|
|
Panthers Party MLAs walk out of Assembly
Troop reduction: Omar’s statement vindicates our stand, says PDP
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bani-Bhaderwah road to be upgraded
Govt assures probe into funds spent on migrant shelters
Social science paper cancelled after ‘leak’
IAS, KAS officers shifted
Major shakeup in police dept
Strategic Studies
Jamwal is NC choice for Deputy Mayor
Mushtaq is exam board chief
Convocation held
Symposium on environment
Training for masons ends
|
|
Panthers Party MLAs walk out of Assembly
Jammu, February 28 Even though Finance, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rahim Rather claimed drastic reforms were being mooted in the Planning Department, an unrelenting Harsh Dev Singh along with Balwant Singh Mankotia and Yashpal Kundal staged a walkout. Pandemonium struck the House on the very first query of the day when NC legislator Mir Saifullah accused the Planning Department of wasting funds because of defective planning. Though the state has a Finance Commission, Saifullah suggested a planning panel be set up to ensure foolproof planning, which could pave the way for proper allocation of funds as per the requirement of district and rural areas on priority. Fielding supplementary queries to the Finance Minister, Harsh Dev wanted to know the criteria for releasing funds for various projects. “The Chief Minister had issued orders for releasing funds for a road in the Ramnagar constituency, but on the contrary the government released funds for projects for which no commitments were made in the district development board meetings,” he said. Citing instances of Srinagar, Anantnag, Doda and Kathua districts for which the government had released Rs 13.98 crore, Rs 10 crore, Rs 5 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respectively, Harsh Dev threatened to storm into the well of the House. In the prevailing din, NC legislator from Gurez Nazir Ahmed Gurezi said no developmental work had been initiated in his constituency in the past seven years. However, Speaker Mohammed Akbar Lone, who wanted to remind the House that the minister could not speak over issues pertaining to the previous government, had to confront PDP’s Sartaj Madni. Madni, on the top of his voice, was heard as saying, “Sir, you are the custodian of the House. So please don’t shield the minister.” Ganging up against the coalition, BJP legislators Ashok Khajuria, Chaman Lal Gupta, Jugal Kishore, PDP legislator Abdul Rehman Veeri and the Panthers Party legislators virtually cornered the Finance Minister with their barbed queries. “Planning can’t be done in air-conditioned rooms”, Khajuria remarked sarcastically, while Prof Gupta accused the government of releasing additional funds under influence. He also asked the government to devise a mechanism so that funds could be spent throughout the year and not at the fag of end of every fiscal year. Responding to queries, Rather said the suggestion to have a planning panel could be looked into, while a proposal in consonance with the Finance Commissioner, Planning, to bring drastic reforms in planning were under active consideration. The members would come to know when the government would present the full-fledged Budget, he added. But dissatisfied with Rather’s answers, the Panthers Party legislators staged a walkout. On another question pertaining to farmers in the Bishnah constituency, legislator Ashwani Sharma staged a walkout. He, too, expressed dissatisfaction over the government’s reply that farmers suffered 15 per cent to 20 per cent loss to their paddy crops during hailstorm on October 16 last year. Sharma claimed that already neck-deep in debt, the farmers suffered 80 per cent to 100 per cent loss and the government should provide them relief immediately. |
|
Troop reduction: Omar’s statement vindicates our stand, says PDP
Jammu, February 28 “His statement vindicates our stand. Since 2006, we have been saying that the draconian laws like AFSPA and DAA needs to be revoked from the valley and the Army should also be removed.” PDP legislative party leader Mehbooba Mufti told The Tribune on the sidelines of a press conference in Jammu. When asked why her party did not raise the issue of troop reduction and revocation of special powers of the armed forces when it was in power, she said, “When Mufti Sahib was the Chief Minister of the state, we created conducive atmosphere, we introduced healing touch, disbanded the STF and desisted imposition of POTA in the state.” Adding, she said, “All these measures helped minimise the level of violence in the valley, the use of gun came to a minimum and the situation improved to such an extent that we raised these demands.” When asked to comment on the ‘false statement’ of her party member in the Assembly regarding the Bandipora encounter, which was proved wrong by the Chief Minister, she said, “This is the role of a healthy Opposition, we forced the CM to take immediate action and to send one of his minister and the police chief to visit the spot.” Earlier, speaking at the press conference, former Chief Minister and PDP Patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed said the doctrine of ‘Self-Rule’ propounded by the party was the only viable solution to the long-pending Kashmir
