Jammu, July 29
The Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) has installed a number of hoardings at the entry points and other places in the city to welcome Amarnath yatra pilgrims and tourists. However, poor roads right at the entry point make the visitors aware of the lack of amenities in Jammu.

The very first impression formed in the minds of the tourists is that the local body has failed in providing basic facilities to the residents.

As people enter the municipal limits of the city while coming from Pathankot, big potholes greet them. Bad roads and heaps of garbage dotting the city of temples have brought a bad name to it and damaged its reputation.

The gravity of the situation could be gauged from the fact that the main entrance road of the city right from Kunjwani to Satwari is in the worst condition and a number of accidents have already taken place on this stretch, all due to its poor upkeep.

“All this is the result of indifferent attitude of the authorities. The ministers entering or leaving the city also have a bumpy ride on this road still the situation has not improved. One can better imagine the plight of the residents when it rains heavily in the city,” says Sohan Singh, a local shopkeeper.

He adds, “It is during the rainy season that lakhs of pilgrims visit the Vaishno Devi and Amarnath cave shrines. However, despite knowing this fact, the government has failed in creating better infrastructural facilities in the city”.

Vijay Manhas, another shopkeeper, says, “The municipal corporation earns huge revenue through taxes. Even then it cannot ensure proper drainage of water and repair of roads. A large amount of funds are being spent on shallow publicity”. According to the shopkeepers, the JMC has failed miserably in carrying out development works.

Meanwhile, JMC officials say the elections of the corporation are pending, which is proving a big hurdle in carrying out the development works. “The repair work of various roads is going on and if somewhere more attention is required, we will try our best,” a senior official said.

Repeated attempts to contact JMC commissioner SC Sawhney proved futile.

Srinagar, July 29
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said during the first two years of his tenure he paid attention to providing necessary paraphernalia to hospitals, schools, colleges and other such institutions established and upgraded in the state.

“Unless our hospitals, schools and colleges are manned by qualified faculty, required technicians and managerial staff, prompt and up-to-the-mark delivery cannot be assured,” Omar said while talking to various delegations at the weekly awami mulakat here yesterday.

The Chief Minister assured the people that his government was committed to an equitable and holistic development of all the areas of the state. “The government is keen on this front,” he said while calling for the people’s involvement in the implementation and monitoring of schemes.

“Equal focus is now on both consolidation and expansion,” Omar said, adding that the upgrading of the existing infrastructure and the creation of new units along with equipping them with men and material was receiving attention simultaneously.

Omar said a healthy and educated Jammu and Kashmir was his endeavour and a comprehensive policy for consolidation and expansion had been put in place in these sectors to reach out to every area and improve the quality of the education and health care facilities.

He added that the five important sectors of health, education, road communication, water supply and power generation were receiving constant attention of the government to give better services to the people.

Chatha (Jammu), July 29
Though the monsoon arrived in the Jammu region well on time this year, rainfall till date has remained lesser than the average.

Going by the data collected from the Agronomy Department of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) at Chatha, Udhampur is the worst hit district with 277.7 mm less rainfall than the normal. The district witnessed a total rainfall of 190.2 mm during June 1 to July 27 while the normal rainfall expected was 467.9 mm, say weather experts.

The situation is also poor in Kathua which witnessed 44.6 mm shortfall in total rain. Rajouri district also witnessed 21.6 mm rain deficiency. Similarly, Doda and Ramban districts also got 21.3 mm and 9.7 mm lesser showers, respectively.

Comparing the rainfall in Jammu district with that of the last year, it witnessed a deficit of 44.5 mm till date. The total rainfall measured at Chatha village in Jammu till July 27 is 246.1 mm, although it was 290.6 mm last year.

Statistics of Jammu district show that in the last 27 days, it got showers for just 12 days.

The experts said the lesser rainfall was the result of the monsoon becoming inactive for a few days.

“The arrival of the monsoon was very good, but after a short spell it became weak which resulted in less rainfall in the initial phase. Now, it has become active again, but it is still slow than the last year, as the rainfall remained continue during this period in 2010,” said Mahender Singh, a weather expert of SKUAST, Chatha.

