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A year to polls, Azad expands ministry
Farooq to play more active role in party
Govt ‘ignoring’ rights panel: Official
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Development works face roadblock in Kishtwar
Sinha favours opening of Ladakh-Mansarovar road
Govt committed to develop Leh, Kargil: Minister
Ladakh’s cultural heritage cries for museum
Foundation aims to protect environment
Govt neglecting non-Muslims: BJP
Cong accused of unleashing terror
Tabinda Gani Rape & Murder Case
Teachers on warpath
Justice Radhakrishnan new Chief Justice
New Year denies tourists snowfall
Shrine board to prioritise eco-friendly activities
Rush at Vaishno Devi
4 held for kidnap drama
Militant hideouts busted
IAS officer booked a day after retirement
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A year to polls, Azad expands ministry
Jammu, January 1 The Governor administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mula Ram and Abdul Gani Vakil as Cabinet Ministers and Gharu Ram and G. M. Saroori as Ministers of State. With this, the number of ministers in the Council of Ministry has risen to 25 including the Chief Minister. Today's function was attended by the First Lady, Mrs Premini Sinha, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, his wife Shamim Azad, Deputy Chief Minister, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, ministers, legislators, senior politicians, Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister and other senior officers and prominent citizens. Later, the Chief Minister told reporters he hoped this should be the last expansion of this ministry as the elections were less than a year away. However, he hastened to add, the continuance of the ministers would depend on their performance. He said portfolios of new ministers would be announced in a day or two. The Chief Minister also announced that MLC, Arvinder Singh Micky, also a ministerial aspirant, would be the candidate of the Congress party for the post of Deputy Chairman, Legislative Council. He said the election to the post would be held in the first week of the commencement of the Budget session of the legislature. He said in pursuance to the agreement between the coalition parties, the PDP candidate was elected as the Chairman of the Council while the Deputy Chairman's slot goes to the Congress party. |
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Farooq to play more active role in party
Jammu, January 1 Abdullah, who stayed abroad during 2002 elections, has taken a plunge into state politics. Hence, in run up to the next Assembly elections this year, son Omar Abdullah has to go in consonance with the senior Abdullah. Talking to The Tribune, NC’s senior vice-president and former minister Harbans Singh said, “Dr Farooq Abdullah is a seasoned politician and he has his own style of working. The entire party desperately wanted him back and now he, along with party president Omar Abdullah, who is a competent leader, would not only rejuvenate the NC but would also stage a comeback.” He added, “Dr Farooq will lead the party in next Assembly elections. Being party patron and an experienced politician he is supreme in the party.” When asked about factionalism, Singh denied any kind of internal bickering but admitted that some disgruntled elements within the National Conference cost it Poonch-Haveli Assembly seat enabling the Congress to wrest it after 35 years. “Apart from the Congress that pumped money and misused government machinery, the National Conference too had certain deficiencies that cost us the seat. Shah Mohammed Tantray (independent candidate, whose father remained associated with the NC) and some of our own people worked against the party,” he added. When asked about NC candidate from Jammu Gandhi Nagar seat in the coming elections, he said, “I will be the party candidate because Dr Farooq himself had announced my name as front-runner for the party mandate. Being supreme in the party, his decision stands final.” It may be recalled here that Farooq in a recent public meeting at Jammu had claimed that Radhey Sham Sharma, a Congress dissident, would be the party candidate from Nowshera for the next Assembly polls besides naming Harbans Singh as the front-runner from Gandhi Nagar seat. However, the party has not issued any official statement as yet on these two names. “Though Omar is party president and would continue to play significant role in decision-makings, yet he now has to proceed by Dr Abdullah’s scheme of things,” said a senior party leader on the condition of anonymity. Apart from Farooq and Omar, the board has heavyweights like Abdul Rahim Rather, Sheikh Nazir Ahmed, Mohammed Shafi Uri and Mohammed Sayeed Akhoon. |
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Govt ‘ignoring’ rights panel: Official
