New Delhi, Feb 6 (UNI): The Centre has asked the Planning Commission to make special development schemes in naxalite infested districts of the country and as well as urged the affected states to form a unified command of the state police and paramilitary forces, as a part of the long-term strategy to fight the menace.
While saying that dealing with the naxal problem was a priority for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre, Home Minister Shiv Raj Patil said yesterday that it had evolved a four-pronged strategy to contain, check and counter the naxalite violence in many parts of the country.
"Social justice to such elements, remove economic disparity in the affected areas, ensure development and the fresh initiave by the state governments facing naxal problems are the main issues to be addressed while looking at the problem," the Home Minister told reporters.
"The Centre has asked the Plan Panel to make special types of schemes in naxal areas specailly in the forest and the development-starved regions," he said.
He said the Centre had already allocated Rs 35 crore each to the districts affected by naxal voilence to speed up developmental activities in order to provide new socio-economic regime in these areas.
"The naxal violence is a scourge that the country has to get rid of, but with a different approach altogether," he added.
Some of the naxalite elements were ideologically motivated but some felt deprived hence taking refuge in the voilence, Mr Patil pointed out and added ''the Centre is taking all aspects into account while dealing with it and is in constant touch with the state governments in this regard.
The Home Minister said that the Centre was in the process of getting implemented Employment Guarantee Scheme in naxal-hit areas on the priority to ensure removal of economic disparity as well as giving employment opportunities to misguided youth who grabbed the gun more because of unemployment and lack of work.
Moreover, he said "the majority of the common man is against violnce and wants peace and that is the guiding force behind the Central government to commit itself to address the naxal issue in a earnest manner".
Asserting that the state governments would have to take initiative in this regard, Mr Patil said the Centre was committed to give full support to the states.
As many as 23 batallions of central forces had been given to the states to fight naxalites in their respective areas.
He said while a four pronged startegy had been chalked out, the state governments had also been asked to stregthen their intelligence and to develop some operational intelligence system.
Asked if the political developments in Nepal would adversly effect India vis-a-vis naxalite violnce movement, Mr Patil said the country was fully geared up in the wake of recent events.
"Duniya ek hai aur yeh kehna galat hoga ki kissi country ke developments ka doosre desh ke law and order par asar nahi hoga (The world is one and it would be wrong to say that development in one country would not have impact on law and order of other country)," he said but with a word of firm resolve that India had the perfect system to thwart any such threat.
The Home Minister, refused to comment on the initiave of the government of Andhra Pradesh, one of the sveerly naxal-hit states, to have a dialogue with the naxalites, saying "both the parties are in touch with us and we are in the know of the things." Separatists question Pakistan's right over Kashmir's resources New Delhi, Feb 6 (UNI): Reacting strongly against Pakistan for approaching World Bank on the controversial Baglihar project, moderate seperatist leaders Syed Nazir Gilani and Dr Shabir Choudhry have questioned Islamabad's "legal or moral right" over the natural resources of Jammu and Kashmir.
"Water of Chenab and other rivers is a natural resource of Jammu and Kashmir and it must be used for the betterment of the people of the state.
The people of Jammu and Kashmir have first priority over the use of this water," London-based leaders said in a statement to UNI.
Gilani, Chairman of the International Kashmir Alliance and Dr Choudhry of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front(JKLF) said, ''One wonders what legal right both India and Pakistan have over the use of these natural resources.
Despite abundant water resources, the people of Jammu and Kashmir do not have clean drinking water and electricity." Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Jehangir Karamat met senior officials of the World Bank last week and sought the financial institution's intervention in resolving this issue as Seretary-level talks between India and Pakistan failed to end the stalemate.
Gilani said the World Bank cannot adjudicate the Indus Water Treaty without fully assessing the issue.
The World Bank has failed in taking full cognizance of the fact that the people of the state have rights over the water resources.
He even justified Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayed's claim that the Water Treaty had greatly harmed the interests of the people of the state.
Gilani said Pakistan should become facilitator in the economic progress of the state by not objecting to various hydel power and other projects.
The state faces power crisis and it has to depend on other states to meet its power needs.
Projects like Tulbul-Wular barrage on Jhelum and Baglihar on Chenab are essential for improving the economic conditions of the state.
"These projects would help us to become economically self sufficent," he said.
Dr Choudhry, however, was not in favour of abrogation of the Indus Water Treaty, stating "scrapping will create many problems", which will have international dimensions.
India and Pakistan cannot open new areas of confrontation by abrogating the treaty.
It was under the terms of this treaty that the Mangla Dam was built in Mirpur which uprooted thousands of people.
Meanwhile, work on the controversial dam has been stepped up to ensure timely completion of the Rs 7,000 crore project.
The first phase of the hydro-electric project is expected to generate 900 MW of power.
