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Promising transparency
The Road Ahead
CM for monitoring of power projects
Winds of change |
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Division Bench upholds conviction of appellant under RPC
jammu DIARY
DGP reviews darbar move arrangements
Two Kashmiri teenagers missing after crossing LoC
Man dies after consuming excess alcohol
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Promising transparency
Jammu, May 3 The department has been facing criticism from different quarters for its failure to ensure smooth supply of ration, especially in the remote and backward areas of the state. In some areas, ration meant for BPL families was found in the open market as the same was smuggled from government depots. In the recently held budget session of the state Assembly, CAPD Minister Qamar Ali Akhoon had to face severe criticism from opposition as well as ruling party members on account of scarcity of ration in the state. It was during the Assembly session that the minister had promised to bring transparency and the launching of website was first step in this direction. As the CAPD minister also holds the portfolio of transport department,
he launched websites of both the departments simultaneously. The home page of the CAPD website contains profile of the department and details about the classification of ration like APL, BPL, AAY and other categories. The website would be updated from time to time to feed the people with the latest information about the department, which will also be made available in Hindi and Urdu. Speaking on the occasion, Akhoon said the website would serve as an effective tool to bring transparency in the functioning of the department. He said information about the availability of food grains, stock position and dispatch details, besides sale outlets and host of other related matters would be available to the people. Akhoon said people could also download forms for securing ration tickets, driving licences etc from their homes without wasting time in visiting the offices for the purpose. The minister said designing websites had become absolute necessity as the people were increasingly going tech savvy. Internet in Jammu and Kashmir was also emerging a fast means of communication, which he described as healthy trend. On the occasion, the minister and the commissioner secretary CAPD signed an agreement on result framework document (RFD) for entering into performance for the period May 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012. The RFD was prepared in consultation with director, CAPD Jammu. |
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The Road Ahead
Jammu, May 3 Though the state government is thinking to delegate powers to the PRIs and has set up a high-power committee to prepare a roadmap for transfer of functions, functionaries and finances to upcoming panchayats, the creation of infrastructure and manpower seem to be an immediate challenge in the way of institutionalisation of panchayats. Despite a gap of 10 years, the election process so far has evoked an enthusiastic response from the people of the state. In 2001, elections were held in only 1,900 sarpanch constituencies, out of the total 2,702. However, this time the number of constituencies has gone up to 4,130. The total number of panch constituencies that were 20,559 in 2001, has also increased to 29,719. Sources told the Tribune that only 50 per cent of the total number of panchayats in the entire state have a panchayat ghar to hold general body meetings, besides carrying other functions. The scenario is particularly discouraging in the newly created eight districts of the state, besides the panchayats that were bifurcated just before the ongoing panchayat elections as far as the question of basic infrastructure is concerned. “For the time being, there is a post of only one junior engineer against five panchayats in the state,” sources said, apprehending that lack of requisite manpower could hamper their functioning. They further said during the previous tenure of panchayats, there were complaints that the elected members did not get any remuneration. “If the trend continues, it could set a bad precedent leading to corruption and other malpractices in the local bodies,” they maintained. There were also reports that the even the watchmen-cum-gardeners appointed by the panchayats were denied salaries for the entire term. “If one looks at the history, panchayat elections have remained only a paper exercise,” sources said and added that to ensure proper decentralisation of power in the real sense, the government must hold elections at the block and district level without any delay. “Unless, the panchayats don’t have powers to make development plans at their own, besides managing their finances, these institutions could not be empowered as modal panchayats,” said the sources, adding, “As long as the chairpersons at the block and district level continue to be government functionaries, the institution of panchayat cannot deliver the desired results “. “To make the local bodies function in a meaningful way, the civil society here will have put in place a programme of social audit based on the experiences elsewhere in the country,” they added. |
