The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	New industrial policy 2004 1,329 fail to establish industrial units on allotted land Sumit Hakhoo Jammu, May 5 While the state is seeking new sops from the Union Government for developing entrepreneurial skills among the youth, 1,329 people have neither established any units on the land allotted to them under the new industrial policy 2004 nor has any step been taken to retrieve the land from illegal use, which is in violation of the agreement under which entrepreneurs were provided space in industrial estates. An audit of industrial units has revealed that no monitoring mechanism has been established to check the output and employment generation of units established under the Central industrial promotion policies since 2004. Jammu and Kashmir has received concessions for entrepreneurs and industrialists for setting up manufacturing units. Officials concerned said the Department of Industries was not supervising whether the industrial units set up under the Central and state governments industrial promotion policies and provided substantial tax concessions and subsidies were meeting the objective. “There is no mechanism in place to monitor the turnover, value of output, profitability, extent and quality of turnover and extent of value addition in the manufacturing units to see whether these are commensurate with the burden of tax concession and subsidies on the public exchequer,” says the audit report. No industrial survey has been conducted for assessing the industrial potential, including availability of human resources, raw material and marketing avenues. “The total contribution of registered manufacturing sector of the industry to gross state domestic product (GSDP) from 2007-08 to 2011-12 ranged between Rs 1,141 crore and Rs 1,690 crore, respectively. The share ranged between 2.21 and 3.18 per cent during five years. In 2011-12, the share declined to 2.71 per cent,” the audit reveals. The contribution of the registered manufacturing sector of the industry in the state GSDP has been declining in recent years despite substantial fiscal concessions to new industrial units. Director, Industries and Commerce, Gulzar Ahmed Qureshi said SICOP and SIDCO, the two major industrial promotional bodies, need to take action against people who have not established their units. “It is their duty and the land should be retrieved from people violating the norms. Our concern is more on employment generation.” On survey of units, Qureshi claimed that steps had been initiated to monitor the manufacturing units and new units established with the help of the government. The Comptroller and Auditor General report maintains that the quantity and quality of manufacturing output is not commensurate with the fiscal burden of Rs 8,340 crore during 2007-12 on the Central and state exchequer provided to beneficiary units. Nearly 486 units had closed their manufacturing.
	In 7 years, 438 drug samples fail quality tests in state Ishfaq Tantry/TNS Srinagar, May 5 A report submitted to the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) by the Drugs and Food Control Organisation (DFCO), a state government agency, has revealed that 438 medicines, including inject-able drugs have been found ‘not of standard quality’ (NSQ) after analysis over the past seven years. These samples were lifted randomly by officials of the organisation from government-run hospitals and chemist shops. The SHRC is hearing a complaint by a civil society group, Jammu and Kashmir People’s Forum, filed in the wake of the spurious drugs scam and had asked for a factual report from the authorities concerned. According to definition, spurious and adulterated drugs, grossly sub-standard drugs and drugs with minor defects are categorised as NSQ or “not of standard quality” medicines. The report is, however, silent about the legal action taken by the organisation against the accused. The state is in the midst of a major controversy since it was found that 2.65 lakh tablets of a fake antibiotic medicine Maximizin-625 were supplied to government hospitals in the state. An association of doctors, pharmacists and chemists, which is spearheading protests against the supply of the fake drugs, has called for a shutdown on Monday demanding an independent probe into the case. The DFCO is facing heat in the wake of spurious drugs scam, with critics saying that the organisation had failed to discharge its primary obligation about the timely detection of spurious drugs and analysis of medicines supplied to hospitals and sold in the open market. The latest report, however, suggests that the agency was aware about the sale of spurious drugs in the region but failed to go into action mode. The state has two drug testing labs to carry out testing of 2,000 samples every year. “Keeping in view a wide range of pharmaceutical preparations, consumption levels and fierce competition in the pharma business, the said capacity is inadequate to meet the objectives for which the department has been established,” Satish Gupta, Controller, DFCO has stated in his report to the SHRC. The report reveals that 664 samples were received at the two labs in 2006-07, out of which 40 were declared as NSQ. Out of 1,215 samples received in 2007-08, 38 samples were found sub-standard and in 2008-09, 34 samples of drugs were found to be NSQ out of a total of 1,087 samples received at the two labs. In 2009-10, the documents reveal, 53 drugs out of 1,128 samples were declared as NSQ and in 2010-11, 62 samples out of 1,481 received at the labs were declared as NSQ, the report states. In 2011-12, 2,004 samples were received at the drug testing labs, out of which 125 were found NSQ, and in 2012-13, 86 samples of various drugs were found to be sub-standard as the labs had received 2,343 drug samples for analysis. SHRC seeks answers A report submitted to the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) by the Drugs and Food Control Organisation, a state government agency, has revealed that 438 medicines, including inject-able drugs have been found ‘not of standard quality’ (NSQ) after analysis over the past seven years. These samples were lifted randomly from government hospitals and chemist shops. Spurious and adulterated drugs, grossly sub-standard drugs and drugs with minor defects are categorised as NSQ or “not of standard quality medicines.
