J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Terrorism major challenge for Azad
Jammu, January 1
Pakistan-sponsored terrorism continues to be the biggest challenge for the Chief Minister, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, this year. Several high-profile incidents of terrorism were witnessed in the state last year. Rooting out corruption is also another major challenge.

Top Harkat, Jaish commanders killed
Srinagar, January 1
Two self-styled commanders of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen were killed and two other militants were arrested by security forces and the police in the Kashmir valley, a police spokesman said.

Gulmarg gears up for winter sports
Srinagar, January 1
Even as various winter sports activities have started in Gulmarg, snowfall is awaited in the meadow of flowers to add glory to snow sports like skiing and ice skating. The tourist spot is already equipped with the world’s highest and Asia’s longest ropeway, targeting international skiers with the aim of boosting economy.

Tourists enjoy a boat ride on a cold morning in Srinagar on Sunday. — Reuters photo

Snow, rain in Kashmir valley
Srinagar, January 1
Upper reaches of the Kashmir valley witnessed heavy snowfall, while many parts of north Kashmir received the first snowfall of the season today. Heavy to moderate rains were reported from most parts of the Kashmir valley throughout the day today.

Army supplies electricity to 54 villages
Srinagar, January 1
The Army under its Border Area Development Programme and Sadbhavana has provided electric supplies to 54 remote villages in the Shamshabari hills in the Kupwara district. Each of the village was handed over 2x10 KVA micro hydel projects each with a capacity to light minimum 100 houses per project installed about two months ago.

Army recruitment drive from Jan 9
Srinagar, January 1
Army said today a special recruitment drive would be launched in Kashmir valley. A recruitment drive for infantry battalion (territorial army) home and hearth category would be conducted at Pohrupet from January 9 to January 13, Anantnag High Ground from January 17 to January 21 and old air field Rengreth Srinagar from January 31 to February 4, a Defence spokesman said.

Gurdas Mann regales audience
Sangrur, January 1
Gurdas Mann, a noted Punjabi singer, regaled a gathering, comprising thousands of persons, at a musical night “Chhalla” at a marriage palace here last night. The programme, which lasted about four hours, was organised by the Guru Dronacharya Welfare and Cultural Club, Sangrur.

5 of family die of suffocation
Jammu, January 1
Five members of a family died of suffocation at their house in Udhampur district today, official sources said here. The family after celebrating New Year’s Eve went to sleep at their residence in the Dhar Road area in Udhampur district around 1.30 a.m., they said.

Terrorism major challenge for Azad
Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 1
Pakistan-sponsored terrorism continues to be the biggest challenge for the Chief Minister, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, this year.

Several high-profile incidents of terrorism were witnessed in the state last year. Rooting out corruption is also another major challenge.

Mr Azad cannot overlook the problem of unemployment that is also linked with militancy.

The militancy that the state has been facing for the past 16 years has almost stalled development activities. However, things have started improving and if Mr Azad succeeds in tackling corruption, the industrial activity would get accelerated.

Militancy claimed hundreds of lives last year when the policy of the PDP-led coalition government was considered as “soft” towards militants. The results of Mr Azad’s bullet-for-bullet policy announced last week are yet to be seen.

Mr Azad has also unfolded his agenda for good governance where the rule of law was almost unheard of in the past.

Those who ruled the state, including bureaucrats and police officials, have committed a large number of irregularities. Bending, turning and twisting of rules and regulations for the benefit of politicians and bureaucrats were a routine affair.

The Chief Minister has to check all such activities to provide good governance to the people.

Rehabilitation of hundreds of persons, who were rendered homeless by the October 8 earthquake, is a different challenge for him.

The shortage of power has to be tackled as many power projects have been closed.

The Indus Water Treaty has come as a hurdle in the way of tapping hydroelectric potential. The state government has urged the Centre to get the treaty amended so that the state could become self-reliant in power.

Top Harkat, Jaish commanders killed

Srinagar, January 1
Two self-styled commanders of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) were killed and two other militants were arrested by security forces and the police in the Kashmir valley, a police spokesman said.

Militants kidnapped and later tortured a woman employee in the Sericulture Department at Arwani Bijbehara in south Kashmir. She was set free in an injured condition, he said.

Acting on a tip-off, security forces and the police launched a joint search operation at Alisteng Pandhach on the outskirts of the city last night.

However, when the security forces were sealing the area, militants attacked them with automatic weapons and also hurled hand grenades. The fire was returned and in the fierce encounter Deputy chief of HuM Qadir Mughal, alias Saifullah, a resident of Pakistan, was killed. One AK rifle, two magazines, 43 rounds of ammunition, four UBGL and two grenades were seized from him. He was wanted in several militancy-related incidents.

The spokesman said security forces and the police, in yet another joint operation, gunned down a commander of JeM in an encounter at Doda last night.

One AK rifle, three magazines,100 rounds of ammunition, one pistol, two grenades, one wireless set and three detonators were recovered from the slain commander.

He said the police arrested a Lashker-e-Toiba militant Wasim Ahmad Malla at Shopian, while another militant Nazir Ahmad Regoo was arrested along with three hand grenades and 25 rounds of ammunition at Pampore in south Kashmir last night. — UNI

Gulmarg gears up for winter sports
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 1
Even as various winter sports activities have started in Gulmarg, snowfall is awaited in the meadow of flowers to add glory to snow sports like skiing and ice skating.

