J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

J&K licenses killing of endangered species
JAMMU, April 16 — An endangered Tibetan antelope and Himalayan thar for Rs 100 while black bear and wild pigs for Rs 50 only - that is the worth of these near-extinct species for the state Wildlife Department which freely allows hunting of these animals as a royal sport for a fee.

Rights panel gasps for breath
JAMMU, April 16 — Faced with a financial crisis and lack of support from the state government, the Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission is struggling survival, according to the annual report of the commission for 1998-99.

29 ministers owe Rs 1.27 cr to J&K Govt
JAMMU, April 16 — Twentynine Jammu and Kashmir ministers owe an amount of Rs 1.27 crore to the state government on account of unpaid telephone bills for the past three years, according to official data compiled by the state government.

Problems of Pannun Kashmiris highlighted
CHANDIGARH, April 16 — Socio-cultural problems of the Pannun Kashmir community were highlighted at the day-long zonal youth convention of the community held here today. Mr Satya Pal jain, a former local MP, presided over the convention. Swami Keshwanand of Brahmrishi Mission Ashram was the chief guest.

4 pilgrims killed, 20 injured in road mishap
JAMMU, April 16 — At least four Vaishno Devi pilgrims were killed and 20 injured, some of them critically, when a mini-truck in which they were travelling collided with a milk van at Kathua on the Jammu-Pathankot national highway early today.

Farooq: don’t lower guard against Pak
JAMMU, April 16 — The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Farooq Abdullah, has said that efforts to warm up Indo-Pak ties should not lead to "our country lowering the guard."

J & K licenses killing of endangered species

JAMMU, April 16 (PTI) — An endangered Tibetan antelope and Himalayan thar for Rs 100 while black bear and wild pigs for Rs 50 only - that is the worth of these near-extinct species for the state Wildlife Department which freely allows hunting of these animals as a royal sport for a fee.

Though hunting of endangered species is banned in most parts of the country, the Wildlife Act of Jammu and Kashmir ‘licenses’ killing of five types of Scheduled listed animals, killing of which is totally banned by central and international wildlife Acts.

"You can kill and take away a Tibetan antelope, ibex or a Himalayan thar by just paying Rs 100 and a licence fee," Wildlife Department’s official records say.

The state Wildlife Act, 1978, in fact provides rules for issuing various kinds of hunting licences to people by the Wildlife Warden and even trophies are given to the best shooters under the royal game.

However, under growing pressure from various groups, the state government in December 1996, set up a sub-committee to review the Act.

Till date, neither any recommendations have come from the sub-committee nor any amendments made to the Act for protecting the endangered species of birds and animals.

The result - hunting goes on unchecked. The authorities have even neatly classified it — bird hunting falling under "small game"; hunting of animals "big game" and killing of endangered animals as "special game."

Under this "special game" which includes hunting of Tibetan antelope, ibex, Tibetan wolf and gazesse of Ladakh, a hunting licence can be obtained from the state Wildlife Department by Indian citizens for a fee of Rs 500 for full season and Rs 300 for 60 days.

However, foreigners who want to hunt have to pay a licence fee of Rs 1500 for a whole season and Rs 1000 for 60 days.

The amount collected thus goes to the state exchequer as royalty for indulging in the killing of these animals and birds under "royal sports", the official documents reveal.

Similarly, those in the shahtoosh shawl trade can continue to do so by paying Rs 25,000 to the state exchequer even though the trade is banned all over the world. The main source of these shawls is antelope, killing of which is not banned in the state.

The Tibetan antelope and other endangered species though protected under the Schedule-I of the Central Wildlife Act, have been declared ‘unprotected’ under Schedule-II of the Jammu and Kashmir Wildlife Act.

To popularise the "sport", dozens of sign boards at several places in the state indicate the seasons of hunting various birds and animals, besides the cost of killing each one of them.

After all, hunting is a mere "sport" here, and would remain so unless drastic steps are taken to save these endangered species.

Rights panel gasps for breath

JAMMU, April 16 (UNI) — Faced with a financial crisis and lack of support from the state government, the Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission is struggling survival, according to the annual report of the commission for 1998-99.

The commission, set up in 1997 to protect human rights of the people of the insurgency affected state, has been facing financial crisis and lacked sufficient infrastructure for proper functioning, revealed the report placed before the Legislative Assembly last week. Moreover, the government was not even cooperating in implementing its recommendations, it added.

The commission, headed by Mr Justice G.A. Kuchhai, has four members while one post is lying vacant. Due to paucity of funds and lack of adequate help from the government, the commission has not been able to carry out statutory functions laid down under Section 13 of the Human Rights Protection Act, 1993.

Elaborating the problems being faced by the commission, the second report of the commission said that its present headquarters at Dawn hotel in Srinagar did not have sufficient rooms to meet requirements of the staff.

