Qamar Bajwa.

Islamabad, November 29

General Qamar Javed Bajwa, an expert in PoK affairs, today took over as Pakistan’s new army chief succeeding Gen Raheel Sharif, who warned India against adopting an “aggressive stance” in Kashmir.

Gen Raheel handed over the command of world’s sixth-largest army by troop numbers to 57-year-old Bajwa at a ceremony held in the Army Hockey Stadium, close to the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.

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Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday appointed Bajwa as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) by elevating him to the rank of four-star general.

Raheel in January had declared that he would not seek extension. There were speculation that the PML-N government would give him extension at the eleventh hour citing reasons that he was needed by the country to lead war on terror. The post of Army chief is the most powerful in Pakistan.

In his final speech as the army chief, 60-year-old Gen Raheel cautioned India against adopting an aggressive stance in the region.

He said that in recent months “India’s increasing terrorism and aggressive stance” in Kashmir have “endangered” the region.

“India should know that mistaking our policy of patience for weakness would be dangerous,” he said.

“This is reality, that in South Asia, lasting peace and progress is impossible without solution of the Kashmir issue.

For that, international community’s special attention is necessary,” he said.

He also stressed the need for institutions to work together for the nation’s progress.

“It is important that all institutions work together against external threats and internal threats. For this, we will need to follow the National Action Plan in letter and spirit,” Gen Raheel said.

“The army will remain alert to threats, whether external or internal,” he said.

For regional peace, he said, issues should be resolved politically.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a major factor in ensuring regional peace, he said.

“The departure of the first cargo from Gwadar port has shown this journey cannot be halted now,” he warned. “The time is here now that the enemies of CPEC stop working against it and become a part of it.”

Bajwa was earlier serving as Inspector General of the Training and Evaluation and also commanded the famed 10 Corps, the army`s largest, which is responsible for the area along the Line of Control (LoC).

As a major general, Bajwa led the Force Command Northern Areas. He also served in the 10 Corps as lieutenant colonel.

He also served with a UN mission in Congo as a brigade commander alongside former Indian army chief Gen Bikram Singh, who was also there as a division commander.

The new army chief has wide experience of LoC affairs due to his extensive involvement with Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and northern areas.

According to reports, General Bajwa’s “pro-democracy credentials” and his low-profile influenced the Prime Minister to appoint him to the powerful post of army chief superseding four top generals.

The military has been in charge of the country for more than half of Pakistan’s nearly 70-year history since independence from Britain. —PTI

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 26

The appointment of Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa as the next Pakistan army chief to replace Gen Raheel Sharif has kicked up social media traffic, with speculation in some quarters that his family may have old ties with the Sikh Bajwa families in India.While many Indians bearing the Bajwa surname and those who are members of “Bajwa” groups on the social media have been receiving congratulatory messages, some of them have clarified that people bearing the Bajwa surname on both sides of the border originally come from the same clan, from the Sialkot-Narowal belt. All were originally Hindus before they conversion to Sikhism or Islam began a few hundred years ago. Some Pakistani Bajwa families also claim that they converted from Sikhism. In fact, majority of the Sikh Bajwa families migrated to India after Partition and some of them who chose to stay back in Pakistan are said to have converted to Islam later. There are several surnames common to Sikhs and Muslims.Though little is publicly known about the ancestry of Gen Bajwa, he is said to be a Jat belonging to the Punjabi Muslim stock. This also has a coincidence with the Indian Army Chief, Gen DS Suhag, who also happens to be a Jat.Though there may no longer be any direct blood relationship between the present generations of Sikh Bajwas and Muslim Bajwas, social interaction between the two continues.

New Delhi, November 25Seven days after ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal allegedly committed suicide on November 1 over the “one rank, one pension” (OROP) issue, the government had credited the arrears of Rs 53,978 to his bank account, the Lok Sabha was informed today.On inquiry regarding the payment of the OROP benefits to him, the pension disbursing bank has informed that he was drawing a pension of Rs 22,608 per month, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said in a written reply. “He was entitled to a revised pension of Rs 25,634 per month under the OROP. The total amount of arrears of Rs 53,978 on account of implementation of the OROP has been credited to the bank account of late ex-subedar Ram Kishan Grewal on November 8, 2016,” he said.The minister said Rs 3020.97 crore had been spent this financial year as on November 12 on account of the payment of OROP arrears . 70-year-old Grewal, a resident of Bhiwani district, ended his life on November 1 by consuming poison in Delhi.— PTI

