat electoral rolls to be updated

JAMMU, Jan 13 (PTI) — The Chief Electoral Officer of Jammu and Kashmir has ordered the revision of panchayat electoral rolls with January 1, 1999, as the qualifying date.

A notification issued by the CEO under the Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, said the names of those who had attained the age of 18 years on or before January 1, 1999, and were permanent residents of the states's rural areas would be included in the electoral rolls.

Any person whose name or other particulars had been wrongly recorded in the existing rolls could also apply for correction.

The Tehsildar and Naib Tehsildar of Marwah in Doda district had been designated electoral registration officers while all Block Development Officers in the state had been designated assistant electoral officers.

City cries for more parks
From Ramesh Gupta

UDHAMPUR: Parks and gardens enhance the beauty of a town or a city providing an opportunity to the citizens to spend their leisure time. Every big town or a city located particularly in Kashmir valley has gardens and parks, but unfortunately excepting Jammu city, the towns or cities in Jammu region are usually lacking the facility of gardens and parks. The Department of Parks and Gardens too is focusing its entire attention in creating the required infrastructure relating to development of gardens and parks in the valley whereas with regard to the Jammu region its attitude is quite discouraging.

Udhampur city has expanded rapidly in area and population in view of the development of new colonies and localities. It is also a districts headquarter of one of the six districts of the Jammu region. It has various beautiful tourist places but unfortunately it does not have any beautiful park or garden.

However, it has one Dabar park located in the heart of the city, which is an ancient one and lacks all infrastructural or recreational facilities, like swings, water fountain, floral buds etc. It has only two chinar trees and an open field. In summer people sit under the cool shade of chinar trees and during winter they sit in the open. Two decades back, the Gardens and Parks Department had selected more than 15 kanals of land at Jakhani Udhampur for the development of a park, but still the entire land area is under-developed except construction of one mini water tank and installation of few swings.

However, there are beautiful Gangera hills in the north of Udhampur city. If these are developed on the pattern of Jammu Mohamaya hills, these can emerge as a beautiful picnic spot for the people.

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There are small hydro power projects the Chenani project, the Mini Salmey project and the Kashirah project built over river Tawi. The Chenani project and Mini Salmey project having power generation capacity of 24 MW and 2 MW, respectively, are presently generating nearly 15 MW of electricity and feeding the northern grid while the Kashirah power project having the capacity of 7½ MW which remained closed for more than two decades for want of replacement of generating machines is likely to be recommissioned next year.

Although Udhampur city has three power generation projects which can generate surplus power, yet the entire power generation is transmitted to the northern grid for further distribution to the northern states. Udhampur has to depend on the northern grid for electric supply which is hardly meeting its requirements.

The power cuts have hit the small industrialists, supply of drinking water, blacksmiths, welders and auto workshops. Meanwhile, there is also a Salal hydel power project having a generating capacity of 345 watts. This project is the biggest power project of Udhampur district, but the entire power generation of the project goes to the northern grid.

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Almost all NOGs are playing a vital role in performing the noble service to the down-trodden and depressed sections of society by holding eye treatment camps, health and nutrition camps, distributing books and uniforms to children of weaker sections and sewing machines to widows and destitute women.

The Rotary Club here has launched various programmes for the welfare of weaker sections. This year it organised several eye treatment camps, health and nutrition camps at different places of Udhampur, Chenani and Ramnagar tehsils of Udhampur district. Besides this, the organisation has also distributed free books and uniforms to the children belonging to weaker sections.

The club is also performing various other activities such as promoting aforestation to maintain ecological balance, launching of sanitation drives and organising educational classes in rural areas for the uneducated adults and illiterate women.

Meanwhile, the club has also taken up the construction of eye hospital at the housing colony, Udhampur. The eye hospital will be the first of its kind in Udhampur district equipped with all facilities based on modern methods of treatment. Funds required for the construction of this big project have been collected through public donations and other units of the club active in other parts of the country. The governor, Rotary Club, Amritsar, who recently visited Udhampur got an opportunity to see site and progress of the construction work. He appreciated the members for their dedication and noble service. He urged upon them for speedy completion of the project so that the needy and deserving people could be served in a better way.