CM had announced to bear study expenses of brother, Rs 10 lakh

Sushma, mother of Capt Ashwani Kumar, with the martyr’s photograph at her house in Patiala. Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service,Patiala, February 14

Sacrifices made by bravehearts, promises to martyrs’ families by politicians, candlelight marches and debates on TV channels are forgotten as soon as the dust settles.The family of Regimental Medical Officer Capt Ashwani Kumar, who died in an avalanche at the Siachen glacier in November 2015, is struggling to make both ends meet, leave aside keep his name alive for future generation.Sixtysix-year old Anokhe Lal still recalls the last phone call he received from his son Capt Ashwani Kumar, in which they had discussed a few family matters, including studies of his younger brother.However, a week later, an avalanche struck a patrol party at the Siachen glacier on November 13. While 15 soldiers were rescued, Capt Ashwani could not be saved.Various politicians announced compensation and jobs for the kin, but there was no follow-up on promises.The promises made by the state government, including financial help of Rs 10 lakh and all study expenses of the martyr’s younger brother, are yet to be fulfilled.“Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal came to our house on November 21, gave a cheque for Rs 5 lakh and left promising more. Almost over two months since, we are not sure if we will get anything else,” said Lal, worried over his younger son’s future.To add insult to injury, the Patiala Municipal Corporation has ignored the claim of Capt Ashwani Kumar and instead named a road after a councillor who died in an accident on a holiday in HP.A road in Tripuri is now named after Paramjit Singh Dixie, the councillor who died in the road accident in 2014, while a park in Model Town is named after BJP rural president Ravinder Singh Ginny’s deceased father.“I am not bothered if everyone forgets my son’s sacrifices. At least we won’t. We would have been happy if a road would have been named after my son. My youngest son now wants to leave studies and start earning as there is no earning member in the family. Leave aside his education, the government should provide him a suitable job,” says his mother Sushma.All efforts to contact Patiala Deputy Commissioner Rambir Singh turned futile as he refused to take calls or reply to a detailed SMS sent on his mobile.Capt Ashwani Kumar (26), born on August 27, 1989, represented 3 Ladakh Scouts. He was a bachelor and hailed from Patiala. Kumar did MBBS from Government Medical College, Patiala, and was commissioned into the Army on January 6, 2015.

short by Aarushi Maheshwari / 06:43 pm on 12 Feb 2016,Friday
China has said that nations “outside the area” must not militarise the South China Sea, after reports claiming India and US were considering conducting joint patrols in the region emerged. Meanwhile, US State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner reportedly said that there were no plans to conduct India-US joint maritime patrols in the South China Sea or the Indian Ocean.

A ship (top) of the Chinese Coast Guard is seen near a ship of the Vietnam Marine Guard in the South China Sea. China has reacted sharply to a report suggesting that the United States and India were planning joint patrols of the disputed South China Seas region. (REUTERS Photo)

China has reacted angrily to reports of possible joint patrolling by the US and India in the South China Sea, most of which is claimed by Beijing, saying the region should not be militarised by countries from “outside the area”.

Chinese officials took time out from the week-long national New Year holiday to warn the US and India against any naval patrolling in the disputed waters. They were responding to a media report that Washington and New Delhi had discussed joint patrols, including in the South China Sea.

China lays claim to most of the South China Sea but is locked in dispute with Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei and Vietnam over the ownership of islands in the region.

“No cooperation between any countries should be directed at a third party,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

“Countries from outside the area must stop pushing forward the militarisation of the South China Sea, cease endangering the sovereignty and national security of littoral countries in the name of ‘freedom of navigation’ and harming the peace and stability of the region,” Hong said.

“We hope that the relevant parties speak and act with caution, refrain from intervening in the South China Sea issue, and especially avoid being manipulated by certain countries and ultimately harming their own interests.”

Read: India, US consider joint naval patrols in South China Sea

A US defence official told Hindustan Time that India and the US had held “informal discussions” on conducting joint naval patrols but no decisions had been made. The officials further said the South China Sea did not figure in those discussions, contrary to a Reuters report on Wednesday which said the two countries planned to start the patrols within the year.

Sources in the Indian defence ministry described the report as “highly speculative”. Indian officials also noted that the country had never conducted joint patrols with any country and there was no change in the government’s policy of joining an international military effort only under the UN flag.

China’s hackles were raised when the United States sent a missile destroyer to patrol in the South China Sea. China has always maintained that discussions surrounding the disputed maritime territory cannot involve third parties. (REUTERS)

Any mention of the South China Sea in international diplomacy triggers a sharp reaction from China, which says no country, other than those involved in the disputes, has the right to be involved.

China has become more assertive in the region and has been building airfields and increasing its naval presence.

When the September trilateral dialogue among the foreign ministers of Japan, India and the US mentioned the South China Sea, Beijing responded with a pointed statement to Hindustan Times.