Islamabad, November 2

Pakistan had “readied” its battle plans after “threats from India”, the country’s air force chief said on Thursday and warned the neighbour against “acts of aggression”, as tensions escalate in the Indian sub-continent.Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman said Pakistan was “not worried about India at all”, while he spoke at 9th International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS).”India should show restraint and instead solve the issue of Kashmir as that would be better for them,” he was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.He is quoted to have said Pakistan could not ignore this kind of pressure. “We are well capable of responding in the face of any aggression,” he said.India launched a counter-offensive against Pakistan on Wednesday, a day after terrorists killed three Indian soldiers  — beheading one of them — under Pakistan’s army cover fire in a gun battle in Kashmir’s Machil sector.Pakistan claimed on Wednesday that Indian forces had hit a passenger bus in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, killing nine and wounding as many people.The country also claimed it had killed seven Indian soldiers after its neighbour had “opened fire” along the Line of Control, killing three of Pakistan’s soldiers. Pakistan’s soldiers continued to shell Indian outposts, injuring six jawans.Pakistan’s Prime Minister has said the country would not tolerate “deliberate targeting” of innocent civilians, particularly children and women, ambulances and civilian transport.”Pakistan has exercised maximum restraint despite continuing ceasefire violations from Indian security forces along LoC,” he said on Thursday. The International Border and the Line of Control has been fraught with tensions since Indian Army conducted a military strike that targeted terrorist 6-7 launch pads across the border in Pakistan’s territory on September 29. The attack came 10 days after a terrorist strike on a military camp in north Kashmir’s Uri. Nineteen indian soldiers were killed in the attack.Although Pakistan has since denied such a strike, there have heavy cross-border firing and shelling since. India has accused Pakistan of having violated a truce agreement of 2003 several times in the past two months.India has long accused Pakistan of harbouring terrorist camps, a charge the neighbour has repeated denied. — PTI

Wednesday morning the country was told of a big mortar assault by the Indian Army along the Line of Control. There is considerable satisfaction that the government has given a free hand to the Army to settle scores with its Pakistani tormentors. The immediate provocation was a sneak attack from Pakistan that killed three Indian Army men on Tuesday. For grislier effect, the body of one of them was mutilated. This tit for tat in body count has been going on ever since 18 Indian Army soldiers were killed in Uri. The next day, New Delhi arranged for an orchestrated media event announcing retaliatory surgical strikes, that we were led to believe had laid the demon of Pakistani intransigence permanently to rest.Pakistan’s army calls its country a security state and abashedly claims to be its sole guardian angel. New Delhi has happily played into its hands by opting for an eye for an eye policy on the border. There is no doubt that the mutilation of the dead is no bravery and the perpetrator must be made to pay the price for this desecration. However, as events have shown there has been no end to the violence on the border. One violent act begets another. Post surgical strikes, 18 Indian soldiers and several civilians have laid down their lives. The death toll on the other side of the border has been higher.By now South Block should have realised that a burst of machinegun fire or even a sustained mortar assault does not achieve the type of closure its men of muscle had desired. Even though the Army on Wednesday undertook the biggest fire assault since 2003, it will not achieve the desired result of silencing Pakistani guns. Tomorrow another skirmish on the border might even the score. If New Delhi does not wish to get trapped in this cycle of blood feud, it must tap the interlocutors and their skills. Pakistan’s foreign policy czar Sartaj Aziz has already signalled his desire to attend a multinational meet in Amritsar. That will be a good time to begin rolling back the spurious satisfaction the gun provides.

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, november 22

In the past fifty-three days after the September 29 ‘surgical strike’, India and Pakistan have been locked in a tit-for-tat firing along the Line of Control (LoC).    India has lost 18 of its troops — that includes the Army and the Border Security Force (BSF), while Pakistan is estimated to have lost more men even as it downplays its own casualties.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Today, when reports filtered in that three Army men have lost their lives at Machil close to the Line of Control in the Kashmir valley, the death toll for the Army reached 13 martyrs, either killed by firing from across the LoC by Pakistan army or by militants aided by the Pakistan army.Pakistan has publically admitted to 13-14 deaths of its own, though the Indian assessment based on ground reports from local informers and radio intercepts is that Pakistan has lost 24 soldiers.Even this morning when the encounter with militants was on in Machil, Pakistan army was giving cover fire, sources said, adding that the LoC has been ‘very active’ as the snow will soon close down the high passes in the Himalayas. “Be aggressive” is the message to formation commanders on ground, who have been told to respond to all ceasefire violations. The decision of time of strike is left to the local units while the nature of weapons has been small arms and mortars. There have been some 400 violations of the November 2003 ceasefire.  Not only have the number of violations gone up,  the intensity and periodicity is up several notches across the LoC and the 198-km international boundary.