dispute. Sayeed said the revelations made by the former external affairs minister of Pakistan that India and Pakistan were close to signing a deal on Kashmir with India based on ‘Self-Rule’ was an approval of their policies by both nations. |
|
|
Bani-Bhaderwah road to be upgraded
Jammu, February 28 “The matter has already been taken up with the Centre to double lane the road so as to provide an alternate route to Doda and Kishtwar districts,” said Taj while responding to queries raised by BJP legislators Chaman Lal Gupta during Question Hour here today. The minister said out of 173 km Basholi-Bhaderwah road length, 86 km from Basholi to Bani had been handed over to the BRO in 1995 and the work to convert it into double lane under strategic requirement was in progress. At present 20 km of the road had been completed in all respects and work from 20 km onwards up to 50 km was in progress, he said, adding that the execution of this road project would be completed up to 2015 and so far Rs 74.16 crore had been spent on its execution. Taj also said the Bhaderwah-Chamba road project had been sanctioned under the Inter-State Connectivity programme at a cost of Rs 73.33 crores and pre-qualification tenders were invited. He said the total length of road was 145 km and the road up to 22 km had been opened to traffic. He said this road was motorable for light vehicles till 1986. He adding that due to the militancy the road was abandoned. He also informed the House that the Padder-Pangi road in Kishtwar district was under the BRO and added that it was a single-lane fair weather road for light vehicles only. Responding to another query, Taj said consultancy services for the construction of a permanent bridge over the Ravi in Basohli had been completed by the BRO and the proposal was likely to be finalised during 2009-10. The work on the approach road was in progress, he added. |
|
Govt assures probe into funds spent on migrant shelters
Jammu, February 28 Earlier, replying to the main question of Praduman Singh, the minister said no specific area had been developed so far for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandit migrants. He further said 200 flats under the Prime Minister’s reconstruction plan have been constructed at Sheikhpora, Budgam, for providing transit accommodation to those Kashmiri Pandit migrants, who wish to return to the valley. He apprised the House that under the plan construction of 5,242 flats was taken up in two phases, out of which 1,024 flats were completed in the first phase, while construction work on the remaining 4,218 flats was underway at Jagti Nagrota, in the second phase. |
|
Social science paper cancelled after ‘leak’
Rajouri, February 28 Sources told The Tribune that in the morning after reports that the social science question paper of Class VIII was being sold at shops in the town for Rs 10, the district administration deputed the Assistant Commissioner, Revenue, to probe into the matter. The Assistant Commissioner got the question paper available at shops compared with the actual question paper and found that a majority of questions in the both were same, they added. The sources added that a team of officers comprising chief education officer, Rajouri, Kuldeep Kumar Gupta, DSP, Headquarters, and the Assistant Commissioner, Revenue, raided 15 schools to ascertain the facts. However, the team didn’t get any clue about the alleged paper leak. Even as the team was probing into the incident, the education authorities here cancelled the examination. Confirming the cancellation of today’s exam, Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Rafiq Sheikh said, “We asked the chief education officer to cancel the exam after hearing the reports of paper leak. I have deputed the Assistant Commissioner, Revenue, to probe into the matter”. Meanwhile, sources in the Education department here said Gupta was taking the matter “very seriously” and he had called a meeting of zonal education officers, inspectors and other staff on coming Tuesday to identify the laxity on the part of exam staff. He said strict action would be taken against anyone found involved in the paper leak, they added. Gupta told The Tribune that since the leak of social science paper was alleged, the examination had been cancelled. “The number of students appearing in the examination is more than 11,000. We cannot conduct the social science examination immediately, as we have to print question papers and answer sheets afresh. The examination would probably be held on March 15”, Gupta said. “Meanwhile, we, on our part, are also probing the alleged leak of the question paper.” |
|
IAS, KAS officers shifted