Jammu, January 1 However, the government claims, “We seriously consider JKSHRC recommendations and where we deem it appropriate implement them in letter and spirit.” Conceived in 1997 to probe cases of human rights abuses including custodial killings, rapes, and custodial disappearances in the strife-torn state, the JKSHRC registered nearly 4,000 acts of HR abuse including over 700 cases in the last two years. An official of the JKSHRC say, “The coalition government’s tall claims of zero custodial killings in 2007 are false because records say something else.” He, however, refused to divulge the figures of custodial killings in 2007. He said, “The JKSHRC registered over 700 cases of HR violations in the last two years from April 2005 to March 2007.” “Thirty seven incidents of custodial killings took place in 2000-01, 12 in 2002-03, 29 in 2003-2004 and 17 in 2004-05,” he added. The JKSHRC so far has made more than 1,000 recommendations but the state government has not honoured them all. “We never got the action taken report from the government,” he said, adding “the JKSHRC had recommended government jobs to over 100 people under Sadr-e-Riyasat (SRO) 43 but we don’t know what happened to them.” “Similarly, we recommended ex-gratia relief to the families of over 218 people, who were killed in the protracted militancy. They were branded as militants but the JKSHRC in its investigations found them innocent people, who were killed in fake encounters,” he said. “Some of the kin of killed people did get compensation but not everyone,” he added. The JKSHRC over the years also received 28 complaints of rapes and nearly 600 complaints of harassment allegedly committed by security personnel. However, a General Administration Department official claimed that the government seriously considers the JKSHRC recommendations for not only initiating strict action against the guilty but also providing suitable compensation to the families of victims. “Where cases have been proved beyond doubt against guilty personnel, the government ensures punitive action including dismissal from services,” he said, adding “adhering to the Prime Minister’s zero tolerance of HR abuse in the state; the coalition government has left no stone unturned to check such incidents.” “Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who heads unified command headquarter, has made it clear to the counter-insurgency forces in the state not to go astray,” he added. Giving comparatively very low figures of HR violations in the last two years, this official claimed a sharp decline in HR abuse in 2006 and 2007 saying, “Only 29 complaints were reported in 2006 while figures stood 16 in 2007.” |
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Chadoora Protests
Srinagar, January 1 Earlier, amid the continued shutdown since Saturday last, protest was held with the people burning tyres and pelting stones on the police and vehicles in the area. However, the situation was pacified after the decision of the committee to suspend the agitation after the assurances from the authorities. In case the government failed to fulfil the demands of the people of the area, the agitation would continue, which had been temporarily suspended on the assurances from the concerned authorities, a spokesman of the
committee said. Trouble started in the valley since mid-December when the Cabinet approved the proposal for setting up of 18 more degree colleges in Jammu and Kashmir. The coalition government had already established 22 colleges across the state during the past couple of years. After the state government decision was announced on December 15, protests started at Magam in Budgam district demanding a college in the area. One person was killed and several others were injured while a number of houses were damaged allegedly by the police while trying to silence the protesters in the area. Similar protests were held in parts of the newly created Kulgam district in south Kashmir. |
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Development works face roadblock in Kishtwar
Udhampur, January 1 Being one of the most backward areas of Jammu and Kashmir, many developmental projects were initiated here, especially to spread road network, after district status was granted to Kishtwar. The projects were started in April, but majority of works remained incomplete as farmers, whose lands were acquired by the authorities for taking out construction activities, were still not given compensation. With much publicity, authorities had taken up three major road projects near Kishtwar, namely Dul-Sheikhpura road, Dugha-Taatani road and Sangrambhatta-Jallana link road. Although it was promised to complete these projects in six months, only 25 per cent of work has been done so far even after passing of eight months. "These road projects were taken up by the authorities concerned without completing all formalities," alleged Rafiq Hussain, a resident of Kishtwar. He pointed out that construction works were started without paying compensations to the farmer. As authorities were adopting delay tactics in giving compensations to the farmers, majority of them have approached court and got these projects stayed. "Worst sufferers are the small contractors who have invested money in these projects," said Shakir Saddiqui, president of the Small Contractors Association. "Works were allotted to the small contractors without giving compensations to the farmers," he said. "Authorities at the helm of the affairs are hand in gloves with the big contractors," he alleged and demanded that problems of the small contractors should be solved on priority basis. |