Col Mohan Singh (retd) is a veteran golfer and a regular member of our four-ball. On his day, he can give anyone a run for their money. Fit as a fiddle at the ripe age of 75, his sense of humor and disciplined lifestyle makes him a likeable personality.

It was at the fourth tee-off that he complained of slight breathlessness. A 24-hour holter confirmed a low heart-rate and a need for a pacemaker for healthy living. As an ex-serviceman and eligible to avail of ex-servicemen contributory health scheme (ECHS), he got admitted to this oldest, upscale and well-established private hospital at Mohali.

Technological advancement in medical science threw open multi choices of pacemakers to be fitted; a basic MRI non-compatible and advanced versions of MRI compatible ones, of course, at considerably enhanced costs.

ECHS caters to the basic model but the hospital lets one exercise the costlier option with payment over and above. Mohan opted for the MRI compatible one and the extra money was duly deposited. The patient was taken to the operation theatre for the required procedure for fitment of the pacemaker. Surgery to open the area below the rib bone was performed with expertise and now everything was set for the MRIcompatible pacemaker to get implanted, when suddenly, a smiling brave Mohan got the shock of his life when he was quietly informed, “Colonel saab, sorry, the machine that you opted for is not available in the hospital store. We will have to make do with the base model.” It was a do or die situation and the helpless patient was left with no choice, a fait accompli.

Well, it still remains a mystery as to how a hospital of this stature accepted payment for a thing that it doesn’t have. Mohan is now out of the hospital, of course with the excess money duly reimbursed, but surely after a nightmarish experience.

And, here goes the second episode on the thin line between fate and fait accompli. Rajeev was upbeat. His dream of settling down around Chandigarh was finally taking shape. A reluctant Delhiite, he called me up the other day, “Pandit, our ancestral house is being sold and I am getting my share. Could you help me find a suitable place in the budget? Urgent!” Rajeev and me go a long way back. Common interests in minor vices and a critical virtue called golf bind us together as partners in charity and crime. We zeroed on to a 3BHK with an independent terrace in the vicinity of Chandigarh. It was a done deal and the token money was exchanged. Date for the letter of agreement and with partpayment was fixed for November 9.

The house in Delhi was under sale and thus had to be vacated. The luggage was hurriedly packed and dispatched to the yet to be bought flat at Chandigarh, the seller being a kind man. Then, tsunami struck a night before. Exactly, a minute after the PM’s four-minute address, my mobile buzzed with a distraught Rajeev being the caller.

The deal was in jeopardy due to the changed perspective of modalities. Both the parties met to find a solution but none emerged. A piquant situation for my friend who was suddenly rendered homeless with a ‘four minute blitzkrieg’! My better half was requested to utilise her soft skills to break the deadlock. She took a minute to announce her verdict, “Rajeev, why don’t you rent the flat for the time being, move in and get your act together. This is not the end of the road. Things will fall into place.” The magic solution was acceptable to the seller who was as keen to have the deal ultimately accomplished. Rajeev has moved in, albeit, as a tenant, a fate accompli, overriding his fate of seeing himself as an owner of the flat. The writer is a Chandigarh-based

contributor

Corps of Bengal Sappers and Miners guarding their sector of the Sherpore Cantonment, outside the city boundary of Kabul, Afghanistan, during the Afghan War 1878-9

Indian Army Corps of Engineers

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PANCHKULA: Indian Army Corps of Engineers, also called sappers, celebrated their 236th Corps Day here on Friday. A wreath-laying ceremony was organised at Veer Smriti in Chandimandir wherein, Maj Gen AV Krishna, chief engineer of Western Command, along with a number of serving and retired sappers paid tributes to the martyrs.

Sappers of Western Command have been on the forefront for the development of border areas with better road connectivity and improved infrastructure.