	On the frontline Revenge attacks, where would these lead to? ARUN JOSHI The story line of the attack on Pakistani terror convict Sonaullah Ranjay in Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu would have been different had it not come a day after the death of Sarbajit Singh who succumbed to a murderous assault on him in a Pakistani jail. Then it would not have been read as a revenge attack. There would have been different connotations. Whatever be the truth behind this ugly episode that happened in Jammu’s jail, preceded by the killings of Indian prisoners Chamel Singh and Sarbjit Singh in Pakistan, these killings were definitely a retaliation to the hanging of Ajmal Kasab, 26/11 convict, and that of the Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. In a way, Pakistan was trying to provoke India and Indians after having failed in doing so by beheading Indian soldiers on the Line of Control (LoC) few months ago. Pakistan was, and is testing patience of India. Still worse, the killings in Pakistan and attack in Jammu and Kashmir has added to already worsening relations between India and Pakistan. Unfortunately, the two are nuclear powers and both claim Jammu and Kashmir as their own-the whole of it. There are several options on the table - both good and bad. If the unchecked cycle of tit-for tat would go on, it would lead to worst ever consequences than an open war and the proxy war that India has been experiencing through the export of arms and ammunition and terrorism by Pakistan. Such consequences would reverse everything, and the dark bad old days would be there for all. If the things are checked and diplomacy, a decent one, adopted, can change the course for better. But there are no signs of that. Pakistan would have to learn that kind of diplomacy, terrorism as a foreign policy tool has always boomeranged. Ordinary Pakistanis who yearn for peace with India know it better than anyone else. With unprecedented care, these explosive incidents were handled by the Indian side after the attack on Sanaullah, who was also known as “bagpiper” in the jail. The terrorist, who turned bagpiper in Kot Bhalwal jail. Pakistan has to learn a lesson or two for Pakistan. Diplomacy and shrillness don’t go together. But Pakistan cannot be blamed for the kind of games it plays-the land where its own people are scared, where the candidates contesting elections are killed, where the lawyer representing former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is eliminated. These are not good times for both the countries. They should know that the people of Jammu and Kashmir will suffer and it would have adverse affect on its economy, psyche of the people and then there would be paths leading to more danger zones. Those who remember Kargil, know it very well that what can follow. Both India and Pakistan are bleeding their tax payers. Jammu and Kashmir’s leaders- even the bitter rivals who can’t stand each other-have a point, be it Chief Minister Omar Abdullah or the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti-that India-Pakistan on good terms is a guarantee for peace for this state. Indian diplomats and authorities were quick to condemn the attack on Sonaullah, who was serving life term because of his involvement in terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir- that was a diplomatic decency and rule of the law which prevails on this side of the border, jail authorities were suspended and inquiry instituted into the whole episode. Now the greater question is, what about the Indian and Pakistani prisoners who are lodged in jails in both the countries. It is time for diplomacy to step in and save lives. The best way would be to hand them over to their respective countries.
