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attack on pak prisoner in jammu jail
More attacks feared on Indians in Pakistan prisons
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Remarks on Sarabjit Singh ‘led to attack’
Kot Bhalwal faces acute staff crunch
Valley gears up for Durbar Move
‘May 6 doctor's strike unlawful’
Stick to three-month time-frame for Gulmarg plan: High Court
Low enrolment ETT centres likely to shut shop
Geelani to write to PM, Pak on prisoners
Minister visits quake-hit Doda, Bhaderwah
Congress rally at Ganderbal
Government ready to turn Chenab site into adventure park
Durbar Move fallout: Administration goes into sleep mode in state
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attack on pak prisoner in jammu jail
Jammu, May 4 Home Secretary, Suresh Kumar and Director General of Prisons, K Rajendra, visited the high-security Central Jail in Kot Bhalwal and discussed security of the prisoners, especially Pakistani nationals. Chief Secretary, Mohammed Iqbal Khanday, “Yes, we discussed the issue and have also initiated some measures but I can’t divulge the details in the public domain.” The state has 13 prisons, including two central jails at Kot Bhalwal and Srinagar, eight district jails at Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur, Rajouri, Poonch, Baramulla, Kupwara and Leh and three sub-jails at Hiranagar, Reasi and Kishtwar. The jails have the capacity to house 2,775 inmates. Post-Sanaullah incident, the 22 Pakistani prisoners, including 11 terrorists in Kot Bhalwal Jail have been kept separately and they are being kept in small groups, a prison official said. He said there were 150 Pakistani nationals out of a total of 2,500 prisoners in 13 prisons across the state. He said Vinod Kumar, a former soldier who was dismissed from service and allegedly attacked Sanaullah, was sent in seven day police remand. Kumar is a native of Siku village in Garhwal area of Uttarakhand. He had shot dead fellow solider when he was posted with the 15 Garhwal Regiment in Leh in 2006. The soldier was sent to Kot Bhalwal jail in July 2009. Ensuring security Home Secy, DG Prisons visits Kot Bhalwal Jail 22 Pakistanis, including 11 ultras at Kot Bhalwal jail, kept in small groups Sanaullah’s alleged attacker, former soldier Vinod Kumar, sent to
seven-day police remand The Kot Bhalwal prison near Jammu. A file photo |
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More attacks feared on Indians in Pakistan prisons
Jammu, May 4 Worried over unpleasant development here yesterday they want the Indian Government to take up the issue with Pakistan on priority and ensure safety of Indians in Pakistani prisons. “Attack on Sanaullah has given a wrong message and has put India in a bad picture. And, more than the wrong message, he too was a father, a brother and a son to someone like my father
Chamel. His family, too, was waiting for him back home,” said Deepak Singh, son of Chamel
Singh. Chamel’s wife Kamlesh Devi said following the attack on
Sanaullah, she strongly felt that there would be more atrocities and brutal attacks on Indian prisoners in Pakistan prisons. “I strongly feel that this incident has put Indian prisoners in Pakistan to more grave risk of losing their lives in brutal attacks,” she said. Former spy and president of Jammu Ex-Sleuths’ Association, Vinod Sawhney also echoed similar views. “There is more danger to Indian prisoners in Pakistan now, but at the same time I feel that this attack was a retaliation of what Pakistan did to Chamel Singh and Sarabjit Singh in the Kot Lakhpat prison,” said
Sawhney. He also appealed to the Centre to act maturely taking up the issue of prisoners in each other’s countries on a priority. |
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Remarks on Sarabjit Singh ‘led to attack’
Jammu, May 4 “Vinod told us that he was incensed to the extent that he attacked Sanaullah with a brick in a fit of rage,” a top prison source said. “Yesterday both were given the task to water flower beds in the jail. They also smoked ‘bidis’ but after sometime we saw Sanaullah lying in a pool of blood. The jail guards overpowered Vinod and locked him up,” he said. The jail authorities rushed Sanaullah to the Government Medical College and Hospital, he said. “Vinod claimed that he had attacked Sanaullah with a brick and I cannot say with surety if the shovel lying near the crime scene was also used,” he added. The source said both had been convicted for life had developed good relations over the past few years but Sanaullah’s unwarranted remarks against India and Sarabjit incensed the former soldier. Love and hate Both, Vinod and
Sanaullah, had been convicted for life had developed good relations over the past few years, but Sanaullah’s unwarranted remarks against India and Sarabjit incensed the former soldier.