Jammu, February 28 Bishen Dass Sharma, Labour Commissioner, is transferred as Settlement Commissioner. Abdul Hamid Wani, director, local bodies, Kashmir, is transferred as Labour Commissioner vice Bishen Dass Sharma. Guldev Raj Bhagat, special secretary, revenue, is posted as Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar, vice Shri Sudershan Sharma. Gazzanfer Hussain, Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, is transferred as special secretary, home. Sarita Chauhan, director, industries and commerce, Jammu, is transferred as special secretary, Agriculture Production Department. Mohammad Abass Dar, KAS, Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara, is transferred as special secretary, Winter Secretariat, Srinagar. Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmad, Deputy Commissioner, Bandipora, is transferred as Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag. Sudershan Sharma, Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar, is transferred as Joint Settlement Commissioner, Jammu. Parvez Ahmad Malik, director, geology and mining, is posted as special secretary, Higher and Technical Education Department. Baseer Ahmad Khan, Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, is transferred as vice-chairman, Srinagar Development Authority. Abdul Latief Deva, Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam, is transferred as Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla. Mohammad Sharief Sood, director, tribal affairs, is posted as Deputy Commissioner, Bandipora. Hilal Ahmad Parray, special secretary, Winter Secretariat, Srinagar, is transferred as director, social welfare, Kashmir. Sheikh Rafiq Ahmad, Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, is transferred as member, Services Selection Board. Shafiq Ahmad Raina, Member Services Selection Board, is transferred as director, Youth Services and Sports. Gulzar Ahmad Qureshi, special secretary, Hosing and Urban Development Department, is transferred as director, local bodies, Kashmir. Shabir Ahmad Kanth, special secretary, Information Department, is transferred as director, geology and mining. Farooq Ahmad Renzu, Additional Commissioner, Kashmir, is transferred as Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation. Manzoor Ahmad Lone, managing director, J&K State Road Transport Corporation, is transferred as Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam. Mirza Muzaffer Iqbal, director, local bodies, Jammu, is transferred as special secretary, Information Department. Showkat Ahmad Mir, director, horticulture, planning and marketing, is transferred as Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara. Showkat Ahmad Zargar, special secretary, School Education Department, is transferred as director, handicrafts. AR Kuchai, special secretary, higher education, is transferred as director, horticulture, planning and marketing. Jai Pal Singh, director, youth services and sports, is transferred as Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri. Khurshid Ahmad Bhat, additional registrar cooperatives, Jammu, is posted as director, local bodies, Jammu. Jehangir Mir, additional secretary, Home Department, is posted as director, tribal affairs. Showkat Ali, Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, is transferred as managing director, J&K Handloom Development Corporation. BS Dua, managing director, J&K SIDCO, is posted as director, industries and commerce, Jammu. |
|
|
Major shakeup in police dept
Jammu, February 28 Mohammad Amin Shah, IG, Telecom/FSL, has been transferred as IG, Traffic. Niyaz Mehmood Mir, DIG, SKR, Anantnag, has been posted as DIG, railway security. Gulzar Singh Salathia, DIG, security, has been transferred as DIG, Udhampur/Reasi Range. Sunil Kumar Sharma, DIG, Traffic, has been designated as DIG, Traffic, Jammu. Farooq Khan, DIG, CID Headquarters, has been transferred as DIG, NKR, Baramulla. Kamal Kumar Saini, DIG, Rajouri-Poonch Range, has been posted as DIG, security. Alok Puri, DIG, Udhampur/Reasi Range, has been transferred as DIG, Vigilance. AG Mir, DIG, NKR, Baramulla, has been posted as DIG, CID, Headquarters. SD Singh, on his promotion as DIG, has been transferred and posted as DIG, Rajouri-Poonch. Rajesh Kumar, SSP, has been promoted and transferred as DIG, SKR, Anantnag. T Namgyal, SSP, has been promoted and posted as DIG, Traffic, Kashmir. Manju Rashid, SSP, has been promoted and posted as DIG, IRP, Jammu. B.A. Malla, SSP, has been promoted and posted as DIG, IRP, Kashmir. Avtar Singh Bali, Staff Officer to IG, Armed, has been transferred as SP, Anti-hijacking, Jammu Airport. Shafqat Watali, IPSCO, IR, 11th Bn, has been posted as SSP, Rajouri. Garib Dass, SSP, Kargil, has been posted as SSP, Kathua. Alok Kumar, CO, JKAP, 8th Bn, has been posted as SSP, traffic, NHW, Ramban. Rajinder Rasotra, PS, SSP, Anti-hijacking, Jammu Airport, has been transferred as Staff Officer to IG, Armed. Showkat A. Malik, SSP, PCR, Srinagar, has been transferred as SSP, Anantnag. Shakeel Ahmad Beigh, SSP, PCR, Jammu, has been transferred as AIG, Policy Vigilance. Anand Jain, AIG, (P/T) PHQ, has been posted as SSP, Reasi. Nitish Kumar, SSP, Anantnag, has been transferred as AIG, CIV, PHQ. Ali Mohammad, SSP, Pulwama, has been transferred as AIG, (P/T) PHQ. Vijay Singh Samyal, SSP, traffic, NHW, has been transferred as CO, JKAP, 8th Bn. Nissar Ahmad, CO, IR, 5th Bn, has been transferred as SSP (SS) CID Headquarters. Amjad Parvez Mirza, CO, Aux, 1st Bn, has been posted as SSP, PCR, Jammu. Rafiq-ul-Hassan, SSP, AHJ, Srinagar, has been transferred as SSP, Pulwama. Varinder