New Delhi, March 28

People will soon have to dial just a single number ‘112’ for help during emergency situations such as availing services of police, ambulance and the fire department.The proposal to have a single number for various emergency services, approved by the inter-ministerial panel Telecom Commission, would be similar to the ‘911’ all-in-one emergency service in the US.All existing emergency numbers will be phased out within a year of rolling out 112, depending upon the awareness about this new facility.”Telecom Commission has accepted Trai’s recommendation on single emergency number 112. It will now be drafted by the Department of Telecom and will require Telecom Minister’s (Ravi Shankar Prasad) approval. It will be rolled out within months rather than a year,” an official source said, adding the panel has accepted recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) after including clarifications given by it. —

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 25

Tackling irksome issues as regards the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC), the Ministry of Defence will convey to an empowered committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary that the status, pay and allowances of the armed forces be kept above all other “fighting” arms of the government.Sources said Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told a high-level meeting at the MoD on March 22 that the stance of the ministry should be categorical on the issues of status, pay and allowances for the forces.Parrikar was in agreement with key issues raised by the three service chiefs—Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, Admiral Robin Dhowan and General Dalbir Singh Suhag.MoD officials have been asked to prepare a formal note for the empowered committee of secretaries, led by the Cabinet Secretary, which is studying recommendations of the 7th CPC. The government is yet to announce what it has accepted or rejected. The forces cannot directly petition the empowered committee.In all, the forces have flagged 37 issues of which eight have been termed as “key-issues”, which, if not sorted out, can have an adverse impact on the morale.One of the issues was “wrong and misplaced” comparison with the Central armed police (paramilitary) forces—Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).The services have told the MoD that there can be no comparison with the paramilitary in terms of the mandate, duties, risks in service conditions and tasks assigned. The 7th CPC will upset laid-down seniorities and place armed forces’ allowances lower than those for paramilitary forces.The three forces—Army, Navy and Air Force—have petitioned Parrikar for the restoration of earlier status, which has been “disturbed” following recommendations of the 7th pay commission.The disability pension for the armed forces has been lowered, but it has been maintained at same levels for paramilitary forces. Parrikar has been informed that the pay panel has disturbed parity between Lt-Colonels and Commandants of the paramilitary forces.The issue of allowances was discussed at the meeting and the much-quoted example of how Guwahati will be a “tougher” posting than serving on the forbidding Siachen Glacier, was brought out.The CPC has suggested Rs 31,500 per month for officers and Rs 21,000 per month for jawans as allowance to compensate them for the “hardship” faced at Siachen. However, once the pay commission’s new salary slabs come into place, the tough area allowance (TRA), which is about 33 per cent of the basic salary, in civilian services works out to be in excess of Rs 55,000 for IPS and IAS officers and Rs 30,000 for others posted in areas such as Guwahati.

Row over 7th pay panel recommendations

• The Army, Navy and Air Force have claimed that the 7th pay panel will bring armed forces’ allowances lower than those for paramilitary forces
• The forces have flagged 37 issues of which eight have been termed as “key-issues”, which, if not sorted out, can have an adverse impact on the morale of the forces

Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa. Photo taken from website of www.indianairforce.nic.in

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 10

The Indian Air Force on Thursday sounded an alarm saying it does not have enough fighter jets to tackle a simultaneous two-front war with Pakistan and China.The Vice-Chief, Air Marshall BS Dhanoa, said at press conference: “We do not have adequate numbers to tackle a two-front war scenario”.The government is aware of this and steps are under way to ramp up the numbers.The IAF is now at its lowest combat strength in more than a decade. The Tribune was the first to report this on February 25.The IAF has informed the government of the gravity of the situation that the force is now in a shortage.Three squadrons of the vintage single-engine Soviet-origin MiG-21 and MiG-27 were phased out on January 1 this year, leaving the IAF with only 33 squadrons (16-18 planes in each).This is nine short of the government mandated 42 squadrons needed to tackle a simultaneous two-front war with China and Pakistan.Of the 33 squadrons, the vintage MiG-21 and MiG -27 form 11 squadrons. The Sukhoi 30-MKI populates 10 squadrons, the 1970s design British Jaguar is in six squadrons, followed by the French Mirage 2000 and the Soviet MiG-29 in two and three squadrons, respectively. The last three are being upgraded with better missiles and avionics.The country is now facing the reality of various projections regarding the IAF fighter fleet, made over the past 10 years by the Indian Air Force, strategic thinkers, successive reports of Parliamentary Committees on Defence, and reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).Warnings on the lackadaisical pace of induction of new fighter jets into the Air Force and the resultant loss of ‘combative edge’ in battle are now ringing true, sources say. A senior official admitted, “We are in the middle of the predicted shortage”.It is the replacements which bother the IAF, which will be raising a squadron of the twin-engine Russian-origin Sukhoi 30-MKI this year, but much depends on the speed of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which is licensed to produce it in India. HAL, a Ministry of Defence (MoD) owned public sector undertaking, was mandated by the Cabinet Committee on Security in March 2006 to produce 16 planes annually and deliver 180 in phases by 2017. The project is running three years behind schedule.Till 2011, HAL had the capacity to produce just eight Sukhoi-30 jets annually, said a report of the CAG in 2014.The Sukhois were ordered in phases since 1997; the IAF wants 272 of these by 2020. The other choice is to seek faster induction of the 106 Tejas ‘Mark-1A’, which have been ordered. The MoD has set a 2018 deadline for the first aircraft to be ready with a target to complete its production by 2022-2023. In September, new specifications were agreed pon and the IAF accepted 43 modifications that could be carried out without changing the existing design.