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Kot Bhalwal faces acute staff crunch
Jammu, May 4 Despite repeated demands more staff was not deployed in the jail even after militants, including foreigners, engaged in riots, dug up tunnels and escaped from the jail. “Against the sanctioned three posts of superintendent, the prison has only one. Against six posts of assistant superintendent, we have only two. Similarly, against the sanctioned strength of 147, we have 70 constables,” sources say. The source said against sanctioned four posts of doctor the prison had only one without any supporting staff. The Kot Bhalwal prison has 391 inmates, including 22 Pakistan nationals. The prison has the capacity of 950 prisoners. Despite numerous reminders sent to the Department of Home nothing was done in this regard, the source said. “Now, with such a nonchalant attitude of those at the helm of affairs, how one can anticipate a smooth sailing in a jail where dreaded militants are lodged, an official said. “We segregate the prisoners per the jail manual,” he said. Vacant posts Against the sanctioned three posts of superintendent, the prison has only one. Against six posts of assistant superintendent, the jail has only two. Similarly, against the sanctioned strength of 147, the jail has 70
constables.
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Valley gears up for Durbar Move
Srinagar, May 4 Senior Jammu and Kashmir government functionaries have already started to arrive from the winter capital for the six months of summer during which the state government would be functioning from here. The Civil Secretariat, Raj Bhavan and offices of the J&K Governor, Chief Minister, Chief Justice of the High Court and Director General of Police and other offices would be re-opening here on Monday. The Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Shailender Kumar, has already reviewed the arrangements related to the Durbar Move with various wings of the Civil and Police administration and to have smooth functioning of the offices. While some of the employees have already arrived here, those belonging to Jammu and other parts of the state are arriving by tomorrow evening. The authorities are also looking forward for a brisk tourist season, even as the tourists have been pouring in even through the winter months. “The arrival of more tourists provides economic support to the youth in Kashmir apart from those associated with the tourism trade,” opines Shailender Kumar, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir. |
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‘May 6 doctor's strike unlawful’
Srinagar, May 4 The alleged scam recently surfaced after a government-appointed committee's order, worth Rs 8,00,000, for the Maxizin 625 antibiotic, tested fake in the laboratory analysis, prompting the Doctors Association of Kashmir calling for a valley-wide shutdown May 6 against the fiddle. The panel has asked the Kashmir valley's director health services and the divisional commissioner to file responses as to what alternate arrangements have been made by them to ensure that patients do not suffer due to the May 6 strike. — IANS
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Stick to three-month time-frame for Gulmarg plan: High Court
Srinagar, May 4 The court has also directed the high-level committee, constituted by the Chief Secretary, to conduct a demarcation survey to find if any lease holders had indulged in encroachment and submit a report on or before the next hearing. These directions were passed by a division bench of the High Court this week, which has already banned construction at Gulmarg and has asked the authorities not to grant permission for raising any new constructions at the tourist resort. The court is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Mohammad Rafiq Zargar wherein he had sought intervention of the High Court in safeguarding eco-sensitive areas of Gulmarg and Tangmarg from illegal constructions. “In the joint status report, respondents have spelled out various steps taken by them for the implementation of the court order. However, they have annexed a letter of the chief town planner with the status report, which is suggestive of the fact that the government is not inclined to take the exercise of preparation of the master plan to its logical end and complete it within the time allowed,” the High Court division bench comprising Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Ali Mohammad Magery said in its fresh orders passed this week in the PIL. “The chief town planner is directed to complete the preparation of the Master Plan within three months as already directed in terms of previous orders. In this regard, he is further directed to report the progress made by him every weekend to the Chief Secretary, who shall then submit the progress/compliance reports along with status report on next hearing,” the bench said. “It is however made clear that the government, if they so chose, would be at liberty to hire the services of additional town planners exclusive for this purpose so that the task of preparation of the (Gulmarg) Master Plan is accomplished within time,” the court observed in the orders. Besides, the court has directed the authorities concerned to complete the demarcation of the land at Gulmarg in terms of the previous direction issued on April 18. “Respondents, so far, have not made demarcation of the land. A committee has been constituted for the purpose. The respondents are directed to comply with the direction and submit the report by or before the next date of hearing,” it said. |