Sharma, SSP, Reasi, has been posted as SP, Traffic Rural, Jammu. Sheikh Mehmood, SSP, security, has been transferred as SSP, PCR, Srinagar. GM Wadoo, Addl SP, Ganderbal, has been transferred as SP, Traffic Rural, Kashmir. Fareed A Khan, Dy Co, IRP 10th Bn, has been transferred as principal, PTS, Sheeri. Abdul Razak Khan, SP (A), CID Headquarters, has been transferred as Addl SP, Reasi. Javed Kaul, SP, Vigilance, Srinagar,has been transferred as SP North, Srinagar. Anita Sharma, Addl SP, Traffic, Jammu has been transferred as Deputy Co, IRP-III Bn. Sameer Rekhi, SP, SS CID Headquarters, has been transferred as AIG, Welfare PHQ. Mohammad Shafi Mir, Dy CO,IR 6th Bn, has been transferred as Addl SP, Kulgam. Swaran Singh Kotwal, Dy Co, JKAP, 13th Bn, has been transferred as SP, SSG. Dr Koshal Kumar, AIG, Welfare PHQ, has been transferred as SP, Security. Ashok Sharma, SP, Vigilance, has been transferred as Deputy Co, IRP IIIrd Bn. Bakar Samoon, principal, PTS, Sheeri, has been posted as SSP, AHJ, Srinagar. Aijaz Ahmad Bhat, Addl SP, Kupwara, has been transferred as SP, Kargil. Sanjay Kotwal, Dy Co, IRP 3rd Bn, has been transferred as SP, Vigilance. Daleep Kumar, DY CO, IR 9th Bn, has been transferred and posted as SP ‘A’, CID Headquarters. Abdul Waheed Shah, SP North, Srinagar, has been transferred as Addl SP, Kupwara. Mohan Lal, SP (Operations), Doda, has been transferred as Addl SP, Rural, Jammu. |
|
|
Normal life resumes after week of protests
Srinagar February 28 The protests and general strikes were reminiscent of the frequent such incidents that marked a major part of the last year, beginning with the Amarnath land row in June. The land row led to the end of the coalition rule when the PDP withdrew support to the Congress, paving the way for the imposition of Governor’s rule. Even as the land row was resolved, the announcement of the dates for the Assembly elections on October 19 last year generated another spree of protests and strikes in the shape of anti-election campaign by separatists that ended with the culmination of the election process in December last year. The recent situation that prevailed over the past one week has angered a greater lot of people in the valley, particularly those associated with the tourist trade. They opine that the situation, if not controlled immediately, may again be detrimental to the flow of tourists this year. The tourist trade has already suffered heavily due to the trouble last year, since the very beginning of the tourist season. Though it had started on a good note with a good number of tourists between March and June last year, those associated with the tourist trade believe that the situation later sent wrong signals to the intending tourists and many cancelled their bookings. However, the situation last year did not hinder the movement of Amarnath pilgrims in the upper reaches of Pahalgam in south Kashmir. A record number of over 5 lakh pilgrims visited the holy cave shrine last year, which as usual ended with the Raksha Bandhan. Those associated with the tourist trade in particular and the common man in general in Kashmir look forward for a peaceful atmosphere for a better tourist season this year. The trouble last year and two suspected militant attacks on tourist spots in Srinagar and Gulmarg during the summer of 2006 had hindered the tourist flow during the two seasons. The tourist trade industry has high hopes pinned on the tourist season ahead. Though the situation has been normal over the past couple of months, the two recent incidents have raised doubts in the minds of the tourist traders ahead of the tourist season this year. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has already assured that the inquiry into the killing of two civilians at Bummai, Sopore in Baramulla district, will be completed within 15 days. The Srinagar police is also investigating into the mysterious death of Shabir Ahmad Sheikh, whose strangulated body was found at Bemina, near here, on Tuesday last. His death had also led to series of protests and the protest call after Friday prayers here yesterday. The authorities, in view of the situation, had imposed restrictions on the movement of people here yesterday, which however, was marked by a series of protests at several places here and in some towns of north Kashmir. |
|
|
Strategic Studies
Jammu, February 28 When the centre was set up in 2002, the postgraduate course was planned and the faculty was to be increased subsequently. On the contrary, the strength of the faculty has been declining for the reasons best known to the varsity authorities. The department had started with a faculty comprising Dr Sangeeta Thapliyal, Dr V Nagendra Rao, Dr Mathew Joseph C, Dr Monir Alam and Happymon Jacob, but now only Dr Mathew as director (in charge) and Dr Monir were left in the department. The centre originally conducted an M.Phil course in “strategic studies” and in 2006 it introduced the PhD programme as well. The centre (now a department) has been established to promote and undertake focused research on strategic issues, national security and geo-strategic developments in areas contiguous to India in a substantive and inclusive