The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	THE PORTFOLIOS Jammu: The following are the portfolios allocated to the Council of Ministers:- Cabinet ministers Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand: School Education Abdul Rahim Rather: Finance and Ladakh Affairs Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed: Public Enterprises, Haj, Auqaf and Floriculture Ali Mohammad Sagar: Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Mian Altaf Ahmad: Forest, Environment & Ecology Taj Mohiuddin: Medical Education, Sports and Youth Services Nawang Rigzin Jora: Urban Development and Urban Local Bodies Sham Lal Sharma: PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Ghulam Hassan Mir: Agriculture Production Sakina Itoo: Social Welfare and Public Grievances Raman Bhalla: Housing, Horticulture and Culture Akbar Lone: Higher Education Choudhary Ramzan: Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution and Transport Ajay Sadhotra: Planning & Development and Labour & Employment Ghulam Ahmad Mir: Tourism Abdul Majid Wani: R&B and Mechanical Engineering Mir Saifullah: Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs Ministers of State Ajaz Ahmad Khan: MoS (Independent charge) of Revenue, Relief & Rehabilitation Manohar Lal Sharma: MoS (Independent charge) of Fisheries, Cooperative, Printing & Stationery and Elections; MoS for Finance and Planning, Higher Education, Forests, Environment and Ecology, Labour and Transport Shabir Ahmad Khan: MoS (Independent charge) of Health Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo: MoS (Independent charge) of Industries & Commerce; MoS for Home, R&B and Mechanical Engineering, Housing & Urban Development, Tourism & Culture Feroz Khan: MoS (Independent charge) of Science & Technology and Information Technology; MoS for Medical Education, School Education, Youth Services & Sports Nazir Ahmad Khan (Gurezi): MoS (Independent charge) of Animal & Sheep Husbandry; MoS for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Horticulture, Agriculture & Floriculture Viqar Rasool: MOS (Independent charge) of Technical Education, MoS for Law, Justice, Parliamentary Affairs, Rural Development and Panchayats, Social Welfare, Power, Hospitality & Protocol, Information and Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution. cm keeps home, power The charge of Home, General Administration, Power Development, Information, Civil Aviation, Hospitality & Protocol, Estates and all other departments not allocated to any other minister shall be with the Chief Minister.
	Omar’s stamp on ministerial, organisational reshuffle Arun Joshi Tribune News Service Jammu, January 15 Today’s ministerial reshuffle in Jammu and Kashmir bears a clear stamp of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who believes that he will retain the current position after the 2014 Assembly poll as well. As there is a strong feeling in political circles that the poll may be held before schedule, Omar wanted to set his house in order, both in the government and the organisational structure of the party. The Assembly poll may coincide with the parliamentary elections early next year or even earlier. Hence, feel some of the National Conference leaders, the urgency on part of Omar to reshuffle the ministry and put some of his trusted lieutenants in key positions in the party. Political adviser Devender Singh Rana, who, ever since he was made a Member of the Legislative Council in February 2007, has been actively working for the party in Jammu province and also in some parts of the Valley. He also stood by the Chief Minister like a rock whenever any trouble erupted for him or the government. He is now the new provincial president of Jammu province, a responsibility- filled position. Minister of State for Home Nasir Aslam Wani, who was once political secretary to Omar when he was the National Conference president between 2002 and 2008, has been chosen for the critical post of provincial president for Kashmir division. The NC is facing a major challenge from main opposition Peoples Democratic Party there. Assertively exhibiting that he has an independent mind on government matters, he has retained the two stalwarts in the ministry, Abdul Rahim Rather and Ali Mohammad Sagar. Widely respected Gujjar leader Mian Altaf has been retained because of his almost complete sway over Gujjars, who form nearly one-fourth of the 12 million population of the state. The sole woman minister Sakina Ittoo stays on because of her clean image and the work she has done as minister for social welfare. Omar has picked up those men for the ministry who he thinks can do an image makeover for the government and bring in major improvement in the governance. Omar has brought these changes at a time when both his party National Conference and the government were facing flak over not living up to the expectations of the people, and different leaders were speaking in different voices. Despite his promise to deliver, the Chief Minister was finding it difficult to do so because some of the ministers from the National Conference-Congress coalition were “non-performing assets”.