	Durbar Move offices to reopen today M Aamir Khan Tribune News Service Srinagar, May 5 Even as the Durbar Move practice has been frowned upon by many, people, especially stakeholders of the business and tourism sector, are hopeful that the shifting of offices to the summer capital will bring back the administration into action in the Valley which is usually ‘ignored’ in the winter months. The Durbar Move offices are all set to reopen here tomorrow with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah scheduled to take the guard of honour on the civil secretariat premises. “Much attention is not paid to Kashmir during the winter months. With the reopening of the Durbar offices here, a lot of activity related to the traffic management and face-lifting of the city takes place. While the tourism season, too, peaks up with the shifting of the Durbar, we hope many problems related to electricity and water supply are resolved as they affect the common man and also the business and tourism sectors,” said Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Abdul Hamid Punjabi. Faiz Bakshi, president of the Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Owners Federation, said apart from the routine face-lifting, the government should address the issues that had remained unattended during the winter months. “Even though the ministers and bureaucrats shuttle between Jammu and Srinagar during the winter months, the main issues remain unattended. Now that they are back, we will take up our problems, especially those related to power supply, with them. Besides painting of roads and traffic management, the authorities should now concentrate on resolving our core concerns,” Bakshi said. The Durbar offices will reopen amid shutdown tomorrow. The shutdown call has been given by the Medical Employees’ Joint Action Forum to protest against the spurious drug scam in the state. Several groups, including the Kashmir Economic Alliance, an amalgam of various traders’ bodies, and Karwani Islami, a conglomerate of various religious bodies, have extended support to the strike call. Independent MLA from Langate Engineer Rasheed has said he would not allow the Chief Minister and his colleagues to enter the secretariat premises as the government has failed to ‘act fast’ against those involved in the spurious drugs scam. Rasheed also warned of ‘stern consequences’ if he was stopped from leading a peaceful march towards the civil secretariat. The Kashmir unit of the BJP has also decided to take out a protest here tomorrow against the fake drug scam. To avoid any untoward incident, adequate security arrangements have been put in place, especially in and around the civil secretariat premises.
	Minister apprised of drinking water, electricity issues Jammu, May 5 A number of deputations from the Valley today called on Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Sham Lal Sharma and apprised him about the problems confronted by people of their areas. The issues which were brought to the notice of the minister mainly pertained to drinking water, irrigational facilities, road connectivity and electricity. The PHE Minister listened to the deputations and assured them that all their genuine problems would be examined on priority and addressed accordingly. Talking on issues not pertaining to his ministry, Sharma said he would take up these issues with the departments concerned for appropriate disposal. Interacting with the deputations, the minister said the government was committed to providing better services to the people of all three regions of the state. He said the government had formulated a well-knit programme to upgrade the existing infrastructural facilities in a phased manner. “During the past more than four years, massive development has taken place in almost all vital sectors and a visible change can be seen at the ground level. People are acknowledging good governance and improvement at the grass-roots level,” Sharma said, adding that for ensuring good governance and all round development, peace is a pre-requisite. He told the people to maintain peace, tranquillity and give full time to the government to concentrate on development and improving other basic amenities. Some senior Congress leaders also called on the minister today and discussed with him the overall development and other issues in the Valley. They demanded upgrade of the existing water supply schemes to improve the drinking water scenario in their areas. The leaders also impressed upon the minister to formulate new schemes for the uncovered areas to provide potable water to all. They also urged for improvement in irrigational facilities. The leaders who called on the minister included MLC GN Monga, Ahmed Ullah Hamdani, Imtiaz Ahmed Parray, Irshad Ahmed Wani, Mir Muzaffar Ahmed, Manzoor Ahmed and Ali Mohammad. — TNS
	LeT militant held for killing NC sarpanch Tribune News Service Srinagar, May 5 The police has arrested a Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) militant who was allegedly part of the four-member group of the outfit that was involved in conspiring and killing of a ruling National Conference Sarpanch in north Kashmir in September last year. The police said Muzaffar Ahmad Lone of Raipora, Palhalan Baramulla was arrested on Sunday on the basis of information about his movement in Pattan area. “Lone was the only militant of the four- member group of the LeT who was at large after the killing of Sarpanch Ghulam Mohammad Yatoo of Raipora Palhalan,” the police said. Sarpanch Yatoo was shot dead when he was coming out of the mosque by a gunmen fired upon him from a close range on September 10 in his native village. The police officer said the conspiracy to kill Yatoo, was hatched by three militants Shabir Ahmed alias Sheikh, alias Shaka, Muzaffar Lone and Nasir Ahmad Ganie alias Nasir Molvie of Palhallan. The weapon was provided by Shabir to the fourth militant Mohammad Altaf Ganie alias Cheema of Raipora, Palhalan who killed the sarpanch, the police said. Police said while Nasir was arrested five days after the killing of NC sarpanch, Altaf was arrested on December 20. “Shabir who had masterminded the killing was shot dead in an encounter on April 18 in Sopore,” he added. A police spokesman in Srinagar said a pistol, a pistol magazine and three pistol rounds were seized from Lone. Fact file The police has arrested a Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) militant who was allegedly part of the four-member group of the outfit that was involved in conspiring and killing of a ruling NC sarpanch in north Kashmir in September last year Sarpanch Yatoo was shot dead when he was coming out of the mosque by a gunmen fired upon him from a close range on September 10 in his native village
	Kot Bhalwal inmates withdrawn from prison duties Amir Karim Tantray Tribune News Service Jammu, May 5 The state prison department has withdrawn the inmates of Kot Bhalwal jail from prison duties till further orders. The move comes after the attack on a Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Haq recently. The jail authorities are doing a rethink on how to extract work from the prisoners undergoing rigorous imprisonment. A fresh strategy is likely to be worked out over the next few days after the appointment of the jail superintendent. Previous jail superintendent SSP Rajni Sehgal was suspended for dereliction of duty after the attack. “The unfortunate incident of attack on Sanaullah Haq is the rare incident which took place when they (Haq and attacker Vinod Kumar) were working. We have stopped prisoners sentenced to rigorous imprisonment from working for the time being and it will resume after a fresh strategy is formulated,” Muhammad Sultan Lone, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Prisons, said. The main focus will now be to prevent such violent incidents, sources said. “Such an unfortunate incident never happened in past. The communal harmony inside jails in the state is better than anywhere else. Muslim prisoners offer Namaz regularly, Hindus and Sikhs follow their religious traditions normally and inmates have a strong bonding,” Lone claimed. The security issue of prisoners came to fore after the attack on Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh at Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore, Pakistan followed by the attack on a Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Haq at Kot Bhalwal jail here. After the incident, 150 Pakistani prisoners were isolated from others in all 13 jails of the state. At Kot Bhalwal all 22 Pakistani prisoners were also isolated from other inmates.