Dear veterans
Sanjha Morcha has decided to upload views of veterans on the controversial issues of
” WHO IS THE REAL VEER NARI”
The wife of the Martyr or the mother.

Number of cases the mother did not even know that his daughter- in law  is receiving gallantry award and called VEER NARI
A mother who has given birth to the son and may BE the only one but deprived of any praise OR RIGHTS to be called VEER NARI.
On one side we call Bharat Mata Ke jai and say Jannai( WHO GIVES BIRTH) is supreme but in army we call the better half( WIFE)  as veer nARI .she may be newly married or old and gets remarried but still she gets the name and fame.
CAN WE CALL THEM AS VEER NARI AND VEER MAA
Post you views and send them at
sanjhamorha303@gmail.com.
To be uploaded on the website of Sanjha Morcha
www.sanjhamorcha.com

Col Charanjit Singh Khera(Retd)

Gen Secy

Sanjha Morcha

Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 9

While a multi-agency security audit across J&K was conducted following directions by the Governor NN Vohra on January 15 this year, the BJP-led NDA government has constituted a committee under the chairmanship of former Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Philip Campose for the purpose.The panel, headed by Lt Gen Campose, shall inter alia suggest measures to strengthen security of various military establishments across the country, including Jammu and Kashmir. The committee is expected to submit its report by March 31 this year.“Security arrangements in military establishments are dynamic in nature and are periodically reviewed. The observations and recommendations of these reviews are progressively implemented to maintain a robust and strong response mechanism to emerging threats, stated an official document.On January 15 Governor NN Vohra had reviewed the arrangements for the safety and security of all vital civil and defence establishments and installations in militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir.Acting upon the Governor’s directions, state DGP K Rajendra Kumar on January 22 said the multi-agency security audit of all vital civil and defence establishments and installations across Jammu and Kashmir was almost complete.“Recurring terror attacks since September 2013 from across the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) and more particularly this year’s January-2 attack on the Air Force base at Pathankot and Pakistan’s trans-border tunnel detected on March 3 this year are ample indicators of Pakistan’s mala fide intentions towards India, especially J&K,” said official sources.The Governor had been speaking to the state Chief Secretary BR Sharma, Police chief K Rajendra Kumar, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen DS Hooda and senior Commanders of security forces urging them to undertake a time-bound review of all existing security arrangements.While security and intelligence agencies conducted the security audit and later a report was submitted to the Governor, Pakistan’s secret tunnel detected 50 metres inside the Indian territory near AMK Post along the 198-km-long International Border in the RS Pura sector of Jammu district had sent the BSF into a tizzy.It was third such tunnel found on the border since July 2012 exposing Pakistan’s sinister game plan of trying to push militants into J&K for staging terror attacks.On July 27, 2012, the BSF had detected a trans-border tunnel dug by Pakistan from the Lumbriyal post in the Shakkergarh area on its side, which had entered 540 metres inside the Indian territory but had caved in due to rains near the Chalyari border outpost in Chachwal village of Samba district.On August 23, 2014, Pakistan tried to replicate another trans-border tunnel, this time in the Pallanwala sector of Jammu district. It had also caved in due to rains after running 50 metres inside the Indian territory.

The Indian Army, which has built a pontoon bridge on the Yamuna for the Art of Living Foundation’s upcoming World Culture Festival, is likely to build one more to ease movement of lakhs of people who are expected to attend the controversy-ridden mega event.

The development came even as there was criticism from some quarters, including the social media, about using the army to build the floating bridge for such an event.

“Lakhs of people are expected to turn up. There is a question of law and order and also fears of stampede. Permission has been granted by concerned authorities to host the event. If a permission has been given, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure everything is run smoothly,” a defence official told PTI.

