Jammu, Feb 24: Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik called an informal meeting of State Administrative Council to review current situation particularly in the context of Pulwama Terror Attack and subsequent developments said a Raj Bhavan spokesman on Sunday.
Satya Pal Malik was informed of gradual induction of additional Central Forces for election purposes. He also dismissed apprehensions of war and others as rumours.
The meeting was attended by Advisors, Vijay Kumar, K K Sharmaand K Skandan, besides B V R Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Umang Narula, Principal Secretary to Governor; R.K. Goyal, Principal Secretary, Information Department; Shaleen Kabra, Principal Secretary, Home; and Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, Planning and Monitoring Department.
In the meeting, the Governor was briefed about the current security situation in Jammu city after the lifting of the curfew a few days ago and also the restoration ofnormalcy in the place. He was also informed of the situation in the Kashmir Valley and the gradual induction of additional Central Forces for election purposes. After the Pulwama indident, the security concerns in this regard are much higher with the possibility of militant organisations increasing their activities against candidates and voters on a much larger scale. Earlier on Saturday, in a series of administrative orders, the Jammu and Kashmir government asked hospitals to stock medicines, cancelled the winter vacation of the medical faculty, ordered the rationing of fuel, and directed ration shops to ensure the complete sale of foodgrains by evening. Panic had spread in Kashmir valley following news about movement of troops, a crackdown on separatist groups and due to fighter jets and helicopters hovering over Srinagar. ''100 companies of Central Forces being inducted at the moment. More would be inducted in coming weeks. Larger additional police forces are needed for Lok Sabha polls due to possibility of increase in terror activities against candidates and voters on a much larger scale. There is no stock of LPG, a result of earlier blockage of National Highway for 7 days & ongoing blockage for the past 4 days, leading to disruption of supplies from Jammu to Srinagar. The government is taking measures to enhance the supplies to the Kashmir region,'' said a Raj Bhavan spokesman. Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir said that rationed petrol and diesel supply to conserve whatever is available for emergency purposes. Steps being taken to increase availability of stocks in valley. Public should see it only as an administrative measure in a shortage situation. On the medicine front also, the instructions to hospitals to increase availability of medicines is also to be seen in the context of shortage of supplies as a result of the prolonged disruption in transport.