The tourist spot is already equipped with the world’s highest and Asia’s longest ropeway, targeting international skiers with the aim of boosting economy. Infra-structure development is also getting a boost at places like Dal Lake, Sonmarg, Patnitop, and Pahalgam.

Kashmir which recorded the highest number of 7.22 lakh tourists in 1989, has been witnessing a gradual rise in the flow of tourists over the recent years after a drastic fall due to militancy in early 1990s.

The Kashmir valley alone received 5.72 lakh tourists, including 5.54 lakh domestic and 18,000 foreigners till the end of November last year.

To attract winter tourists and winter sports lovers, the Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA) has issued its calendar of winter sports activities, which began on Christmas. The State Youth Services and Sports Department, Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering of the Government of India, the University of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation, Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and other educational institutions have organised different courses between December 25 and February 28. Not only these events, the Gulmarg Gondola cable car project, the second phase of which was thrown open in May last year, is a great attraction.

Snow, rain in Kashmir valley
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 1
Upper reaches of the Kashmir valley witnessed heavy snowfall, while many parts of north Kashmir received the first snowfall of the season today. Heavy to moderate rains were reported from most parts of the Kashmir valley throughout the day today.

Reports of snowfall came in from upper reaches and tourist destinations of Pahalgam and Gulmarg, while most areas of north Kashmir reeled under a thick layer of snow today. About 3 ft of snow was reported from the Sadhna pass, dividing the quake-hit Karnah area from the district headquarters of Kupwara, while 1 ft of snow was reported from Kupwara areas.

Meanwhile, men and machinery have been geared up to ensure that all routes, including Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, remain open to traffic following the snowfall. This was stated at a disaster management meeting convened by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Mr Basharat Ahmed, to review snow-clearance operations and preparedness to meet any eventuality. A divisional control room has also been set up here and the people have been advised to contact it in case of need and emergency.

The PHE Department has kept water tankers ready to ensure water supply in areas likely to get affected by the snowfall. Fifty-dewatering pumps have also been kept ready by the Mechanical Engineering Department to pump out water from the submerged areas. Reviewing supply and stock position, it was mentioned that sufficient stocks of sugar, LPG, rice, kerosene etc were available to meet the requirements of the people during winter.

Army supplies electricity to 54 villages
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 1
The Army under its Border Area Development Programme (BADP) and Sadbhavana has provided electric supplies to 54 remote villages in the Shamshabari hills in the Kupwara district. Each of the village was handed over 2x10 KVA micro hydel projects each with a capacity to light minimum 100 houses per project installed about two months ago. This is part of the installation of 550 micro hydel projects each at an estimated cost of Rs 2 lakh initiated last year and would be completed by November this year.

Giving details, a defence spokesman said here that out of the planned 550 projects in Kashmir, 181 had already been completed, while 50 others were under construction. Once all the planned 550 micro hydel projects are functional more than 25,000 households would get electric supply with about 1.5 lakh of population. Each project of 5 KW capacity can cater to the needs of 40 to 50 houses, the spokesman said.

These projects would raise the standard of living of villagers in the remote areas of Kashmir, some of them not even connected by roads.

This would also increase the general awareness among the people as they could utilise the DTH facilities to have access to media channels and help children in studies.

The spokesman said local youths were being trained to operate and manage the projects after the installation.

Army recruitment drive from Jan 9

Srinagar, January 1
Army said today a special recruitment drive would be launched in Kashmir valley.

A recruitment drive for infantry battalion (territorial army) home and hearth category would be conducted at Pohrupet from January 9 to January 13, Anantnag High Ground from January 17 to January 21 and old air field Rengreth Srinagar from January 31 to February 4, a Defence spokesman said.

Candidates between 18 and 42 years may contact local Army unit for more information.

Candidates having passed class VIII or above can apply for general duty, the spokesman said.

Candidates are required to bring along qualification certificates, date of birth certificate, domicile certificate, character certificate from village sarpanch or subdivisional magistrate and three passport-size photographs. — PTI

Gurdas Mann regales audience
Tribune News Service

Sangrur, January 1
Gurdas Mann, a noted Punjabi singer, regaled a gathering, comprising thousands of persons, at a musical night “Chhalla” at a marriage palace here last night. The programme, which lasted about four hours, was organised by the Guru Dronacharya Welfare and Cultural Club, Sangrur. Mr Kewal Singh Dhillon, vice-president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), was the chief-guest, while Mr Madanjit Singh, Liaison Officer to the Punjab Chief Minister, presided over the musical night. Gurdas Mann started his programme with a prayer to Almighty in the form of a song.

5 of family die of suffocation

Jammu, January 1
Five members of a family died of suffocation at their house in Udhampur district today, official sources said here.

The family after celebrating New Year’s Eve went to sleep at their residence in the Dhar Road area in Udhampur district around 1.30 a.m., they said.

The fire was burning inside the room, the sources said, adding due to emission of carbon monoxide the family, comprising the husband, wife and three children, was suffocated to death. — PTI