Jammu, June 6
People in electricity-starved Jammu and Kashmir may have to wait for at least four years for the completion of the second phase of the 900-MW Baglihar hydroelectric project over the Chenab in Chanderkote.

The first phase having three turbines of 150-MW each started in 1999 and was commissioned in 2008.

Managing Director of the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation Shalin Kabra said: “The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) gave us the techno-economic clearance in December last year and now negotiations are on with contractors.”

“In the second phase, an additional power house of 450-MW capacity will be constructed close to the existing one while the dam will be common,” he added.

Kabra said, “The CEA has carried out a detailed appraisal covering all aspects of the second phase, including possible objections by Pakistan under the Indus Water Treaty of 1960, but we do not anticipate any problem because we will be constructing only an additional power house.”

The managing director said, “Since the dam is going to be the same for the second phase, there are no changes in its design and there will be no attempt to change the course of the river, we do not think that Pakistan will have any objections to it.”

Kabra said the requisite spadework was being done. However, one of the executing agencies, which claimed that it had been given the contract of constructing the power house and allied works, including tunnels in 2004, awaited consent from the state government,he added.

“Since January, we are waiting for a nod from the state government and once we get it, it may take at least four years for us to come up with the underground power house and allied works,” said an official of the Jai Prakash Industries.

“Pakistan’s objections at the time of the first phase of the project pertained to the height of the dam for which it had approached the World Bank, which, in turn, appointed a neutral adjudicator, Prof Raymond Lafitte. Acting upon his report, we reduced the height of the dam,” he added.

In December 2006, Pakistan had recommended to Lafitte that the height of the dam should be decreased to 143 metre from the present 145 metre. India subsequently accepted the recommendation and implemented it in 2007.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had already given his approval for starting the second phase.

Srinagar, June 6
More than 67 per cent polling was registered in the nine blocks during the 14th phase of the panchayat poll in the state today. “A large number of people voted to elect 217 sarpanches and 1,486 panches in the nine blocks of the state,” an official spokesman said.

He said the turnout in Kalaroos was 84 per cent, Kralpora 90 per cent, Pampore 52.32 per cent, Shopian 63 per cent, Nubra 82.3 per cent, Panamik 72.4 per cent, Nyoma 72 per cent, Durbuk 78.2 per cent and in Bhallessa 84.78 per cent. The overall poll percentage in all these blocks was 67.32, he added.

The Shopian block in Shopian district registered 62 per cent polling, while over 52 per cent of voters cast their vote in the nearby Pampore block of Pulwama district today to ensure development in their areas.

Long queues were seen in the Shopian block since early morning, as the people wanted to vote early to finish other engagements, mainly spraying of pesticides in apple orchards. Shopian, which was carved out of Pulwama in 2007, is known for its rich quality of apple. The growers, however, are disappointed over the lesser production this year though the weather conditions have been good so far. The area has little land under paddy cultivation as it is a hilly region. “The people chose to cast their votes early in the morning so that they could work in their orchards and paddy fields,” said an official. It was a holiday in the block due to the elections.

People in the rural areas in Shopian voted for “pani, bijli and sadak”, as they felt their area had been “neglected” as compared to other areas. A total of 62 per cent polling was registered in the block comprising 74 panchayats where the elections were held for 67 seats of sarpanch. Seven of the 74 sarpanches have already been elected unopposed. Of the 550 seats of panch, the polling was held for 197 seats with 474 candidates in the fray. In the Pampore block comprising 23 panchayats, over 52 per cent of polling was registered. While one sarpanch was declared elected unopposed, no nomination had been filed for two other panchayats. 

Jammu, June 6
Tirath Ram was elected sarpanch in the re-election held in the Nallah panchayat in the Sunderbani block of Rajouri district today.

The re-election was ordered in this panchayat after some people had allegedly entered the counting room and destroyed seven ballot papers. Acting upon a complaint in this regard, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) BR Sharma, on the recommendations of the local SDM, had ordered the repoll.

Tirath Ram had also been declared the winner in the elections held on May 12. Simrandeep Singh, SDM, Nowshera, said, “The re-election was held today and Tirath Ram was elected sarpanch. The election was held peacefully and no untoward incident took place this time”. He added that security had also been beefed up.

The SDM said, “Last time, Tirath Ram had won the election by five votes, and today he was declared the winner by a margin of 46 votes”. He added that Mohan Lal, who had filed the complaint with regard to the incident in the Nallah panchayat, lost the election. “The matter is pending in the High Court for adjudication, but the court had ordered the repoll,” he added.

The SDM said it was a clear case of negligence on the part of the returning officer and the assistant returning officer as about seven ballots were destroyed on May 12, but they did not even consider the damage to ballots and declared the results. 

Jammu, June 6
District Development Commissioner, Kathua, Zahida Parveen Khan today convened a meeting of district officials at Kathua to review the arrangements for the Amarnath yatra beginning on June 29.

SSP JL Sharma, Additional Deputy Commissioner Rohit Khajuria, the SE Hydraulic, the Assistant Commissioner (Revenue), the Assistant Commissioner (Development), the Chief Education Officer, the Chief Medical Officer, Executive Engineers of the PHE, the PDD, the Deputy Commissioner, Excise, the RTO, Kathua, and other district officials were also present at the meeting.

They discussed arrangements relating to the stay of pilgrims, besides provision of drinking water, power supply, medicare, sanitation, construction of temporary toilets, traffic regulation and security arrangements during the pilgrimage.