	Jammu residents face the heat with frequent power cuts Amit Khajuria/TNS Jammu, May 5 Frequent power cuts after the Durbar offices moved to Srinagar have made life miserable for Jammu residents in the soaring temperature. According to the official data, the total requirement of the state is about 1600 MVA and the state is entitled to 800 MVA from the northern grid. The state produces around 500 MVA. In Jammu, the total requirement is around 700 MVA these days and the supply share is around 600 MVA. In the winter, the requirement and the supply remain the same. Residents of Channi, Sainik colony, Purani Mandi, Moti Bazaar, Pacca Danga, Janipur, Roop Nagar, Sarwal colony and many other areas have been facing frequent power cuts for a week now. Bhushan Lal Pandita, a resident of Roop Nagar, said, “There are frequent power cuts in my area and I don’t have an inverter at home. So, we have no option but to bear the sweltering heat.” “Now, we are used to power cuts after the Durbar Move. As soon as the Durbar moved to Srinagar, the Power Development Department (PDD) officials started giving excuses for the scheduled and unscheduled power cuts,” Pandita said. Ambika Mahajan, a resident of Channi Rama, said, “Transformers usually gets overloaded and there are frequent and extended power cuts through the day and night.” Superintending Engineer of the PDD Gurbachan Singh said, “There is nothing like the electricity only comes with the secretariat. The reason for power cuts is the increased power consumption in the summer by 150 MVA per day.”
	Strawberry farmers expect good return Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, May 5 Abdul Ahad Mir, 55, his family and staff are busy plucking Kashmir’s first cash crop- strawberry at Gouso village near here. The cash crop hit the market recently and Mir is expecting to make a good profit this year. “The weather has been perfect so far for this fruit and we expect to make good profit this year,” says Mir. Due to Mir’s efforts, Gouso has earned the name of strawberry village, in Kashmir Valley. More than 300 kanal land in the Valley is under strawberry cultivation. Harvesting of strawberry began recently and growers have started selling season’s first fruit in the local market. The fruit is available in packs and boxes and are also supplied to states in north India, including Delhi. According to the Department of Horticulture, 700 kanal is under strawberry cultivation in Kashmir and more farmers are getting interested in the crop. “The cultivation of strawberry, however, is still in its infancy,” an official of the Horticulture Department said in Srinagar. “Cultivation of strawberry is paying rich dividends and more growers are getting inclined to cultivate the fruit,” he added. The official said Kashmir’s climate is best suited to strawberry cultivation.
	11 candidates from state crack civil services exam Bismah Malik/TNS Srinagar, May 5 Eleven candidates from the state have made it to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) list, the results of which were declared by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Friday. For the first time, two women from the state, Syed Sehrish Agar from Kishtwar and Ruvaida Salam from Kupwara have made it to the list with 23rd and 820th rank, respectively. Sehrish and Ruvaida had earlier qualified the IAS and Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) examinations, respectively, in 2012. While Sehrish cleared the IAS in the second attempt, Ruvaida cleared the examination in the first attempt. Sehrish had earlier secured the 118th rank and was given the Indian Police Service (IPS) cadre. She appeared in the examinations in 2012 again to improve her ranking. A resident of Nawakadal in Srinagar, Adnan Asmi, has also made it to the list. He has secured the 189 rank. Asmi, a pass out of St Stephens College, Delhi, hopes that all youth from downtown locality of Srinagar would be now encouraged to appear in the civil services examination. “For the past many years, the downtown localities of Srinagar have earned a bad name for being notorious. Many people think that boys from downtown can only throw stones. I hope my cracking the exam can help change the minds of these people,” he said. Other candidates who figured in the list included Showkat Ahmad Parray (40th rank), Vikas Kundal (79th rank) Khursheed Ali Qadri (95th rank), Naveed Tramboo (386 rank), Dr Anchit Pandoh (446th rank), Abid sadiq (501 rank), Amanullah Tak (571st rank) and Iftkhar Ahmad Choudhary (902 rank).