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Low enrolment ETT centres likely to shut shop
Jammu, May 4 Sources said even after the completion of much-delayed examination process of the 2008-10 batch and solving of other vexed issues of the ETT institutions, the management did not get the positive response which it was hoping in terms of decent enrolment of students for pursuing admission for the next batch. As per the data available, there are 489 ETT Institutions in J&K, including 454 in the Jammu Province, and 35 in the Kashmir Province. “Gone are the days, when it was difficult for the ETT institutes to accommodate all the students who have taken admissions, but the scenario is entirely different today as the students are not at all interested to pursue the course due to the present uncertainty looms in the J&K State Board of School Education (JKBOSE),” said Deep Singh, one of the members of Jammu Private Schools and ETT Institutes Association (Progressive). “When we decided to close the institutes we really feel sorry for the students, who were left in lurch at that stage. Infact, we were hoping that the situation might improve after the recent changes made in the top brass of the school education board, but there seems to be nothing like that. It is almost impossible to recover our financial losses due to lack of a concrete strategy by the JKBOSE,” he alleged. “Unless and until some stability will be ensured in the school education board, things are not going to improve because the ETT students, most of them belong to neighbouring states like Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan, have lost all their faith in the functioning. Similar is the case with the owners of the ETT institutes who are no longer interested in mere assurances by the authorities concerned to solve the vexed issue,” another ETT institute owner said on the condition of anonymity. |
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Geelani to write to PM, Pak on prisoners
Srinagar, May 4 Geelani, while addressing a press conference at his residence here in the city, said the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan were the ‘custodians’ of prisoners and they should fulfil their responsibility towards securing their lives. “We will write letters to the Prime Minister of India and caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan and tell them that they should increase vigil on the prisons and should not let these acts of reprisal to continue,” said Geelani. The hardline separatist said the situation, that had emerged in the recent days beginning with the attack on Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh in a Pakistani prison and then a subsequent attack on a Pakistani prisoner in Jammu’s Kot Balwal jail and death of a prisoner in New Delhi’s Tihar, was worrisome. "It is the responsibility of both the countries to ensure security of prisoners," Geelani said. Geelani said the attack on Singh was a criminal negligence on the part of the Pakistani jail authorities. “We have condemned the attack and Sarabjit Singh’s death, but the reaction that has followed is worrying,” he said. Geelani termed yesterday’s murderous attack on Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah at Jammu’s Kot Balwal prison as an act of revenge and demanded that a murder case should be registered against the suspended the superintendent of the Kot Balwal jail, Rajni Sehgal. Geelani accused Sehgal of being communal and asked the Indian and Pakistani Governments to verify the antecedents of the jail authorities to prevent the recurrence of these attacks in the future. |
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Minister visits quake-hit Doda, Bhaderwah
Jammu, May 4 He termed the recent earthquake at Bhaderwah, Doda, as the worst-ever natural calamity being faced by people of the region. Azad had brought along the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India, vice-chairman M Shashidhar Reddy, to assess the ground situation. Minister for Roads and Buildings Abdul Majeed Wani and Member of Parliament from Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Choudhary Lal Singh also accompanied Azad to review the situation. Azad visited Padder, Bhalessa, Bhaderwah and Doda and talked to people after visiting the areas where damage was more. “We have found that damage is much worse as almost every structure has developed cracks. Cracks are visible in 70 to 80 per cent structures, including private houses as well as government buildings, but actual damage may be much higher,” Azad told reporters at Bhaderwah. Azad comes from Soti village of Gundoh tehsil in the Bhaderwah Assembly constituency of Doda district, from where he won bi-elections in 2006 after succeeding Mufti Muhammad Sayeed as the state Chief Minister. He