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Srinagar choked, plan new townships, High Court tells state government
10 killed as minibus rolls down gorge in Reasi
Governor, CM express grief
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Avalanche tragedy
Delay in panchayat empowerment
Appearance in court
Bail denied in narcotics case
Pahalgam Club set to reopen, bring back memories of Bollywood
Tata Teleservices bids goodbye to J-K
Government fails to control increasing chicken deaths in state
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Srinagar choked, plan new townships, High Court tells state government
Srinagar, December 18 These directions have been issued by a division bench of the High Court while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by an NGO calling for a ban on the conversion of agrarian land into residential land this week. The PIL had also prayed for court directions to stop the creation and expansion of residential and housing colonies on the agriculture land in Srinagar and other areas of the state. As per the J&K Economic Survey 2011-12, the operated area under agriculture in the state has shrunk from 9.26 lakh hectares in 2000-01 to 9.23 lakh hectares in 2010-11, thus registering a decrease of 0.041 per cent. As pointed out in the survey, one of the prime reasons for decrease in agriculture land holdings has been attributed to its conversion for construction and other purposes. “Keeping in view the population explosion and the limited area available within the jurisdiction of Srinagar Development Authority (SDA), as allocated in the Master Plan, some suggestions have been made by both sides (respondents as well as the petitioners),” the division bench comprising Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar observed in its orders. The state government and its officials are the respondents in the case. The bench further observed that the area “allocated to Residential Zone has already been consumed.” “It has been pointed out that some area in the adjoining vicinity of the city of Srinagar be developed for accommodating the ever-increasing demands for residential places. A new town should be sufficient to accommodate the demand (for residential areas) which has been repeatedly raised”, the bench observed in its detailed orders while accepting the fact that residential spaces in the Srinagar city have choked. The bench also observed that the limited available space for residential purpose many a time results in illegal activities like conversion of agriculture lands. “Such demands sometimes find expression in the illegal activities of the nature indicated in the present PIL,” the bench observed. Keeping in view the ever-increasing demand for residential space in urban areas, including Srinagar city, the J-K High Court has told the state government to come up with plans of townships in adjoining areas of Srinagar. “In the days to come, the official respondents shall explore the possibility by bringing out some plans in the adjoining areas of Srinagar city to accommodate the increasing demand for residential places,” the high court said in its orders, adding that these plans should be placed before the court by or before the first week of March, when the PIL will come up for hearing again. It added that such a course had been necessitated in order to avoid the illegal activities of colonisers and also to provide planned development with all the facilities which may be in accordance with the rule of law as well as in the interest of the revenue development. The court, however, added that the earlier court stay on any illegal construction on agriculture land shall continue to be effective in and around Suzait, Goripora and Narbal villages in Budgam and Srinagar districts. Court directive
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10 killed as minibus rolls down gorge in Reasi
Katra, December 18 The minibus carrying 16 persons was on its way from Mahore to Jammu. The vehicle rolled down a 500-foot-deep gorge at Malai Nallah in Mahore tehsil, about 150 km from here, around 9.30 am. The police said 10 persons, including the driver of the bus, were killed in the accident. The driver of the minibus apparently lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a sharp curve leading to the mishap. The injured, airlifted to Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, have been identified as Nazeer Ahmed and Gulam Rasool, both residents of Mahore, and Shamshad Ahmed and Mujib Ahmed, residents of Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh. The deceased have been identified as Nazir Ahmed, Abdul Rashid, Furnail Singh, Nain Singh, Chandia, Manzoor Ahmed, Abdul Rashid, Gullu, Shabar Ahmed and Mohammad Afzal, all residents of Mahore. Minister for Higher Education, Labour and Employment Abdul Gani Malik reached the spot this afternoon to meet relatives of the victims. He expressed deep shock and grief over the accident. The minister issued instructions to the local authorities to extend all possible medical aid to the injured. |
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Jammu, December 18 The Governor conveyed his sympathy to the bereaved families and prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has also expressed deep grief over the loss of lives. He directed the divisional administration and the Health Department to provide the required medical treatment to the injured. Expressing concern over the frequent road accidents taking place in the Chenab Valley region, Omar directed the transport and traffic departments and the district administration to review the scenario jointly and work out a strategy to curb these accidents and help save human lives. Nine persons were killed in an accident in the mountainous Doda district on Sunday.— TNS |
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Avalanche tragedy
Jammu, December 18 On December 16, an avalanche had claimed the lives of six soldiers while one had gone missing. “The Army today continued its manual and aerial searches to trace the missing soldier. However, he has not been found as yet,” said a senior Army officer. The Army had halted the search on December 16 evening due to an avalanche alert in the area. Two Army choppers were launched in the area to trace the missing soldier but he could not be found today, added the officer
