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NC MLAs
stage walkout over power tariff hike Top Hizb
militant shot; abducted official killed Two
brothers allege torture by police |
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VIP homes, little on govt flats Jammu, December 17 Though the Estate Department has spent Rs 5 crore on maintenance and renovation of government flats, bungalows and quarters during the past one year, scores of flats and quarters occupied by non-influential persons continue to be in a dilapidated condition.
Bill on
Wakf Board passed amid protests
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NC MLAs stage walkout
over power tariff hike Jammu, December 17 The walk-out was staged immediately after the Bill seeking to amend the Act was passed by voice vote. Intervening in the discussion, Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed, clarified that there was no intention of diluting the Constitution or the laws pertaining to permanent residents of the state. He said that the opposition should not try to create misunderstandings on the issue as the step had been taken to raise funds for various projects, including the 900 mws Baglihar hydroelectric project which was a flagship project of the state government. The Mufti said that the project cost had already escalated due to the delay caused due to the dispute on the project in relation to the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan. A sum of Rs 175 crore was diverted from the Budget last year towards the project and now a financial closure has been worked out with various financial institutions for generating funds for the project. The amendment in law was being done only to enable mortgaging of lands in favour of such institutions which provided funds for the project. Mr Ali Mohammad Sagar (NC) said that the amendment would erode the special status of J&K and accused the Mufti government of pursuing an agenda for the entry of non-state subjects here. Mr Ajay Sadhotra (NC) described it as a “conspiracy” to the special status of the state and alleged that what the BJP could not do was now being done by the coalition government. This would create mistrust among the people, he added. Mr Abdul Rahim Rather (NC) regretted that the state government did not file an appeal against the recent order of the high court in a case pertaining to the state subject certificates. The chain of events clearly indicates that there was systematic attempt to dilute the Constitution of the state, he claimed. Mr Yogesh Sawhney (Cong) accused the NC of trying to politicise the issue. Mr Muzaffar Hussain Beig, Finance Minister, who had introduced the Bill, said that the NC was trying to twist the facts not yet reconciled to losing power. Walk-out on power tariff hike Earlier in the morning, six members of the NC and Mr Jugal Kishore (BJP) staged a walk out on the issue of unprecedented hike in the power tariff and power cuts. They said that immediately after coming to power, the coalition government headed by the Mufti had reduced the power cuts to four and a half hours daily, but they have restored to the previous position of electricity curtailment of about nine hours. They criticised the government for not taking the House into confidence before increasing the tariff. Mr Rather (NC) said that although the government was claiming that there was no hike in the per unit rate of Rs 1.30, but the electric load agreements of the consumers had been revised four times of the existing load. He said that instead of tackling the corruption rampant in the power department, the government decided to increase the revenue by hiking the tariff. Corruption was the root cause of leakage of electricity. The transmission and distribution losses in the state were as high as 60 per cent, but no steps had been taken to plug this. He said that the load agreements had been revised arbitrarily by the officials of the Power Department without personally visiting the premises of the consumers or even consulting them. Dr Mehboob Beg (NC) said that the ruling PDP was trying to gain popularity by raising ‘hollow’ slogans like the one of reduced power cuts which it has failed to fulfil. Power Minister, Mohammad Sharif Niaz, listed various steps that are being taken to improve the power supply in the state. He said that efforts were being made to increase generation from the Upper Sindh hydel project. He denied that the government had increased the power tariff. |
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Top Hizb militant shot; abducted official killed Srinagar, December 17 Manzoor Ahmad Shah, alias Moulvi, a resident of Bob Mohalla locality of Bijbehara, was killed when he refused to surrender and instead opened fire on the security forces at Mattan late last night, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Anantnag and Pulwama districts) Ravinder Kotwal told PTI. He said the security forces had laid an ambush in the area following specific information about movement of militants. Describing Shah’s killing as a major breakthrough, Mr Kotwal said Moulvi was involved in a number of militancy-related incidents during the past eight years. An AK assault rifle, two magazines and some ammunition were seized from the deceased militant, he added. Meanwhile, the police burst teargas shells and used batons to disperse hundred people who took to the streets in Shah’s home town of Bijbehara, alleged that the Hizbul Mujahideen militant was killed in a fake encounter. Chanting slogans
against the security forces, the protestors marched towards Bijbehara town carrying the body of the deceased militant and staged a dharna on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the sources said. They said the police acted swiftly and used batons to disperse them. As the cane charge proved ineffective, the police burst teargas shells to chase them away to clear the highway. However, no one was injured in the police action, the sources added. Jammu: Militants today struck at a mountainous village in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir and abducted four civilians, including a government official, who was later shot dead, official sources said. However, one of the civilians later escaped from the clutches of the militants, they said. A group of militants wearing police uniform swooped over Gagarsola village in Gul Tehsil of Udhampur district early this morning, the sources said adding they barged into four houses and abducted Mustaq Ahmed, a treasurer with the state government, Mohammad Yasin, Zahir Ahmed and Haffezullah. The militants took the abducted persons to the upper areas of Udhampur forest and later shot dead Mustaq, whose body was recovered by the police around 12.30 pm today. Another abducted civilian Haffezullah gave a slip to the militants and managed to escape, the sources said adding he reported the matter to the local BSF camp. A major combing operation was started in the area to rescue the other two persons and track down the militants responsible for the killing of the government employee.