	Valley gears up for more snow Jammu-Srinagar National Highway to remain closed on Jan 17, 18 M Aamir Khan Tribune News Service Srinagar, January 15 While the weatherman has forecast a fresh spell of snowfall across the Valley from tomorrow, the authorities today ordered the closure of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway on January 17 and 18. Aamir Ali, coordinator of the Disaster Management Cell, Kashmir, said, in view of the approaching western disturbances, there was a possibility of moderate to heavy snowfall over hilly areas, especially the Pir Panjal range, besides light to moderate snowfall at several places in Kashmir from January 16 to 18. An official of the Meteorological Department said the weather conditions were likely to worsen on January 17 and 18 and there was a possibility of heavy snowfall at many places in Kashmir during these two days. Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Hassan Samoon passed orders to the Traffic Police to close the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway to traffic on January 17 and 18 as a precautionary measure. Inspector General of Police (IGP), Traffic, Munir Khan said a one-way traffic would ply tomorrow on the national highway. The Traffic IGP said all kinds of vehicles would be allowed from Srinagar to Jammu in a regulated manner, subject to fair weather conditions. “All vehicles are required to cross Panthachowk by 12:00 hours, Khanabal by 13:30 hours and Qazigund by 14:30 hours after which no vehicle shall be allowed to proceed towards Lower Munda,” the IGP Traffic said. Samoon has also directed all the Deputy Commissioners and officials concerned to activate their manpower and machinery ahead of the expected snowfall. The Valley witnessed a sunny day today. Srinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 12.1°C while Qazigund recorded a maximum of 11.7°C. Kupwara and Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded maximum temperatures of 12.1°C and 11.2°C, respectively. Sub-zero night temperatures were recorded across the Valley yesterday. Srinagar, Qazigund, Kupwara and Pahalgam recorded minimum temperatures of 0.4°C, -0.5°C, -0.3°C and -3.4°C, respectively. Gulmarg remained the coldest place in the Valley, recording a minimum of -7.0°C. The coordinator of the Disaster Management Cell said the Kargil Courier flight, AN-32, between Kargil and Srinagar and Jammu got cancelled today due to technical reasons at Chandigarh. He said it will operate tomorrow, subject to favourable weather conditions.
	Uri residents demand underground bunkers Fear for their safety after renewed tension with Pakistan Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Uri, January 15 Recent clashes between the two Armies in Churanda village and neighbouring Poonch sectors, have forced the villagers living along the Line of Control (LoC) to seek underground bunkers. During the peak of the cross-border shelling, the state government for the protection of civilian population on the border villages, had constructed hundreds of underground bunkers but they all were razed to ground in the October 8, 2005 earthquake that hit the region and caused large scale devastation. Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, Ghulam Ahmad Khwaja said he had received many requests for constructing underground bunkers from the border residents of Uri in the past few days. “I have asked the sub-divisional magistrate, Uri, to conduct a survey as to how many residents need such bunkers. We will later write to the state government to provide the underground bunkers to them,” Khwaja told The Tribune. The residents said with the renewed tension between the two countries they now needed the underground bunkers. “When the ceasefire happened, we thought that we will never need any such bunker. Though we did not demolish them, but the earthquake razed them to ground,” said Abdul Lateef (45), a resident of Churanda, where the series of the cross-LoC ceasefire violation first began in October last year. “When we constructed our houses after the earthquake, no one thought of having an underground bunker,” he said. Churanda, its neighbouring Silikote, and many other villages near the LoC in the Uri sector of north Kashmir have seen devastation of the cross-border shelling since the eruption of militancy in the state. Alone in the Uri sector and prior to the ceasefire, more than 50 civilians had lost their lives and dozens were injured in the cross-border shelling. Hundreds of residential houses were also razed to the ground. Arbi Begum, a resident of Churanda, who lost her husband in the 2005 earthquake said her family was really scared due to the frequent firing between the two sides. “Whenever the shelling happens now, my children don’t eat anything because of the fear. We have no concrete bunkers to secure ourselves and we are really scared,” she said. Arbi Begum was alone taking care of her family comprising four daughters and a son. Few residents said the government should come forward and reconstruct bunkers for their safety. “Let us pray that peace prevails between the two countries. But the government should ensure that we don’t suffer if the shelling continues. We want underground bunkers,” said another resident.
