Jammu, March 14
The state Power Development Department (PDD) has so far failed to replace the tamper-proof electronic meters in the Jammu region that were damaged by a frenzied mob during the two months of the Amarnath land agitation.

PDD officials say more than 16,500 tamper-proof electronic meters were damaged during the Amarnath land agitation in Jammu last year. However, the department has so far replaced less than 5,000 of the damaged meters even as consumers have paid the replacement charges.

The consumers here say that the PDD is not keen to replace the damaged meters and they (consumers) are getting exorbitant bills.

The cost of a single tamper-proof electronic meter is Rs 1,050 and in order to avoid burden on the consumers the department had asked them to pay the amount in three instalments.

However, the blame game has begun as consumers say despite having paid the instalments the damaged meters have not been replaced. Whereas the department says people are not ready to pay money for the replacement of meters.

Speaking to the Tribune, chief engineer, PDD, maintenance and repairs, Ajay Gupta said, “Around 16,500 meters were damaged by mob during the land agitation. To prevent power pilferage, we have so far installed 5,000 meters and we expect that by March end we will install all of them.”

He said the biggest hurdle in replacing the damaged meters was that the consumers were not ready to pay for them.

“To ease the burden on consumers, we offered them to pay the money in three easy instalments. But people are not ready to pay the dues,” Gupta said.

Asked whether consumers were responsible for damage caused to the meters, he said it was the duty of the consumers to save the meters. Till all damaged meters were replaced, the department had decided to charge a flat rate from the consumers, Gupta said.

Meanwhile, a majority of power consumers in Jammu say that despite having paid for the replacement of meters, the department has failed to replace them.

Ankit Kumar,a resident of Partapgarh Mohalla, says, “We have already paid all instalments, but the PDD has not replaced the meters and is charging as per its wish.”

Jammu, March 14
Security forces today killed three Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants, including a suspected Pakistani national, who were holed up inside a mosque in the thinly-populated Keshwan area of Kishtwar district.

The encounter continued for about six hours. Meanwhile, the security forces searched the mosque for a suspected fourth militant, who might have fled.

The two of the three slain militants have been identified as Bilal, alias Abu Sohrab, a resident of Bhart in Doda district, Farid, alias Rizwan, a resident of Saroor, Premnagar in Kishtwar district.

The security forces suspect the third slain militant to be Kamran, alias Abu Qari, of Pakistan, but are yet to verify his identity, sources said.

DIG, Doda-Ramban police range, Hemant Kumar Lohia told the Tribune that “after getting specific information about the movement of terrorists in Sadwan village in the Keshwan area of Kishtwar district, the security forces launched a search operation on Friday night.”

“Seeing the security men, the militants took shelter in a local mosque late Friday night. This morning, the security forces sent some village elders inside the mosque to convince the militants to surrender, but to no avail,” Hemant said.

“As the militants refused to surrender, the security forces decided to flush them out from the mosque. The terrorists fired indiscriminately with sophisticated weapons on security personnel. However, in the gun battle the three terrorists were killed. A large quantity of arms and ammunition was also seized from the slain militants,” the DIG said.

Although, the security forces are claiming to have killed all the terrorists moving in the area, sources said a militant managed to escape last night taking advantage of darkness.

It is believed that self-styled local Lashkar commander Yusuf was also with the slain terrorists, but he managed to escape.

Srinagar: Two unidentified Lashkar-e-Toiba militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Handwara area of Kupwara district today. Whereas suspected militants lobbed a grenade toward security forces in Sopore town of north Kashmir last night, without causing any damage.

The police here said two LeT militants were killed in an encounter with a joint party of the police and 21 RR at Bawan, Handwara, in Kupwara district of north Kashmir.

Acting on specific information about the presence of the militants in the area, a joint party of the police and 21 RR laid cordoned off the area and launched search operations. The two militants were killed in the encounter that continued till this afternoon, the police said. Two AK 47 rifles and some ammunition were seized from the site of encounter. No collateral damage to any household was reported in the encounter, it added.

Suspected militants hurled a grenade toward the 179 Bn CRPF post near New Light Hotel, Sopore Chowk, in Baramulla district last night, the police said. The grenade missed the intended target and exploded by the roadside, without causing any damage.

Meanwhile, the police has arrested two suspected militants of Hizbul Mujahideen in the Qazigund area of Kulgam district in south Kashmir. The militants were apprehended during checking of vehicles near the Jawahar tunnel. They have been identified as Ashiq Hussain Nengroo of Pahalgam and Mohammad Yaseen Parray of Burzulla, Srinagar. 

Jammu, March 14
Goods worth lakhs have reportedly gone missing from a house at the VIP quarters of the Estates Department in the Ved Mandir Enclave area. The accommodation was vacated by a former minister recently and had been allotted to the Advocate General of the state.

It has been reliably learnt that several goods, including air conditioners, a refrigerator, a TV set, ceiling fans, coolers, room heaters, mattresses, curtains etc., are missing from the house No. 1.

What is remarkable here is that the quarters are in the high security zone, wherein high profile personalities like Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Baran Gosh, former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Justices Nirmal Singh and Varinder Singh have been living.