Three more avalanches had hit the same area yesterday. After a proper military farewell, the bodies of six soldiers will be sent tomorrow to their native places. “They will be cremated with full military honours at their native places,” he added. The six deceased soldiers belonged to Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizoram. The soldiers belonged to 1 Assam Regiment, part of the 102 Siachen Brigade, located at altitudes of around 15,000 to 16,000 feet above sea level. Siachen Glacier in Ladakh region is known as the highest battlefield in the world where Indian and Pakistani troops are posted throughout the year to protect their respective positions. An avalanche had hit a Pakistani Army camp in the glacier area last year killing over 100 soldiers. Omar condoles loss of lives Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed grief over the loss of lives in the avalanche tragedy at Siachen. In his condolence message, the Chief Minister highlighted the bravery of the Army and said that their service of the highest degree to the nation was laudable. He conveyed his sympathy to the bereaved families and prayed for peace to the departed souls. The political establishment (NC-Congress combine) had so far maintained silence over the tragic loss of lives. The Governor had issued a release to media houses offering his condolences via the state information department but a similar response from the political establishment had till today remained elusive. The state information department issued a condolence on behalf of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah after 60 hours of the tragedy. |
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Delay in panchayat empowerment
Jammu, December 18 The YC today warned the National Conference against conducting the Block Development Council (BDC) elections without incorporating the 73rd Amendment in the J&K Panchayati Raj Act. The party had suspended its agitation on the incorporation of the 73rd Amendment two months ago, following pressure by party leaders. The party today warned that it would not compromise on the issue of the panchayat empowerment. It announced to relaunch its stir for the empowerment of panchayats. Chetan Chouhan, national secretary of the Indian Youth Congress, especially came to “guide” YC activists to intensify the stir for the panchayat empowerment. Sources said it was only after getting a green signal from the party high command that the YC had today relaunched its stir. Under the leadership of Shahnawaz Choudhary and Pranab Shagotra, the YC activists gathered near the Divisional Commissioner’s office in Jammu and raised slogans against the state government for not empowering the panchayats. YC state president Shahnawaz Choudhary warned that they would not hesitate to come out on the roads, if the BDC elections were announced without incorporating the 73rd Amendment. He said the movement for the empowerment of the panchayats would be taken to its logical conclusion. Shagotra, in his address, regretted that instead of taking some concrete steps to empower the panchayats, the government had been indulging in deceit tactics to delay the strengthening of the panchayats. He reiterated the YC’s demand of provision of reservation to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, women and Other Backward Classes before announcing the block council elections. |
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Appearance in court
Srinagar, December 18 The court has now directed Sagar to appear in person and record his statement in the defamation
suit filed by him against PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti in 2004. Mehbooba had accused Sagar, who was then the chief polling agent of Omar Abdullah, of rigging the elections and capturing polling booths to ensure his victory. Sagar had filed a defamation suit against the PDP president before the court of the Chief Judicial
Magistrate, Srinagar, wherein he had had accused Mehbooba of “maligning his image by leveling baseless allegations against him.” “The court did not allow our application, wherein we had sought exemption of Ali Mohammad Sagar from personal appearance before the court for recording his statement. In the application, we had prayed for issuance of a commission for recoding his
statement,” said counsel Rafiq Bakshi, who represents Sagar in the defamation suit. The case was subsequently assigned by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, to the court of Sub-judge, Passenger Taxes. While seeking exemption from appearance before the court, Sagar had sighted security and other reasons, which, however, were not accepted by the Sub-judge, Passenger Tax, Srinagar, Ashwani Kumar, who is hearing the defamation case against Mehbooba. The court had reserved its final orders on
the Sagar’s plea on December 9. “The court has now directed the complainant (Sagar) to appear before it on December 29 for recording his statement and cross-examination,” Bakshi said. On November 17, the court had dismissed an application by Mehbooba, seeking dismissal of the defamation suit filed by Sagar against her. In 2005, Mehbooba had moved the High Court with a petition under Section 561, seeking quashing of court proceedings against her. However, in June this year, the High court dismissed the PDP leader’s petition and directed the trial court to go ahead with the proceedings. |
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Bail denied in narcotics case
Jammu, December 18 On November 18, 2012, Bhushan Kumar and Kulwinder Singh were riding pillion on a motorcycle. On seeing a police party, they tried to give them a slip. However, they were apprehended but Kulwinder Singh managed to escape. The police recovered 1,000 capsules of parvan spas and 15 bottles of corex from Kumar and a case was registered. While rejecting the bail application of the accused, the Principal Sessions Judge observed that, “The accused was in possession of 1,595 capsules which falls within the scale of commercial quantity and attracts the bar created by Section 37 of the NDPS Act, therefore the applications of the petitioner is dismissed.”