Read: President Pranab Mukherjee not to attend Art of Living event in Delhi

They said the organisers had approached the defence ministry seeking six such bridges but the army was asked to erect only one. A second bridge has been erected by the PWD.

“The Delhi Police has now given a report saying that there are fears of stampede and hence the army might build another bridge,” the sources said, adding that a minister from the Delhi government has also written to the ministry highlighting the need for such bridges.

The source said defence minister Manohar Parrikar had asked the defence secretary to look into the issue. During his interaction with the army, the force wondered whether their personnel should be used to help a “private event”.

“The minister was of the view that since permission has been granted, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure everything was fine. The army, which has the expertise, was asked to step in keeping the larger good of people in mind,” the sources said.

Read: Art of Living event along Yamuna’s floodplain creates controversy

They added that the army has been used during Kumbh Mela and even the Commonwealth Games.

Told that the event has come under the scanner of the National Green Tribunal, which looks after the environmental issues, sources said the army is only helping people and it is up to the concerned authorities to grant permission or withdraw it.

President Pranab Mukherjee will not attend the festival in the wake of controversy over holding the three-day cultural function on the Yamuna flood plains beginning Friday.

Mukherjee had earlier agreed to attend the valedictory ceremony on Sunday.

While the organisers of the function expect lakhs of people to attend the function, concerns have been raised by experts about the damage to the environment that may be caused as the three-day event was being held on flood plains of the river in east Delhi.

Read: Art of Living didn’t inform about scale of event at Yamuna plains: DDA

The National Green Tribunal is hearing a petition which has claimed that the organisers will release ‘enzymes’ into 17 drains that flow into Yamuna for cleaning the river. A judgment is expected on Tuesday.

Parents of the late Lt Col Bikramjit Singh break down at the Municipal Corporation function held for honouring martyrs at the Terraced Garden in Sector 33, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Parvesh Chauhan

Tribune News service

Chandigarh, March 23

UT(Chandigarh) Member Parliament Kirron Kher, and Mayor Arun Sood today laid a wreath at the Martyr’s Pillar at the Terraced Garden in Sector 33 and paid homage to Shaheed-e-Azam S Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on the martyrdom anniversary and the martyrs from the defence forces, who belonged to Chandigarh and made supreme sacrifices in various wars or in other military operations for safeguarding the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the nation.Various patriotic songs and dances were presented by little girls from the city and a skit “Bhediya” was staged by students of GCG-II, Chandigarh. The chief guest and Mayor honoured the veer naaris from the Army, Chandigarh Police, Fire and Emergency, Department, MC, prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Hardeep Singh, Deputy Mayor, Rajesh Gupta, area councillor, Maj DS Sandhu, councillor, Rajiv Gupta, Joint Commissioner, Poonam Sharma, former Mayor, Harjinder Kaur, former Mayor, Pardeep Chhabra, former Mayor, Harphool Chander Kalyan, former Mayor, Gurbax Rawat, former Deputy Mayor and other prominent persons,and senioer officers from the city and the Municipal Corporation, respectively.

Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag along with his wife Namita Suhag at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Sunday. Tribune photo

GS Paul

Tribune News Service,Amritsar, March 6

The Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh Suhag, has assured to intervene in the matter related to “missing” rare Sikh manuscripts, books and artifacts seized by the Indian Army from the Golden Temple complex during Operation Bluestar in June 1984.This was confirmed by SGPC chief secretary Harcharan Singh who interacted with the Army Chief during the latter’s visit to the Golden Temple with his family today.The rare documents, which even included some centuries-old manuscripts signed by some Sikh gurus and original texts of Sikh scholars of medieval periods, were kept in the Sikh reference library in the Golden Temple till June 7, 1984.On June 7, during the Operation Bluestar the Army allegedly took away all documents from the library and around 25,000 books, which were subsequently passed on to the Indian security agencies.While the government claimed that most of documents in the library were burnt after it caught fire during exchange of fire, the Sikh leadership since then has been claiming that manuscripts and books were taken away by the Indian security forces.Harcharan Singh said, “We discussed with the Army chief about the missing rare manuscripts and books. He in turn assured to examine it thoroughly and will communicate us back about his findings. We are also appealing to the state government to take up the matter with the Defence Minister.”The Army Chief is in Amritsar to present the Standard to 18 Cavalry, a frontline Armoured Regiment of the Indian Army, currently operating along the western borders on behalf of the President. 

Rare documents

• The rare documents, which even included some centuries-old manuscripts signed by some Sikh gurus and original texts of Sikh scholars of medieval periods, were kept in the Sikh reference library in the Golden Temple till June 7, 1984.

SGPC seeks return of missing Golden Temple manuscripts