	Kashmir fest from May 13 New Delhi, May 5 As a major initiative to promote tourism in Kashmir valley, Union Minister Tourism K Chiranjeevi yesterday announced that ‘Kashmir Festival 2013’ would be held for a fortnight from May 13-29 at different places in Jammu and Kashmir. Chiranjeevi said the Tourism Ministry was providing financial support for the festival. The festival will be held in Srinagar, Pahalgam, Yousmarg, Manasbal, Doodhpathri, Gulmarg, Lolab valley and Sonmarg and would include activities such as shikara races, cycle races, canoing, river rafting, para gliding, painting, swimming competition, horse races etc. The festival will also showcase the culture of Jammu and Kashmir through performances by the cultural troupes of the state. For successful organisation of the festival, the Ministry of Tourism is also coordinating with other ministries, including Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Civil Aviation for outlining the concessional fares / tour package, Ministry of Culture for organising cultural events through different cultural troupes and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for undertaking sports activities such as boat race and other adventure sports like paragliding, horse race etc. The local service providers such as hoteliers, guesthouse owners, including house boats of Kashmir division have already offered discount of 20-30 percent as a special case for the tour packages/tourists during the forthcoming tourist season. — ANI
	Govt mulls pre-paid pony rides at Gulmarg Srinagar, May 5 The state government is setting up a prepaid system for pony rides in the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg, a move that is aimed to stop ponywallas from annoying tourists by following them so as not to create a negative image of the state. “We are devising a prepaid system for pony rides in Gulmarg to stop the ponywallas from chasing tourists, which scares them away,” Director Tourism, Kashmir, Talat Pervez said. He said the department had repeatedly asked the ponywallas not to harass the tourists by chasing them, but to no avail. “By having a prepaid system, we will ensure that tourists are not scared away,” he said.He said the ponywallas have sought 10 to 15 days time, after which the department would strictly enforce the new mechanism. — PTI
	Youth summoned, counselled against presenting distorted news on Facebook Azhar Qadri/TNS Srinagar, May 5 The police today summoned a Srinagar resident for allegedly “maliciously” distorting events on a social networking site. The youth, in his mid-20s, was summoned on Saturday and released hours later after counselling, the police said. The police said the youth was anonymously administering a news page on the social networking site Facebook and was allegedly presenting distorted information about various events. In recent months, the police has stepped up clampdown against the online users who it suspects are administering anonymously operated Facebook pages which provide unverified news updates and provocative analysis of events. Several hundred pages on Facebook have sprouted in recent years which claim to provide news updates about local events and issues.
	Police questions fellow prisoners of Pak inmate Tribune News Service Jammu, May 5 The police today questioned prisoners lodged with Sanaullah Haq and Vinod Kumar in Kot Bhalwal jail here. Haq was allegedly attacked by Kumar on Friday following alleged derogatory remarks by him on the murder of Sarabjit Singh in Pakistan. Haq is in coma and undergoing treatment at the PGI Chandigarh. Vinod Kumar was sent in seven-day police remand. On Sunday, a police party led by Superintendent of Police, Jammu rural, Rajesh Kumar, visited Kot Bhalwal jail and questioned other prisoners lodged with Haq and Kumar. SP Rural said, “We questioned the fellow prisoners of the convict at Kot Bhalwal Jail, It will be premature to say anything now, but it is true that both quarreled over the issue of Sarabjit.”
	Police seize arms, ammunition Srinagar, May 5 The police and the 32 RR seized arms and ammunition at Budden, Dangiwacha in north Kashmir on Saturday. The police said a joint search operation was launched at Budden in Dangiwacha. The police seized an AK 56 rifle, two AK 56 magazines, 120 rounds of AK 47 ammunition, one 9 mm pistol, one 9-mm pistol magazine, one hand grenade and five hand-held radio sets. — TNS