New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked the Jammu and Kashmir Police, as well as the Central security agencies, to make a foolproof plan for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra which is set to begin on June 30, sources have said.

The Ministry has directed the deployment of more than 40,000 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and also other troopers from paramilitary forces, the sources further said.

The registration for the annual pilgrimage will begin from April 11. During the yatra, all the registered pilgrims will be given an RFID tag, which will ensure the exact location of the person at all times.

J&K Police DG Dilbag Singh had recently said that a tight vigil is being maintained on social media platforms as these platforms can be misused to create fake narratives and to keep the terror eco-system alive in the union territory.

The 2022 yatra comes after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Officials in the union territory have said that they expect a large footfall as the pandemic was currently on a decline due to which lodging camps for the devotees have been increased.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to review the preparation of the Amarnath Yatra during a high level meeting before the commencement of the pilgrimage, the MHA officials said.

The 43-day pilgrimage to the Himalayan cave shrine will end on August 11.

New Delhi: The Air courier services for Central Armed Police Force personnel have not been suspended, but there was a delay in finalisation of contract due to privatisation of Air India, home ministry said on Friday.

The Home Ministry said in a statement “The Air courier services for Central Armed Police Force personnel have not been suspended. “The services are running since July, 2010.

The privatization of Air India resulted in a slight delay in the finalization of tenders by the Border Security Force.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has already granted approval for continuation of services by Air India.

The tender has also been finalized and orders are under issue,” the statement said.

“The amount due on account of air travel would also be paid as per rules,” it said.

Air courier service for ferrying paramilitary personnel proceeding on leave or joining duties in Jammu and Kashmir expired on March 31 and the approval process was delayed.

Border Security Force is the nodal force seeking approval and extension of the service.

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is likely to approve the CRPF’s proposal to procure new bullet proof vehicles for VVIP security, sources in the Ministry said.

The Ministry is examining the proposal and soon will take a decision as this is an important component in the VVIP security, they said.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has recently sent a proposal for procuring 25 new bullet proof vehicles for the VIP protectees as the current vehicles used for providing security are old and have their limitations.

Citing reasons for the procurement of the new vehicles, the officials in the Force said the present vehicles have a front-seat arrangement while the central-seating arrangement for VIPs will be safer from a security point of view.

The vehicles used as of now, were not procured for VIP security purposes, the officials said.

The sources in the Ministry also said that more vehicles will be procured and stationed at various formations of the CRPF across the country as many protectees have the all India security cover and in that case, the Force has to remain dependent on the bullet proof vehicles provided by the concerned states.

The CRPF’s VIP security wing has been providing armed security to a total of 117 protectees under various categories — Z+, Z, Y+, Y and Z that includes high-profile leaders like Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief JP Nadda, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, MP Rahul Gandhi and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

New Delhi: Addressing the failure in finding an acceptable solution in five years to the risk posed to the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), the World Bank has announced to resume two separate processes requested by India and Pakistan in connection with the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric power plants in the Indus basin.

The decision was formally communicated in letters to India and Pakistan, the World Bank announced on Thursday night.

Ratle is an 850 MW run-of-the-river project on the Chenab river in Kishtwar district while Kishenganga is a 330 MW hydro-electric project, located in Bandipora district, both in Jammu and Kashmir.

India and Pakistan have had issues over the technical features of the project debating if the two projects contravene the IWT. “Pakistan asked the World Bank to facilitate setting up a Court of Arbitration to consider its concerns about the designs of the two hydroelectric power projects, while India asked for the appointment of a Neutral Expert for the same purpose,” the World Bank said.

On December 12, 2016, the World Bank had declared a pause in the two separate processes to allow the two countries to consider alternative ways to resolve their disagreements. Since then, the World Bank has encouraged and worked with both countries to seek an amicable resolution, it added.

Stating that multiple high-level meetings have been convened and a variety of proposals have been discussed, the World Bank said it continues to share both the countries’ concerns that carrying out the two appointments concurrently poses practical and legal risks.

“However, the lack of success in finding an acceptable solution over the past five years is also a risk to the Treaty itself,” it added.

“In arriving at the decision to resume the two processes, the Bank has carefully considered the views of all Parties involved. The World Bank remains committed to act in good faith and with complete impartiality and transparency while continuing to assist the countries and fulfilling its responsibilities under the Treaty,” the Bank statement said.

The Treaty was signed between India and Pakistan for sharing the waters of the Indus basin in 1960 after eight years of negotiations under the aegis of the World Bank.

Water from three eastern rivers, Sutlej, Beas and Ravi, has been allocated to India while water from three western rivers i.e., Indus, Jhelum and Chenab has been allocated largely to Pakistan for unrestricted use.

However, India is permitted to use the water of the western rivers for domestic, non-consumptive, agricultural use and also for the generation of hydro-electric power.

There is no exit clause in the IWT nor can either country break the treaty. But there are provisions to make mutually agreeable changes.

‘Militant outfits trying to create a sense of fear’

Srinagar: J&K Director General of Police Dilbag Singh has directed the officers to evolve more effective mechanisms and deal firmly with perpetrators of violence.