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CM for monitoring of power projects
Srinagar, May 3 Laying stress on regular monitoring of projects using modern tools to avoid cost and time overruns, the Chief Minister said consultants like McKinsey would help in providing a road map to overcome all such problems and ensure time-bound completion of projects giving relief to the people. The Chief Minister instructed that the in-house capacity of the departments should be built in such a manner as would enable monitoring of ongoing schemes by the departments locally. He also got detailed brief on monitoring status of the major grid stations in the state. Omar said presently the state was in the process of improving and upgrading transmission and distribution network with the twin objectives of reducing the T&D losses and providing uninterrupted power supply to every household in the state. He said for achieving these objectives, the quality and the pace of the work had to be monitored on modern lines. The Chief Minister indicated his intention to put in place a monitoring mechanism for each development department so that works and functioning are monitored in a holistic manner to remove all chances of delay in timely completion of the projects. The meeting, among others, was attended by Chief Secretary Madhav Lal, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister BB Vyas and the development commissioner, Power. |
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Winds of change
Jammu, May 3 Forty-year-old Abdul Munaf Malik, son of Mohammed Iqbal Malik of Topa Village in Rajouri district, unsuccessfully contested the ongoing panchayat elections from Darhal on April 30. “The winner secured 196 votes while I got 190. I wish him all the success in his endeavour, but my score shows that people trust me,” Malik told The Tribune. Malik’s foray into panchayat elections amply conveys that the winds of change are now sweeping across Jammu and Kashmir. “A person exploited me for 14 years on the pretext of getting me a government job. I worked as a domestic servant and then I decided to become a militant,” Munaf recalled how he joined militancy. “From 1994 to 1999, I remained a militant, initially as a district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, and then promoted to divisional commander of Tehreek-e-Jehad for Rajouri, Poonch and Udhampur districts”. “But my mother convinced me to join the mainstream and in 1999, I surrendered before the then Rajouri SSP, Hemant Kumar Lohia, hereafter I worked for almost nine years as a special police officer (SPO)”. “However, envious of my work some local politicians hatched a conspiracy and got me terminated from the Police Department on September 17, 2008,” said Munaf. The former militant also attributed other factors like torching of his three houses in 1994 and assault on his brother by local militants in the area, which acted as triggers for him to join militancy. “I was a married man having small children when I
joined militancy,” he said trying to highlight trials and tribulations he and his family
underwent before he turned a militant. Munaf Malik, better known as “Inqalabi” or “Aslam Malik”, said he might have lost the elections but the faith of his people would keep him moving in the right direction. “I am a changed man now. I will continue to work for the development of my village, Chokian, where I am settled now.” “Even today, 37 families in my village do not have electricity and other basic amenities.
I will keep working to improve the living conditions in my village”. Malik had crossed the border in 1994 to undergo arms training in Sialkot. He even visited Afghanistan to receive
militant training from Taliban and came back in 1995. But now, he only talks about peace and development. |
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Division Bench upholds conviction of appellant under RPC
Jammu, May 3 The accused had filed a criminal appeal against the judgement of the Additional Sessions Judge, Reasi, dated December 15, 2005, wherein the accused was convicted under Sections 302 and 323 of the RPC. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a fine of Rs 6,000 under Section 302 of the RPC and one-year imprisonment with a fine of Rs 1,000 under Section 323 of the RPC. The Division Bench said, “If the court is ultimately convinced about the quality and reliability of the evidence, conviction could be recorded on the statement of a child witness. As a sequel to the aforesaid discussion, we uphold the conviction and sentence of the appellant under Sections 302 and 323 of the RPC as already recorded by the trial court”. Deceased Nazira Begum was a widow of Barkatullah Shah. After her husband’s death, she married the accused and started living with him along with her two children, Hafiz and Tariq. However, her another son Yousuf did not stay with her. Ghulam Qadir Jaral was instrumental in getting Nazira married to the accused. The accused was having suspicion that a two-and-a-half month baby was in fact from