Jammu, December 13
With the assembly elections less than a year away, the debate about the delimitation of the assembly segments has already begun in the state. Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has been maintaining that the state constitution will need to be amended for any such process.

However, the opposition Bhartiya Janata Party is not prepared to buy the argument. It maintained that there was no such need as the delimitation of assembly segments was a mandatory requirement after every census.

The state president of the Samajwadi Party, Sheikh Abdul Rehman has also filed public interest litigation (PIL) in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court seeking directions to the state government for the constitution of the Delimitation Commission in the state. The high court has already issued notices to the state government to file within four weeks its reply.

There appears to be some confusion on the issue. According to the chief minister, the constitutional amendment has been necessitated because the previous National Conference government had brought an amendment, J&K (29th amendment) Act of 2002, where in it had legislated that no delimitation was required till 2026. Azad pointed out, even at the national level there is a moratorium on increasing the number of seats in the parliament and state legislatures till 2026. But there is no such provision for redrawing the boundaries of the assembly segments. Because the number will remain the same and only the contours of the segments could change. In J&K however, increasing the number of seats seemed to have been confused with the delimitation. That is why amendment to the constitution has barred even the delimitation. This, according to Azad, will now require two third majority, which his government does not have at the time. For this the government will need the support of the opposition.

However, state BJP president Ashok Khajuria claimed that there was no need to amend the state constitution for constituting a delimitation commission as it was mandatory after every census.

He observed that constitution of a delimitation commission after every census is a constitutional requirement. He pointed out, the delimitation of segments never meant increasing or decreasing the number of the seats.

Jammu and Kashmir is the only state in the country which has its own constitution by virtue of the Article 370 of the Indian constitution.

Any law passed in the parliament, if to be implemented in the state, has to be endorsed by the state legislature. It is during this process that the delimitation was confused with change in the number of seats.

The PIL, has sought to quash Proviso II- to sub-section 3 of section 47 of the constitution of J&K inserted by virtue of constitution of J&K (29th amendment) Act of 2002. This Act provides therein that it shall not be necessary to raise the total number of seats in the state legislative assembly till 2026.

The PIL submitted that the Proviso-II had indirectly deferred the constitution of the Delimitation Commission for re-adjustment of seats in the state legislative assembly for around three decades, which amounts to violation of the fundamental rights of people of the state.

Moreover, the petitioner submitted, creation of eight new districts in the state had created a peculiar situation as some parts of one assembly constituency were falling under the jurisdiction of two districts, which is quite contrary to the established practices and totally against the interests of the public particularly with regard to development activities.

Jammu, December 13
Youth wing of the All India Kashmiri Samaj (YWAIKS) has demanded that the Central and state governments should provide relief benefits to the bifurcated ration card holders.

After the migration of Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir 17 years ago, the government placed the migrated families into two categories, and relief benefits were given accordingly. The family with its head in a government service was not given relief benefits whereas relief benefits were given to non-serving family heads.

Now after 17 years of exile various families got divided, as the sons got married and settled their own families, but the government has denied the relief benefits to such bifurcated families even if no member of the new family is in government service, said YWAIKS chief R.K Bhat.

The YWAIKS had started an indefinite chain hunger strike outside the office of the relief commissioner Jammu. “We will die for our genuine demands and now we have decided to come on streets against the discrimination,” Bhat said adding, “17 years ago we became victims of terrorism and now our own government is victimising us, we demand release of relief benefits to those unemployed Kashmiri Pandit youths whose cards have already been bifurcated without relief benefits to save the families from starving.”

If the bifurcated families of those migrants, who themselves were getting relief benefits can get such benefits then why 600 of us whose parents belonged to non relief category despite being unemployed have been denied of the relief benefits, said YWAIKS president Kuldeep Pandita.

He also blamed taht despite repeated assurances by the state government no steps have been taken to accommodate those 600 Bifurcated families into the relief benefit category of migrants.

When contacted, Relief Commissioner Jammu Vinod Koul, “This was the policy of the central government not to include the bifurcated families of non-relief benefit families into the category of families who get relief benefits, what we could do was to provide registration to such families and we did that.”

“We have taken up the issue with the Central government and we are hopeful that they would take some decision soon, till then we cannot do anything for them,” he added.