— PTI |
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Two brothers allege torture by police Sangrur, December 17 On the other hand, Mr Harinder Singh, SHO, Sadar Police Station, Sunam, said this evening that they (youths) were involved in “Darra Satta” business, and the police had registered a case against one of them in connection with “Darra Satta”. Now they (youths) to save their skin were pressurising the police not to take any action against the accused. He also denied that the youths were tortured or beaten up. In an affidavit, Mr Gobinder Singh (24), son of Mr Baldev Singh, has alleged that he was working as a daily wage earner with a resident of Chhajli village about two months ago, who involved him in “Darra Satta” for himself. Later, he (Gobinder) left the job of Chhajli resident, considering “Darra Satta” as illegal work. He claimed that despite this, the Sunam police on December 13 took away his brother Gursev Singh from the village and tortured him at night. He further alleged that on the intervention of persons of the village, his brother Gursev Singh had been allowed to go home on the condition that he (Gobinder Singh) would be produced at the Sunam police station on December 15. Mr Gobinder Singh further stated that some respectables produced him at the Sunam police station on December 15. After that, two police officials “tortured” and beat him up ‘mercilessly’ and also registered a “false” case, relating to “Darra Satta”, against him, he alleged. Mr Gobinder Singh further alleged that due to torture his condition worsened. Some persons again visited the police station and got him released from the police station. He also claimed that he was unable to walk. So the persons got him admitted to the Sunam Civil Hospital. Mr Gursev Singh, in his affidavit, has alleged that the Sunam police took him away on December 13 from the village to the Sunam police station where he had been mercilessly “beaten up” and “tortured” and kept in “illegal custody” for 24 hours. On the intervention of some respectables, he had also been allowed to leave the police station on the condition that his brother Gobinder Singh would be produced at the police station on December 15. He also alleged that the Sunam police officials also threatened him with dire consequences, if he initiated any legal action against them. He said he had been admitted to the Sunam Civil Hospital on December 15 as he had been facing some health problems due to police torture. Both brothers have demanded justice and action against the alleged ‘erring’ police officials for alleged inhuman treatment to them. |
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Crores on VIP homes, little on govt flats Jammu, December 17 A major portion of the amount has been spent on renovation and expansion of houses allotted to ministers and senior bureaucrats. The minister in charge of estates told the state Assembly that out of over Rs 484.89 lakh, more than Rs 2,.15 crore had been spent on renovation of not more than 50 ministerial bungalows and those occupied by senior bureaucrats. Against this, about Rs 12.70 crore had been spent on minor repairs of over 200 flats and quarters in Jammu and Srinagar. A large number of dwellers in the government quarters and flats who do not have a clout in the Estates Department continue to live in houses where even basic facilities are missing. As part of its pick and choose strategy, a number of government officials and legislators living in quarters have managed to increase the room capacity from two to four. Some influential persons have prevailed upon the Estates Department to add three rooms to the two-room quarters. For the past one year, there has been a row between the Estates Department and the PWD over the ownership of drains and roads. As a result, many quarters get inundated in rainwater. Since the Estates Department has a limited force of safai karamcharis, drains flowing inside the premises of the quarters remain ignored. These drains stink. The municipal safai karamcharis refuse to clean the premises even on payment on the plea that the area belongs to the Estates Department. In many quarters in Jammu, tap water flows into the plinth and roofs leak whenever it rains. A series of complaints with the Estates Department remain unattended on the plea: “We do not have funds.” |
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J&K students witness Retreat ceremony Wagah, December 17 Talking to newspersons, the students said this was their first trip outside their state. They felt it was a great experience to see new cities. Members of the group said they enjoyed the Retreat ceremony and were thrilled to see a large number of people on both sides of the border who had come to watch
it. Izaz, a student from Anantnag, who lost his father to militants’ bullets in 1999, said his family was living under the shadow of fear and had never ventured outside their village. He said it was a great experience to visit important cities and interact with children from different areas. He said it was a unique opportunity to familiarise oneself with the country’s rich heritage and culture. The DIG of the BSF, Mr
G.S. Sandhu, who had brought the group of students, said they enjoyed their visits to the Taj Mahal, New Delhi, Jaipur and Ajmer. The group also enjoyed their first-ever ride on the Metro rail. The group today visited the Golden Temple and other important places. He said the BSF had undertaken the tour to show the country to the students. The BSF had conducted various people-friendly programmes in the villages of the states during the past three years. The DIG said people were very enthusiastic about the programmes, which included conducting medical camps, adopting schools and providing them facilities. |
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Bill on Wakf Board passed
amid protests Jammu, December 17 The NC members alleged that the coalition government headed by Mufti Mohommad Sayeed was trying to wipe out the name of the Abdullah dynasty and the National Conference by such actions. There were heated exchanges between NC members and the Treasury benches during the debate on the Bill. The state government had recently taken over the Wakf Board, which was headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah, and appointed an IAS officer to head it. Mr Iftikhar Hussain Anasari and Mr Ali Mohammad Sagar (NC) described the action of the government as against Islam. The Finance and Law Minister, Mr Muzaffar Hussain Baig, while replying to the debate, alleged that the funds of the trust were misused by certain persons. He alleged that certain relatives of the Abdullahs were given trust land and benefits were provided to NC activists from earnings from Wakf properties. |
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