Walkout in J&K House
SRINAGAR, Oct 22 — Opposition members today staged a walkout in the Legislative Assembly for the second time during this session of the issue of waiving of agriculture loans to farmers.

Walnut destroyed over tax hike
JAMMU, Oct 22 — Dry fruit growers and exporters destroyed walnut worth over Rs 50,000 here yesterday in protest against the steep hike in toll tax and against the government order to recover toll tax pending since the past several years.

Major gains for Delta Force
JAMMU, Oct 22 — The elite troops of Delta Force, in a two- week-long offensive against militants in Doda under the command of 4 Sector RR, killed four top Laskher-e-Toiba militants, including one involved in the 1998 Chapnari killing, and two top leaders of the Hizbul Mujahideen, a defence spokesman said here today.

Art workshop
JAMMU, Oct 22 — The fortnight -long workshop for preservation and restoration of manuscripts and art objects by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages in collaboration with the National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property, Government of India, Lucknow, is on at Tagore Hall in Srinagar.

J-K gives 97.57 crore aid to drought-hit
JAMMU, Oct 22 — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has sanctioned a relief package of Rs 97.57 crore as relief package for the drought-hit people of the state excluding Leh and Kargil districts.

Walkout in J&K House
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Oct 22 — Opposition members today staged a walkout in the Legislative Assembly for the second time during this session of the issue of waiving of agriculture loans to farmers.

Mr Harsh Dev Singh of the Panthers Party and Mr Jagdish Raj Dubey (JD) were among those who walked out when they were not satisfied with the government reply on waiving of agricultural loans to farmers by Central Government. The issue was raised in the House last week too.

A calling attention motion was tabled by Mr Harsh Dev Singh of the Panthers Party, Mr Jagdish Raj Dubey (JD) and Mr Balbir Singh (Cong) on the situation that had arisen as a result of the initiation of recovery proceedings and issuance of warrants against the farmers who had raised agricultural loans despite the waiver announcement by former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.

In his written reply, the Finance Minister, Mr Mohammad Shafi, said Mr Gowda had announced in Parliament in August, 1996, the waiving of loans where original borrowings did not exceed Rs 50,000 in each case in respect of borrowers who had raised loans prior to 1989.

"As a follow-up to this announcement a debt relief package was approved by the Government of India on May 27, 1997 laying down detailed parameters for implementation of the scheme in-respect of borrowers who had raised loans under small-scale industries, tourism, trade and transport schemes. The scheme does not cover loans raised under the agriculture sector.

The state government had, however, taken up the matter with the Government of India for including waiver of loans in respect of the agriculture sector as well, which has not been agreed to", the minister stated.

The Finance Minister said the state government was equally concerned over the issue. The matter had been taken up with the Central Government from time to time.

The government reiterated that its policy was not that of war but for peaceful negotiations with neighbouring countries to reunite the entire state as its existed on August 15, 1947.

The Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Pyare Lal Handoo, made this assertion while replying on a resolution moved by Mr Ashok Khajuria of the BJP that the "PoK be liberated and untied with the State of Jammu and Kashmir".

The resolution was earlier moved on October 13, when the discussion remained inconclusive. It was withdrawn today by voice vote.

Even as the minister appealed to the members to withdraw the resolution, two members of the Opposition, Mr Harsh Dev Singh of the Panthers Party and Mr Jagdish Raj Dubey (JD) staged a walkout. They claimed that the House had not taken into consideration the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir.

A large number of special police officers (SPOs) had been recruited to combat militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, Minister of State for Home Mushtaq Ahmad informed the House. The SPOs would assist the regular police and security forces and would be paid Rs 1,500 each as monthly honorarium on a consolidated basis.

Denying reports that "influential" SPOs had been inducted into the Police Department as constables, the minister said there was no proposal for regularisation of the services of the SPOs as they did not form part of the regular establishment force.

He said Rs 1 lakh was being paid as relief to the next of kin of the SPOs killed in militancy-related violence.

Walnut destroyed over tax hike
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 22 — Dry fruit growers and exporters destroyed walnut worth over Rs 50,000 here yesterday in protest against the steep hike in toll tax and against the government order to recover toll tax pending since the past several years.