Army engineers are one of the oldest supporting arms of the Indian Army and consist of four pillars namely combat engineers, military engineering services, border roads organisation and military survey.

Indian Army Corps of Engineers

The Indian Army Corps of Engineers has a long history dating back to the mid-18th century. The earliest existing subunit of the Corps (18 Field Company) dates back to 1777 while the Corps officially recognises its birth as 1780 when the senior most group of the Corps, the Madras Sappers were raised.

The Corps consists of three groups of combat engineers, namely the Madras Sappers, the Bengal Sappers and the Bombay Sappers. A group is roughly analogous to a regiment of Indian infantry, each group consisting of a number of engineer regiments. The engineer regiment is the basic combat engineer unit, analogous to an infantry battalion.

Besides the combat engineers, the Corps mans and operates major engineering organisations such as the Military Engineering Service (MES), the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the Married Accommodation Project and the Survey of India.^[1]

THE THREE GROUPS

The Corps of Engineers is one of the oldest arms of the Indian Army. The origin of the Corps dates back to 1780 when the two regular pioneer companies were raised in the Madras Presidency Army. Subsequently, the Group of Madras, Bengal and Bombay Sappers were formed in their respective presidencies. These Groups came together when the British Indian Army was formed after 1857 and were later merged on 18 November 1932 to form the Corps of Indian Engineers. Engineer Groups initially consisted of field companies (a sub-unit organisation that exists to this day).

Till 1911, the Sappers also had the duty of passing battlefield messages. Between 1911 and 1920, they handed this task to a batch of their own kinsmen who then formed the Corps of Signals. The Sappers also contributed the first batch of airmen when the Indian Air Force was raised in 1932. From 1942-1945 officers of the Indian Railways were recruited into this Corps to participate in Britain’s Burma Campaign.

Combat Engineers

In war, Combat Engineers provide mobility to own forces by constructing bridges, tracks and helipads; on the other hand the Corps denies the same to the enemy by creating obstacles such as laying mine-fields and demolition of bridges. The need for accurate survey arose before combat engineering. Vast holdings had to be carefully delineated and mapped out, to plan the correct form of commercial extraction. By 1780, serious attention began to be given to the art of sapping and mining.

Forts abound in the subcontinent, and to the forts the main defences withdrew for a protracted stand. On being invested, the siege (heavy) artillery including trench mortars or bombards went at it. The real work, not for the faint-hearted, went to the sappers who had to do the ‘sapping‘ or mining. Sapping is the technique of accurately digging trenches, usually covered or zigzag, to cover one’s approach to the point of assault. Corps of Engineers played a very important Role on “OP Vijay” the Kargil war. The major Engineer Regiments which were very actively took part were 102 Engineer Regiment as a part of 08 Mountain Division, 02 Engineer Regiment as a part of 03 Mountain Division, 106 Engineer Regiment as a part of 16 Corps and 112 Engineer as a part of 92 Mountain Brigade during operation than subsequently became the part of newly raised 14 Corps. The action areas and the commanding officers of these Engineer Regiments are appended below:- 1. 102 Engr. Regt. Commanded by Col. Rohit Kumar, and the Regt. operated in Drass sector under 08 Mtn. Div. The unit was awarded theatre Honour 2. 03 Engr. Regt. Commanded by Col. Krishnan, and operated initially in Drass sector than Chor Batala and Siachin sector under 03 Mtn. Div. The unit was awarded theatre honour 3. 106 Engr. Regt. Commanded by Col. I.P.S. Ahuja and operated in Drass & Kargil sector under 16 Corps HQ. The unit was awarded COAS UNit citation of war 4. 112 Engr. Regt. Commanded by Col. N.B.Saxena and operated in Daha & Ganasak sector under 92 Mtn. Bde. as brought in for operations from 33 Corps located from Sukhna. The unit was awarded COAS Unit Citation of war

Military Engineer Services

The Military Engineer Services, or the MES, are responsible for the design, construction and maintenance of all works, buildings, airfields, dock installations, etc., together with accessory services such as military roads, water and electricity supply, drainage, refrigeration, furniture, required by the Army, Navy, Air Force & Coast Guard in India.^[2]

It is one of largest construction and maintenance agencies in India with a total annual budget to the tune of ₹ 13,000 crores. It has a large number of units and sub units spread across the entire country to provide engineering support to various formations of Army, Air Force, Navy and DRDO. MES is an inter services organisation under Min of Defence and has both Army and Civilian component of officers [Mainly IDSE]and other subordinate staff.

