DM: There are reports that you were denied ministerial berth due to your proximity with Azad. Is it true?

AK: I am not aware whether my name figured in the list of ministers or not. But one thing is clear that I don’t believe in factionalism. It is also a reality that Azad has encouraged me to join politics so I always consider him as my political mentor.

Sunaina Kaul (SK): The majority of people who are demanding cancellation of constituency development funds to legislatures, allege that these funds are being misused by some legislatures? What is your opinion?

AK: On the contrary, I think the government should increase the fund limit from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore per year. The MLA is the only person who knows about the requirement of his constituency and he needs funds for development. There are some people who misuse funds. But you have to show some work on the ground. Moreover, the MLAs do not have the money freely available to them. It is kept with the deputy commissioners who spend it.

JJS: What kind of development works have you taken in your constituency?

AK: Since my election, 70 schools have been opened or upgraded. I have brought electricity to many villages. The road network has been widened and many far-flung places have got road and phone connectivity.

Archit Watts (AW): In winters, the Jawahar Tunnel remains closed due to snowfall and the commuters have to suffer. Is there any plan to let it open throughout the year?

AK: We are working in this regard and the government has ordered to purchase some more snow-cutters of latest technology, which are being used in other countries. Besides, a railway track is also under construction, which will surely solve the problem to some extent.

Ravi Krishnan Khajuria (RKK): The Baglihar hydroelectric project constructed over the Chenab has affected several families in Pul Doda. Has the issue been sorted out?

Ashok Kumar (AK): As far as compensation for the structures in the Pul Doda area is concerned, the government has adequately compensated them, but there are still some people from hamlets near the Dam Top area, who are awaiting relief.

Similarly, after dam reservoir came up, two bridges over the Chenab in Trungal and Marsoo villages submerged completely, causing hardships to villagers living on other side of the river. On my intervention, the government recently sanctioned two bridges, although the pace of work is very slow.

RKK: The Baglihar has come up in a seismic zone where sinking of a hill had once became a cause of concern. Has the problem been fixed?

AK: I had suggested the government to undertake a plantation drive in the area to check sinking of hills. Enough measures have been initiated by the executing agencies to fix the problem.

Kanav Gupta (student): Sir, you have the experience of examination system as you were a government teacher. What do you think could be the reasons behind the paper leak scandal ?

AK: People who get access to question papers must be those associated with the education department. Though some preventive measures have been taken, I think the whole constitution and working of the Board of School Education needs to be changed.

I fully understand the frustration of hardworking children who are directly affected by such incidents.

Jammu, April 16
While Army chief Gen VK Singh’s remarks on government’s proposed move to amend the Armed Forces’ Special Powers Act (AFSPA) would definitely invite the “ire” of Kashmir-centric political outfits in terrorism-plagued Jammu and Kashmir, security experts, including former DGP MM Khajooria, have endorsed the former’s viewpoint.

“In nutshell, the AFSPA should stay in its present form so as to enable the security forces combat terrorism in the state,” Khajooria told The Tribune.

The new Army chief’s view in the upcoming edition of “Sainik Samachar” suggested that any dilution in the AFSPA would adversely impact the operations of security forces in the troubled states of the country.

“I fully endorse the Army chief’s opinion because such special legislations were enacted to deal with specific and special situations where normal laws simply don’t work,” he said.

It may be stated here that the PDP has been bullying the NC-Congress coalition government to scrap the AFSPA.

However, the former DGP felt that the security forces, combating Pak-sponsored terrorism, must be directed under an executive order not to use the AFSPA except in exceptional circumstances.

“And, where the security forces use the AFSPA, the commander of the troops must owe an explanation on its use so as to come clean before society at large,” he said, adding that its (Act) use must be restricted in circumstances where ordinary laws fail.

An officer in one of the counter-insurgency forces felt that though terrorism was at its lowest ebb in 2009, the situation was not ripe to make amendments to the AFSPA.