again won the Assembly elections from Bhaderwah in 2008, but left it and got elected to the Rajya Sabha. During his tenure as the Chief Minister, Azad announced many developmental packages for his home constituency and district. Azad reviewed the situation in a meeting held at the district headquarter, Doda, in which he asked officers to prepare a detailed report of loss occurred in the earthquake. He told them a central team would be reaching the area to assess the damage and after getting the detailed report, he would ask the Prime Minister to announce the package for the earthquake hit areas. “The NDMA vice-chairman will depute a team to the district to guide and advice people on steps required to make buildings and houses quake resistant,” said Azad. Azad has asked the Director Health, Jammu, to be stationed at Bhaderwah and provide health care facilities to the injured free of cost. The Union Health Minister put forward three requirements on the key tasks: first, to strengthen the macroscopic judgement and integrated analysis on the current disaster conditions; second, to strengthen the study on disaster affected population reallocation, epidemics prevention and other health countermeasures and third, to carry out research and investigation in quake-hit areas. Meanwhile, he announced 1,000 tents for twin districts of Doda-Kishtwar so that people whose houses have suffered bigger damage could get shelter in these tents. |
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Congress rally at Ganderbal
Srinagar, May 4 In his address at the workers’ rally, the AICC General Secretary and in charge of the party’s J&K affairs, Mohan Prakash said party president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi were committed for the socio-economic development of the state. The rally, that was attended by state Congress president Saifuddin Soz and Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Sham Lal Sharma, was held on the occasion of the 24th death anniversary of Shiekh Jabbar, father of senior Congress leader and district president Shiekh Ishfaq Jabbar. Minister for Tourism Ghulam Ahmad Mir, KK Amla, Bashir Ahmad Magrey MLC, Mohammed Anwar Bhat, Shiekh Ishfaq, Mohammad Maqbool, Farooq Andrabi, Mahila Congress leaders and others were present on the occasion. Even as the Congress has not yet decided over the future elections alliance with the National Conference, the rally is a pointer to the divergent ways of the two coalition parties. “The party will take a decision at an appropriate time after consultations,” state Congress president Saifuddin Soz said. The two coalition parties, Congress and National Conference, and the opposition PDP, already in the election mode, have been holding series of public meetings across the Valley ahead of the Assembly elections next year. Soz assured the people that he would help Shiekh Ishfaq in various fields of development which include promotion of tourism, development of infrastructure relating to promotion of irrigation, flood management and PHE & Irrigation facilities and all the developmental projects, be it a Central University or Z Morh Tunnel. |
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Government ready to turn Chenab site into adventure park
Katra,May 4 He was here to inaugurate an adventure camp being organised by the Reasi-based Rashtriya Rifles Force to promote tourism and adventure activities in Reasi dstrict. The DC said a team of experts from the Army, Department of Tourism and Civil Administration surveyed the river site to identify the stretches and other locations where the sports can be introduced here on Saturday. In a day-long adventure camp, a large number of students from various government schools, besides locals participated. The major highlight of the camp was rafting in the Chenab which was enjoyed by one and all. The event was also graced by General Officer in Command, HS Gill, CIF(U) Force and members of the district administration and entrepreneurs engaged in adventure activities. Amit Sharma, a social activist of Reasi said, “Katra, the base camp Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Cave shrine, 25 km from here, attracts over one crore tourists every year and our youth have to go there to earn their livelihood. Should Reasi, which attracted 20 lakh tourists last year visiting Shivkhori, be also developed as a tourist destination? The state of Jammu & Kasmir will be blessed with another Gulmarg and transform the lives of five lakh people of the region.” Vikas Sharma, a local youth and a budding entrepreneur, who conducted a group of students in rafting said, “Each day I sit by the Chenab waiting for the tourists to enjoy the world class facilities that exist at Reasi, but only a few tourists stop by. If only some essential facilities like toilets, changing rooms, refreshments, curios shops are developed, this area will be comparable to Pahalgam and Gulmarg.” The nature has gifted us this beautiful land, the people yearn to benefit from tourism, entrepreneurs are ready to invest and tourists are coming. All we need is to be organised and give publicity. We are thankful to the GOC of the Rashtriya Rifles Force for asking us to come and organise this event.” Dr Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary, DC, Reasi concurred with members of the society and assured them that all possible measures would be undertaken by the district administration towards developing Reasi as a tourist destination. Army officials said such camps help to generate awareness and more such events will be organised in future in conjunction with the Department of Tourism and budding entrepreneurs. |