Border Roads Organisation

The Border Roads Organisation consists of Border Roads Development Board and GREF. BRDB is headed by Rajya Raksha Mantri as its Chairman and Chief of Army and Air Staff and Defence Secretary as its members and there are other members also and GREF is headed by Lt General of Corps of Engineers known as DGBR. BRO has made its own contribution to the nation by constructing national highways, airfields, buildings and bridges. The Border Roads, by constructing a large number of roads in once inaccessible areas of the Himalayas, Rajasthanand North East States have contributed significantly to their economic development.

Decorations

Lt Gen PS Bhagat of the Corps remains the first Indian Officer to have won the Victoria Cross in the Second World War. Another first in the same war, Subedar Subramaniam was awarded the George Cross. Later, during operations in Kashmir soon after Independence, Major Rama Raghoba Rane was awarded the Param Vir Chakra for making a passage through enemy mine fields while crawling in front of a tank. Engineer units have been deployed abroad as part of UN Missions.

The Corps of Engineers has to its credit one Param Vir Chakra, one Ashoka Chakra, one Padma Bhushan, 38 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, two Maha Vir Chakras, 13 Kirti Chakras, three Padma Shris, 88 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 25 Vir Chakras, 93 Shaurya Chakras, six Yudh Seva Medals and many other awards.

9 Engineer Regiment became one of the youngest Engineer Regiment in world history to enter the battlefield and got as many as 12 decorations including 01 Mahavir Chakra, 03 Vir Chakra, 04 Sena Medal, 04 Mention in Dispatch at the “Battle of Basantar” in 1971.^[3] 107 Engineer Regiment gained an Indian Institute of Bridging Engineers award for constructing a bridge in Himachal Pradesh in 2001.^[4] 268 Engineer Regiment was raised in 1964.^[5] As of 2009 it is based ‘somewhere in the western sector’. 69 Engineer Regiment was raised in 2005. As of 2006 it is based at Chandigarh.^[6]

Engineer regiments that served with the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka included the 3, 4, 8, 16, 51, 53, 110, 115 and 270.^[7]

INDIA HAS MAINTAINED THAT SUSPENSION OF WORK IS HARMING THE INTERESTS OF J&K PEOPLE AND ALSO DEPRIVING THE PEOPLE OF PAKISTAN OF IRRIGATION AND POWER BENEFITS THAT MAY ACCRUE FROM REGULATED WATER RELEASE

The recent focus on the Indus Waters Treaty should provide an impetus to other associated ventures in Jammu and Kashmir that have remained stalled, not necessarily in the interest of India. One such project is the Tulbul Navigation Project, a ‘navigation lockcum-control structure’ at the mouth of the Wullar Lake, a large freshwater lake in Bandipore district of J&K. The Jhelum feeds the lake basin. Depending on the season, the lake size varies from 30 to 260 sq km. Small streams such as the Harbuji, Arrah, Erin, Pohru and Bandipur flow into it.

The Jhelum was traditionally used for navigation and floating timber. However, during winter months from October to March, the flow of water in the river greatly reduced, leading to shallow waters and emergence of sand bars, obstructing navigation, especially between Sopore and Baramulla, a 22-km stretch. The onset of spring with rainfall and melting of snow from the surrounding mountains led to an increase in the discharge, often causing flooding. The rising demand of the local population to overcome the problem of navigation during winters led to the conception of the Tulbul project in the early ’80s to control the Jhelum floodwaters within the banks of the Wullar.

According to the original Indian plan, the barrage — as a control structure — was expected to be 133.8 metre (439 feet) in length and 12.19 metre (40 feet) in width, and was to have a maximum storage capacity of .3 million acre-feet of water. The aim was to regulate the release of water from the natural storage in the lake to maintain a minimum draught of 1.37 metre (4.5 feet) in the river up to Baramulla during the lean winter months. This was to ensure round-the-year navigation from Anantnag to Srinagar to Baramulla. It was perceived that as floodwaters receded, the control structure at the lake’s exit would retard the rapid emptying and depletion of water through October to March. This would in turn reduce downstream silt flows, which would be to the advantage of both the Uri project in India and the Mangla project in Pakistan and augment their power output.

