Art exhibition opens
JAMMU, March 10 — Dr Karan Singh, MP, Rajya Sabha and former ruler of the state of Jammu and Kashmir has urged the people of the state to preserve centuries-old Dogra works of art and project these artefacts at national and international level, forgetting own petty differences.

Jawan killed in landslide
SRINAGAR, March 10 — An Army jawan was killed in a landslide which struck a forward area in the Karnah sector of Kupwara district in north Kashmir today, official sources said here.

3 mercenaries killed in encounter

SRINAGAR, March 10 (PTI) — Three foreign mercenaries were killed in an encounter with the troops and four militants, including a Pakistani national, arrested during anti-militancy operations which also yielded a huge cache of arms and explosives in the Kashmir valley since last evening.

An official spokesman here said three foreign mercenaries were killed in a fierce encounter with the Army at Handwara in Kupwara district last night.

Three AK assault rifles, 15 magazines with 494 rounds, 12 hand-grenades and 15 rifle grenades were seized from the killed mercenaries.

In another incident, militants shot at and critically wounded Fateh Gazi after forcibly intruding into his house at Rawatpora-Rafiabad in Baramula district of north Kashmir late last night, the spokesman said.

The special operations group of the Jammu and Kashmir police, assisted by the security forces, raided a militant hideout at Badgam district of central Kashmir and apprehended two top militants of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen yesterday.

The militants, Bashir Ahmad Mir, self-styled launching chief of the outfit, and his bodyguard Javid Ahmad Khan were arrested from their Kanyar hideout at Badgam, the spokesman said, adding that a revolver and a hand-grenade were seized from them.

818 dependants given jobs: Lone
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, March 10 — As many as 173 casualties have occurred in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu region so far in militancy-related incidents. Out of 122 casualties, 13 persons were killed in cross-firing between militants and the security forces in Rajouri district while 51 were killed in Poonch district.

In a written reply in response to a question by Mr Mohd Sadiq Malik, the minister in charge of Home Affairs, Mr Mushtaq Lone, said the government was fully aware of the problems being faced by relatives of the militancy victims. At least 818 dependants have been provided jobs under SRO 43 and a sum of Rs 103 lakh has been provided to the families of the deceased. The minister informed that in Poonch district jobs were provided to 17 persons and ex gratia relief paid to next of kin of 23 killed. An amount of Rs 1 lakh per person had been provided to them. Certain cases, he informed, had been pending for want of procedural formalities.

In response to another question by the BJP state unit chief and legislator Daya Krishan Kotwal regarding how many accused had been arrested in connection with the bomb blasts in Jammu city during the past five years and how many people were killed in these blasts. Mr Lone said in all 45 persons had been killed and 330 injured in blasts during the past five years. Out of the total 17 accused persons arrested, three militants, namely Mohammad Irfan Khan, Sonaullah and Gulam Abbass, were from Pakistan, Mohan Singh belonged to Amritsar in Punjab, four were from the Kashmir valley and the rest of them were from the Jammu region, said the minister.

Mr Lone also informed that out of those arrested in connection with bomb blasts Mohammad Irfan Khan of Tanda, Pakistan, Mohammad Khalid and Mohammad Salim Khan, also from Pakistan, had escaped from the Kote Bhalwal jail. Three more had got out on bail and nine cases had so far been challaned in the court and were subjudice.

Mr Kotwal, while reacting to the minister's reply, alleged that more than one lakh people of the Jammu region had been injured in these blasts and the government had not provided them any relief. He demanded that the government should release the list of the injured so that it become clear as to how many of them had been provided relief.

In reply to a question by the militant-turned-legislator, Mr Javed Shah, the Minister for Industry and Commerce, Mr Bodh Raj Bali, informed the House that the progress of a number of development works had suffered due to shortage of cash in government treasuries during 1998-99. Refuting the allegations that due to financial constraints the officers concerned had fixed priority of their own for execution of works, be said the works were executed on the basis of the funds provided against each scheme as per the Plan outlays of various sectors.

The House witnessed some heated arguments between legislator Firdous Syed and the Minister for Higher Education, Mr Abdul Qayoom, when Mr Syed alleged hundreds of students from Doda district were facing many problems in Jammu for want of hostel accommodation which was not made available to them by the government. He also demanded construction of a hostel to cater to needs of students from Doda district at Jammu.

Denying the allegations, Mr Qayoom said 275 boys from Doda district had been provided hostel accommodation by the Education Department authorities. The new hostel building, he said, which was coming up in the Government College parade ground would cater to at least 150 girls. He hoped the students would not face such problems in the near future as the government had been trying to accommodate most of them.

In a written reply to a question put up by Mr Azia Mohammad Qari, the Chief Minister said the people of Kargil were facing great hardships due to the non-availability of air tickets there. Regarding the proposal for having a separate reserved quota for passengers intending to travel from Leh to Srinagar and Kargil to Jammu. He said the matter had been taken up with the Government of India. However, the government had been operating helicopter service from Srinagar to Kargil and Zanskar.

In another question, the minister in charge of Agriculture, Mr Nissar Ahmed, informed the House that no direct subsidy on the price of fertilisers was given by the state government. However, the freight from the railway station to the block headquarters was reimbursed by the Government of India as secondary equated freight.

'Antelopes not killed for shahtoosh'
J&K takes up ban issue with Centre
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, March 11 — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has taken up with the Union Textile Ministry the issue of ban on sale and export of shahtoosh shawls as it has affected the business of a large number of traders in the state.

