The News Editorial Analysis 19 October 2021

Recent attacks in J&K reveal terror outfits’ new strategy: NIA Blog post outlines plans to derail Government’s development thrust..

Aafter a gunfight between militants and security forces in Pampore on October 16, 2021.   | Photo Credit: NISSAR AHMAD

Web blog post uploaded in Sept.-end spelt out terrorists’ plan to derail govt steps to promote industrial development and extend domicile status to various categories of people.

The latest spate of attacks in Jammu and Kashmir is a part of the terror outfits’ new strategy to derail the measures being taken by the government to promote industrial development and extend domicile status to various categories of people, making them eligible for jobs and other benefits, according to the National Investigation Agency findings.

A web blog post uploaded in September last week spelt out the strategy to be adopted by terrorists in view of several measures taken by the government after the dilution of J&K’s special status in August 2019 and its subsequent bifurcation into Union Territories. The blog has now been blocked on the orders of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

“The blog’s content was circulated among the terror outfits, following which 11 civilians have been murdered in J&K so far. The victims include migrant workers,” said an official. On Sunday, the terrorists entered a rented accommodation and gunned down two migrant workers in Kulgam. Another labourer was injured in the attack.13 ultras killed.

In the counter-terror operations, the security forces have eliminated 13 terrorists in the past 10 days. The NIA has also arrested nine persons having alleged links with various banned outfits.

It is learnt that the blog post exhorted the terror outfits to target non-local employees and the individuals who had been issued domicile certificates; and to ensure that no land was given to non-locals under the new J&K Development Act, particularly entrepreneurs from outside the Union Territory who were planning to set up businesses in collaboration with the locals.

On its proposed targets were also the officials of the NIA, police and those assisting them. The blog post went on to suggest that terror strikes could also be carried out in other parts of the country from where the Indian Police Service and the Indian Administrative Service officials serving in Kashmir had come.

Induction of non-local students

It also directed the outfits to counter the induction of non-local students and staff from outside Kashmir in the educational institutions.

Investigations are on to determine the identity and location of the person who had opened the blog account. Its contents are also being examined by experts to assess the threat perceptions.

“While a hunt has been launched for the suspects involved in the recent attacks, there is an urgent need to expedite the process of setting up secure residential and official infrastructure facilities for the probe agencies and vulnerable communities in J&K,” said another official.

Till July last, the government had issued domicile certificates to more than 41 lakh people, including about 56,000 West Pakistan Refugees, close to 2,800 Valmikis and about 800 Gorkhas. Large tracts of land have also been transferred to the Industries and Commerce Department in the Union Territory for establishing industries and attracting investments.

With Kerala dams brimming, panel to regulate water release.

Amid havoc caused by torrential rains over the past week leading to floods and landslips, the Kerala Government has constituted an expert committee to regulate the release of water from 81 dams across swollen rivers.

The hydroelectric, irrigation and drinking water dams in the State are several decades old and designed in a pre-climate-change era. Climatologists, structural engineers, and hydrologists are on the committee to help the administration manage the water systems during extreme weather. The committee will primarily regulate the opening and closing of spillways.

Its principal task is to ensure that the heavy inflow from catchment areas does not strain the structural integrity of the levees. Moreover, the committee will also regulate the discharge of dam water to ensure that the outflow does not inundate villages, towns, homes, roads, population centres and farmlands downstream.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the committee will gauge the quantum of water in dams and formulate long-term management plans. It will modulate the discharge of excess inflow to prevent downstream flooding. The committee will warn District Collectors about the opening of spillways well in advance. The district administration will alert people and evacuate them to higher grounds or relief camps as required.

Opening of all the brimming dams recalls the devastating floods of 2018 when water released from the dams without adequate preparation led to widespread flooding and landslides, loss of life and property across the State.

Authorities on Monday opened the gates of the Kakki-Anathodu twin reservoirs, triggering panic across the region. With the storage in the Kakki-Anathodu reservoir touching 94%, the authorities raised two shutters around 11 a.m. The resultant discharge is expected to push up the water level in the Pampa river by 15 cm.While the swollen Manimala river had begun to retreat to its original course, Pathanamthitta district continues to be on the edge.

Two shutters of the Pampa dam will be also opened after 5 am on Tuesday. With water to be released at 50 cumecs, this could further raise the water level by another 10 cm. The water released from the dam is expected to reach the Pampa-Triveni, the base camp of Sabarimala temple, about six hours later. 

In view of the forecast of further heavy rain, the existing ban on entry of pilgrims to Sabarimala has been extended to all five days of the ongoing monthly pujas. The decision triggered protests among the pilgrims, who had been camping at Nilackal, owing to the ban, on the first three days of the season.

India needs a caste count.

In the midst of debates around a delayed and digital census, due to the pandemic, there is also a renewed demand for caste census, which is said to be the need of the hour by its supporters but on the other hand not getting a  favorable response by the government at the Centre. 

What is the caste census?

Caste census means inclusion of caste-wise tabulation of India’s population in the Census exercise, which is a decennial count of the Indian population. From 1951 to 2011, every census in India has published the population of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, comprising the Dalits and the Adivasis, along with the gamut of data including religions, languages, socio-economic status, etc. 

It, however, has never counted OBC’s, the lower and intermediate castes, which according to the Mandal commission make up around 52 per cent of the country’s population. All castes other than Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are counted under the general category. 

 Long­ pending trade talks between India, Israel to resume.

India and Israel will resume negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) from November with the intention of signing the long-pending pact by June 2022, external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid said on Monday.

The two countries held their first round of negotiations on an FTA in May 2010 but a deal has proved elusive. This is the first time the two sides have set a deadline for concluding the talks, reflecting the seriousness attached to the issue.

Following his meeting with Lapid in Jerusalem, Jaishankar said the two countries were looking forward to finalising the agreement by the middle of next year.

“Our officials have actually agreed on the resumption of the India-Israel free trade negotiations. Starting the negotiating process, talks will start in November and they are very confident that they would be able to conclude the negotiations by next June,” he said.

Lapid said the FTA will be “finalised as fast as we can” in the interest of both sides. “We are continuing with our policy of connections, and we have seen in India a very important ally for many years. India also brings with her new opportunities for cooperation,” he said.

High fuel prices spur demand for CNG vehicles, says Maruti.

Maruti Suzuki is witnessing strong demand for CNG-powered vehicles and expects more than 80% growth in sales of such vehicles this fiscal, said Shashank Srivastava, senior executive director (Marketing & Sales). This is in the backdrop of pump prices of petrol and diesel hovering at all-time highs.

India’s largest carmaker sold about 1.6 lakh CNG vehicles in FY21, and expects this number to climb to about 3 lakh in the current financial year, Mr. Srivastava told The Hindu.

“Generally, the increase in fuel prices impacts consumer sentiment negatively. However, one good thing which has happened for us is that this has led to a huge increase in the demand for CNG vehicles as CNG prices haven’t gone up as much and CNG running cost is just around ₹1.60-1.70 per kilometer,” he added.

He said that in addition to the surge in fuel prices, the increase in the network of CNG stations had also helped the growth. In the six months ended September, the company sold 83,000 CNG vehicles, accounting for 14% of total sales. CNG vehicles accounted for 11.5% of the company’s sales in FY21 and 7.4% in FY20.

Asked about sales during the Navratras, Mr. Srivastava said booking and enquiries grew 11-13% compared with the same period last year, while retail sales were down by 20% because of the non-availability of stock at the dealerships amid the semiconductor shortage.