Thursday, October 24, 2013
Friday, October 11, 2013
PoK irked over the increased presence of terrorists in the area
PoK residents irked over the increasing presence of terrorists
By SP Sharma
JAMMU: Disturbed over the misuse of the soil of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) by the Pakistan government, military and ISI for training and launching terrorists in the Indian territory, prominent residents of the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) have raised a banner of revolt by organizing a rally against the Pakistani government. Womenfolk for the first time joined the protest march.
These protests have come when the Indian security forces were for the past few days engaged in thwarting attempts of infiltration by terrorists who were being backed by the Pakistani army. However, these protests have gone un-noticed by the media in India while Pakistan has intentionally blacked out these activities.
A prominent Kashmiri leader of PoK, Dr.Shabir Choudhary and Afzal Suleria, president of the Kashmir National Party (KNP), organized a peace rally to highlight misuse of PoK soil by Pakistan for training and launching terrorists in India.
Ironically, the separatists based in Srinagar were somehow dominating the media space with their anti-India agenda, whereas those protesting against the Pakistan government, military and ISI of vitiating peace in PoK were being blacked out by the media in India and Pakistan.
KNP recently organized a Peace Rally and a Peace Conference in the Neelam Valley to protest against growing presence of armed terrorists in the area. The Neelam Valley is also used as a launching pad to send armed terrorists across the Line of Control (LoC) to commit acts of violence and terrorism.
According to Dr.Choudhary, the presence of armed ultras in the area is causing enormous problems for the local people; and many times in the past local people, even the women who do not normally take part in such activities, came out to protest against their presence in the Neelam Valley.
"These armed terrorists are a big source of our problems in the region. They harass and intimidate local people. This area is used as a launching pad to send armed militants across the Line of Control that they can commit acts of violence there. Normal practise is before the armed militants are sent across, army start shelling and in response the Indian army also retaliate and people of Jammu and Kashmir suffer on both sides of the divide."
He said, 'The local people enjoyed some peace and stability after the cease fire was announced some years ago; but peace does not suit some people who have interest in promotion of violence, terrorism and hatred.'
Afzal Suleria requested members of the civil society and media to send their representatives to support this event and provide appropriate media coverage to send a powerful message to those who promote violence and hatred.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Controversial General Singh a liability for Modi
General Singh a liability for Narendera Modi
SP Sharma
The controversial General VK Singh is bound to prove a liability for the prime ministerial candidate of BJP Narendera Modi with whom he has recently shared the dais in public functions.
Singh, who was habitual of giving controversial statement even when he was heading the Indian military, has now stirred a serious debate by accusing of several ministers of Jammu and Kashmir of receiving secret funds from the army. The controversy has refused to die although Singh has later on tried to change his statement.
The "dictatorial" attitude of Singh would certainly affect Modi's image incase he did not immediately distance himself from the power hungry retired army chief.
The lust for power was displayed by Singh when he initially shared the dais with Anna Hazare and thereafter with Arvind Kejriwal before finally landing in the lap of Modi.
A section of political observers claim that Modi himself possesses traits of a dictator and does not relish his opposition. The fate of the BJP leaders not toeing his line in Gujarat was a glaring example of his behavior.
Singh's statement has virtually united leaders of all political parties who cutting across the party lines were up in arms against him. The coming session of the state assembly is expected to be dominated by this episode.
The ruling National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and several Congress and PDP leaders have criticized the former army chief's statement. They have demanded that Singh should disclose the names of those who were paid the secret fund.
It is worth mentioning that the army is spending about Rs.40 crores annually in J&K on its "Sadbhavana" project under which school children from the far flung Muslim dominated areas, Muslim religious leaders and senior citizens are taken out on conducted tours to various parts of the country with the aim to give them an exposure of the development in the country.
Spending of the secret fund that flowed into J&K through various security and intelligence agencies during the past 23 years of terrorism is a matter of investigation. The centre reportedly provided hundreds of crore rupees as secret fund to these agencies to counter the Pakistan backed terrorism.
Observers feel that any high level enquiry on the matter might prove futile as the secret fund is generally unaccountable and identity of the beneficiaries is maintained as a secret. However, Singh's statement has provided ample ammunition to the politicians to indulge in mud-slinging during the coming assembly elections.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Melting glaciers threaten floods in Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand
May 26, 2001
Melting glaciers a flood threat
S. P. Sharma
Tribune News Service
Shimla, May 25
The melting glaciers of Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal have rung alarm bells among environmentalists. They fear this might result in unprecedented floods and thereafter acute water scarcity in the plains.