manner. With the introduction of a postgraduate course, aspiring students foresee potential career opportunities in security and risk management companies, besides jobs of defence and strategic analysts. “Due to lack of faculty and funds, most of the students get discouraged and this year too some students doing M.Phil abandoned the course midway,” said a researcher. “The building for housing the DSRS is about to complete, and we hope the varsity focuses on the consolidation of the department,” he said. He added that “students face hardships in getting scholarships due to a cumbersome procedure”. “The research on social, political, constitutional and economic developments in the PoK, including the northern areas, is vulnerable to lack of funds,” he said. He added “among its publications - a quarterly newsletter, “Across LOC”, that was considered as the only regular publication in India focusing on the developments across the LoC, has been discontinued for nearly an year.” Dr Mathew said, “We have taken up the demand for regular funds with the UGC recently and proposed to introduce a diploma course in peace and conflict studies.” “We have advertised several posts for the department and sought the approval of the varsity council for the postgraduate course. After these modalities and the completion of the separate building for the department, the courses would be introduced,” said dean, academic affairs, BPS
Sehgal. |
|
|
Jamwal is NC choice for Deputy Mayor
Jammu, February 28 Deputy Mayor and NC candidate Dharamvir Singh Jamwal filed nomination papers for the same post. He is contesting the elections for the fourth consecutive term. Besides him, Jaswant Singh Soodan and Dwarka Nath Choudhary, both Independent candidates, also filed nomination papers for the post of Deputy Mayor. For the post of Mayor, apart from BJP’s Kavinder Gupta, Surinder Singh Singari, an Independent candidate, and Rajni Bala of the Congress filed nominations. |
|
|
Mushtaq is exam board chief
Jammu, February 28 The state Cabinet here ordered the appointed this morning. By another decision, the Cabinet also ordered following transfers and postings in the Forest Department: Shafat Ahmad, IFS, presently posted as director, Social Forestry Department has been transferred as Chief Conservator of Forests. Shamim Mohammad Khan, IFS, presently posted as director Environment & Remote Sensing Department has been posted as director Social Forestry Department Abdul
Razak, IFS, presently posted as chief conservator of Forests, Kashmir, has been transferred and posted as director, Environment & Remote Sensing Department. SP
Arya, IFS, presently posted as member secretary, J&K State Pollution Control Board, has been attached with the office of the principal chief conservator of forests. B.
Sidhartha, IFS, presently posted as conservator of forests, West Circle, Jammu, has been transferred and posted as general manager, State Forest
Corporation. Mohit Gera, IFS, presently attached with the office of the principal chief conservator of forests has been transferred as member secretary, J&K State Pollution Control Board. MA
Hakak, IFS, presently posted as conservator of forests, Srinagar, has been ordered to remain attached with chief conservator of forests,
Kashmir. Asaf Mehmood, IFS has been transferred and posted as conservator of forests, West Circle, Jammu. Nisar Ahmad
Darzi, IFS, awaiting orders of posting has been posted as conservator of forests, Srinagar Circle. |
|
|
Convocation held
Jammu, February 28 The function was held at Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar, wherein vice-chairman, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu, B Mishra was the guest of honour. Dr Mishra awarded degrees and diplomas to the learners pursuing several courses through IGNOU. Out of as many as 988 students from Jammu region, 305 were awarded certificates in the convocation function besides five distinguished students, were also felicitated in the
function. |
|
|
Symposium on environment
Jammu, February 28 As per a release issued here today, Prof. Uma Sharma, president, Patanjali Yog Samiti, said, “No doubt some breathing and physical exercise enhances memory, but for breathing exercises a neat and clean environment is the pre-requisite.” RC Sharma, DCF, environmental soil conservationist, said the increasing pollution supplemented by deforestation and setting up of industries was the main cause of deterioration of
environment. |
|
|
Training for masons ends
Srinagar, February 28 Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Masaud Samoon was the chief guest on valedictory function. He distributed certificates among masons and presided over the concluding function. In his address, the divisional commissioner said a two day follow-up programme for the masons would be held in future. Mohammad
Amin, Additional Commissioner-Kashmir expressed hope that masons would utilise training and construct earthquake resistant structures. Aamir Ali, project coordinator, United Nations Development Programme, said that masons were made aware as how to make structures earthquake resistant.
— OC |
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