Besides, in view of the increasing number of complaints from Jammu Division the commission had approached the government for opening its office at Jammu for hearing complaints from far-flung areas of Doda, Udhampur, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts. However, the government response to the proposal was still awaited resulting in piling up of the complaints from Jammu Division, the report stated.

Due to paucity of funds the commission was unable to undertake and promote research in the field of human rights. Neither could it spread human rights literacy among various sections of society through publications, the media, seminars and other available means. It could not even encourage the efforts of non-governmental organisations and institutions working in the field of human rights due to the limited funds provided by the government, the report stated.

The commission was also facing acute shortage of manpower as many sanctioned posts were still lying vacant even more than two years after its creation. The proposal for the creation of additional posts was still pending with the government.

The commission has yet to build up a library for increasing human rights awareness among people. The government has already been requested to sanction money for this but nothing concrete has come out yet.

According to the report, only two cars have been provided to the commission and lack of transport facility has resulted in the immobility to make on the spot investigation of cases of human rights violations. Only one telephone was made available to the commission and no funds have been available for electricity due to which it faced acute difficulty during winter months.

29 ministers owe Rs 1.27 cr to J&K Govt

JAMMU, April 16 (PTI) — Twentynine Jammu and Kashmir ministers owe an amount of Rs 1.27 crore to the state government on account of unpaid telephone bills for the past three years, according to official data compiled by the state government.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, P.L. Handoo tops the list with Rs 13.12 lakh of telephone bills followed by the Education Minister with Rs 12.88 lakh, Housing and Urban Development Minister with Rs 11.80 lakh, Finance Minister with Rs 10.65 lakh and Information Minister with Rs 10.84 lakh.

Recoveries from other ministers include Rs 9.37 lakh (Works Minister) followed by Rs 8.60 lakh (Agriculture Minister), Rs 7.85 lakh (Health and Medical Education Minister), Rs 7.25 lakh (Forest Minister), Rs 6.84 lakh (Revenue Minister), Rs 6.42 lakh (Tourism and Sports Minister), Rs 3.32 lakh (Industries Minister) and Rs 1.96 lakh (Social Welfare Minister).

As per government orders, a minister can spend a maximum of Rs 60,000 per annum (Rs 5,000 per month) on his residential telephone.

In case the bill exceeds the prescribed amount, the minister will be liable to pay the amount himself/ herself," the order issued by the Principal Secretary, Finance Department, Mr Ajit Kumar said.

Problems of Pannun Kashmiris highlighted
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 16 — Socio-cultural problems of the Pannun Kashmir community were highlighted at the day-long zonal youth convention of the community held here today. Mr Satya Pal jain, a former local MP, presided over the convention. Swami Keshwanand of Brahmrishi Mission Ashram was the chief guest.

Mr Kuldeep Koul, who presented the agenda paper, made an appeal to the youth to come forward to protect, preserve and promote the community’s cultural traditions. He warned against ethnic dilution of the community and suggested various options for the community.

Swami Keshwanand asked the youth to take steps to unite the rank and file of the community and organise more such programmes in future to inculcate community feeling in various sections of society.

Sqn Ldr B.L. Sahu (retd), in his welcome address, emphasised the need for youth to bring in a change in their outlook and come forth willingly to accept the challenges ahead.

Mr Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo, President, Pannun Kashmir Movement, in his concluding remarks said that Kashmiri Pandits after a decade of their exile from the Valley have to face a plethora of challenges to survive. He stressed the need for vision, which would lead the community to address all its challenges simultaneously.

4 pilgrims killed, 20 injured in road mishap

JAMMU, April 16 (UNI) — At least four Vaishno Devi pilgrims were killed and 20 injured, some of them critically, when a mini-truck in which they were travelling collided with a milk van at Kathua on the Jammu-Pathankot national highway early today.

The police told UNI that the vehicle was carrying Vaishno Devi pilgrims who were returning to Punjab when the mishap was occurred.

At least four pilgrims were killed on the spot while 20 injured, sources said and added the injured persons had been rushed to the Kathua sub-district hospital where the condition of three of them was said to be very critical. Those seriously injured had been shifted to the government medical college here.

Farooq: don’t lower guard against Pak

JAMMU, April 16 (UNI) — The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Farooq Abdullah, has said that efforts to warm up Indo-Pak ties should not lead to "our country lowering the guard."

"One does not know what Army rules in Pakistan are up to. But, we will continue to work for friendship with them despite their repeated blows in this effort... like the Kargil incursion," Dr Abdullah said at a buyers and sellers meet inaugurated by the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, here last evening.

Advising Pakistan to reciprocate the initiatives of India for friendship, Dr Abdullah said that it had now fully dawned on Islamabad that Kashmir cannot be annexed from India. "No one can change the existing borders," he said.

Dr Abdullah said friendship with Pakistan would have an encouraging impact on trade and commerce between the two countries.

The Chief Minister made a strong case for Central help to make the state’s industrial base strong and self-reliant. "The Centre must give us (state) the necessary help to enable the industry to stand on its own legs. We have the necessary expertise and talent," he pointed out.