J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Land prices zoom in Srinagar
Srinagar, December 21
Residential plots here have gone beyond the reach of the common man. The growing number of educated people, lack of basic facilities in rural areas coupled with “free flow of black money” in urban areas are considered responsible for the rising prices.

J&K may be allowed to overdraw power
Jammu, December 21
The Union Ministry for Power has agreed in principle to allow Jammu and Kashmir to overdraw power from the Northern Grid to help it reduce the current power shortage. In this connection the necessary instructions have been conveyed to the authorities of the Northern Grid.

BJP asks Mufti to improve facilities at engineering college
Jammu, December 21
The state unit of the BJP and the Panthers Party have come forward to support students of Government College of Engineering and Technology, who have been on strike for the past 15 days to protest against the government’s failure to improve the basic academic amenities in the institute.

HC stays Anara’s visit to Delhi
Police “shielding” top officers, observes court
Jammu, December 21
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court today stayed a local court order allowing main accused in porn CD case, Anara Gupta, to visit Delhi for filing a complaint with the NHRC and NCW even as disciplinary action was taken against two senior police officials in connection with the permission given to TV channels to interview the former beauty queen in police custody.

J&K to have Rs 15-cr  sports academy
Jammu, December 21
The government has formulated a plan for consolidating sports infrastructure in the state in a big way. The plan envisages construction of sports academy complex at Gawdoora-Ganderbal at an estimated cost of Rs 15 crore and other required infrastructure to promote sports activities, including winter, adventure and water sports at a number of places feasible in two divisions of the state.

Kashmiri writers form association
Srinagar, December 21
With a view to promoting literary and cultural activities in Jammu and Kashmir, a number of prominent writers and literary figures here have constituted Kashmir Writers Association.

Blast in south Kashmir
Srinagar, December 21
Militants detonated a powerful improvised explosives device targeting Border Security Force officials in south Kashmir this morning, official sources said.

Land prices zoom in Srinagar
Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 21
Residential plots here have gone beyond the reach of the common man. The growing number of educated people, lack of basic facilities in rural areas coupled with “free flow of black money” in urban areas are considered responsible for the rising prices. The unchecked growth of ill-planned residential colonies here has led to a tremendous pressure on the basic facilities of drinking water, electricity and other civic amenities.

At least 8,000 unauthorised constructions have come up within the municipal limits during the past 15 years, according to Mr Mushtaq Ahmad, Divisional Town Planner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation. These structures have come up mainly along the periphery of Srinagar spreading from Zainakote to Peerbagh Nowgam and Buchpora.

According to officials at the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA), the area of this capital city with a population of over 12.5 lakh has spherically grown to about 15 km. The SDA has been forced to hike the land prices in line with the trend in the private sector. The price of a residential plot at Bemina here has gone up to Rs 17 lakh from a meagre Rs 45,000 in the late eighties. In posh colonies like Rawalpora, the land prices have touched even Rs 30 lakh from a mere Rs 10 lakh about 15 years ago. The main reason for the price hike is doctors and engineers working in the Gulf countries who, instead of depositing money in banks invest in land. Some bureaucrats and big businessmen have also contributed a lot to the price spiral, according to sources in the SDA, which has virtually led to a sort of “land hoarding”.

“Since land is in great demand here, its prices continue to shoot up, giving big profits to these land hoarders,” confided another official. All this began with the sale and purchase of land and houses of Kashmiri Pandits, who had to migrate from the valley following the eruption of militancy early in 1990.

Most new colonies have come up in the private sector, which creates civic problems virtually leading to the creation of slums in the city, believes Mr Basharat Ahmad, Director, Land Management, SDA. It is mainly because of the migration from other towns of the valley due to the ongoing turmoil. Unless proper education, health and other facilities reach these areas, the migration to this place will continue.

Mr Shelinder Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, says there has been an increase in the purchasing power of the people around the city due to many reasons. Over Rs 250 crore has already been distributed in lieu of land for a railway line in the valley alone. There is every likelihood of this money going into real estate, fuelling the price hike. He, however, discounts the possibility of “land hoarding” with the existence of certain laws, including the Agrarian Reforms Act. The price of land could not be checked by the government, the Deputy Commissioner said, adding that 90 per cent of the land within the municipal limits of Srinagar city was in private hands.

J&K may be allowed to overdraw power
Our Correspondent

Jammu, December 21
The Union Ministry for Power has agreed in principle to allow Jammu and Kashmir to overdraw power from the Northern Grid to help it reduce the current power shortage. In this connection the necessary instructions have been conveyed to the authorities of the Northern Grid.

This was stated by Minister of Power Mohammad Sherief Niaz here at a review meeting held to take stock of the overall power scenario in the state. The meeting was attended by a team of the Union Ministry of Power headed by Power Secretary R.V. Shahi. The Chairman and Managing Director, NHPC, Mr Yogindra Parsad, Director, Hydro Ministry of Power and the Chief Engineer, NHPC, Mr Saraf also attended the meeting.

The ministry team was informed that the state was facing an acute power crisis because of the record low discharge in rivers. Against the installed hydel capacity of 300 MWs the state, at present, is generating only 40 to 60 MWs. The Cental team was informed that due to the restrictions imposed by the Indus Water Treaty, the low discharge in the river has affected the J&K state.

The meeting was also informed that against the entitlement of 1100 MWs of power to the state from the Northern Grid, only about 600 MWs are being provided to the state. The total availability from all sources works out to around 650 MWs only leaving a shortfall of 450 MWs at peak hours.

Mr Niaz stressed upon the Central team to help the state government as the state was dependent on the import of power to the extent of 90 per cent of its requirement and thus cannot afford a cut of nearly 50 per cent in the allocation from the Northern Grid.

