J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

‘Maintain records’ of sexual harassment cases
Jammu, April 20
The National Commission for Women has asked all state governments and the Union Territories to initiate measures for strict compliance of the guidelines laid down by the Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India, to prevent sexual harassment of women at work place.

JeM threatens to target forces outside J&K
Srinagar, April 20
Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad militant outfit has threatened to target security forces outside Jammu and Kashmir too and intensify and expand its area of operations.

Power connections to be regularised
Jammu, April 20
To check the misuse of electricity, the state government had decided to regularise all illegal connections and instal state-of-the-art meters.

J&K steps to boost fruit production
Jammu, April 20
The state government procured the best germ plasm and imported plant material of improved varieties of apple, cherry, peach, walnut, olive and almond under the Indo-Italian, Indo-Bulgarian and Indo-Dutch projects. 

‘Maintain records’ of sexual harassment cases
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 20
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked all state governments and the Union Territories to initiate measures for strict compliance of the guidelines laid down by the Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India, to prevent sexual harassment of women at work place. These guidelines have been issued in compliance with the directions of the Supreme Court in the case of Vishaka and others vs State of Rajasthan and others.

As a follow up action the Jammu and Kashmir Government has issued a circular ordering all heads of departments to maintain a record of sexual harassment cases of women, if any, and furnish quarterly report to the State Commission for Women (SCW).

According to the circular, in pursuance of the Rule (3B) of Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees (Conduct) Rules 1971, no government servant shall indulge in any act of sexual harassment of any woman at her work place. Every government servant who is in charge of a work place shall take appropriate steps to prevent harassment of women at such work place.

The circular states that “sexual harassment” includes physical contact and advances, demand or request for sexual favours, sexually coloured remarks, showing any pornography or any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature.

As per the guidelines of the Supreme Court the employer shall initiate appropriate action in accordance with law where such conduct amounts to a specific offence under the Indian Penal Code or any other law.

The employer, in particular, should ensure that the victims, or witnesses are not victimised or discriminated against while dealing with complaints of sexual harassment. The victims of sexual harassment should also have the options to seek transfer of the perpetrator or of their own.

Where such conduct amounts to misconduct in employment as defined by the relevant service rules, appropriate disciplinary action should be initiated by the employer in accordance with those rules. Whether or not such conduct constitutes an offence under law or a breach of the service rules, an appropriate mechanism should be created in the employer’s organisation to redress the complaints made by the victim. Such complaint mechanism should ensure time-bound treatment of complaints.

JeM threatens to target forces outside J&K

Srinagar, April 20
Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militant outfit has threatened to target security forces outside Jammu and Kashmir too and intensify and expand its area of operations.

About the Hurriyat Conference’s decision that the general council would meet and decide on how to respond to New Delhi’s offer for the dialogue, JeM chief in Kashmir said the Hurriyat was a platform of “pro-freedom” groups and whatever decision it took. PTI

Power connections to be regularised
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 20
To check the misuse of electricity, the state government had decided to regularise all illegal connections and instal state-of-the-art meters.

According to the Power Minister, Mr S.S. Slathia, out of 16 lakh houses getting electricity only 8.7 lakh had regular connections. He said 70 per cent of the power was being misused.

During a drive against power theft 75,000 illegal connections had been regularised. He said stringent action would be taken against defaulters.

The minister said power tarrif arrears would also be realised. In 2000-2001, Rs 184 crore had been recovered against target of Rs 152 crore. However, no policy had yet been framed for the realisation of arrears in Kashmir. Official figures reveal that in Jammu, the arrears have been cleared to the extent of 80 per cent whereas in Kashmir, it is less than 20 per cent.

The government has also decided to hike the tarrif for air-conditioners.

Power engineers have been asked to continue with power cuts despite an increase in power generation following a rise in the water level of the Jehlum and the Chenab.

The Uri project, which has an installed capacity of 400 MW, and the lower Jehlum Hydel project 105 MW have started generating 70 per cent of the installed capacity. But there has been no reduction in load-shedding in the state.

J&K steps to boost fruit production
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 20
The state government procured the best germ plasm and imported plant material of improved varieties of apple, cherry, peach, walnut, olive and almond under the Indo-Italian, Indo-Bulgarian and Indo-Dutch projects. About 72,000 high-yielding varieties of apple and over 3,000 walnut plants were distributed among farmers last year.

The Department of Horticulture has developed a new technology for producing early maturing high-yielding varieties of apple, cherry and walnuts. This technology has resulted in increasing the average per hectare yield to 5.08 metric tonnes in 2000 against 4.54 metric tonnes in 1998-99.

The government is keen to improve the quality of fruit produced in Jammu and Kashmir so that the product could compete with the items from other countries in the new free trade policy and open market system.

Besides stress on the high-yielding and early maturing varieties the government has laid emphasis on increasing the acreage under fruit cultivation. During 1999-2000 over 2.17 lakh hectares were brought under fruit cultivation against 2.12 lakh hectares in 1998-99. Out of this over 86000 hectares were brought under apple cultivation, 9,000 hectares under pear, over 2000 hectares under cherry. Since walnut has proved an important source for foreign exchange earner more than 59,000 hectares were brought under its cultivation and over 18,000 hectares under almond.

Despite militancy-related violence, the state achieved a record fruit production of over 11 lakh metric tonnes in 1999-2000 against over 9.71 lakh metric tonnes a year before. Apple production remained on the top with over 9.29 lakh metric tonnes, followed by walnut, 75,000 tonnes and pear, over 29000 metric tonnes.

Efforts are afoot to export Kashmiri fruit to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and West Asia. A high-level delegation of state officials and experts toured these countries and found rich market for the Kashmiri fruit provided the stuff reached the markets in time.

The government has introduced subsidies on plant procurement, their rearing, on fertilisers and tools and on establishment of polygreen houses for the promotion of horticulture. Various schemes have been launched to increase cultivation of olive, pecan nuts, mangoes, litchi and citrus in dry and hilly areas of the state.