PROJECT STALLED SINCE 1987

Construction of the Tulbul barrage commenced in 1984 but was stopped three years later when Pakistan objected to the project that it perceived to violate the Indus Waters Treaty 1960. Since 1987, there has been an ongoing dispute between the two countries over the project. India’s plea is that the Jhelum provides an important means of transport for goods and people. To sustain navigation throughout the year, a minimum depth of water is needed. India has made it clear that the project is not meant for storing water or increasing the size of the lake. On the other hand, Pakistan contests it as a ‘storage project’ and charges India with violation of the provisions under the treaty. In response, India has maintained that suspension of work is harming the interests of J&K people and also depriving the people of Pakistan of irrigation and power benefits that may accrue from regulated water release.

As a policy, post Shimla Agreement 1972, India wanted to resolve the issue bilaterally without mediation. Several rounds of talks have been held, but the issue has remained unresolved. This is despite the fact that the treaty permits India limited storage of water of the Western rivers — a general storage capacity of 5-lakh acre-feet on the various channels of the Jhelum (excluding Jhelum Main) and 10,000 acre-feet on the Jhelum Main itself. Pakistan’s objections during discussions basically stem from the apprehension that such a project may damage or disrupt its triple-canal project — Upper Jhelum Canal, Upper Chenab Canal and Lower Bari Doab Canal — and a fear that the stored water could be used as a weapon by India during hostilities.

Taking serious cognisance of Pakistan’s inimical policy towards India, it is felt that time is now ripe to exercise full rights on the Western rivers according to the treaty and revive this project. Moreover, it is in our national interest to ensure that the work on the project is resumed without further loss of time for the ‘economic and social benefit’. We must continue to maintain that the regulating structure is permitted under the Indus Waters Treaty for the nonconsumptive use of navigation. Experts feel that the real benefit of the project will go to the energy sector because a better discharge during lean season will add to the unutilised capacities of the downstream projects: Uri-1, Uri-2 and Lower Jhelum.

It must be emphasised that this is a navigation project, and the hype created by Pakistan is truly misplaced. If the project is helpful for India for both navigation and curtailment of flooding, there is no denying the fact that it would be equally beneficial to Pakistan, a point it seems to be overlooking. As in the event of severe floods in India and Pakistan in 2010 and 2014, acceptance of such a project would go a long way in helping both the countries protect themselves against floods and drought. Our endeavour should be to highlight a win-win solution.

• LT GEN PRAMOD GROVER groverp999@gmail.com
• (The writer is an expert on the Indus Waters Treaty. Views expressed are personal)

 

 

 

PUNJAB SYL RELATED AND PRE-ELECTION NEWS

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PILs seek quashing of the government”s decision.

New Delhi, November 14 Amidst unprecedented panic rush in banks and ATMs across the country, the Supreme Court would hear on Tuesday a batch of PILs seeking quashing of the government’s decision to demonetise Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes on the grounds that it infringed citizens’ right to life and trade among others.A bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice D Y Chandrachud has listed for hearing as many as four pleas against the November 8 decision of the Narendra Modi government that these notes are no longer a legal tender.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Out of the four, two PILs have been filed by Delhi-based lawyers Vivek Narayan Sharma and Sangam Lal Pandey, respectively. Two other pleas have been filed by individuals, S Muthukumar and Adil Alvi, on the demonetisation issue.The apex court, on November 10, had agreed to hear the pleas on Tuesday.The petitioners have alleged that the sudden decision has created chaos and harassment to public at large and the notification of the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance be either quashed or deferred for some time.The Centre has also filed a caveat in the registry saying it should be heard if the bench agrees to hear and pass orders on any such plea.Sharma, in his plea, has termed the notification of DEA as “dictatorial”, claiming that it did not grant reasonable time to citizens for exchanging the specified bank notes to legitimate notes to avoid “large scale mayhem, life threatening difficulties”.The plea has sought either quashing of the notification or a direction to the Centre for grant of “reasonable time frame” to citizens to exchange the demonetised currency notes to avoid difficulties being faced by the people. — PTI