BJP asks Mufti to improve facilities
at engineering college
Our Correspondent

Jammu, December 21
The state unit of the BJP and the Panthers Party have come forward to support students of Government College of Engineering and Technology, who have been on strike for the past 15 days to protest against the government’s failure to improve the basic academic amenities in the institute.

While the Panthers Party chief, Prof Bhim Singh, has requested the Chief Minister to secure NIT status for the institute, the vice-president of the state unit of the BJP, Dr Hari Om, has criticised the government for not providing library and laboratory facilities in the college.

In a statement issued here today Dr Hari Om said the way the ruling coalition had refused to accept the demands of college students “clearly indicated that the valley-centric government continued to adopt anti-Jammu policies.”

He said the striking students were “not asking for the moon and their demand for NIT status for the college was valid.”

The BJP leader said the academic facilities in the college were same as they used to be 10 years ago when it was established. He lamented that on one hand the government had the “audacity of looting the state exchequer by spending Rs 150 crore on salaries and perks of ministers, on the other it had no funds for improving the laboratory and library facilities for students of the institute.”

Dr Om said the fate of teaching staff was pitiable as there was no provision for faculty members to go for higher studies as per the AICTE norms. He stated that the pay-scale of the technical staff was not at par with their counterparts in other engineering colleges of the country.

The BJP leader wanted the government to introduce career advancement scheme for college employees because they continued to draw same pay-scale and hold same rank they held 10 years ago.

HC stays Anara’s visit to Delhi
Police “shielding” top officers, observes court

Jammu, December 21
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court today stayed a local court order allowing main accused in porn CD case, Anara Gupta, to visit Delhi for filing a complaint with the NHRC and NCW even as disciplinary action was taken against two senior police officials in connection with the permission given to TV channels to interview the former beauty queen in police custody.

The Division Bench of the High Court also criticised the state police, particularly Director-General of Police Gopal Sharma, for failing to probe the Anara-TV channel matter and directed him to submit a fresh report on the case by December 23.

Unsatisfied over the DGP’s report that was filed by Advocate-General Altaf Naik seeking one more week for the completion of the probe in the TV channel matter, Chief Justice S.N. Jah and Mr Justice S.K. Gupta turned down the plea.

Expressing displeasure for the second time over how the police has handled the case, the Division Bench said the way investigation was carried out showed that there was an attempt by the police to “shield” some top officers.

Observing that the Bench had on December 4 asked the DGP to probe the case who in turn entrusted the probe to Inspector-General of Police and the IGP further asked the Deputy Inspector-General of Police to investigate the matter, the court said the “shifting” of the responsibility shows the police was “not sincere” and the DGP has “not honestly probed the case at all.”

Acting on a petition by the Crime Branch challenging Chief Judicial Magistrate Sanjeev Gupta’s December 17 order allowing Anara to visit Delhi for filing complaint against police officials regarding alleged torture against her in police custody, Justice S.K. Gupta today granted stay on the same.

The Crime Branch claimed that Anara’s visit to Delhi would delay the investigations.

After hearing Additional Advocate-General Anil Sethi who appeared for the Crime Branch, Mr Gupta also issued notices to the persons concerned with regard to shifting of Anara to a welfare home for women.

The court stay came on a day when the Jammu and Kashmir police penalised an SP and a DSP here in connection with TV channels case and “attached” the two to the office of Inspector-General of Police.

Last week, SHO, women police station, Canal Road, Kiran Bala was “attached” with the office of SS P, Jammu, and two women cops suspended. — PTI

J&K to have Rs 15-cr  sports academy
Our Correspondent

Jammu, December 21
The government has formulated a plan for consolidating sports infrastructure in the state in a big way. The plan envisages construction of sports academy complex at Gawdoora-Ganderbal at an estimated cost of Rs 15 crore and other required infrastructure to promote sports activities, including winter, adventure and water sports at a number of places feasible in two divisions of the state.

This was stated at a high-level meeting convened by the Minister for Youth Services and Sports Haji Nissar Ali here this morning.

Deliberations were held over the ongoing project to promote sports activities.

The meeting also discussed measures for smooth conduct of forthcoming National School Games of football commencing from January 1, 2005.

Kashmiri writers form association

Srinagar, December 21
With a view to promoting literary and cultural activities in Jammu and Kashmir, a number of prominent writers and literary figures here have constituted Kashmir Writers Association.

The association according to its president, Mr Ghulam Nabi Khayal, a senior journalist and poet, would help in reviving glorious traditions of Kashmir and its cultural heritage. It would also bring out a daily newspaper in Kashmiri language. The association would also institute annual awards for eminent writers in different languages of the state. The association at its first meeting presided over by Prof Manzoor Fazili decided that an all India conference of prominent writers and literary figures would be held in Jammu in February.

The following have been elected office bearers of the association. Mr Ghulam Nabi Khayal, president, Mr Ghulam Nabi Firaq and Mr Amin Kaamil, patrons. Dr Gulshan Majeed, vice president, Mr Ashraf Sahil general secretary, Dr Farooq Fayaz, secretary, and Syed Rasool Pompur, treasurer. The working committee members include Prof Manzoor Fazili, Dr Rattan Lal Shant, Mr Farooq Renzu, Mr Brij Nath Betab, Mr Manshoor Banihali and Mr Shamboo Nath Bhat Haleem.

Blast in south Kashmir

Srinagar, December 21
Militants detonated a powerful improvised explosives device (IED) targeting Border Security Force (BSF) officials in south Kashmir this morning, official sources said.

The militants triggered the blast as soon as the BSF patrol party reached Nudal Tral in south Kashmir.

The security forces immediately cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. No arrests had been made so far, the sources added. — UNI