DGP said this while chairing meetings of senior officers of Police and CRPF of district Pulwama and Shopian to review the security scenario of these south Kashmir districts, a police spokesman said.

The two districts have seen a series of targeted attacks on non local workers and a Kashmiri Pandit.

The district police heads apprised the DGP regarding the security situation and measures put in place for the safety and security of the people in the areas under their command.

The DGP after obtaining the assessments of the prevailing security situation and arising challenges, said that “masters of militancy across the border and their puppets in J&K are desperate to disturb the prevailing peace in Jammu and Kashmir.”

He said cowardly attacks on innocent civilians and forces shows the frustration of militant handlers to disrupt the peace and order in J&K.

The DGP directed the officers that the action against militants and their helpers must continue and all the suspicious elements be kept under check so as to foil their ill designs aimed at disrupting normal lives of the people.

The DGP directed the officers to strengthen and augment the security grids in their respective areas for the safety and security of the people.

He said that the role and cooperation of people in the prevailing peace scenario is highly commendable and stressed upon officers to evolve more effective mechanisms to ensure public safety while dealing with the elements inimical to peace and perpetrators of terror violence.

The DGP said that Police, security forces and people have to work together to defeat saboteurs and enemies of peace. He stressed on the importance of maintaining close synergy between the forces to meet the security challenges.

The DGP stressed upon the officers to ensure high alertness and preparedness to thwart the mischievous attempts of anti national elements.

He said that militant outfits are attempting to create a sense of fear and terror among the general public and stressed upon the officers to remain extra vigilant and alert so that their evil attempts are foiled.

He also stressed on strengthening of Naka check points and plugging the gaps with strict security measures so that no room is available to the enemies of peace. He stressed for night patrolling of sensitive areas to keep the terrorists and their associates under check .

During the meetings, DGP stressed for strengthening communication within the forces at different levels to augment the security grids in their respective areas.

The DGP was accompanied by special DG CRPF Daljit Singh Chaudhary and IGP Kashmir Zone Vijay Kumar.

Srinagar: Lt Gen ADS Aujla would be the next commander of the Army’s Srinagar based sensitive and strategic 15 corps, defence sources in Delhi said.

Lt Gen Aujla is likely take the charge of 15 corps also known as Chinar Corps in June.

Aujla was promoted recently to the ranks of Lt Gen and was posted in Delhi for a very brief time.

He, however, continued to serve as Major General General Staff (MMGS) of Udhampur based Northern Command.

A highly decorated officer Lt Gen Aujla of Raj Rif, had earlier served Brigadier General Staff (BGS) Operations of the Chinar Corps and later headed the Kupwara based 28 Mountain Division which guards around 250 kms of Line of Control.

Lt Gen Aujla will be replacing Lt Gen D P Pandey who had taken over as GoC of 15 Corps in March 2021.

Welcomes CBI probe, says ready to cooperate

New Delhi: Welcoming a central agency probe into allegations of corruption in Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik today said that he had informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about a ₹ 300 crore bribe offered to him to clear two files while he was the Governor of the erstwhile state. “The PM supported me saying there should be no compromise on corruption,” he said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had late last month initiated a probe into the allegations made by Satya Pal Malik after the Jammu and Kashmir administration approached the central probe agency.

“Two files had come for my consideration. One of the secretaries told me that if I approve these, I can get ₹ 150 crore for each. I turned down the offer saying that I had brought five kurta pyjamas to Kashmir and will just go back with them,” Malik had said on October 17 last year at a function in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu.

The bribes were offered by people close to PM Modi, he had claimed, adding that one was linked to the BJP’s ideological parent RSS and the other to one of India’s top industrialists.

Today, Malik said that he wasn’t directly offered the bribes but has knowledge of all those who were involved. He added that he is aware of more people who were involved and he will reveal their names during the investigation.

“I had cancelled both the deals. There is no investigation against me,” he said, asserting that there have been false rumours that his involvement will also be investigated.

On speculation that he is also being targeted as he publicly supported the farmers’ protests against the government, he said that he is ready to be investigated by the CBI and would in fact give additional information to help the investigation.

Kyiv: The death toll from a missile strike on a train station in Kramatorsk, Ukraine has risen to 50, governor of Donetsk, Pavlo Kyrylenko said on Friday. In an Telegram post, Kyrylenko said 50 people had died, five of whom were children, adding that 12 of the victims died after being taken to the hospital. He said 98 people in total were taken to hospital after the attack. Of the 98, 16 were children, 46 were women and 36 were men. The governor expected that more people will seek medical help within the coming days. The station was packed with evacuees, Kyrylenko said in an earlier post. Many of the wounded were in a serious condition, he added. UNI

Jammu: Three motorcycle borne persons including a woman were killed when their two wheeler hit a divider at Garani in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Police said that an accident took place when a motorcycle moving on the highway hit a divider leaving three persons injured.

“The injured were shifted to the district hospital where they were declared dead,” police added.

The deceased were identified as Shanti Devi, 40, Saleem, 45, Sameer, 20, all residents of Arnas, District Reasi.