Srinagar, August 26
Jammu and Kashmir Governor S.K. Sinha here today administered oath of office Chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Accountability Commission to Justice R.P. Sethi.

A former judge of the Supreme Court of India, Justice R.P. Sethi, the first Chairperson of the Accountability Commission, three months after his appointment. Principal Secretary to Governor, Dr Arun Kumar read the warrant of appointment issued by the Governor appointing Justice R.P. Sethi, as Chairman of the Accountability Commission, first of its kind in the state to probe charges of corruption against public representatives, ministers including the Chief Minister. He will have the status of Chief Justice of the state high court. This is for the first time that such a Commission has been set up in the State on the initiative of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, Chief Justice, S.N. Jha, several judges of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, several ministers, opposition National Conference legislature party leader, Abdul Rahim Rather and Director General of Police, Gopal Sharma were present on the occasion.

The Commission had been set up by the coalition government led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed within months after taking over three years ago, and a Bill to this effect was passed by the State legislature in the Budget session in 2003. The appointment of Justice Sethi was made on May 15 this year following which the orders were issued on June 2. Later talking to reporters Justice Sethi hoped to check rampant corruption in the state, which is also in the country.

He said the Commission would be like courts having the power of contempt. He said its spectrum involved all public representatives inclusive of the Chief minister, ministers and other officers of the administration right down to the level of a peon. “I feel that corruption will be checked, if not totally eradicated” he said to a question. He appealed to people not to send anonymous letters on corruption at the lower level and added that it was rampant at the higher level.

Minister for Finance and Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Muzaffar Hussain Beigh said that there had been delay in the appointment of the chairman due to many reasons. The preference of non-state subjects made it more difficult as no former justice of the Supreme Court of India was ready to take up the assignment. He said that Justice R P Sethi, a former Justice of the Supreme Court, being a state subject, had agreed to take up the assignment. He added that the government so far had not prepared cases for probe by the Commission.

Reacting to the appointment, Mr Abdul Rahim Rather of the National Conference and leader of the opposition in the State Assembly, said that though the appointment was delayed, it was a good step. He hoped rampant corruption was effectively checked.

Jammu, August 26
The Government of India’s interlocutor on Kashmir, Mr N.N. Vohra, was apprised of the problems being faced by refugees from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (Pok) settled in the Jammu region.

The plight of these refugees was brought to the notice of Mr Vohra, during his recent two-day tour of Jammu, by Mr S.S. Wazir, a former president, state Gurdwara Parbandhak Board.

At an emergency meeting of leaders of various Sikh organisations here today, Mr Vohra was lauded for his “patient” hearing given to Mr Wazir when the latter explained to him (Vohra) the plight of the refugees from PoK owing to “total neglect of their difficulties and problems by the successive state and Central governments.”

At the meeting presided over by Mr Mohinder Singh, chief organiser Bhai Kanahiya Nishkam Seva Society, Sikh leaders hoped that Mr Vohra would prevail upon the Centre to solve the problems of the PoK refugees.

Mr Mohinder Singh said Mr Wazir had informed Mr Vohra that the PoK refugees were neither paid any compensation for the immovable property left in occupied Kashmir at the time of migration nor were they provided financial support for constructing houses.

Mr Wazir had also apprised Mr Vohra of the problems being faced by the refugees in the bastis where they had been living since 1947.These bastis had no developed roads, drinking water facilities and proper medicare in the absence of hospitals and schools. 

Srinagar, August 26
Seven persons, including a revenue official, his son and a numbardar, were killed and 12 injured while the security forces arrested two militants and seized a large cache of arms and ammunition in Jammu and Kashmir over night, official spokesman said today.

A group of five militants took away 64 sheep at Nagmandi Behak in the Kokernag area of South Kashmir.

He said militants hurled two hand grenades towards a security force vehicle at Lalbab Saheb on the Sopore-Bandipora road this afternoon. However, the grenades missed the intended target and exploded on the roadside, causing injuries to eight pedestrians.

A security force vehicle and a truck were damaged in the blast, he said.

Militants also threw a hand grenade towards a security force patrol party at the crowded Sopore bus stand, causing injuries to four persons, including two security jawans.

The injured had been admitted to different hospitals, he said. He said militants entered the house of patwari Nissar Hussain at Darhal and resorted to indiscriminate firing on the inmates. The house owner and his son Sha Mohammad died on the spot while his another son Mohammad Amin was critically wounded. He was later shifted to the GMC hospital, Jammu, he said.

In another incident last night, militants kidnapped Roshan Lal, Mohammad Abbas and Irshad Hussain from Kesar Dhar in Doda district of Jammu region. While Roshan Lal was killed by slitting his threat, the other two were let off.

He said militants shot at and wounded a numbardar, Ghulam Nabi Wani, at Mochoa in Badgam district last night. He was rushed to hospital where he was declared brought dead.

The security forces cordoned off Keller village in Pulwama district after receiving information that some militants were hiding there.

However, when the security forces were about to storm a particular house, they came under a heavy fire from militants, who also hurled hand grenades.

The fire was returned and in the fierce encounter, two militants of Tehree-ul-Mujahideen were killed. One AK rifle, seven magazines, two wireless sets and four grenades were recovered from the slain militants.

Unidentified gunmen shot dead Ghulam Mohiuddin Mir at Sumbal last night. Mir was working with the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI).

Militants attacked the house of a Congress leader, Habibullah Bhat, at Mandolpora Lolab in North Kashmir last night. However, no one was injured.

The spokesman said the security forces recovered one grenade thrower with a grenade, two UBGL shells, two IED fuses, one wireless set and one packet of gun powder from an under-construction school building at Bemina.

The police and security forces, in a joint operation, recovered two ak rifle, 15 grenades, 382 rounds of ammunition, 14 UBGL rounds, 12 detonators, five IEDs, three metres of cordex wire and one kg of RDX in the Bagla forest. However, no one was arrested, he said.

The security forces arrested two militants, Yasir Hayat Ahangar and Mohammad Rafiq Shah, at Rainawari last night. —UNI

Jammu, August 26
To ensure better survival of animals in their natural habitat, the state Wildlife Department has submitted a proposal to the design committee of the Central Zoo Authority to create two open zoos at Pahalgam and Jammu.

This is one of the most ambitious projects prepared by the department for flagship species found above 10,000 ft.

Encouraged by the response the department has received in favour of the project, the state government has started preparations in advance. Sources said the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, was expected to inaugurate the open zoo during next month at Pahalgam.

Under the project, the main thrust will be on protection of animals living above 10,000 ft so that they can breed in their natural habitat, the Chief Wildlife Warden, Dr C.M. Seth, said here today.

Dr Seth said these two open zoos would provide a natural habitat to the rich bio-diversity of the state, besides allowing the animals to breed in their natural environment, providing them privacy and enough space for segregation of male and female species of animals.

Dr Seth said in the beginning, they intended to cover approximately 200 acres in Pahalgam and 70 acres in Jammu. The open zoo area would be extended in the coming years, if need be.

The project was estimated to cost around Rs 500 crore over a period of 20 years, he added.

In the beginning, species of hangul, musketeer, mountain goat, markhor, serow, leopard and bear would be part of the natural habitat, Dr Seth added.