Jammu varsity staff take mass leave
JAMMU, May 14 — Academic activities were totally disrupted in Jammu University today following the mass casual leave protest by all the 250 professors, readers and lecturers against the state government's delay in implementation of a career advancement scheme and release of arrears.

14 lakh recovered from cop's house
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, May 14 — Information provided a Pak-militant, Salahuddin, arrested recently from Srinagar led to the recovery of two Maruti cars and Rs 14 lakh from house of a personal security officer (PSO) of a superintendent of police, who is being questioned for his involvement in providing assistance to militants.

Salahuddin told his interrogators that the PSO was paid Rs one lakh for killing policemen and other prominent persons.

He has also been charged with the killing of one police officer, Mustafa.

Official sources said that the PSO's wife is also employee of the security wing of the police. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the PSO had assisted six foreign mercenaries in staying in district police lines by telling the authorities that they were guests of the superintendent of police and belonged to Uttar Pradesh.

During their stay in the police lines the foreign mercenaries collected vital information and even befriended some police officials. Two inspectors taken into custody were later released.

Salahuddin, who hails from Karachi had been operating in Kashmir valley for several years, but had, of late, become embittered by the lack of cooperation from local youths, are said to have given information to the BSF which led to his arrest from a hideout in Bachapora in the outskirts of Srinagar.

Salahuddin is said to have told his interrogators "why should I lie for unscrupulous Kashmirs?

Total anarchy in J&K: Kotwal
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, May 14 — The BJP's state unit chief, Mr Daya Krishan Kotwal, today alleged that there was total anarchy in the state and the people were passing through a crucial phase.

Addressing a press conference here this morning, Mr Kotwal said that while the Chief Minister of the state was away for three weeks for his visit abroad, the people of the state had not get their salaries for April. Not only this, the village defence committee (VDC) members have also not received their meagre salary of Rs 1500 for the past eight months.

The Centre had released Rs 146 crore as security-related expenditure in 1996-97, Rs 258 crore in 1997-98 and Rs 305 crore had been released for the current year. Despite receiving the amount, the state government had been making excuses about disbursing salaries for its employees and VDC members, saying it was facing financial problems.

He also alleged that no compensation had been provided to those people whose houses have been occupied by the security forces. In some cases, the Rs 1 lakh compensation to the next of kin militancy victims' had also not been given.

Referring to the state and regional autonomy committee reports which were recently tabled in the state assembly, he said the BJP was against any such move to further disintegrate the state. He urged the Congress party to make it public its stand on these two committee reports.

Mr Kotwal said the party would go it alone in these elections and not forge any alliance.

More outlay for farm research stressed
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, May 14 — Dr R.S. Paroda, Director-General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has stressed the need to increase the percentage of agricultural GDP in research to hold the key to India's future food security.

"At present India is investing around 0.46 per cent of agricultural GDP in research. This must be raised to match what is spent by the developed countries (1-2%), Dr R.S. Paroda, Director General, ICAR and Secret ary, Department of Agricultural Research & Education (DARE) said here last evening. He was delivering eighth Sher-e-Kashmir Memorial Lecture organised by the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) at the SKICC here. Acting Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah was the chief guest while Agriculture Minister, Nissar Ahmad Khan also attended the lecture. Prof M.Y. Kamal, Vice-Chancellor of the SKUAST presided over the function. Senior state government functionaries and ministers were also present on the occasion apart from scientists of the university.

"Efforts are being made to ensure proper allocation and generation of required funds to achieve these targets and have long term vision and strategy in place to accomplish the required objective successfully", Dr Paroda stated. He emphasised strengthening of agricultural research. "The National Agricultural Research system (NARS) will have to pursue a renewed agenda and strategy to make the system more responsive, responsible, relevant, effective and efficient," Dr Paroda said.

To ensure food security in future, Dr Paroda held that issues like poverty and population needed to be simultaneously addressed. Addressing concerns for sustainability of agriculture there was a need to ensure that ecology and conservation do not work against the interests of the poor, Dr R.S. Paroda stated. "The motivation for the development through modern technologies that are input dependent and safeguarding our environment should both converge and not conflict added Dr Paroda.