Jammu, December 13
While the Punjab National Bank (PNB) has been on an expansion plan for quite sometime, it has not made any fresh recruitments. The employees are reportedly sore and feel they have been overburdened. So much so, they are apprehensive about the outsourcing of banking jobs to private agencies.

Ashwani Pradhan, general secretary, All-Punjab National Bank Employees Association, J&K, said the bank had become, too, much dependent on private agencies. He said there was no guarantee that crucial data would remain safe as it could be leaked out.

He said the bank, in the recent past, had opened several new branches in the state, including Kupwara, Samba, Leh, Udhampur, Bantalab, Durga Nagar and Channi Byepass.

Jammu, December 13
The state unit of the BSP faces a threat of spilt after its former chief Dr Sat Pal was expelled from the party recently. According to sources in the BSP, Dr Sat Pal was toying with the idea of floating a rival party in Jammu.

Dr Sat Pal has already received support of majority of BSP supporters from its stronghold in R.S. Pora, Bishnah, Hiranagar, Kathua, Samba and Vijaypur. In fact the BSP unit in Bishnah has announced its support to Dr Sat Pal on the reason that he had been a founder member of the BSP in Jammu which he nursed for the last several years after he quit the government job.

The Dalit leader has come openly against the BSP supremo, Mayawati, and the party chief in the state, Yash Pal Bhagat. Since Ravi Dasi Biradari constitutes the backbone of the BSP, Dr Sat Pal's bid to form a parallel unit of the party is likely to be a major setback for Mayawati.

Not only this, Dr Sat Pal has started forging an alliance with upper cast dominated Praja Parishad, headed by Chander Mohan Sharma, who had two years ago revived Praja Parishad, after he was expelled from the BJP on charge of antiparty activities. Sharma was the vice-president of the BJP.

Chander Mohan Sharma confirmed today Dr Sat Pal had approached him with the idea of forming an alliance between his BSP unit and the Praja Parishad. In reply to a question Sharma said he has supported the move which had been scuttled earlier by the followers of Mayawati in Jammu.

Chander Mohan said an alliance between the BSF faction headed by Dr Sat Pal and Praja Parishad could pave the way for an electoral understanding between the Dalits and the upper cast. Once the experiment fructified it could pose a major threat to other political parties in the next election.

Jammu, December 13
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad happens to be the busiest man in the state these days. From attending office in the civil secretariat to meeting the deputations there or at his residence, he is moving around the state to supervise the development works and addressing public functions.

The chief minister appears to be trying to make best of the limited time available to him before the assembly elections scheduled to be held in October-November next. Besides, the chief minister has also been ensuring that he spends as much time in the Kashmir valley as in Jammu. Otherwise, the functioning of the government comes to a standstill in the valley as all the official machinery including the bureaucracy and ministers move to the winter capital Jammu.

Sources close to the CM disclosed that he has been personally drawing up plans and monitoring the major development projects across the state. The purpose of his being frequently in Srinagar is believed to convey the message over there that even while the government was away to Jammu, there was somebody no less than a chief minister himself to keep a watch over there.

During last few weeks, the chief minister has been invariably spending half of his day in the valley and the other half in Jammu region. “Not that he does not trust the officers, but he wants to ensure that the people feel that he was always around,” said a party MLA.

The CM is learnt to be gauging the mood of the public before the assembly elections. Since this happens to be an important year, he has been moving around and getting personal feedback from different quarters. This has certainly kept his officials on tenterhooks.

Meanwhile, Azad today met a joint deputation of various state employees associations, representatives of Christian community.

Pahalgam, December 13
Bollywood, which had its prime shooting locations in pre-militancy Kashmir over two decades ago, seems to be gradually getting back to the picturesque valley with a couple of films having been shot during the past eight years. This time, however, it has been significant for the shooting of "Dastaan" with the renowned actor of Kashmiri origin, Anupam Kher, a film on Kashmir in the cold environs of Pahalgam during the past about one month. The serene slopes and grooves with pine trees leaning towards the gushing waters of Lidder river, presently covered with mild snow, have been the common features in the films, mainly from 1960s to 1980s. With the eruption of militancy, Bollywood had to choose locations other than Kashmir, which for many film lovers missed the romantic touch of the movies like "Roti" or "Kashmir Ki Kali".

A return to Kashmir began with the shooting of Rattan Irani’s "Meray Apnay" in 1999, starring among others, Amrish Puri, which, however, did not see light of the day. A few film songs shot later, including a duet, starring Aamir Khan and Manisha Koirala for "Mann" in the snow-clad Gulmarg later had a little presence of Kashmir.