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Durbar Move fallout: Administration goes into sleep mode in state
Jammu, May 4 The Civil Secretariat and its associated offices were closed in Jammu on April 26 and would reopen in the summer capital of the state, Srinagar, on May 6. During the Durbar Move, the Civil Secretariat and other associated offices remain non-functional for 10 to 15 days, which gives ministers and bureaucrats a chance to enjoy holidays. The bureaucrats get Rs 10,000 as Dearness Allowance and Travelling Allowance (twice in a year) during the Durbar Move, besides their regular salary. While Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was holidaying abroad, most of the senior bureaucrats to the rank of the Principal Secretaries were on leave following the closure of the Durbar Move in Jammu, rendering various government departments ‘headless’. “It has become a perennial feature when the Civil Secretariat and its associated offices shift their base from one capital to next after every six months in the name of good and effective governance. Hundreds of bureaucrats, including the IAS and KAS officers, virtually enjoy paid holidays of 10 to 15 days during the Durbar Move, subjecting general public to umpteen their hardships,” a source said. Sources said no government business was conducted during the Durbar Move exercise and people were made to wait for the reopening of the Civil Secretariat and other government offices to get their files cleared. “After every six months, ministers and bureaucrats get extra paid holidays for almost 15 days. During these days, there is no governance for a common man,” sources added. Interestingly, the 141-year-old Durbar Move tradition has been kept alive till date at the expense of a cash-strapped state. The exercise costs a staggering amount of Rs 100 crore to the state every year. Last year, Omar had written on the micro-blogging networking site Twitter: “Do I think the Durbar Move is a waste of money? Yes I do. Is there an alternative? I haven't seen a viable alternative suggested.” “I agree. We run away when people need us the most and (they) face the most difficulty. The Durbar Move is an escapist,” he had said. The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) has been demanding abolishment of the Durbar Move practice since long and had staged a demonstration outside the Raj Bhawan on April 25, a day before the closure of the Durbar Move offices in Jammu. Talking to The Tribune, Harsh Dev Singh, JKNPP chairman, said there was no government in the state. “At present, there is no governance. While ministers and bureaucrats are enjoying holidays, it is the common man who is bearing the brunt of this exercise. The government should discontinue the practise of the Darbar Move to avoid unnecessary expenditure which can be utilised for the development purposes as also the system would help the people of both the regions. Durbar Move a ‘waste’ of money The 141-year-old Durbar Move tradition has been kept alive till date at the expense of a cash-strapped state. The exercise costs a staggering amount of Rs 100 crore to the state every year. Hundreds of bureaucrats, including the IAS and KAS officers, virtually enjoy paid holidays during the Durbar Move, subjecting general public to umpteen their hardships The Civil Secretariat and other associated offices remain non-functional for 10 to 15 days. The bureaucrats get Rs 10,000 as Dearness Allowance and Travelling Allowance (twice in a year), besides their regular salary. There is no governance for a common man during these days.
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alleged attack on Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Haq, the state government today segregated 150 Pakistani prisoners lodged in the 13 prisons across the state. 
yesterday, former spies in the border state and family of Chamel Singh, another Indian prisoner brutally killed in the Kot Lakhpat Jail of Lahore on January 15, fear more murderous attacks on Indian prisoners in the Pakistani prisons.
The earthquake on May 1 had caused much more damage than assessed so far, said Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad during his visit to quake hit areas of Doda and
Bhaderwah. He termed the recent earthquake at Bhaderwah, Doda, as the worst-ever natural calamity being faced by people of the region.Azad had brought along the National Disaster Management Authority
(NDMA), Government of India, vice-chairman M Shashidhar Reddy, to assess the ground situation.
The Chenab bridge site in Reasi, which offers one of the world’s 10 best rafting stretches, will soon be turned into an adventure park. This was disclosed by Deputy Commissioner, Reasi, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary.
