J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

CM examines files of 43 corrupt officers
Jammu, December 8
The unearthing of “ill-gotten wealth” of some officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Government during raids by the vigilance yesterday is just the tip of the iceberg. Chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has yet to take steps to eliminate corruption from the state.

Sonia to visit state today
Srinagar, December 8
The Congress president and UPA chairperson, Ms Sonia Gandhi, will arrive on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow to assess the relief and rehabilitation measures in the quake-hit areas of the state.

Accountability panel rejects Peerzada’s plea
Jammu, December 8
The Jammu and Kashmir Accountability Commission today rejected the application of the PCC President and minister, Mr Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, seeking to defer the proceedings against him in a multi-crore scam in the Rural Development Department till his petition for removal of the Chairman of the commission, Justice R.P. Sethi, was disposed off.

Strike evokes partial response
Srinagar, December 8
Life was hit partially here today in response to a call by several separatist organisations to protest against the publication of “cartoons” of Prophet Mohammad in a Danish newspaper. Call was given by the Geelani faction of the Hurriyat Conference and supported by other organisations and the High Court Bar Association here describing the publication of “cartoons” as blasphemous.

CM examines files of 43 corrupt officers
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 8
The unearthing of “ill-gotten wealth” of some officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Government during raids by the vigilance yesterday is just the tip of the iceberg. Chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has yet to take steps to eliminate corruption from the state.

Mr Azad had said his priority would be to remove the stigma of J&K being the second most corrupt state after Bihar.

The RTO, from whose house the Vigilance has recovered documents pertaining to wealth running into crores, is not new to such a raid. His father, who was also an RTO, was nabbed a few years ago on the charges of having accumulated wealth by allegedly misusing his official position.

There were reports that Mr Azad was personally examining the files pertaining to corruption by certain senior IAS and IPS officers. The vigilance has reportedly prepared a list of 43 corrupt officers who might face action.

The previous PDP government headed by the Mufti had prematurely retired a number of officers regarded as deadwood but failed to launch a war against corruption.

Mr Azad would have to take harsh measures. Some of his tainted ministerial colleagues may also face music. A former minister has amassed wealth by not depositing various taxes. However, officers concerned are even now granting him concessions whereas properties of the others have been confiscated.

The ruling coalition partners, including the Congress, PDP, Panthers Party, CPM and the PDF, had in their manifestoes put eradication of corruption at the top, but they forgot this very promise after coming to power.

Yesterday, Mr Azad ordered all heads of department to file the monthly achievements regarding punctuality, checking wasteful expenditure, curbing corruption and monitoring of development works.

The secretaries have been asked to submit a brief note to the Chief Secretary by the 10th of every month about the action taken by them and the heads of department under their charge.

The Deputy Commissioners and SSPs will submit a joint monthly report listing the action taken by them for the maintenance of law and order in their respective areas, besides enforcing work culture in offices.

Sonia to visit state today
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 8
The Congress president and UPA chairperson, Ms Sonia Gandhi, will arrive on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow to assess the relief and rehabilitation measures in the quake-hit areas of the state.

This will be her second visit to the state after the October 8 earthquake that caused heavy loss of human lives and damage to property in various parts of Poonch, Baramula and Kupwara districts. She first visited the quake-hit areas of the state on October 9 and was accompanied by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Chief of the Army Staff J.J. Singh, then Union Urban Development Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, and AICC general secretary Ms Ambika Soni.

During their visit to Uri and Tangdhar Ms Gandhi was also accompanied by the then Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti.

Ms Gandhi is scheduled to visit Poonch area of Jammu region on her first leg of the state visit tomorrow. That will be followed by her visit to Uri in Baramula district of north Kashmir on Friday. Ms Gandhi will visit Tangdhar in Kupwara district on Saturday before returning to the Capital.

Accountability panel rejects Peerzada’s plea
Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 8
The Jammu and Kashmir Accountability Commission today rejected the application of the PCC President and minister, Mr Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, seeking to defer the proceedings against him in a multi-crore scam in the Rural Development Department till his petition for removal of the Chairman of the commission, Justice R.P. Sethi, was disposed off.

Mr Peerzada, who had been directed by the commission to file his reply pertaining to the scam by today, did not appear himself, but his lawyer filed the application for deferring the proceedings under Section 10 of the Act.

While rejecting his plea, the commission observed that mere filing of application did not warrant deferring of the proceedings.

The minister has submitted a petition before the Governor, Lieut-Gen S.K. Sinha (retd), seeking removal of Justice Sethi from the commission on the grounds that his approach towards him in the panchayats electrification scam was “biased” The minister has reportedly pointed out in the application that the chairman of the commission had made statements against him even before hearing his side.

The minister is one of the over 50 respondents in the Rs 1.41-crore scam.

The commission has asked the minister to file his papers by January 4 as the proceedings in the case would not be deferred.

Strike evokes partial response
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 8
Life was hit partially here today in response to a call by several separatist organisations to protest against the publication of “cartoons” of Prophet Mohammad in a Danish newspaper. Call was given by the Geelani faction of the Hurriyat Conference and supported by other organisations and the High Court Bar Association here describing the publication of “cartoons” as blasphemous.

Shops and business establishments in certain areas of the city remained closed in response to the call for a strike. Traffic, however plied near normally. Attendance in some of the government offices and educational institutions, which remained open, was thin.

Meanwhile, apple-rich town of Sopore in Baramula district of north Kashmir observed a strike for the third consecutive day today over the attempt of burning down of a mosque and sacrilege to the holy Quran by some miscreants. Three accused have been held by the police and investigations are on. One of the accused was apprehended while attempting to burn down the mosque on Monday night, while two of his associates had escaped. However, they were later held by the police and an inquiry has been ordered into the incident, which led to the demonstrations. All shops and business establishments were closed in the town for the third the consecutive day today, while protest demonstrations to hand over to the public the accused was on.

HM commander killed in J&K

Srinagar, December 8
Two militants, including a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) commander and a Special Police Officer (SPO), were killed and a police station was attacked in Jammu and Kashmir during the past 24 hours.

Official sources said militants fired a couple of rifle grenades targeting Karan Nagar police station this afternoon.

However, the grenades missed the intended target and exploded without causing any damage.

The grenade blasts caused panic in the nearby SMHS Hospital and the crowded market.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Doda-Udhampur) Satvir Gupta said an Army patrol on the Anantnag-Kishtwar border spotted a group of militants at Basar village in Marwah last evening.

When the troops challenged them, they opened fire. In retaliatory fire, the troops killed one militant, he said.

The slain ultra was identified as Abdul Wahid, a Hizbul Mujahideen commander. One AK rifle, its magazine, 29 cartridges and a wireless set were seized from him. In another incident, militants shot dead SPO Pradeep Kumar at Gundo, near Bhaderwah, in Doda late last night. — UNI