This was stated by the Minister of Industries, Mr Bodh Raj Bali, during question hour in the state assembly here yesterday. Mr Bali informed Mr Sadiq Ali of the National Conference, that the state government had informed the Centre that the Tibetan antelopes, which yield shahtoosh, were not killed for getting the raw material.

The House was informed that the Centre possibly went by the reports emanating from China and Tibet that the antelopes were killed for procuring shahtoosh raw material. Mr Bali said that state government has clarified to the Centre that the shahtoosh trade did not involve any cruelty to animals.

Mr Mubarik Gul of the National Conference wanted to know whether the government proposed to give some economic package to those dealers who had been affected by the ban on the sale and export of shahtoosh shawls. Mr Bali said that since the state government was waiting for the Centre's reaction to the demand for lifting of the ban, there was no proposal for economic package so far.

The state government admitted in the House that there was shortage of teachers in schools. The Minister for School Education, Mr Mohd Sharief Tariq, said in reply to a question tabled by Mr Saifullah (NC) that since teachers from outside were reluctant to serve in far-flung areas of the state, the problem had been aggravated. As many as 2102 posts of teacher had been referred to the State Subordinate Services Recruitment Board for selection.

To overcome the problem, teachers' appointments were being made on an ad hoc basis. Besides, the government had decided to fill the posts of senior teacher through promotions.

The Minister of Higher Education, Mr Abdul Qayoom, informed the House that the Government had decided to consolidate and strengthen the existing facilities and infrastructure in the colleges. No new college would be opened till the process of consolidation was complete. He informed Mr Khalid Najeeb Sohrawardhy that there was no immediate plan for opening science stream in the degree college at Doda. First the government wanted to complete the arts block, for which Rs 45 lakh had been earmarked last year.

The Minister of State for Power, Syed Abdul Rashid, informed Mr Moh. Abbas that rural electrification programme in Zanskar Assembly constituency could not be taken up owing to paucity of funds. The project would be taken only when the requisite funds were available. He said 200 solar domestic lights had been installed in several villages of the area and more villages were to be covered under the scheme during the next financial year.

The Opposition staged a walkout in protest against the "unsatisfactory" reply given by the Minister of State for Health, Mr Govind Ram, to the question and the supplementaries asked by the opposition members.

Mr Govind Ram informed Mr Mohd Hussain, Mr Jagdish Raj Dubey, Mr Abdul Kabir, Mr Prithvi Chand, Mr Ashok Kumar Khajuria and Mr Tara Chand that the rates for medicare facilities in government hospitals had been enhanced recently. He said that those patients who were below the poverty line would not have to pay the enhanced rates. The members wanted to know the criteria the hospital authorities had adopted in determining as to who were below the poverty line and when they were not satisfied with the reply, they staged a walkout.

The Finance Minister, Mr Mohd. Shafi, informed Mr M.Y. Tarigami that the Directorate of Audit and Inspections had detected 25 cases of embezzlement, misappropriation and unauthorised payment from the government funds. The total amount misappropriated and embezzled was over Rs 21.25 crore, he added.

Settlement of PoK refugees sought
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, March 10 — A deputation of various Sikh organisations under the aegis of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Jammu and Kashmir, met the Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, here today and presented a memorandum.

The demands listed in the memorandum include settlement of PoK, refugees of 1947 and accord of pahari status to those who had migrated from Muzafarabad, Mirpur, Kotli, Bagh, Rawalkote, Plandari, Mendhar and Poonch areas as they still speak the Pahari language and compensation on Delhi pattern to the victims of 1984 riots.

The deputation also demanded setting up of a memorial in Jammu and Kashmir in commemoration of tercentenary of the Khalsa Panth.

Dr Abdullah assured the deputationists that their demands would be looked into.

Art exhibition opens
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, March 10 — Dr Karan Singh, MP, Rajya Sabha and former ruler of the state of Jammu and Kashmir has urged the people of the state to preserve centuries-old Dogra works of art and project these artefacts at national and international level, forgetting own petty differences.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of a seven-day long art exhibition at the art gallery of Amer Mahal Museum and Library (AMML) here late last evening, Dr Karan Singh said artistes like Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Ustad Allarakha, Ustad Zakir Hussain who belong to Jammu and have won accolades all over the country and abroad, did not get that response from their own hometown.

Dr Karan Singh who was also accompanied by his wife Mrs Yasho Rajya Lakshmi, trustee of Hari-Tara Charitable Trust, the governing body of the museum, threw light on the history of Dogras and the valour of the community.

The art exhibition of thirty paintings and sculptures of the reputed artists of the state, including Rajinder Tikoo, Ravinder Jamwal, Bhushan Kesar, Ashok Mehra, Bhushan Koul, Gokul Dembi, Harsh Vardhan, Kamail Nain Bhan, Maharaj Koul Bhat and Suman Gupta are on display.

The exhibition which coincided with the 68th birthday of Dr Karan Singh was complied and presented by Prof Daljit Singh, Department of Fine Arts, Institute of Music and Fine Arts.

Jawan killed in landslide

SRINAGAR, March 10 (PTI) — An Army jawan was killed in a landslide which struck a forward area in the Karnah sector of Kupwara district in north Kashmir today, official sources said here.

The soldier was part of a security patrol maintaining vigil near the Line of Control when they were caught in a landslide, an official spokesman said.

While the jawan died on the spot, others escaped miraculously, he said.

Karnah, 150 km from here, has been receiving heavy rains for the last couple of days, triggering landslides in the area.

Five houses were also damaged due to the rains during the past two days, the spokesman said.