Though officials in the Estates Department agree that the matter has been brought to their notice, they refused to divulge its details.

“We have asked the chowkidar to submit the list of the goods that were provided in the house when it’s possession was handed over to the former minister,” said deputy director estates Arun Manhas.

Earlier, former MLA and minister Yougal Kishore lived in the house. He vacated the accommodation on February 19 following his defeat in the Assembly elections.

Advocate General MI Qadri told the Tribune that he took the possession of the house on March 6. “There are no goods of routine use in the house, which are usually provided to the VIPs in any government accommodation. Though there are stains of flowerpots, the same are missing from the house,” he said.

“The department concerned has yet not provided anything. There are no ceiling fans, bathroom fittings and sanitary wares, including taps and soap cases, in the house,” he added.

Director estates Khursheed Ahmed Shah expressed ignorance over the matter. However, he confirmed that whenever an accommodation was allotted to any VIP, it was well furbished and things of daily use, including TV sets, refrigerators, coolers, ceiling fans, room heaters, curtains etc., are provided.

Jammu, March 14
Even though Chief Minister Omar Abdullah kept his word setting out the regime of right to information for the people replacing the flawed J&K RTI Act 2004, the Draft Bill passed by the state legislative Assembly still has certain glitches.

Though Governor NN Vohra’s assent would pave the way for the Draft Bill to become a legislation, it has no provision for non-residents to access information from the state government departments, said Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, convener, J&K RTI Movement.

The permanent state residents could seek information from the Central government departments via the Central Act, but non-residents had been kept out of the purview of the Draft Bill, he added.

Further, the state government after putting up the Bill on official website had solicited suggestions to come up with a foolproof Bill in the Assembly but our submissions were simply given a cold shoulder, he said.

However, State Law Secretary AH Kochak out rightly denied the charges. “Suggestions will be given due consideration. However, if required, further amendments could be incorporated later,” said Kochak. 

Dr Bhat said, “We have suggested that the committee should appoint the Chief Justice of the state high court as a state Information Commissioner or IPOs despite a Cabinet minister to ensure Commission’s integrity.

Under this Bill, the committee headed by the Chief Minister has leader of the Opposition and a Cabinet minister, he added. Similarly, the Bill still has several typographic errors reflecting hurriedness on the part of the state government, he said.

Our suggestion of entertaining applications written in regional languages other than the official languages (English, Urdu and Hindi) was also neglected, he added.

Talking to The Tribune Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) programme coordinator in India, Venkatesh Nayak said, we had made 29 recommendations, out of which only one minor change was incorporated. 

He said, “Instead of expanding the scope of Section 3 of the Bill, the state government drastically narrowed it down by providing the right to seek and obtain information only to the people residing in the state.”

Jammu, March 14
The National Student Union of India (NSUI) today held a protest on the Jammu University campus, expressing its anguish over the death of a student in ragging in a Himachal Pardesh college. State vice-president of the union Shahnawaz Choudhary and president of the NSUI university unit Bageshwer Sharma. 

The NSUI activists burnt the effigy of Himachal Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and demanded his resignation in view of the student’s death.

Addressing the gathering, Shahnawaz expressed shock over the incident and maintained that the NSUI would conduct a nationwide survey about the alleged harassment of Jammu and Kashmir students in other states.

He also urged the Chief Justice of India to take suo moto action against the Himachal Pradesh government for its alleged failure in implementing the apex court’s orders over ragging. 

The protesters also demanded adequate ex gratia compensation for the family members of the dead student.

Kishtwar, March 14
Even as the Congress and the BJP have failed to select their candidates for the Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat, the PDP today kicked off its election campaign for the seat from Kishtwar.

Residents of Kishtwar organised a function to felicitate newly elected MLC Sayed Asgar Ali of the PDP.

PDP patron Mohammad Sayeed especially deputed senior party leader and former Home Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri to kick start the campaign in Kishtwar. Buoyed over some prominent leaders joining the party, PDP leaders claimed the party would win the seat as party candidates in the Assembly elections secured a good number of votes.

Addressing the gathering, Veeri exhorted the party workers to educate the masses about the programmes and policies of the party. He said only the PDP could fulfil the wishes and aspirations of all regions and sub-regions of the state.

He said Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as Chief Minister had set an example of good governance. He especially mentioned that the Mufti did not discriminate against the Jammu region, but also provided equal funds for all regions and sub-regions of the state.

Cautioning people against the vested interests who had launched malicious campaign against the PDP, he reminded the people that during the PDP regime developmental activities were accelerated in the Jammu region and many new projects for the uplift of the region were started.

Speaking on the occasion, former Billawar MLA Balbir Singh said he joined the PDP as only this party could effectively pursue the pro-people agenda.

“It is all due to the pro-people policies of the PDP that I have joined the party”, he said. He said during the PDP regime special attention was paid to backward and neglected areas. 

Nagrota, March 14
With a view to strengthening the party from the grass-roots level, the NC has decided to reconstitute its units at block, village and panchayat levels.