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Sinha favours opening of Ladakh-Mansarovar road
Jammu, January 1 Responding to demands listed in a memorandum presented by a delegation from Leh at Raj Bhavan here today, the Governor agreed that the opening of Ladakh route for Kailash-Mansarovar yatra would give a big economic boost to the region but said that opening of various road links is dependent upon positive response from the neighbouring country. Thupstan Chewang, Member of Parliament and Chering Dorjey, chairman and chief executive of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council led the delegation. General Sinha said the Union Government is seized of the matter that has taken it up with China several times. He also referred to the demand for opening of Gilgit-Skradu road in Kargil, made by a northern area delegation that met him in Srinagar in 2005, and said this too has been taken up by the Centre. He said the delegation had made a passionate appeal, saying that this route could benefit the divided people more than Uri-Muzaffarabad Road. He said the opening of roads was an important confidence building measure set in motion by the Centre years ago though some matured only in 2005. The Governor appreciated the sagacity of the people of Ladakh in maintaining unity, amity and peace at a time when the entire state was grappling with terrorism. He shared the concern about desecration and damage caused to Buddhist statues in the Swat Valley of Pakistan recently, hoping that such incidents would not reoccur in future. He said religious tolerance is imperative in a pluralistic society and respecting other faiths is the corner stone of every religion. He also lauded the spirit of patriotism of the people of Ladakh region and hoped that they will continue to contribute in nation building with spirit and zeal. The delegation presented a memorandum, which, inter alia, includes inclusion of Bhoti language in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution and opening of Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra route through Leh. Till this is done, at least domestic tourists should be allowed to go up to Damchok, they demanded. They also demanded development on our side of the border at par with what had been carried out across the border. Besides several councilors of LAHDC, Sonam Wangchuk Norboo, MLA, Nubra was accompanying the delegation. |
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Govt committed to develop Leh, Kargil: Minister
Srinagar, January 1 Addressing a public meeting at Khaltsi in the region on Monday, amid severe cold conditions, the minister elaborated in detail the development registered during the past five years of coalition government. He said that the prestigious 45 MW Alchi hydel project was the major achievement ever executed whereas at present work was going on on the war footing. Giving details of other achievements like upgradation of 10 high schools to higher secondary schools, establishment of a polytechnic college at Leh, creation of three blocks and two tehsils, installation of diesel generators of different capacity at Lamayouru, Dha-Bema, Wanla, Mangyu, Tigar and Takshi and adding of 4.5 MW capacity generator at Leh would further improve the power scenario in the district. Moreover, constitution of the Leh Development Authority allotting Rs 20 crore for it, were some of the other achievements registered by the present government in the district. The minister representing the Leh constituency added that funds in crores of rupees received from the Asian Development Bank and NABARD were being spent for upgradation of roads and construction of bridges in the district. He said it was now the responsibility of the Hill Council to execute the schemes in a speedy way so that the people of the district received the benefits of the schemes. He said the government was keen to provide better infrastructural set up so that Leh district found a place among the best districts of the country. |
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Ladakh’s cultural heritage cries for museum