With a film on Kashmir starring the Kashmir-born actor, Anupam Kher in "Dastan" directed by veteran Santosh Sivan, there are high hopes of the return of Bollywood to the valley for enough reasons. This, according to the officials, would boost the economy, particularly of those totally dependent on tourism sector, like the tour operators, hoteliers, ponywallas and transporters at the picturesque spots. "This would also help in allaying the misconceptions about the situation in Kashmir", a police officer told The Tribune here. Though this scenic spot has been known among the tourists throughout the year, yet another feather has been added with the presence of film crew.

The film crew of "Dastaan" has been camping here since November 22 while actors Anupam Kher, Victor Banerjee, Sarika, Rahul Bose and Rahul Khanna have been present on their respective shooting schedules. Anupam Kher, who concluded his two-week-long schedule on Wednesday, has found Kashmir, the most beautiful location for film shooting as he returned here after 21 years. Clad in traditional Kashmiri dress with the Pheran and a black woollen cap, suiting the cold winter season, Anupam Kher greets locals in traditional Kashmiri language giving a surprise to many of them, however, declining to comment on the story of the film.

Abdul Rahman, a local carpenter with tools in his hand is all smiles looking at the shooting. "These people are here after more than two decades", he smiles away to attend to the local hotel where the film stars are putting up, for making small repairs over the past one month on regular basis. A crew of about 80 people, whose presence has made the event possible, have been busy in completing the movie that would go a long way in the return of Bollywood to Kashmir.

At the same time the actors and crew members had an adventurous trip to Chandanwari, about 16 km from here on Sunday last when they got trapped in the heavy snow in the mountains. Many of them had to walk down to the hotel here after their vehicles got stranded due to the slippery snow covered road. "Some of our colleagues had to spend the night shivering in cold", said a local artist, Gulzar Ganai, who has also a role in the movie as singer of a Sufiana composition. Ganai and other local artists are optimistic that this would pave the way for other Bollywood directors to shoot films in Kashmir.

Srinagar, December 13
The blockade of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway due to heavy rains and snowfall in the upper reaches of the valley since Tuesday evening has evoked concern among the shoppers on the occasion of Id-ul-Azha festival, particularly for the sacrificial animals which like other commodities are being transported to the valley from other parts of the country.

Meanwhile, preparations are in full swing for the festival falling on December 21. The shoppers have started thronging the main markets across Kashmir.

The authorities are keeping a vigil on the sale and purchase of sacrificial sheep and goat here and all across the Kashmir valley.

Majority of the people here have started purchase of the sheep and goat for making the holy sacrifices on the occasion of Id, which coincides with the annual Haj pilgrimage. The mutton dealers have already started to get adequate stocks of sheep and goat from outside the valley, but the blockade of Srinagar-Jammu highway has led to the temporary scarcity in mutton in the main markets here.

According to the officials arrangements were reviewed in connection with Id-ul Azha at a meeting here the other day. It was decided that sufficient stock of sheep and goat for sacrifice would be kept at 17 mandies set up for the purpose at different locations of Srinagar city.

Similarly, packets of slaughtered poultry birds would be provided to people from nine centres set up at Gowkadal, Hari Parbat, Khanyar, Hyderpora, Jawahar Nagar etc. 

Jammu, December 13
With Maharaja Gulab Singh Hospital planning to tie up with the the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) through computer networking, the mental agony of people seeking birth and death certificates from the JMC may soon end.

The hospital has already started computerised registrations of patients that may finally bring an end to discrepancies in their names, addresses and other particulars.

Hitherto people continue to shuttle between the JMC, courts and the hospital for rectifying minor mistakes in their names and residential addresses, which inadvertently creep in their hospital records at the time of registration.

Talking to The Tribune, hospital medical superintendent, Dr Yashpal Sharma said, “A couple of months back we computerised our out-patient department and of late we have computerised the indoor registration.”

“Now the networking between the two is being done to easily transfer the registered data,” he added.

He said, “The data including those of newly-born babies and deaths in the hospital is being incorporated and certainly we will be able to maintain proper record in our medical record section.”

“The hospital is being computerised in a phased manner and the heads of different departments would be provided with data on their computers,” Sharma said. “Similarly laboratories, including the X-ray Department, too, would be computerised,” he added.