	Tulbagh residents worried over bird poaching in the area Bismah Malik Tribune News Service Srinagar, January 15 A dead mallard was found by a team of the Wildlife Conservation Fund, an international NGO, during its one-day field trip in the Fashkoori Wetland Conservation Reserve at Tulbagh in Pampore on January 11. Locals have been complaining about poaching incidents in the area. The NGO conducted the field trip after receiving several complaints from the locals about bird poaching in the area. The team found the dead mallard with a gunshot injury and one wing missing. It also found a net made of nylon threads, locally known as “waalwaaish”, used for catching water fowls in the wetlands. Thousands of migratory birds visit the Valley from Russian, Siberia, Eastern Europe and China, and make various wetlands in Kashmir their abode in the winters. “There are many wetland reserves in the area. It is impossible to cover long distances on foot looking for other birds, especially when the reserves are covered in several feet of snow this time. During our trip, we found some signs of poaching,” said Nadeem Qadri, chief coordinator of the Rapid Action Programme, a project aimed at conserving wildlife in India. “Since we have minimal manpower and logistic support, we couldn’t traverse through the forest areas,” said Qadri. Nadeem said although bird hunting was a serious criminal offence under Section 8 of the J&K Wildlife Protection Act, 1978, the poaching incidents had not altogether stopped even in the eco-sensitive zones of the Valley. “The growing incidents of poaching and lack of proper infrastructure is taking a toll on our wild flora and fauna around the wetlands of Pampore,” he said. “We have taken the mallard to our wildlife control room for photographic evidences and official records,” he said. The Wildlife Conservation Team will file a criminal complaint along with the photographic evidences to the Wildlife Warden, Wetlands, Department of Wildlife Protection, for action under the Wildlife Protection Act. He said since poaching was illegal in the state. “If anybody has any information on suspects involved in such illegal activities, they can file an FIR under Section 51 and 52 of the Wildlife Protection Act,” he said. State Chief Wildlife Warden AK Singh said the four wetland reserves of Pampore, Chsatlam, Fashkoori, Kranchoo and Mianbug, where rumours of bird poaching are building up do not come under the supervision of the Wildlife Department. He said these wetlands have not yet been demarcated by the Revenue Department despite instructions by the state government. “It is true that these wetlands are also being inhabited by lakhs of winged visitors which visit the Valley from November. We cannot do surveillance everywhere the birds visit. These four wetlands will soon be brought under the ambit of the Wildlife Department. As for this incident, we shall soon send a team of officials to the spot to ascertain the causes behind the incident and bring the culprits to book,” said Singh.
	Initial probe by police blames Hizb for attacks on panchayat members Tribune News Service Srinagar, January 15 Initial investigations by the police have blamed Kashmir’s indigenous militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen for the recent attacks on panchayat members in Sopore. “The killing of Habibullah Mir, sarpanch of Gooripora village in Sopore town, on Friday and the attack on a woman panch, Zoona, in Hardshiva village were carried out by a local Hizb module,” said a police officer in Srinagar. “We are investigating the case and cannot share other details,” he said. Police sources said soon after the attacks on the panchayat members in two Sopore villages, six people were questioned by the police. “Those questioned included former overground workers,” a police source said. “All those who were questioned were released later.” The attacks on the panchayat members have triggered fear among them. In the last three days 57 panches and sarpanches from Sopore have publicly resigned. Four panches from Dooru village of Sopore resigned today. “In the wake of the recent attacks, three more panches resigned along with me,” said Mushtaq Ahmed, a panch from Sopore. Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Ghulam Ahmad Khawaja said he had received only one resignation from a panch of a Sopore village. “Only one panch has submitted his resignation and I have forwarded it to the district panchayat officer,” the Baramulla Deputy Commissioner said. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has blamed vested interests for these attacks. Senior security officers have said the attacks might not necessarily be militancy-related. “There might be other angles to the killings as well. The investigations are going on and the culprits will be nabbed soon,” said the General Officer Commanding of 15 Corps, Lt Gen Om Prakash, yesterday. On Saturday, CRPF IG SS Sandhu said personal animosity might be the reason behind the recent killings of the panchayat members. “It will be premature to say the killings were militancy-related,” Sandhu said in Anantnag.