An official of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Srinagar, told The Tribune that deforestation, rising levels of pollution and increasing number of vehicles were the major reasons behind the shortfall of rain in some areas of the Jammu region. “The rain can now pickup as the situation is improving slightly,” he said.

Srinagar, July 29
The 45 MW Alchi hydroelectric project under construction in Leh district is expected to be commissioned in July next year. It will benefit people, industrial units and defence establishments by providing dependable power supply.

This information was given during the visit of Union Minister for Power KC Venugopal to the power project recently. Venugopal was accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Minister of State for Power and CAPD Shabir Ahmad Khan. Venugopal said the Alchi Hydel Station would have a unique position on its completion, as it was going to be the world’s highest altitude power station.

The Union minister appreciated the National Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC) for taking up the challenge of constructing the hydroelectric project in tough terrain and inhospitable weather, an official spokesman said.

Assuring the full support of his ministry in the successful completion of the project, Venugopal said the Alchi project, when operational, would be instrumental in the economic growth of the region and would cater to the energy needs of various consumers.

Jammu, July 29
Notwithstanding the claims of the authorities to cover all deserving people under the Indira Awas Yojna (IAY), residents of border district of Rajouri alleged that some undeserving people have been given benefit of this scheme, which is formulated exclusively for poor section of the society.

It is alleged that benefit of the IAY is being given to the existing Below Poverty Line (BPL) list which is full of flaws.

Abdul Rashid, a resident of Chowdharinar, alleged that benefit under this scheme was being given on the basis of existing BPL list, in which names of influential persons had been incorporated and some rich persons had taken benefit of the IAY.

“The existing BPL list, formed on the basis of 2001 census, has a number of flaws and is being used for the selection of beneficiaries. Hence, there is a need to have a fresh BPL survey, which should be conducted under the supervision of senior officials of all the concerned departments to remove the discrepancies,” he said and pointed out that without removing the existing flaws, real benefit of the poverty alleviation schemes wouldn’t reach the deserving lot.

Choudhary Tanvir Ahmed, a resident of Fatehpur area of Rajouri, echoed similar viewpoint and alleged that benefit of most of the poverty alleviation schemes were not reaching deserving people due to casual approach being adopted by the authorities concerned.

“Neither the poor people are aware of the schemes specially formulated for their uplift nor officers, at the helm of the affairs, are interested to guide the deserving people properly,” observed Tanvir, a science graduate. He said without creating awareness among the people, it was not possible to get these schemes implemented in their real spirit.

Residents of Rajouri were of the view that there was no transparency in selection of the IAY due to politicisation of this scheme. “There is lot of political interference in the selection of beneficiaries. So many deserving people, who don’t have political backing, failed to get benefit of this scheme,” observed Rajinder Sharma, a resident of Rajouri, who emphasised the need of involving NGOs in the selection of beneficiaries.

Although he favoured involvement of elected representatives in selection of beneficiaries for poverty alleviation schemes, he opposed distribution of the IAY cheques by the MLAs.

Involvement of MLAs in the distribution of cheques usually delayed payment as the MLAs organised functions keeping in view their availability.

“The practice of distributing cheques by the local MLAs should be stopped and the payments should be released to the beneficiaries through their bank accounts to avoid unnecessary delay,” he said.

Srinagar, July 29
Chief Secretary Madhav Lal has emphasised on preparing a theme-based developmental model for the welfare of artisans of Shehar-i-Khas (old city) with focus on community-centric initiatives.

While chairing a meeting on the development of artisan areas and clusters in Shehar-i-Khas recently, the Chief Secretary said all available resources under various schemes should be converged and respective departments should prepare micro-plans addressing specific needs for the overall development of the areas where the craft is located.

“Identify small pocket areas of the traditional artisan communities for their socio-economic development,” he said, adding that only those interventions should be taken up which could show results within short period of time.

“For the model to be a success, organised and active participation of the craftsmen and members of local artisan community should be ensured and their specific problems be addressed,” he said.