Jammu, January 1 Ladakh with its rich culture, heritage and a history spanning to 8500-8000 BC, has been ignored by the successive state governments as historic relics and antiquities of the region can be found scattered on the roads. “Rock carving that has been found scattered at various parts of Ladakh, shows that the area has been inhabited from the Neolithic times,” said Dr Phuntsog Dorjay, a Ladakhi Buddhist scholar based in Germany. According to Dorjay, records had been found in the region which traced the roots of the spread of Buddhism in Tibet from Ladakh. “Buddhism came to western Ladakh from Kashmir from where it spread to Tibet,” he said. Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, states that Ladakh’s earliest inhabitants comprised mixed Indo-Aryan population known as “Mons” and “Dards”, who find mention in the works of Herodotus, Nearchus, Megasthenes, Pliny, Ptolemy and also in the geographical lists of the Puranas. He said Ladakh with its vast potential could be developed as a historical tourist spot, where the rich historical relics and antiquities could be preserved and kept at a museum. Though the royal family of Ladakh has taken an endeavour to preserve their history by opening a small family museum which hosts some of the artifacts that relate to the royal family, the history of the area in the form of artifacts, stone carving, is not being taken care of. “This shows that the successive state governments have been ignoring us, they cannot even install a museum in the region,” said Dr Dorjay. He said, “A museum would not only help in safeguarding the historical relics, antiquities and artifacts, but would also promote tourism and help in educating people about the rich cultural heritage of the region.” Director, Department of Archives and Museums, A.K. Qadri said, “Since I took up as the director of the department I have been trying to open a museum in Ladakh. The proposal to open a museum is on our priority list in the next Five Year Plan.” |
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Foundation aims to protect environment
Srinagar, January 1 Using films as a base to create awareness among children and the youth about social and environmental issues, it would cover different areas like wildlife, environmental protection and healthcare in Jammu and Kashmir. Filmmakers - Tarique Bhat, Abdul Rafia Fazili and Wajahat Iqbal, besides some other journalists have started the Kashmir chapter of the EMF - the constant endeavour of which would be to bring about awareness to shoulder the responsibility that rests on the human race. It firmly believes that “education information and their appropriate dissemination are the key to all our problems.” This would empower the citizens to invest in their environment, which was crucial for its protection, said the filmmakers. “EMF Kashmir chapter shall work in disseminating information and creating awareness through workshops, film screening, video library, field trips, discussions, seminars, training programmes especially for children and youngsters in schools and colleges, towns and villages,” said Tarique Bhat. He opined that conservation could not be viewed in isolation, but by “involving people to trigger off changes.” “This is vital for any conservation effort to become successful,” said Abdul Rafia Fazili, co-ordinator, EMF, Kashmir. He said it had already started working on films and these would be a part of the award winning series Earth Matters, produced by Mike Pandey. Commenting on the initiative in Kashmir, Mike Pandey told The Tribune that it was a great initiative with an effort to bring the youth together on the awareness about mother earth. “The programme in Kashmir is to make the people aware of the ill-effects of pesticides and water pollution,” Pandey said. He stressed on the significance of the nature’s creation of a vast number of species, which “played a role in keeping the earth alive.” According to the coordinator of the EMF, Kashmir chapter, Abdul Rafia Fazili, Kashmir faced different kinds of threats on both the healthcare and the environmental front. These included shrinking of the Dal Lake, the Wular Lake and the Jhelum river, which was a matter of concern, the coordinator said. Elaborating further on the issues, the coordinator said the world famous Dal Lake was shrinking, ailing and crawling towards an immature death. “Flicking the pages of history, one comes across that in 1200 A.D. the Dal was spread over an area of 75 sq km, which has now shrunk to a mere 11.56 sq km. The shallowness of the lake has decreased from 17 feet a decade ago to barely nine feet now.” |
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Govt neglecting non-Muslims: BJP
Jammu, January 1 Khajuria said this, while reacting to the list of selected candidates for the posts of assistant engineers (civil) in the Public Works Department (Roads and Buildings) released by the Jammu and Kashmir State Public Service Commission. He said, “This is not an exaggeration. This is a fact and it can be seen from the released selection list.” Ridiculing the claims of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad that his government treated all communities as equal, Khajuria said only 16 non-Muslim candidates had been selected out of a total of 60 candidates under the open category. He said, “This means the share of the non-Muslims in the selection list is just 26.66 per cent and the percentage of those selected from the majority community is 73.33 percent.” Commenting on candidates selected under the Residents of Backward Areas and Actual Line of Control categories, the BJP chief said, “Only three non-Muslim candidates have been selected under these categories where as a number of candidates belonging to the majority community stands at 24.” Charging the Jammu and Kashmir State Public Service Commission (PSC) of being hand-in-glove with the Kashmir-centric leadership hell bent to harm the interests of the youth in Jammu, Khajuria demanded that the immediate list be withdrawn. |