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Pahalgam Club set to reopen, bring back memories of Bollywood
Srinagar, December 18 The government is likely to open up Pahalgam Club —which featured in several Bollywood blockbusters — in the next tourist season from June 2013. The club, on the banks of the Lidder river, was damaged in a fire in 2005. The work on the mega project was started in 2007, but faced legal hurdles resulting in its delay. The Jammu and Kashmir High Court is monitoring every development activity in the tourist resort after a public interest litigation petition was filed on the Pahalgam master plan. The High Court has forbidden any renovation or alteration to any structure at Pahalgam without its prior permission. “We have got the clearance from the High Court. The Pahalgam Club, which we now call the Pahalgam Club-cum-convention centre should be ready by June 2013,” said Satish Nehru, Managing Director, Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC). The JKTDC has undertaken the job of reconstructing the club on modern lines. Nehru said the under construction club that was coming up at a cost of over Rs 12 crore would be five times bigger than the earlier one. An official looking after the construction work of the club said the project consists of three blocks, the main block comprising reception and auditorium, health block and a guest block. “The construction work will include the traditional ‘daji devari’ to give the club a traditional look. The club will be a state-of-the-art building with modern and traditional architecture,” he said. The Pahalgam Club was a part of various Bollywood blockbusters such as ‘Karma’, ‘Farishtey’ and ‘Roti’. In terms of topography, it was considered one of the best clubhouses in Asia. “We hope once the Pahalgam club gets operational, it will bring back the memories of Bollywood,” said a hotelier in Pahalgam. The old club was inaugurated in 1954 by the then Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad. |
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Tata Teleservices bids goodbye to J-K
Srinagar, December 18 In an emailed farewell statement, which was sent to all its customers in the state, the company announced that its services in the Jammu and Kashmir circle will be deactivated on January 18 next year. “Tata Teleservices is constrained to withdraw its services from the Jammu and Kashmir circle with effect from January 18, 2013, and as a result, your connection will be deactivated post January 18, 2013,” the company said in a mailed notification to its subscribers in the region. The telecom giant attributed the cause for its shutting down of its operation in the region to cancellation of licences by the Supreme Court. “Tata Teleservices’ licence for Jammu and Kashmir was part of the 122 licences of various operators, which were cancelled by the Supreme Court in February 2012,” the company said. An official of the company said the services being grounded included Its operations in Jammu and Kashmir began in December 2008 when the company announced it plans to invest over Rs 100 crore in the Jammu and Kashmir circle. The move to wind down its operations in Jammu and Kashmir has also affected hundreds of local employees. The announcement by the telecom company to deactivate its services comes around two months after the Tata group chairman toured the Valley along with Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and other top industrialists. The corporate sector’s leading men had promised jobs to Kashmiri youth during their visit to the region in October. |
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Government fails to control increasing chicken deaths in state
Srinagar, December 18 The state Animal Husbandry Department has revealed in a Right to Information (RTI) application that the number of broilers which died during 2011-2012 is 3,083, which is thrice the number of broiler deaths (1,166) recorded during 2010-2011. As per the RTI reply, the number of parent rearing chickens has also gone down from 0.177 lakh during 2010-2011 to 0.166 lakh during 2011- 2012. According to the information provided by the Animal Husbandry Department, the egg and chicken production has also suffered over the last couple of years. The production of chicks during 2011-2012 in the Valley was 2.978 lakh, which is lesser than their production of 3.038 lakh during 2010-2011. The egg production
has remained static at 5.672 lakh during 2011-2012 as compared to 5.645 lakh produced during 2010-2011. The figures are indicative of the negative trends as a result of which the poultry farming has lost its sheen in the Valley. Despite being offered subsidised loans, Kashmiri farmers are seldom enthused about taking up poultry farming in the wake of recurrent losses. “The state government statistics are just the tip of the iceberg. If the state government has been unable to provide feasible conditions for ensuring the survival of chickens, how can a poor farmer provide better conditions. Although poultry framing has been my ancestral occupation, I have left it fearing huge losses,” said Jammal Ahmad, a poultry farmer in the Alasteng area of Ganderbal district. |
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