Task force set up to expedite recalibration of ATMs

People try to withdraw cash from an ATM in New Delhi on Monday. PTI

New Delhi, November 14 The government has set up a task force under the chairmanship of RBI Deputy Governor S S Mundra to ensure that ATMs across the country are ready to dispense higher denomination notes in the shortest time.”The number of ATMs which will be recalibrated and which can dispense Rs 2,000 notes will be stepped up…To make this whole process faster, to expedite this whole process, a task force was decided to be set up under the chairmanship of Deputy Governor,” Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said.The team has been mandated with working closely with banks and various agencies involved in disbursement of cash and recalibration of hardware and software of the ATM network, he said.”The task force would ensure that ATM network is activated in the quickest time,” he said, adding that it will have its first meeting either today or tomorrow.The eight-member task force, which will have officials from Finance Ministry, Home Ministry and banks, has been mandated to chalk out a strategy for expeditious reactivation of all ATMs. Besides, the panel will have members from National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Chief General Manager of Department of Payment and Settlement Systems (DPSS) and Department of Currency Management of RBI.A representative each of ATM OEMs, Managed Service Providers, cash in transit (CIT) companies and white label ATM (WLA) operators will be invited to the deliberations of the task force. It may also invite others, if needed.Recalibration of ATMs involves multiple agencies — banks, ATM manufacturers, NPCI, switch operators, among others — making it a complex operation requiring immense coordination, RBI said in a statement.Rituraj Sinha, president, Cash Logistics Association of India, said, “It gives us a great deal of encouragement to work even harder after the Finance Ministry has taken cognisance of our recommendation to set up an ATM task force.” “In a meeting yesterday, we discussed specific methods to ease bottlenecks in the system as we are facing a logistics problem,” he added.There are about 2 lakh ATMs in the country and it has become necessary to recalibrate all cash handling machines to dispense the new design high security notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 denomination. — PTI

AND THE AFTER-EFFECTS…

Marriage season hit hard

New Delhi: With demonetisation leading to temporary cash crunch, the big fat Indian wedding season has turned into a nightmare for both traders and families. “Should I first pay the tentwallah or the jeweller? I go through dilemmas like this everyday. Thanks to the government’s decision to ban Rs 500 and 1,000 notes, I don’t have enough cash to pay people,” says Rajinder Gupta, whose daughter is getting married on November 24. Though supporting the government move, he says it’s “ill-planned” and “badly timed”. Ranging from Rs 5,000 to as high as Rs 51,000, different wedding bands have offered their customers a one-month timeline for the full payment. But people are not even in the position to pay the advance. PTIAllow banks to hire ex-staff: AssochamNew Delhi: The government should allow banks to hire retired bank employees on a massive scale for speedy currency swap and cash withdrawal in the wake of demonetisation move, industry body Assocham said. “Just like General Election when staff across different departments is mobilised; different types of staff can be used for helping the over-stretched banks, grappling with the huge task of dealing with the demonetised currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 and dispensing the new notes,” it said in an appeal to the PM. It also advised employing retired staff on short-term contract. SBI and some other banks have already roped in retired employees. “While preference can be given by banks to re-employ their own retired personnel, even cross-bank staff would be helpful,” Assocham Secretary General DS Rawat said. PTI

FinMin begins daily review

New Delhi: Keen to end the misery of millions of cash-starved citizens, the Finance Ministry on Monday began a daily review exercise to assess problem areas and put in place remedial measures. Nearly a week after the government withdrew Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as part of a crackdown against black money and corruption, queues outside banks and ATMs have only got longer. Senior officials in the Finance Ministry have been allocated different states and banks to monitor currency supply situation and plan remedial actions quickly, official sources say. Shaktikanta Das, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, chaired a meeting of the Joint Secretaries tasked with currency management. PTIBanks ignored RBI order on Rs 100-ATMs?New Delhi: In anticipation of the huge demand for lower currency notes, ahead of the demonetisation move, the Reserve Bank of India had asked banks to set up ATMs that dispensed only Rs 100 notes. On November 2, six days before PM Modi announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes would become illegal from midnight of November 8, the RBI had asked banks to recalibrate 10 per cent of its ATMs to exclusively dispense Rs 100 notes. How many banks complied with that directive is not known. However, the long queues at ATMs and the resultant chaos all across the country would imply that the directive may have been ignored. The RBI had also moved as early as May this year to provide incentive for setting up ATMs that dispensed only Rs 100 notes. In a circular on May 5, it promised to pay 50 per cent of the cost of such ATMs up to Rs 2 lakh. IANS