This was disclosed today by Ratan Lal Gupta, provincial president of the party while interacting with the party workers under mass contacting programme in the Nagrota constituency.

Under this programme Gupta has covered Jammu and Sambha districts. The programme will concludde tommorrow. Gupta said earlier Dr Farooq Abdhullah had dissolved all these committees and after forming the government once again, he (Abdhullah) had observed the necessity to reconstitute these units.

Gupta said under Vision 2020, Chief Minsiter Omar Abdhullah had assured that he would provide employment to educated unemployed youth, unemployment allowance to those who somehow did not get the job, 33 per cent reservation to women in the legislative Assembly and to make a new below poverty line list.

Beside it, in order to promote the education, he would also set up 11 new colleges in the far-flung areas of the state and would establish Central University in Sambha district, said Gupta.

While interacting with the party workers, Gupta said party would left no stone unturned and would work for the uplift of the poor and downtrodden section of the society in all three regions i.e. Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

Gupta urged upon the party workers that they should form 15 member’s ad hoc committees at block, village and panchayat levels. He said in order to empower all panchyats for doing development works in villages, Chief Minister Omar Abdhullah would conduct Panchayat elections after completing parliamentary elections.

Jammu, March 14
To check the declining level of ground water, the Central Ground Water Board, Ministry of Water Resources, is imparting training regarding rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge of ground water in the state.

JN Bhagat, senior scientist, regional office of the North Western Himalayan Region, Jammu, which comes under the Central Ground Water Board, laid out the plan with the DC, Jammu. Bhagat said, “We are preparing project reports regarding construction of dams and deepening of ponds so that the problems of water scarcity do not arise in the hilly areas.”

“Saving water on rooftops has been made mandatory in the buildings for the armed forces. In future, it can be made compulsory in the civil areas too. Since water in hilly areas tends to flow freely and get wasted due to topographical problems, we are planning to build check-dams to conserve water in these regions such as Bilawar, Kandi, Nagrota etc.” 

As shallow wells get dry in summers, the Central Water Board and the Central Water Commission along with the Pollution Control Board are conducting a joint study to find out better ways to conserve water.

Bhagat said, “Unutilised ground water outflowing from kandi and Sirowal belts would be tapped and would be supplied in areas reporting shortage like the Kandi belt..”

Gulmarg, March 14
Snow-bound valley of Gulmarg is attracting local as well as foreign tourists here which has resulted into good time for people who are associated with the tourism. Hoteliers, sledge owners and cab owners all are luring tourists towards them with attractive offers.

“I came from Gujarat and this is my first visit to the valley,” said Ramesh Tiwari, who enjoys skiing here for the first time.

“In Gulmarg everything looks like covered by a white carpet. It’s great to be here,” said Simi Thakur, a tourist.

Mubashir Ahmad, a ski trainer carrying ski sticks and luring tourists, said, “We charge Rs 100 per trip of skiing to a local while Rs 350 to a tourist, irrespective of time taken.

Another ski trainer, Abdul Aziz said, “Number of tourists has lessened on the weekends here. There are more local tourists rather than foreigners.”

As trained skiers impress onlookers by their swift movements, learners enjoy their fall on snow and repeat their attempts to step in shoes of trained skiers. Mohammad Amin, a sledge driver, said there were about 3,000 sledge drivers and everyday 200-250 sledge drivers get a chance to earn.

“We have to wait for our turn. Now my turn would come after six days and till then I will do some petty job around. Tourists like sledge driving and our income depends on mood of the customers. This work lasts for two months, for rest part of the year we opt for other jobs, mostly labour work,” said Amin.

Enjoying intermittent snowflakes tourists are enthusiastic to have a joy-ride in snow scooters.

“There are not many snow scooters. A couple of them are used to carry employees in case of emergency,” said Mir Shahnawaz, a resident.

“We are having good bookings this time. Both foreign and local tourists are staying in our hotel,” informed a waiter at Nedous hotel.

Some hotels face acute water shortage, but have good heating arrangements to counter the biting cold.

Jammu, March 14
Despite an ailing health sector on life support system, Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma this evening assured industrialists to infuse fresh blood in the form of a slew of measures to bring it back on track. However, Sharma sought cooperation of the industrialists in his endeavour to set his house in order and at the same time sent warning signals to the medicos with his the carrot and the stick policy.

Non-performers would find them in the remote areas while sky would be the limit for those delivering results, he said in an interactive session organised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) here this evening.

Though health infrastructure has been coming up at a rapid pace, dearth of manpower and resources continue to defeat healthcare in the state, he said. “Going by the sorry state of affairs in major hospitals of the winter capital vis-à-vis shortage of faculty and posts, I doubt CCI would not hesitate to de-recognise the government medical college,” he said.

And to aggravate the miseries of common people private nursing homes has completely commercialised healthcare, he said, adding that time had come for introspection because society at large had been losing moral values.

“We are working on having a transparent transfer policy making it mandatory for every doctor to serve in the rural areas for at least two years,” he said. He admitted that political interference to transfer medicos belonging to influential families had taken a heavy toll on the people.