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Cong accused of unleashing terror
Jammu, January 1 Addressing media persons here yesterday, Chhewang along with chief executive councillor (CEC) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh Chering Dorjay and sitting MLA from Nubra Sonam Wangchuk Norboo said that at the behest of Congress police have been committing atrocities on innocent people. “The headquarters of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) in Leh has been arbitrarily closed by the district administration,” said Chhewang, adding that “recently a bunch of Congress workers beat up LBA leaders and members at the headquarters and the district administration used the incident to pull down the shutters on the LBA itself.” “The LBA is a social and religious organisation and by shutting it down the government has played with the sentiments of the people,” he added. “One of our elected representatives Gyal Wangyal, son of a late Congress stalwart of Leh, was stripped naked and beaten up mercilessly by police as he was campaigning for our candidate during recent LAHDC by-polls,” he said. “Even in sub-zero temperature people have been staging sit-in against the police action for the last one month but none from the government deemed it fit to approach them,” he added. |
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Tabinda Gani Rape & Murder Case Srinagar, January 1 Justice Bashir Ahmad Kirmani directed the principal district judge of Kupwara that the case be tried on a weekly-basis, by fixing a three-day schedule for recording evidence each week to speed up the trial. Justice Kirmani issued the directions in his capacity as the administrative judge of Kupwara district. In view of the nature of the offence - rape and subsequent murder of a minor girl - and the public sentiments attached to it, Justice Kirmani directed the district judge to take requisite steps for securing attendance of witnesses and the counsels without, however, affecting other pending cases. The trial court has also been directed to submit the weekly reports regarding progress of the trial regularly to the high court. Tabinda Gani, an eighth-standard student, was raped and then allegedly murdered by a group of four persons, including two non-Kashmiri labourers at Langate in Handwara area in July last year. This was followed by massive protests across the valley which subsided only after the police arrested all four accused. — PTI
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Teachers on warpath
Udhampur, January 1 While as teachers of Doda and Kishtwar districts have warned to launch a stir against failure of the authorities to implement time- bound transfer policy, their counterparts in Udhampur have already started an agitation against decision of the Education Department to cancel winter vacations this year. Interestingly, in some parts of Udhampur district, authorities already have announced winter vacation while as some schools in the same district were debarred from having vacations. "There is no reason to announce winter vacation in some parts of the district while other areas have been denied the same", remarked Radhey Sham, a teacher of Udhampur. Although some parts of Udhampur district reeling under severe cold yet climatic conditions in other parts are not suitable for students. "Udhampur district should not be treated at par with Jammu and other areas", argued Rajeev, another teacher and demanded that winter vacation should also be announced in other parts of Udhampur. On the other hand, teachers of Doda and Kishtwar districts are also up in arms against wrong policies being propagated by the authorities. A meeting of the teachers was held under the chairmanship of Saleem Wani in which functioning of Education Department came under severe criticism. Those present at the meeting pointed out that due to lack of a transparent transfer policy, teachers have been shuttling from one place to other. They said that authorities had promised to implement time-bound transfer policy but this remained only on papers. Some teachers alleged that some influential persons had got themselves attached to schools located near towns while majority of the teachers, without any political backing, were made to shuttle from one place to other. |
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Justice Radhakrishnan new Chief Justice