“As many as 34 terror camps are still being run by Pakistan in PoK and terrorists have been pushed into launch pads for infiltration into the state. Under such circumstances any move to dilute the Act would certainly impinge adversely on our counter-terrorism operations,” he said.

Meanwhile, sources in the Home Department told The Tribune that Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had given ample “feelers” to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to dilute the AFSPA.

The Act was clamped in 1990 during Governor’s rule to quell terrorism.

Jammu, April 16
Come April 18, the annual ritual of celebrating the World Heritage Day will customarily be followed here by reminding the people of their glorious past. However, the enthusiasm associated with the day vanishes soon as majestic monuments and heritage sites in the state continue to remain in a shambles for the next 12 months.

Interestingly, a number of heritage sites and protected monuments in the state have lost their surrounding land to the encroaches, leaving no scope for further excavations and to dig out the past.

Informed sources said a portion of land around a mound called “Tibbe Name Shah” near Chauhana Chak village in the Marh block of Jammu district has been encroached upon by some locals who had been resisting the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) from undertaking excavation work.

The ASI had recently discovered habitational deposits in this area, dating back to 1,000 year BC. Some antiques in the shape of beads of terracotta, bone pendent, hopscotch and gamesman had also been unearthed from the site, which is just five km away from the Indo-Pak Border.

Apart from “Tibbe Name Shah”, another ancient edifice, which has become the victim of the official apathy over the years, is the centuries old Shiva Temple of Mahabilvakeshwar in the heart of Billawar town, situated on the banks of Naaz and Bhinni nullahs.

The heritage site of national importance calls for immediate attention as unabated encroachment around it has lowered its grandeur and was posing a threat to its survival. Even the approach road to it has not been spared, Narinder Kumar, a resident of Billawar, lamented.

Deteriorating law and order situation in the state during the past two decades had further contributed to the neglect of ancient sites, particularly in the Kashmir Valley. Even the ASI’s Srinagar Circle had to be shifted to Jammu. A number of theft cases were also reported during the period when precious artifacts were stolen from the protected sites in Kashmir.

In April last, some unidentified persons had stolen the items of immense historical and archaeological value from the ASI-protected 8th century Shiva Temple located at Fategarh near Baramulla. The stolen artifacts were believed to be a section of Lord Vishnu’s idol in the shape of a “gadhadhar”.

Khursheed Ahmad Qadri, state consultant, Tourism and Culture, said as the boundary wall around the Hari Parbat Shrine has recently been declared as a protected site, the step would check the menace of encroachment in the area. Further, the recent passage of the Heritage Conservation Bill by the state Legislature would also help the authorities in protecting the rich and glorious past of the state, he said.

R. Krishnaiah, superintending archaeologist, J&K Circle, assured that with the situation showing signs of improvement, steps would definitely be taken to preserve and protect the heritage sites in the state.

With only three weeks left for Darbar move from Jammu to this summer capital, the main roads in the heart of the city are getting a facelift. A beautification plan was started for central Lal Chowk a couple of months earlier (See photo). Even as the beautification plan was set into motion, it had created doubts in several business and social organisation arguing that it would instead minimise the open space available in the heart of the city. Work is already apace on the project.

On an average basis, every week the police claims that they arrested two to six trucks loaded with bovines. In this year alone, till date the police has registered 120 cases of bovine smuggling in the region, sources said.

The police on several occasions has arrested smugglers and rescued bovines, but the illegal activity of the offenders continues. These smugglers have become so daring that they sometimes even pierce through police barriers and attack them.

In a recent incident in Kathua district, a group of bovine smugglers tried to run over a cop under their truck at night. However, the cop somehow managed to save his life.

The sources said cows and oxen were being brought from various parts of Punjab and Jammu region and taken to slaughterhouses in the Kashmir Valley, where they get huge money against them.

The connivance of several police personnel with the smugglers cannot be ruled out as trucks loaded with bovines travel hundreds of kilometres and that too on the National Highway, where huge number of security personnel is deployed.

It poses a big question that how these vehicles could reach unchecked to the Kashmir Valley and that too after crossing Jawahar Tunnel, which is the only link between the two regions where security forces remain on high alert round the clock.

