SOG, STF a feared lot
JAMMU, March 21 — If a youth is arrested by Special Operation Group or Special Task Force personnel the parents apprehend the worst. But such is not their feeling if the Army of the BSF take such a step for it is held by people that the latter forces would not kill.

Financial crisis in J&K
Farooq to meet PM
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, March 21 — The Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, is scheduled to have detailed discussions with the Planning Commission and the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, in Delhi this week on the financial crisis that has paralysed the government's functioning for the past over a year.

Dr Abdullah hopes to get additional financial aid from the Centre because the government's additional resource mobilisation of Rs 565 crore has not enabled it to plug the Rs 142 crore budgetary deficit. Already, the government has imposed a 10 per cent cut on expenses on the maintenance of buildings, purchase of furniture and furnishings and other items which is expected to result in the reduction of expenses by Rs 100 crore.

At present the state government has no scope either for imposing additional taxes, or increasing the rate of sales tax or the power tariff. Sources close to the Chief Minister said in case the Centre refused to provide additional funds, Dr Abdullah would have no other option, but to reduce the size of his 30-member Council of Ministers.

The sources said in that eventuality, the Chief Minister planned to reduce the size of his ministry in two phases.

Initially, he had plans to reduce the size of the Council of Ministers from 30 to 12, but was advised to go slow. It was suggested to him to drop five or six ministers and see the reaction because dissidents might be able to increase their ranks and create problems.

Earlier also, the Chief Minister had broad hints thrown in the state assembly and outside that certain ministers would be in for a "shock" in the near future. This was construed as part of his plan to trim the size of his ministry which alone could help the state save at least Rs 1 crore a year.

According to the sources, the Chief Minister had kept dossiers on all members of his Cabinet and was said to have come to the conclusion that the performance of most of them was poor.

Reports said that at least five of the 11 Ministers of State might be axed in the reshuffle that might take place after either the current Budget session of the assembly or the forthcoming panchayat poll.

Sources said two senior bureaucrats had advised the Chief Minister to go in for a major reduction in the size of his ministry and opt for a reduction in the retirement age of government employees from 58 to 55.

It was learnt that the state government needed about Rs 140 crore to pay to about 28000 employees who would attain superannuation once the retirement age was lowered. The government was said to be examining two alternatives. First, it had started examining a move under which the retirement age would be lowered in two phases. Secondly, the government was exploring the possibility of seeking a bank loan for clearing the benefits to the employees who retired at the age of 55.

Experts have conveyed to the government that in case over 25,000 employees retire at one go under the new plan, the state could save at least Rs 14 crore a year if the filling of vacant posts is carried out in a phased manner.

Since a majority of government departments, especially public sector corporations, are overstaffed there is no immediate need for filling all posts that fall vacant following the reduction in the retirement age.

SOG, STF a feared lot
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, March 21 — If a youth is arrested by Special Operation Group (SOG) or Special Task Force (STF) personnel the parents apprehend the worst. But such is not their feeling if the Army of the BSF take such a step for it is held by people that the latter forces would not kill.

However, the working of the SOG on STF in the Kashmir valley has caused much damage to the image of the police. During the past one year the SOG has eliminated scores of hardcore insurgents, including foreign mercenaries. But reports of rampant corruption in a section of the SOG has affected its image.

Recently the State Forest Corporation auctioned timber near Pampore and the successful bidder was hauled up by one SHO of Saffakadal police station. Senior Forest Corporation officers had to intervene to allow the bidder to transport timber to his house. The truck loaded with timber could leave only after the bidder greased the palm of the police officials.

Official sources confirmed in Jammu that scores of police officials upto DSPs and attached with the SOG had purchased or built spacious houses in Srinagar and Jammu. Many junior cadre officers in the SOG have cars of latest models.

The sources said in a couple of cases the Director General Police, Mr Gurbachan Jagat, had not favoured appointment of some officials as in charge of police stations in sensitive areas of Srinagar city. But the Inspector General Police had seen to it that his favourites got key police stations. And this has been one of the factors that has emboldened SOG junior officers to indulge in extortion.

Out of turn promotions, cash rewards that have been granted to many SOG officials for their exemplary work in anti-militant activities has made them careless about norms while dealing with people in Kashmir.

One senior police officer said if the men of the GOG and other wings of the police were doing their job well why was it that crime has witnessed a spurt in the valley?

The officer said the men of the SOG continued to receive political and administrative patronage with the result peoples' cry over "excesses' being committed by the SOG men evokes no response from the Government or from the top police brass. What has intrigued those youths who had bid farewell to arms is the way number of their colleagues, who had taken active part in counter insurgency measures, were killed by SOG men. Several cases of surrendered militants long back were engaged in their trade had been picked up by the men of the SOG and later shown them to have been killed in encounters.

This has led to a piquant situation. If some innocent people are killed by militants, the separatists immediately circulate rumours that the innocent persons had been killed by the SOG. People believe the stories circulated by the separatists because there have been series of incidents in which innocent persons had died in SOG custody.

Attack on house of politician foiled

SRINAGAR, March 21 (UNI) — A civilian was killed by militants while security forces nabbed three militants in the Kashmir valley during the past 24 hours.

An official spokesman said militants fired upon the house of one Nazir Ahmad Mir, who had unsuccessfully contested Assembly on the Panthers Party ticket at Kangan, last night. The police guards, however, returned the fire and Mr Nazir and his family members escaped unhurt.

He said militants killed a civilian, Aijaz Ahmad Palla, in his Nowpora Qazigund house last night while a school building was gutted under mysterious circumstances at Noorbagh Sopore last evening.

Security forces also captured three militants and recovered some arms and ammunition in Srinagar and Baramulla districts.

Meanwhile, the state government has geared up to meet the exigencies in view of the "Kashmir bandh" called by the newly formed People's Forum for Justice in protest against the state Budget proposals for the year 1999-2000.

Meanwhile, the financial crunch being faced by the state government has adversely affected Id ul Zuha shopping rush, developmental works and other trade activities in the valley.

The Budget presented by the National Conference government headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah in the state Assembly, is being described as "anti-people" and has evoked widespread resentment from the Opposition parties, traders, government employees and bar association besides the common people.