Jammu, January 1 The notification regarding the appointment of the new Chief Justice had already been issued by President Pratibha Patil. Justice Radhakrishnan replaces the acting Chief Justice, Justice Nissar Ahmed Kakru. Born on May 15, 1949, Justice Radhakrishnan was enrolled as an advocate on August 12, 1973. He has practiced in the Karala High Court and Subordinate Civil Courts at Ernakulam after obtaining a master's degree in law (administrative law) from the Cochin University of Science and Technology and also a postgraduate diploma in constitutional law from the ICPS, New Delhi. He served as the Additional Judge of the Kerala High Court from May 17, 995 to January 16, 1996, when his appointment was confirmed as a permanent judge. He also served as the acting Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court thrice. Earlier he was the president, Kerala Judicial Academy; chairman, Lakshadweep Legal Service Authority; chancellor, National University of Legal Studies (NUALS); executive chairman, Indian Law Institute, Kerala Branch and chairman, Governing Council, Indian Law Reports. |
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New Year denies tourists snowfall
Srinagar, January 1 Many tourists were visible yesterday evening roaming around the Dal Lake and shopping areas, but their prayers were for snow. "It's very cold but I pray it snows. If not, my two kids will be disappointed as they had come here in its anticipation," Bobby Singh, a businessman from Jalandhar, said yesterday evening. As the first dawn of the new year entered without any signs of snow, many said they would rather go to high areas like Gulmarg to see it. Pawan Sangarkar, an engineer from Pune, said he was in Srinagar a few years back and had enjoyed snow on New Year Eve. "My family has been here for the past five days. We will leave on Wednesday and it's frustrating to leave Kashmir without having any snow. We enjoyed the New Year on our houseboat, but snow would have been the icing on the cake," he said. The temperature in the valley has pummelled to new low in the past few nights, it fell to - 7.2 on Saturday night in Srinagar, but it's been a long run of dry cold, closer to cold deserts of Ladakh in feel than the temperate environs of the valley. The day temperature has been pleasant with sun being visible for over a week. But the first day of the New Year went almost without sun. Met department officials say the western disturbances, which are responsible for winter changes and snowfall, have remained aloof to the lower valley with higher altitude area like Gulmarg seeing some snow. |
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Shrine board to prioritise eco-friendly activities
Udhampur, January 1 On the one hand Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board -- managing affairs of this holy cave -- has been facing pressure to provide accommodation to the pilgrims at Bhawan, while on the other, brisk developmental activities have been posing ecological threat to the Trikuta hills. Geologists and environmentalists have already suggested the authorities to pursue only eco-friendly and balanced developmental activities in this "sensitive" range. Newly appointed deputy chief executive officer (DyCEO) of the board, D.K. Deewadi, admitted that the biggest challenge before the board was to maintain the ecological balance. |
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Rush at Vaishno Devi
Udhampur, January 1 Eminent Bhajan singer Narinder Chanchal was also camping at Katra - the base camp of the shrine to perform the night-long Jagrata in the town on the eve of New Year. Last year, 41,490 devotees had visited the holy shrine on the eve of New Year. As the number of devotees had crossed all limits, the police had made elaborate security arrangements at Katra and Bhawan. Authorities of the Shree Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board , manning affairs of the shrine, had a tough time to deal with such a large number of devotees. |
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4 held for kidnap drama
Srinagar, January 1 The two "alleged kidnapped" boys and two others were arrested while a snatched mobile phone and two vehicles have also been seized. The two boys have been identified as Ahsan-ul-Haq from the Chanapora area and his cousin, Jamsheed Hussain of Magarmal Bagh here, who had enacted the drama after leaving their homes on Thursday last. |
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Militant hideouts busted
Jammu, January 1 Acting on an information, Army troops during a cordon and search operation busted a hideout in Darhal area of Rajouri
district. A pistol, two magazines, eight grenades, 100 rounds of AK rifle, two mortar bombs and some cordex wire were seized, police sources said. Acting on a tip-off, troops busted a hideout in Chandiyal forest belt in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district and recovered 72 rounds of pika ammunition, 10 rounds of AK ammunition and two grenades.
— PTI |
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IAS officer booked a day after retirement
Jammu, January 1 Ajit Kumar,
who was posted as Financial Commissioner, coordination, in New Delhi retired yesterday from service. He has been accused of causing the state exchequer a loss of Rs 55 lakh during his tenure as
education commissioner in late nineties. The vigilance sources disclosed that the
proceedings were launched against him after the department received the sanction
for the same from the Government of India. |
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