Border villages deserted
KARGIL, Sept 12 — Even after guns fell silent along the Line of Control in Kargil about one and a half months ago, hundreds of villagers continue to live as refugees away from their villages.


PDP has lost faith in EC: Mufti
SRINAGAR, Sept 12 — Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party president Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said that his party had "lost faith" in the Election Commission.

Border villages deserted
Tribune News Service

KARGIL, Sept 12 — Even after guns fell silent along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kargil about one and a half months ago, hundreds of villagers continue to live as refugees away from their villages. The villages of Kharbu and Kaksar near Kargil on National Highway IA are deserted due to intermittent shelling from across the LoC.

Hundreds of villagers from Kharbu, Kaksar and other border villages continue to reside in the safe zone of Minji to Sanku outside Kargil town. They have been residing here since May last when a "near war-like situation" prevailed along the LoC from the Mushkoh valley to the Turtuk sector in Kargil district. "We have been facing this problem every year and have to shift for a couple of months.... but this year we could not go to our places for the past four months", said Abdu, a farmer from Kaksar residing in Minji village, about 10 km away from here.

A number of refugees live in different houses at Trespone village, about 20 km from here, on the Sarku road. Akbar Ali, head of a family of 24 persons, most of them children, has accommodated three families from Kaksar village. These are the families of Abdul Karim, Mohammed Yousif and Karim Khan heading over 36 family members. All villagers live in three or four dingy rooms in the mud house of Akbar Ali at a remote corner of Trespone village. "Akbar Ali has accommodated us on humanitarian grounds. We have been getting our own food and ration, but the accommodation is provided by him", said Karim Khan.

The government has been issuing 2 kg of wheat and 5 kg rice per head and five litres of kerosene per family every month. "These items were received from May to July but afterwards "we have not been provided with any assistance", said Abdul Karim. "We have to suffer like this here because we do not feel secure in our village", said Mohammad Yusuf of Latu hamlet, close to Kaksar.

Villagers of Kharbu and Kaksar have left behind their homes and hearths and the livestock. They are not sure of the well-being of their livestock.

The Minister of State for Works, Mr Qamar Ali Aakhoon, who represents Kargil constituency in the state legislative assembly, says most of the people displaced during the May-July conflict have shifted back to their places. "But many more people cannot shift back to their places", he said. All those who migrated this summer could not grow their crops and the government has decided to provide free ration to the affected people up to May next year.

In addition to this, the villagers will be provided with firewood and fodder for cattle for which payments will be made to them in cash. The Animal Husbandry Department of the state government has been directed to facilitate the purchase of cattle from the villagers in case they wanted to sell these cattle due to the shortage of fodder.

Appealing to both the countries for silencing the guns on both sides of the LoC in the region, Mr Aakhoon favours a dialogue between the leaders of the two countries to "sort out the issues". "The people on both sides of the LoC have faced problems equally... there should be an end to this", Mr Aakhoon says. He laments that the area has been targeted for the past three years which has totally affected development works, education and tourism in the region.

The state government has announced a grant of Rs 20,000 per family for the construction of bunkers as preventive measures during shelling from across the border. "But the bunkers are not useful... those who have developed underground shelter-sheds or bunkers believe these are not so useful", laments Mr Aakhoon. These bunkers do not help the villagers in carrying on their routine work as these are only useful sometimes in the case of shelling. The border villages continue to be targeted by the troops on the other side of the LoC, he claims.

The Centre has announced a grant of Rs 2 crore as assistance to the Kargil sufferers, but, it seems to be only on paper. "Our monthly expenditure is Rs 1 crore", says Mr Aakhoon. He says a demand for special package for the rehabilitation of refugees was also made in addition to the implementation of a contingency plan. So far no such assistance has been received. Even the grant of Rs 20,000 for construction of bunkers has not been released so far.

The minister admits a permanent solution leading to an end to the skirmishes along the LoC will be acceptable. He laments the expenditure on the maintenance of the sanctity of the LoC from Matayeen to Batalik in Kargil will cost at least Rs 11 crore per day. This will be in addition to the Rs 8 crore expenditures on the Siachen Glacier. These huge amounts could be diverted to the developmental works, many believe. There was 85 per cent voter turnout in Kargil alone in the recently held polling to the Ladakh parliamentary constituency. "People wanted to keep their identity", says Sonaullah, resident of Kargil, as he craves for the restoration of peace and development of his region.

PDP has lost faith in EC: Mufti

SRINAGAR, Sept 12 (PTI) — Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party president Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said that his party had "lost faith" in the Election Commission and charged EC observers with "failing" to take cognisance of complaints of rigging and proxy voting in various booths of Srinagar Lok Sabha Constituency.

"Our party candidate from Srinagar submitted documentary evidence to the Election Commission and chief electoral officer but there was no response," Mufti said in Pulwama district of south Kashmir.

Demanding appointment of "unofficial" observers such as retired jurists, members of journalistic fraternity and human rights activists to monitor the polling, Mufti said "the ruling National Conference of Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah is bent upon rigging the elections and deface the democratic fabric of the country."

The PDP chief blamed the low turnout in voting for Srinagar parliamentary constituency on September 5 on "voters’ apathy against the NC government".

"The voters refused to exercise their franchise in Srinagar due to their anger against the state government and the low turnout was not because of a boycott call by militant organisations as such calls were not heeded in 1996 and 1998 elections by the people," he said.

Army takes up welfare work
From Romesh Gupta

UDHAMPUR: In October, 1998, militancy was at its peak, weather inclement and morale of the local populace low and the Mountain Brigade was deployed at Darhal, 17 km North-East of Rajouri.

The force contained militancy to a large extent. It launched welfare measurers under Operation Sadbhavana, a programme financed by the Army Development Project, PWD, PHE, and the Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri.

The forces repaired the buildings of the local higher secondary school, girls high school and the water supply system. They also constructed a road from here to Kattemar village and RCC culverts on the Darhal-Rajouri road. They also helped in developing water supply systems of Kattemar and Naddian villages.

A stitching centre, set up in the memory of Mohd Iqbal Malik, Vir Chakra (posthumous) under the aegis of the Ex-Servicemen Association, was inaugurated by Brigadier M.R Nikam. Eight sewing machines have been provided to the centre. The Army has also installed solar lights at Darhal and Kattemar villages.

On August 3, 1999, the possession papers of four field-flush latrines at the Darhal bus stand were handed over to Naib Tehsildar Sadiq Malik.

The troops have been assisting able-bodied youth in getting into the Army. Eighteen youths have made to the Army.

A unit of the Mountain Division has established a mobile relay station of Doordarshan at Darhal.