Sharma informed that a computer company - “Say Technologies” had provided the software free of cost to the hospital. Predominantly, a gynae hospital, the 550-bedded hospital where 70 to 75 women deliver babies every 24 hours, has three other faculties of ENT, skin and paediatrics.

Responding to a query, Dr Sharma said the JMC would be approached to have a network between the hospital and the corporation.

Sharma said the proposal had been forwarded to the higher authorities and the process would be completed soon. However, computerised registrations would be done with prospective effect only.

The Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu, also has a similar proposal to start computerised registrations and tie-up with the JMC through networking.

When contacted, JMC Mayor Narinder Singh admitted that it was an uphill task for people to get minor mistakes rectified and secure a certificate from the corporation.

Singh said, “I would personally ask the JMC commissioner Vinod Sharma to discuss the matter with the hospital authorities. It (computer networking) would be of great help to the people.”

Srinagar, December 13
Finance Minister Tariq Hameed Karra has said the Jammu and Kashmir Government would press for transfer of Salal power project to the state to tide over the acute power shortage plaguing its growth.

He was interacting with representatives of industry, trade, tourism, transport and hoteliers as part of his pre-budget consultations here today. Karra said the major hurdle impeding the state’s economic growth was the power shortage, which needed some concrete measures. He said the government could not wait endlessly for the huge power projects to come up in the state to meet its power requirements and some immediate steps needed to be taken to improve the power position. Jammu and Kashmir, he said, is facing huge resource loss due the Indus Water Treaty, and ironically while the country’s northern states and most of the Pakistan is flourishing at the cost of state’s water resources, its own people were living in darkness.

"While on the one hand, our power purchase bill is mounting every day, putting tremendous stress on the state’s financial resources, at the same time we are not able to meet our power requirements fully, resulting in public unrest", the minister said. He said the worsening power situation, especially in the valley during harsh winters, was a matter of grave concern for the government as it is causing immense hardships to the people. The state and the central government will have to respond to the situation with a sense of urgency, he said.

The finance and planning minister said in the budget 2008-09, the coalition government would carry forward the fiscal and budgetary management process initiated by it earlier. "We would put in our best efforts to ensure sustained expansion of economy to enable creation of more jobs and employment opportunities for our youth," he said. 

Srinagar, December 13
With the departure of the last flight carrying 52 Haj pilgrims, including 21 women for Jeddah today, a total of 8,192 pilgrims would perform the annual Haj pilgrimage this year.

Officials of the State Haj Committee said a total number of 8,192 pilgrims had left in 39 Jeddah-bound flights, which started on November 11, last.

Several flights were rescheduled, following cancellation, due to fog at the airport. Accordingly the first batch of Hajis will return here on December 25, which coincides with the Eid-ul-Azha.

Announcing the schedule of the returning of the Haj pilgrims, officials said the first flight with Hajis would reach Srinagar on December 25. It was stated that up to January 11, 2008, there would be one flight per day, while from January 12 onwards, there would be two flights everyday.

The Director, Airport Authority, has been instructed to furnish the list regarding the return of Hajis with air ticket and flight number to the State Haj Committee for publishing the same in newspapers for the convenience of their relatives.

The SRTC authorities have also been directed to make facilities for the pilgrims. It was also informed that the services of the Air Force would be sought to airlift Hajis belonging to Ladakh and other far-off areas. All boarding and lodging facilities would be provided to such Hajis at the TRC and at Hotel Heemaal. 

Srinagar, December 13
The centuries old new year festival, Losar, was celebrated with religious fervour and festivity across Ladakh yesterday. A large number of people participated in the celebrations and carried flamed torches through the main roads.

State power Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora attended a function to celebrate the Losar festival organised by the All-Ladakh Students Union of Jammu (ALSUJ). Jora greeted the people and said Losar marked the commencement of the new year in Ladakh. He said the festival was a harbinger of unity, peace and prosperity for all three regions in the state.

Traditionally the festival began on the 29th of the 10th month of the Ladakhi calendar. It was believed that in the 17th century, King Jamyang Namgyal, decided to lead an expedition against the Balti forces during winter. He was advised that any expedition before the new year would be inauspicious for him. However, he advanced the new year celebrations by two months, establishing a tradition which the people still follow - celebrating Losar on the first day of the 11th month every year.