NOTE BAN: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Defunct currency valid for utility payment till Nov 24

A youth shows new currency note of Rs 500 at a bank in New Delhi on Sunday. PTI photo

New Delhi/Mumbai, November 14

With banks struggling to cope with the rush to get alternative currency, the government has extended the use of old defunct Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes for paying household utility bills, fuel, taxes and fees and purchases from co-operative stores till November 24.The government also extended suspension of toll on National Highways across the country till midnight of November 18.While withdrawing Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from the night of November 8-9, the government had allowed use of the old currency at government hospitals, railway ticketing, public transport, airline ticketing at airports, milk booths, crematoria/burial grounds and petrol pumps for 72 hours.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)This list was later expanded to include payments for metro rail tickets, highway and road toll, purchase of medicines on doctor prescription from the government and private pharmacies, LPG gas cylinders, railway catering, electricity and water bills and ASI monument entry tickets.(Read: Banks closed today; queues get longer outside ATM kiosks)As banks struggled to give alternate currency, the deadline was extended by another 72 hours. That deadline was to end at midnight tonight, but has now been extended till November 24, official sources said.

More relaxations

— Defunct Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes valid for paying household utility bills, fuel, taxes and fees till November 24.— No toll on National Highways across the country till midnight of November 18.— No parking charges at airports till November 21.— Banks to waive ATM charges on all transactions November 10 to December 30.Old currency can also be used for purchases at consumer co-operative stores like Kendriya Bhandar with valid ID proof as also for paying court fee.But payments towards utility bills will be restricted to only individuals or households for arrears and/or current bills. No advance payments will be allowed.Charges on ATM transactions waived till Dec 30In yet another move to lessen woes of people facing cash crunch, the RBI on Monday directed banks to waive ATM charges on all transactions done by savings bank customers till December 30.The waiver will be applicable on transactions done by a customer through his or her own bank ATM as well those of other banks.”It has been decided that banks shall waive levy of ATM charges for all transactions (inclusive of both financial and non-financial transactions) by savings bank customers done at their own banks’ ATMs as well as at other banks’ ATMs, irrespective of the number of transactions during the month,” the central bank said in a late evening notification.The waiver is applicable on transactions done at ATMs from November 10 till December 30, 2016.In August 2014, the number of mandatory free ATM transactions for savings bank account customers at other banks’ ATMs was reduced to three transactions per month in the six metro centres (Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad).A customer was permitted at least five free transactions per month for use of own bank ATMs.Banks could charge up to Rs 20 (plus service tax, if any) beyond the permitted transactions.Parking charges at airports suspended till Nov 21The government also extended the suspension of vehicle parking charges at all airports till the midnight of November 21.According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the move to extend the suspension is expected to facilitate the smooth movement of passengers.Earlier on Monday, the government had extended the suspension of the fee collection at all the toll plazas on National Highways till November 18.Even the Indian Railways has said it will accept the demonetised currency notes as payment for ticketing and catering purposes till November 24. — Agencies

ATMs will start dispensing Rs 2k notes from today: Fin Min

A man displays new 2000 Indian rupee banknotes after withdrawing them from a State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Kolkata. Reuters file photo

New Delhi, November 14

Allaying fears of shortage, the Finance Ministry on Monday said there is enough cash in the system and delivery channels are being augmented across the country to help cash-starved citizens.Giving details of the high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi late last night, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said it was decided to activate all channels for dispensing cash.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)With regard to rural areas, he said the cash holding limit for 1.2 lakh banking correspondents (BCs) has been increased to Rs 50,000 and banks have been given flexibility to increase this limit on case to case basis.It has been also decided to provide cash multiple times to the BCs, so that rural population is served.Besides, supply of cash to 1.3 lakh branch post offices would be enhanced so that public can get banknotes.Together, these 2.5 lakh delivery points, mostly in rural areas, would be able to give bigger quantum of cash to the public, he added.For the urban population, Das said recalibration of ATMs has already started and they will start dispensing the new Rs 2,000 currency notes from today or tomorrow.However, he clarified that the higher cash withdrawal limit of Rs 2,500 is only for recalibrated ATMs.Additionally, a large number of micro-ATMs will be deployed to help people withdraw cash through debit cards.To mitigate their hardship, the RBI has started distributing high security Rs 500 notes from yesterday. — PTI