Dr Paroda said: "If during the first five decades since Independence, physical access to food had been the most important challenge, economic and ecological access to food has now become the most important concern of all. In the 21st century, ecological access to food might become the most important challenge owing to the damage now being done to land, water, flora, fauna and the atmosphere," he added that support to the national institutes, state agricultural universities will have to be encouraged to take up their own research programmes suiting their regional needs.

In his introductory remarks, Dr R.S. Paroda said that Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, much before the Independence, had given "Naya Kashmir Manifesto" aimed at using modern methods of agriculture for increasing productivity in Jammu and Kashmir. Priority on agriculture also got symbolised in his party symbol "the plough" Dr Paroda said. He added that Sheikh Abdullah was the first leader after Independence in the subcontinent who virtually legalised land to the tiller and was instrumental in abolition of Chakdari, Zamindari and other abusive land use system.

Food crisis due to central apathy: NC

JAMMU, May 14 (PTI) — The ruling National Conference today alleged that the Centre’s "apathy and lukewarm attitude" towards Jammu and Kashmir had been causing financial and food crises in the state.

"We wonder how it helps the central government to create such problems which are likely to lead to unrest in the state," a delegation of the National Conference led by its provincial president, Sardar Harbans Singh, told PTI here.

Claiming that the Centre had not honoured its commitment to help the state in rebuilding its shattered economy, it said the Jammu and Kashmir government was "grappling with the situation on its own despite its meagre resources".

The NC delegation alleged the Finance Ministry and the Department of Kashmir Affairs in the Home Ministry gave a "lukewarm response" to place Rs 230 crore as "revolving fund" with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to enable the state government to buy foodgrain.

Appealing to the Prime Minister to direct the ministries concerned so that the state has adequate stock of foodgrain, the leader said some far-flung areas, including Ladakh, were facing shortage of essential commodities.

The Centre had neither reimbursed the state’s security-related expenditure, nor had it helped the state to tide over the deficit created by implementation of the Fifth Pay Commission in the state, the provincial president said.

Compensation to victims of militancy, particularly in Kupwara district, had also not been paid by the central department concerned, he added.

7 militants killed

JAMMU, May 14 (PTI) — Seven militants were among eight persons killed in Rajouri and Doda districts, official sources said here today.

Four hardcore Lashkar-e-Toiba militants were killed in operations by troops in the Parori-Brahmana area of Rajouri district last night, the sources said.

The operations were still on when reports last came in, they said.

In another operation by the Army and the Special Operations Group of the police, a foreign militant of the Harkat-ul-Ansar outfit was gunned down at Gharad in Rajouri district yesterday.

Two militants were killed in separate encounters with the security forces in the Kochal and Daldraman areas of Doda district yesterday, the sources said.

Recoveries from the slain militants included three rifles, eight magazines, 204 cartridges, three wireless sets and three grenades, they said.

Meanwhile, a shopkeeper was shot dead by militants in Shaheedi Mohalla of Kishtwar town in Doda district last evening, the sources said.

Border Security Force personnel arrested a Pakistani national at the Abdullian post in the RS Pura sub-sector early today. He was later handed over to the police for interrogation, they added.

Jammu varsity staff take mass leave
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, May 14 — Academic activities were totally disrupted in Jammu University today following the mass casual leave protest by all the 250 professors, readers and lecturers against the state government's delay in implementation of a career advancement scheme and release of arrears.

The university teachers who gathered outside the office of the Vice-Chancellor of the university and staged a dharna in support of their demands this morning. They also demanded implementation of grades as per UGC norms for staff serving in continuing and Adult Education and Physical Education and favourable and early consideration of the case for adjustment of the wife of late Dr Jagmohan Singh, a young lecturer in the Department of Law who died recently among others.

Later, talking to this correspondent, Prof Vijay Kumar Kapoor, president, JUTA said though the UGC had already recommended a career advancement scheme it had been pending since 1996, forcing them to go on mass-casual leave. Though no teacher attended classes or gave any lectures, the ongoing exams were exempted from the protest.

Dr Lokesh K. Verma, vice-president, JUTA said the University Council has communicated to them that the Pro-Chancellor will take a decision in this regard.

Dr Verma said by the end of the month, a joint meeting of the Zonal Council of All India Federation of Teaching Employees will meet to discuss their next course of action.