Potential areas with high concentration of specific craft-based community were discussed in detail during the meeting and it was decided that the scheme be started at earliest for the benefit of 
artisans.

“Take on the spot field visits of the potential localities to demarcate the areas for development and to ascertain the interventions required to be carried for the successful implementation of the project,” he directed.

Srinagar, July 29
Prominent personalities from various parts of the country assembled at a function organised by the J&K State Pensioners Federation and senior citizens at the SKICC here recently.

Those who attended the function included Justice BA Kirmani, Vice-Chancellor, Central University of Kashmir; Abdul Wahid, Chairperson of the All-India Trade Union; Champa Kumari and Oomarwal Pruhit, general secretaries of the Hind Mazdoor Association. The speakers complimented the organisers for providing a platform to senior citizens, who had contributed a lot to maintaining the composite culture of the state. They said senior citizens could play a vital role in reviving the past glory of the country.

“We have maintained love, brotherhood and amity in all odds and have equal respect for the Hindus and the Sikhs living in the Valley,” the speakers added. “We have faced many challenges during the past many years, but still we have preserved our cultural heritage,” they said.

The speakers assured the gathering that the state government would extend all possible assistance in addressing the problems and demands of the pensioners. — TNS

Srinagar, July 29
Though the area remains cut off from the rest of the Valley and the country by road link for more than six months of winter due to heavy accumulation of snow on the road from Bandipore, the government has been making efforts to showcase the Gurez area as a global tourism destination.

In this connection, a two-day tourism festival was held at Dawar, the central township of Gurez on July 24 and July 25. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, while inaugurating the festival, said the natural beauty of Gurez needed to be showcased for global tourism.

However, he stressed on protecting the environment and ecology of the area at any cost. He said the promotion of tourism was also related to good roads, which, however, continued to remain in bad condition for most of the period every year due to bad weather and freezing conditions for more than six months.

As part of its development as a tourist spot, the Chief Minister also inaugurated tourist complex at Dawer and granted Rs 15 lakh under the Paying Guest Scheme for the intending locals for the construction of tourist accommodation in the Kanzwan area.

Minister for Tourism Nawang Rigzin Jora, while speaking on the occasion, said schemes worth Rs 3.50 crore were presently under execution in Gurez in the tourism sector. He highlighted various schemes launched in the state for the growth and development of tourism.

Minister for Rural Development Ali Mohammad Sagar, Minister of State for Tourism Nasir Aslam Wani, Parliament Member Sharief-ud-Din Shariq and MLA Gurez Nazir Ahmad Gurezi were accompanying the Chief Minister.

The theme of the festival was the promotion of tourism. An exhibition participated by various departments, cultural programmes and folk dances were other attractions of the festival. As many as 24 stalls had been installed in the exhibition containing various handicrafts, agricultural, horticultural and other items produced in the area and other parts of the state.

The visit to this far-flung area was also chosen by the Chief Minister to address panches and sarpanches of the Gurez Constituency at a separate function after inaugurating a four-day orientation camp for them.

“Your role will not only be restricted in the rural development sector,” he said elaborating that panchayats would also be involved in the sectors of social welfare, consumer affairs and public distribution, health, education, construction of rural roads, supply of drinking water and electricity, agriculture, animal husbandry, etc.

The Chief Minister said transfer of power to panchayats was his government’s commitment. “We are moving forward in this connection,” he said asserting that powerful and delivering panchayat system in the state was his government’s endeavour.

Omar impressed upon panches and sarpanches to be prompt, responsive, responsible and dedicated. “Honesty and sincerity should be your standard,” he told them highlighting their importance in the process of plan formation and implementation of works in the state.

The Chief Minister said that the three-tier Panchayat system comprising of Halqa Panchayats, Block Councils and District Councils would be basic democratic institutions responsible for the area specific and holistic development of all areas in the state.

The meeting was also addressed by Minister for Rural Development Ali Mohammad Sagar and the local MLA Nazir Ahmad Gurezi.