The fruit growers and exporters fear heavy losses after the sales tax and excise authorities stopped dry fruit worth over Rs 17 crore at Lakhanpore which was being exported. The authorities informed the exporters that trucks carrying dry fruit would be allowed to leave the state only after the toll tax arrears which had touched over Rs 30 crore were remitted. Another consignment of dry fruit worth over Rs 15 crore has been stopped at Narwal fruit mandi in Jammu where the exporters and growers have been staging demonstrations.

The problem arose after the government won its battle in the court which directed the dry fruit growers and exporters to pay the toll tax and arrears. Since the case in the court had been pending for several years the toll tax arrears swelled to over Rs 30 crore and neither are the exporters nor the growers in a position to clear the arrears in one go, according to Mr Abdul Rashid Ganai, President Jammu and Kashmir Dry Fruit Exporters Association.

Association leaders had met the Finance Minister, Mr Mohammad Shafi, who pleaded helplessness as the state needed additional funds for resolving the current cash crunch.

Among several dry fruit, which the state produces, Kashmiri walnut has the biggest export potential. The valley exports walnut worth over Rs 70 crore every year. Other dry fruit besides apples and peaches worth over Rs 400 crore are exported from the state every year.

The association has requested the government to help poor growers who had been hit hard by the 10-year long militancy. It has demanded that the decision to recover toll tax arrears be kept in abeyance and the exporters be allowed to export dry fruit.

Camps in schools hit studies
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 22 — More than 8,000 school students face an uncertain future due to the absence of proper facilities in schools in the border areas of Akhnoor and R.S. Pora.

These students have to attend classes in the open on dusty grounds. And their studies come to a halt whenever there is rain or strong winds in these areas. The buildings of 52 schools in these areas have been occupied by several thousand people who had to flee from villages near border in the wake of firing from Pakistan. More than 70,000 persons have fled their houses firing and shelling by Pakistan.

Anita Rani and Jyoti Devi, both students of Devipur High School in Akhnoor sector said “our studies have been affected. We cannot read or write on the dusty grounds with filth and cow dung all around”. Threat of snakes has also scared many students away from these open-air classrooms.

Pooja Sharma said “we have been suffering for the last six months. We sweated during summers and most of us to play truant because of the difficult conditions in the school premises.”

One of the teachers, said “the number of school dropouts has increased during the past five months. The atmosphere in the open is not conducive for proper classroom work and the children have no other means to continue their studies.”

Prakasho Devi and Vidya Devi two of the displaced villagers living in the school building admitted that they were aware of the problems faced by the children but said “we are helpless. We cannot live in tented camps. We have no money and proper shelter.” Others said “we want to vacate the school buildings but we cannot afford to risk our lives.

According to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr P.K Tripathi, four school buildings had been got vacated for the students after tents were provided to the refugees. “We are trying to persuade others to vacate the school premises but there is a lot of resistance from the displaced families, he said.

Voicing the opinion of displaced persons Kartar Singh, a refugee, said “We are not prepared to live in tents. We want proper rehabilitation measures from the government because continued firing by Pakistan has forced us to abandon our villages.

He and others alleged that during the recent Lok Sabha elections contesting political leaders had promised better arrangements for them but after the elections “we are a forgotten lot”, they added.

Kishen Singh said “We, the displaced families, had voted to strengthen democracy but we are still being ignored.”

However, the students who returned to their school buildings, after these were vacated by the displaced families, complained that “all rooms have been reduced to dustbins and buffaloes have defiled the classrooms.

Ms Pushpa Dhar, Principal of one such school, said, “We have re-occupied the building but have no money to renovate and repair the classrooms and the laboratories.”

She said: “I have secured cooperation of teachers and students in improving conditions in the school premises.”

Meanwhile, displaced families seek better facilities for their school going children, free ration and relief. They have also demanded a long-term plan to rehabilitate them till they returned to their villages.

Pradeep Singh and Shevta, students of class X were, however, depressed and said, “We are not sure whether we will be able to sit in the examination and clear the course”, and said “the government should resolve our problems”.

Major gains for Delta Force

JAMMU, Oct 22 (UNI) — The elite troops of Delta Force, in a two- week-long offensive against militants in Doda under the command of 4 Sector RR, killed four top Laskher-e-Toiba militants, including one involved in the 1998 Chapnari killing, and two top leaders of the Hizbul Mujahideen, a defence spokesman said here today.