It has been learnt that some villagers, especially nomads, along Jammu district are also allegedly helping the smugglers, including providing information regarding the police presence in the area.

A retired police officer revealed the modus operandi of the smugglers that they take the help of cellphones, as two vehicles - one escort and other pilot - go with the truck being used for the smuggling purpose.

He further said as soon as they see the cops on duty, they inform the driver to stop the vehicle behind and wait till the naka removes. Sometimes they do not use the main roads to avoid checkpoints and take internal village roads to cover some distance.

The smuggling mostly takes place at night. “Night time is considered safe for smuggling as the smugglers can easily run away in case they are trapped,” said another police officer.

However, a senior police officer said they had constituted special squads to keep a check on this illegal trade.

Srinagar, April 16
The Gujjars during a meet at Kralpura in Kupwara district alleged that tribal funds sanctioned by the Centre are not being utilised properly.

“No proper census took place in this area,” they stated during a meeting, adding that the government did not supply free ration to people of the Kralpura block, which was supplied to other parts of the state.

The meeting was held under the leadership of Ishfaq-ur-Rehman Poswal, president, Jammu and Kashmir Gujjar Maha Sabha (JKGMS), in which Gujjars from adjoining villages, including Hafiruda, Karan, Karnah, Dulipura, Hatchmargi, Farkiayan, Tumna, Meelyal, Warson, Dardpura, Mujpathra, Kachana, Harai and Chowiwal participated.

Expressing concern over the lack of basic facilities in the area, Gujjars said the area lacks mobile schools, dispensaries, road connectivity and drinking water facilities. “Over the past 35 years, we have not been provided any of these facilities,” they rued.

They expressed resentment over the decision of the State Board of School Education for making Kashmiri language compulsory in Class IX and X, as Gujjar students have no knowledge of the language and instead wanted Gojri language to be introduced and declared compulsory.

Poswal expressed concern over the plight of Gujjars in the area. Later, he sat on a dharna asking the government to look into the grievances of the community.

Jammu, April 16
The three-day Baisakhi festival, which concluded recently, was a different experience for locals as they witnessed a mega event organised for the first time at Har Ki Poudi temple, situated on the banks of the Tawi.

Around 2,000 devotees participated in the festival, which was organised by the Tourism Department with a view to promoting the place as a heritage tourist point.

The temple is situated in the vicinity of Bagh-e-Bahu temple, which is visited by thousands of tourists everyday.

The festival started with an impressive road show in the shape of a procession, which comprised of around eight cultural troops and some local residents of Gorkha Mohalla, situated in the same area. It presented a colourful glimpse of Dogra culture, besides enthralling the audience.

Nawang Rigzin Jora, Tourism Minister; Raman Bhalla, Relief, Rehabilitation and Revenue Minister; and Pawan Kotwal, divisional commissioner, also joined the procession, which started from Bagh-e-Bahu temple and culminated at Har Ki Poudi temple.

Jora and Bhalla jointly inaugurated two viewpoints situated around 1 km away from Har Ki Poudi temple. At the end of the festival, a “maha aarti” was performed by these ministers along with members of the Dogra Pujari Shastri Jyotshi Sanng, in which Vedic mantras were chanted for the peace and prosperity of the state and the world.

Rampal Shastri, president of the Saang, said pooja was held in accordance with the rituals of Dogra culture for world peace, communal harmony and for the development of the state.

Shastri, however, expressed concern over the rapidly increasing pollution level in the Tawi and its diminishing water level. He said the water level in the river was less as compared to the last year.

He further said the government was spending lakhs for the beautification of the river and appealed to the people to cooperate in maintaining the hygiene of the river.

Expressing happiness over the fast pace of development of Jammu, Bhalla said the government was committed to the development of the state and it had taken several steps for exploiting state’s tourism potential.

While addressing the devotees, Jora said Har Ki Poudi would be promoted as a pilgrimage point. He said the government was committed to the development of all three regions of the state, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. He also announced that a cable car project would come in Jammu by June this year.