“China enjoys indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha (Spratly) Islands and their adjacent waters as well as sovereign rights and jurisdiction over relevant seabed and subsoil,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in a written statement.

The response mentioned the “Five Persistence” policy followed by China. “…we have always adhered to the principle of “Five Persistence”, which stands for persistence in maintaining the peace and stability of South China Sea; persistence in settling disputes with the party concerned according to the international laws via bilateral negotiation based on respect for historical facts; persistence in relying on rule-based system to control disputes; persistence in sustaining the freedom of flight and navigation in South China Sea.”

 

Washington, February 10

The relations between India and Pakistan “remain tense” after the Pathankot terror attack and India’s engagement with Pakistan this year may depend on Islamabad’s willingness to take action against those linked to the incident, the US intelligence chief has said.“Relations between Pakistan and India remain tense despite the resumption of a bilateral dialogue in December,” James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, told the Senate Armed Services Committee.“Following a terrorist attack on Pathankot air base in India, which Delhi blames on a Pakistan-based group, India’s engagement with Pakistan will probably hinge in 2016 on Islamabad’s willingness to take action against those in Pakistan linked to the attack,” Clapper said during his testimony. State Department Spokesman John Kirby agreed with Clapper. — PTI

Photo for representational purpose.

Focusing on humanitarian aid and disaster relief, the Indian and Chinese troops held the first joint tactical exercise in Eastern Ladakh sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

Part of the ongoing initiatives being taken by both the countries, the joint exercise lasted the entire day in Chushul-Moldo area on Saturday, an Udhampur based Defence ministry spokesperson Colonel S D Goswami said.

Led by Colonel Ritesh Chandra Singh, thirty Indian personnel participated in the joint exercise. The Chinese delegation was led by Colonel Qu Yi, the spokesperson said, adding that the exercise was code-named “Sino-India Cooperation 2016’’. The joint exercise was based on a situation of national disaster occurring on the border and subsequent coordination of rescue mission by joint teams of both the countries, he added.

It compliments the Hand-in-Hand series of India-China joint exercises, including the recently conduced one in Sikkim, the spokesperson said, adding the increased interaction among both the Indian and Chinese troops is “very positive step in enhancing confidence and building relations between the two armies’’.

– See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/indian-and-chinese-troops-hold-first-joint-tactical-exercise-in-ladakh/?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=inshorts_full_article&utm_campaign=inshorts_full_article#sthash.K2ZhhYDC.dpuf

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 5

The Indian Air force (IAF) today agreed to vacate the airbase at Leh, which would be used for expansion of the civilian airport by the J&K Government.This was revealed during a meeting held by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Hassan Samoon with the officials of the IAF, the Airport Authority of India and the civil administration here today.Samoon was informed that the state government had identified alternative land for the existing IAF airbase in Leh, which would pave the way for expansion of the airport for civilian use. The officials further said the land was approved by the IAF authorities.The district officials of Kargil, meanwhile, informed the Divisional Commissioner that in exchange for an alternative site, the Army had agreed to vacate a large tract of land presently under its control, which would be used for the expansion of the town.The IAF officials, who attended the meeting, said the alternative site offered by the state government in Leh had been examined by the experts and they were ready to take over if the state finalised the deal.The Divisional Commissioner was also informed that the modalities were being worked out to shift the existing airbase in Leh to the Airport Authority of India (AAI).Samoon said the paperwork to finalise the dealing should be taken up on priority so that land was transferred to the civil government by the end of February.On January 28, The Tribune had highlighted that the expansion of the strategically-important Leh airport, located 10,683 feet above the sea level, had failed to clear administrative tangle as the IAF had refused to vacate 11.8 acre of land, which had been identified for the project.The expansion project includes construction of the new terminal building to cater to peak-hour passenger rush and creation of new parking bays.The Divisional Commissioner said the administration would transfer the airbase to the Airport Authority of India for development.He said the transfer agreements should be taken up on priority to fully exploit the huge tourism potential of Leh and Kargil, which in turn would generate employment opportunities.Samoon, meanwhile, directed the Airport Authority of India to ensure proper sanitation at the Srinagar airport so that it doesn’t become a breeding ground for dogs and birds, which would pose threat to the safety of air passengers, besides adding to local population.He also directed the AAI to explore the modalities for starting night operations at the Srinagar airport. The IAF officials attending the meeting said they had already given in writing that they had no problem if the airport hosts flights during night.

IAF agrees to vacate airbase

• The IAF on Friday agreed to vacate the airbase at Leh, which would be used for the expansion of the civilian
• airport by the J&K Government
• IAF officials say the alternative site offered by the government in Leh has been examined by experts and they are ready to take it over as and when the state finalises the deal
• Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Hassan Samoon has said the transfer agreements should be taken up on priority to fully exploit the huge tourism potential of Leh and Kargil districts

Corps of Signal win hockey tournament

Although, a section of veterans is still protesting against the provisions of the pension scheme, Centre seems firm on going ahead with the version rolled out in September.