The Bara Shigri glacier in Himachal Pradesh and the Pindari glacier in Uttaranchal are shrinking at an alarming rate of about 36 metres and 135 metres per year, studies have revealed.
The deep cracks in the Chhota Shigri glacier of Himachal indicate that it was receding. Studies indicate that it was shrinking by 6.7 metres per year and the Trilokinath glacier was receding by 15.4 metres.
The 26-km-long Gangotri glacier in Uttaranchal was shrinking by about 18 metres a year. Regular visitors to the area point out that it was receding at an alarming rate. Similar was the fate of the Milam glacier which was shedding about 13 metres of snow every year.
The size of the Bara Shigri glacier reduced by 650 metres between 1997-1995, while the Trilokinath glacier got reduced by 400 metres between 1969 to 1995.
Despite a severe winter in 1997, the 5-km-long Dokriani Bamak glacier in Himachal Pradesh shrunk by 20 metres, while its average melting rate had been 16.5 metres a year. The glacier might soon vanish in case it continued to melt.
Studies have indicated that almost all 335 glaciers in the Sutlej, Beas and Spiti basins were receding. These have created artificial lakes which might cause floods in the lowlying areas. The volume of water in the lake created due to melting of the Gepang Gath glacier increased to 8.46 cubic metres in 1998 against 7.56 cubic metres in 1990. The size of the lake has also increased to 0.47 sq. km in 1998 from 0.27 sq. km in 1976.
The Tribune
February 18, 2001
Melting glaciers threaten floods
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service
SHIMLA, February 17
Unprecedented melting of glaciers and formation of artificial lakes in the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh has created a threat of flashfloods in the low lying areas.
According to an official study through remote sensing, almost all 335 glaciers in the Sutlej, Beas and Spiti basins are receding probably because of global warming.
The threat from these artificial lakes is not immediate, but could cause much damage incase these burst anytime.
In all, 164 deglaciated valleys covering an area of 133 sq. km have been mapped in the Sutlej basin where the total area under glaciers and permanent snow fields is estimated to be 2696 sq. km.
The Barashigri glacier in Lahaul-Spiti is receding at an alarming rate of 10 metres a year. This is the second largest glacier in the world.
Three artificial lakes have been created on the hills on top of the strategic Pangi valley road which are threatening it in case these burst and their waters came down swirling. Such lakes are considered unsafe as these contain a sufficient quantity of water for causing floods downstream. Rupturing of moraine dammed lakes can cause floods in the valleys.
The volume of the lake in the Gepang Gath glacier in the Chandra basin was estimated to be 4.86 million cubic metres in 1976 and it increased to 7.56 million cubic metres in 1990 and 8.46 million cubic metres in 1998.
Environmentalists have warned that the low lying areas might be devastated by flashfloods in case the process of melting of glaciers continued in the present manner.
The study indicates that the aerial size of the lake created by the Gepang Gath glacier was 0.27 sq. km in 1976 which increased to 0.47 sq. km in 1998.
Through remote sensing, 38 moraine dammed lakes have been mapped in the Beas and Sutlej basins, of which 14 are in the state.
Bursting of any of these lakes could cause significant damage to life, property and roads.
Scientists have suggested that in order to assess the hazards from these lakes, it is very important to study all these lakes in detail.
This will help in making the assessment of possible hazards and to suggest measures to avoid floods due to bursting of moraine dammed lakes.
The size of the lake near another glacier was 0.30 sq. km in 1972 and has now grown to 1.22 sq. km.
Another glacial lake on the Sissu Nullah was 0.27 sq. km in 1976 and it increased to 0.47 sq.km in 1998.
The recent flashflood in the Sutlej,which claimed about 170 lives,is feared to have been caused either due to a cloud burst or breach of lake in the upper reaches.
The Manali and Kulu areas suffered widespread damage due to a flashflood in the Beas and its tributaries a few years ago when the headquarters of the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE), which predicts such disasters, was itself devastated.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Shocked due to the devastation caused by a flash flood in Leh, elderly women of the area in a rehabilitation camp.
2. A woman sits in distress.
3. A displaced man with prayer wheel in his hand sits outside a tent waiting for help.
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