	State working on stringent rape laws Amendments may be tabled in budget session Ishfaq Tantry/TNS Srinagar, January 15 For making the rape laws more stringent and improve conviction rates, the state government is working on amendments to the the existing laws which deal with sexual violence against women, particularly rape. After approval by the Cabinet, the proposed amendments to the existing laws are likely to be tabled before the Assembly in the forthcoming budget session. The government, sources said, planned to bring in certain changes in substantive law Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) and procedural laws like J&K Criminal Procedure Code (JKCrPC) and the J&K Evidence Act, 1977. While proposing amendments to the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), the government wants to enhance the penalty for rape and offences related to sexual violence. Currently, the punishment for rape under J-K laws is 10 years of imprisonment.The government also plans to bring in changes in the J&K Criminal Procedure Code for “ensuring speedy and time-bound investigation” into such offences. “The changes relate to time-bound investigation into rape cases,” said J-K Law Secretary Ghulam Hassan Tantray. The state is also considering imparting special training to government-appointed prosecutors to equip them to deal with rape cases. Besides, the government aims to ensure “fast-track” trial in offences against women, particularly rape cases. “We are working on the changes. Hope the amendments are tabled by the government in the budget session of the J&K Assembly Session,” the Law Secretary said. For incorporating changes into the three existing laws on rape, the amendments need to be approved by the J-K Assembly. The J&K High Court has also sent a proposal to state government for establishing eight new fast-track courts to be set up in eight districts with high pendency of rape cases. On January 10, the Chief Justice of the J-K High Court had inaugurated five courts designated as fast-track courts for trial of cases related to violence against women, including rape. Meanwhile, those practising law say fast-track investigation and trial will definitely help reduce pendency of rape cases in the state but a change in mindset is also required to prevent sexual violence. “The rape laws in the subcontinent are archaic, and need a massive overhaul. Besides, a change in mindset is also required”, said senior High Court lawyer Bashir Ahmad Bashir. “The fast-track courts dealing with rape cases should also fix the schedule of the trial as is done by the courts in the West,” suggested another lawyer. pending rape case In J&K, 2,360 rape cases are pending trial in various courts The highest number rape cases (416) pending in courts is in Baramulla district. It is followed by Kulgam (250), Anantnag (247), Kupwara (196),Pulwama (162), Srinagar(157) In Jammu province, Jammu district tops the list with 147 pending rape cases, and is followed by Rajouri (121)
	44 Army men felicitated for gallantry, illustrious service Tribune News Service Tanda (Akhnoor), January 15 General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt Gen KT Parnaik today presented gallantry and distinguished service awards to 44 officers and other ranks of the Northern Command at an impressive investiture ceremony on the occasion of the Army Day here. The ceremony was attended by senior civil, military and para-military officials. Lt Gen DS Hooda, General Officer Commanding of White Knight Corps, Maj Gen Rustam Patnaik, GOC of Crossed Swords Division and Param Vir Chakra Honorary Captain (Retd) Bana Singh were amongst those present. Lt Gen Parnaik commended all ranks of the Northern Command for their dedication and devotion to duty in the highest tradition of the Indian Army and congratulated those who were decorated for bravery and distinguished service. He also urged all ranks, ex- servicemen, civilians and their families to dedicate themselves to the cause of the nation. Family Welfare Organisation of Northern Command president Anagha Parnaik also interacted with the families of the brave soldiers and encouraged them to continue their support to their spouses in performance of their duty. The Army Day is celebrated every year on January 15 to commemorate the appointment of Field Marshal KM Cariappa as the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. Since then it has been a tradition to present the gallantry and distinguished service awards to the soldiers on this day. Lt Gen Parnaik presented 32 Sena Medals (Gallantry), four Sena Medals (Distinguished) and eight Vishisht Seva Medals. Parnaik also presented Northern Command's Unit Appreciation to 13 units for their outstanding performance last year.