The yatris enter the state from Lakhanpur and pass through Kathua and Samba districts to reach Jammu.

Khan directed the Chief Education Officer, Kathua, to make available high secondary school and ETT college buildings along the Jammu-Pathankot national highway for the stay of the yatris in case of an emergency.

The CAPD Department was directed to ensure quality of eatables at genuine rates.

The CMO was directed to deploy additional doctors and ambulances at Lakhanpur and other points for the healthcare of the yatris. The PWD (R&B) was directed to construct temporary toilets for the yatris.

The DDC directed the Fire Services Department to keep fire tenders ready for any exigency.

She directed the PHE Department to press water tankers into service for the regular supply of drinking water for the pilgrims.

The Tourism Department was directed to display signboards on main points depicting vital information for the yatris.

The DDC exhorted the officials to work in close coordination and make foolproof arrangements in advance for the smooth conduct of the yatra.

Srinagar, June 6
More than 700 personnel of the state police assisted by 36 companies of the CRPF and the BSF will be deployed for the Amarnath yatra, which is beginning on June 29. The services of volunteers from the civil defence organisation are also being requisitioned to help the yatris en route the cave shrine.

This was stated at a meeting chaired by DGP Kuldeep Khoda to review the security arrangements for the yatra at Pahalgam today. The meeting was attended by senior officials of the police, paramilitary and the civil administration.

Addressing the meeting, Khoda called upon the officers to work in close coordination and ensure the safe conduct of the yatra. He said efficient security arrangements had been made from Pathankot to the cave shrine and sufficient manpower equipped with requisite logistics had been put in place.

Regarding traffic and the communication network, the DGP was told that the traffic wing of the police had divided the area into four zones and each zone would be supervised by a gazetted officer.

To avoid jams, 11 parking slots had been identified at Baisarn, Aru, Chandanwari, Baitab valley, Nunwan, Frislan, Loripora, bus stand, Sumo stand near Mandir and Golf Course at Pahalgam. A communication network had been set up across the state to strengthen coordination among the agencies and it would start functioning from June 25.

District Development Commissioner, Anantnag, Syed Kifayat Hussain Rezvi; IGP, Kashmir Zone, SM Sahai; DIG, Anantnag range, 
Shafqat Watali; AIG (personnel), PHQ, GH Bhat; SSP, Anantnag, RK Jalla; and other police officers attended the meeting.

Jammu, June 6
Though Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Qamar Ali Akhoon maintains that steps are being taken by the department to break the nexus between depot holders and officials of the department, most parts of the Jammu region are facing an acute shortage of ration.

Protests against ration shortage have become a routine affair as the authorities concerned have failed to streamline the supply. Opposition parties have also been demanding that the state government should improve it.

“It is unfortunate that the people, especially those living below the poverty line (BPL), have to struggle to get ration because the authorities concerned have failed to control its pilferage ,” said Ashok Gupta, president of the Shiv Sena.

Highlighting the problems of residents of the RS Pura area of Jammu district, Gupta alleged: “A majority of people living in the area have not been getting ration for the last one and a half years, but the department has done nothing to streamline the supply. There is a nexus between officials of the department and ration dealers”.

“The subsidised ration meant for the BPL families rarely reaches them and is easily available on the black market,” he added. There were a number of instances in the past few months where either the Vigilance Department or the police arrested ration dealers and the CAPD officials while selling the ration on the black market. A dealer was arrested from Ustad Mohallah here recently in this regard.An official of the department and a dealer were also arrested from the Khandwal area in the Satwari block.

The BJP has also been raising the issue at different platforms. The Kissan Morcha of the party recently launched a campaign to demand ration for people living in the Kandi area of the Jammu region. The issue was also raised in the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council during the Budget session, but no action was taken.

However, CAPD Minister Qamar Ali Akhoon assured the people that adequate ration would be provided. He said, “Those, who are not getting ration, can send their complaints directly to me through fax. I assure the people that their complaints will be addressed immediately ”.

He added: “We are trying our best to streamline the functioning of the department and those who want to give their suggestions are welcome”. Akhoon said he had decided to visit the areas from where the department was getting the complaints.

Jammu, June 6
Judicial Magistrate, RS Pura, Manjeet Rai today dismissed the bail application of Jaswinder Singh, who had allegedly availed of cash credit to the tune of Rs 20 lakh on fake documents and was declared a defaulter for Rs 23,65,709.

The Manager, Citizen Cooperative Bank Ltd, RS Pura, had filed a written complaint with the police that Jaswinder Singh, proprietor of M/S Pooja Traders, requested the RS Pura branch of the bank for a cash credit facility for business purpose and accordingly a cash credit limit of Rs 8 lakh was sanctioned to him on December 13, 2007. This credit limit was further increased to Rs 20 lakh on July 11, 2008, against the hypothecation of stocks. But on enquiry it was found that the land, which he had mortgaged, was not in his name. The police registered a case under Section 420/467/468/471 of the RPC and arrested Jaswinder.

The Judicial Magistrate, RS Pura, while dismissing the bail application of the accused, observed that, “Keeping in view the facts and circumstances and the seriousness of the offence for which the accused has been arrested, the court considers that it is a case of serious fraud and a huge amount was taken as loan from a bank by cheating, forgery and creation of false documents. As such no prima-facie case is made for the grant of bail to the accused and the bail application is dismissed”.