The operation resulted in a massive haul of arms and ammunition including a missile, two UMGs, a sniper rifle, a rocket projectile gun, six radio sets, more than 100 kg of RDX, thousands of rounds of assorted ammunition, improvised explosive devices and other weapons, he said.

The spokesman said the seek-and-destroy operation "flush out’’ was launched by troops of 8 RR, 10 RR and the National Security Guards.

On the very first day, Maj Arvind Yadav of 8 RR shot dead the chief co-ordinator of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Mohammed Lone alias Hataf, in the jungle of Bagla, 8km north of Doda. The troops recovered an AK-47 rifle and a wireless set from the militants. Later, black cat commandos of the NSG under the command of Maj R. Gurung cordoned off a militant hideout in the adjoining Daldraman forest. Spotting troops, the militants tried to escape but were shot dead. They were later identified as Bilal and Zuber, both foreign mercenaries.

The spokesman said in Bhadargwadi village, Maj C.M. Baby with his troops chased a militant and made contact with other column under Maj Anshuman operating in the Dal Draman forest, which blocked the escape routes. In a massive exchange of fire militant Mohammad Aslam an IED expert, was killed.

Troops of 10 RR were simultaneously pressed into areas of Kastigarh, north of Doda town. One commando team under Maj K.R. Srivastava was searching through the areas of Pathi and the Dhandal Nullah, a tributary of the Chenab, noticed some footprints leading to a natural hide-out. A search of the area confirmed the presence of militants who were challenged and told to surrender. One of the militants came out firing with his automatic gun. He was shot dead.

While another militant kept on firing from the hide-out, Maj Srivastava crawled to the hide-out and eliminated the militant with his assault rifle. The slain militants were identified as Abu Ukuba and Abu Saraka, both from Pakistan. Two rifles, a missile, a wireless set and a huge cache of ammunition and explosives were recovered from the hide-out.

Sector commander, Brig S.C. Sharma personally co-ordinated the operations, ordered arrest of suspects and interrogation by special teams positioned at Bharat and Kastigarh area. The interrogation of a large number of suspects resulted in a massive recovery of arms and ammunition, including two UMGs, a sniper rifle, an RPG launcher, a pistol, six rockets, 20 grenades, 1000 rounds of assorted ammunition and 100 kgs of RDX, 50 metres of cordex wire, 162 detonators, three anti-personnel mines and other weapons, the spokesman said.

Art workshop
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 22 — The fortnight -long workshop for preservation and restoration of manuscripts and art objects by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages in collaboration with the National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property, Government of India, Lucknow, is on at Tagore Hall in Srinagar.

Art conservators and librarians from various parts of the country are participating in the workshop. The workshop is being organised with the aim of increasing awareness among the people on the importance, preservation and restoration of manuscripts, miniatures, art objects and paintings.

Deliberating on the objective of the workshop, the secretary of the academy, Mr Balwant Thakur, said the academy had collected rare manuscripts, miniatures, art objects and a large number of contemporary paintings. The workshop was organised so that the people associated with handling these objects could get themselves acquainted with the latest scientific methods of preservation of manuscripts and miniatures, he added.

J-K gives 97.57 crore aid to drought-hit
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 22 — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has sanctioned a relief package of Rs 97.57 crore as relief package for the draught-hit people of the state excluding Leh and Kargil districts.

The State Revenue Minister, Mr Safdar Ali Baig, said here yesterday in the Legislative Council that Rs 11 crore had been released under the package.

Mr Baig said Rs 51 crore had been sanctioned for providing 5 kg of ration per person, free of cost, per month for four months to the families whose crops had suffered more than 50 per cent of damage. Similarly, Rs 18 crore had been sanctioned for providing subsidy at the rate of Rs 750 per hectare of the land of the cost of seeds and fertilisers to the affected people whose crops damage were more than 50 per cent.

A sum of Rs 2.57 crore had been provided for the upgradation of the facilities in the Public Health Engineering Department. Whereas, a sum of Rs 2 crore would be made available for the purchase of 50 pump sets by the Irrigation Department, he added.

The minister said Rs 2 crore had been sanctioned for providing 50 per cent subsidy to farming community for the purchase of pump set. Besides, Rs 22 crore had also been sanctioned for employment generation schemes in drought-hit areas of the state to improve the purchasing capacity of the affected families.