her relationship with Ghulam Qadir Jaral. Even after the marriage, the deceased was a frequent visitor to Jaral’s house. On the day of occurrence also, she had visited him. Meanwhile, Master Rehman informed Jamal Din, the first informant about the occurrence of the crime and thereafter both of them went to the police post to lodge a report. However, Mohammad Tariq, aged nine, the son of the deceased, who along with Hafiz happened to be in the house on that day, unfolded the entire prosecution case. Mohammad Tariq stated that his elder brother Yousuf had sent Rs 150 through Jaral, who used to meet his mother also. Yousuf had also sent a letter to his mother, which she had taken to Jaral so that he could read it out to her. When the accused came back, he asked his mother as to why she had gone to Jaral’s house and from where had the aforesaid amount come to her. The mother had replied that the money was sent by Yousuf, an explanation, which was not acceptable to the accused. The accused alleged her of going to aforesaid Jaral’s house for immoral purpose. Upon this, Nazira and the accused had a fight in which the accused caught hold of his mother, pushed her on the ground and beat her with ‘stick’ on her neck and hand. The right hand of his mother had been fractured. He further stated that the accused had also beat his mother with tongs. The witness further disclosed that the accused was telling his mother to catch hold both of her ears, but she could not do the same, as there was no strength left in her. The Division Bench while dismissing the criminal appeal observed, “The Evidence Act does not describe any particular age as a determining factor to treat a witness to be competent. On the contrary, it envisages that all the persons shall be competent to testify unless the court considers that they are prevented from understanding the questions because of tender age, extreme old age, disease whether of mind or any other kind. A child of tender age can be allowed to testify, if he or she has intellectual capacity to understand questions and give rationale answers”. |
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jammu DIARY
When it comes to the proper utilisation of resources, “devil may care” seems to be the attitude of government functionaries. If one wants to see the misuse of government vehicles, there could be no better place than the historical Ragunath Bazaar.
On any odd evening, one can see scores of vehicles belong to the administration and security forces dropping and picking family members, relatives and guests of officials, who come here for shopping. In the picture, family members of an official getting on to an Ambassador car having red beacon in front of the historic temple. Cash-for-vote row haunts MLAs
The cash-for-vote controversy, in which the BJP has already suspended seven of its legislators, continues to haunt the remaining four MLAs of the party as people keep pointing the finger of suspicion towards them as well. The BJP leadership had given a clean chit to these four MLAs, but the people are not ready to trust them. One of these MLAs was addressing a function in his constituency when a number of people were whispering “it is still a mystery how this man saved himself”. A youth even asked from the MLA, “It is an open secret that you are also a culprit, but you came out clean, you are really very smart”. Instead of indulging into an argument with the youth, the MLA decided to slip away from the scene. JMC's ‘swift’ action
No doubt, the JMC has also been doing a remarkable job in keeping the city neat and clean, but sometimes its officials cross the limit. Recently, some officials suddenly appeared on the New Plots Road early in the morning and started seizing articles kept outside shops. Traders were just opening their shops when the officials, who had also brought a "vintage" vehicle with them, started taking action. They threw their products, including electronic goods, into the vehicle and gave an advice to the shopkeepers to keep their
merchandise inside the shops before leaving the busy market. JMC's swift action invited a swift protest by the shopkeepers, who said that they would not succumb to the
"goondagardi". (Contributed by Ashutosh
Sharma, Dinesh Manhotra and Ravi Krishnan Khajuria)
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DGP reviews darbar move arrangements
Srinagar, May 3 He directed senior police officers to take all necessary steps to thwart any attempt to disturb peace in the Valley. Khoda also focused on maintaining strict vigil and caution to defeat the evil designs and anti-national elements to ensure a peaceful summer ahead. According to an official spokesman, the DGP reviewed the police and security arrangements being put in place at the offices and places of stay of the officers coming due to the Darbar Move. Khoda asked the officers present at the meeting to adopt a public-friendly approach while making security and other arrangements. He directed senior officers of the traffic police to monitor the movement of traffic closely to ensure a hassle-free travel of commuters. The meeting was attended by the IGP, Kashmir Zone, SM Sahai; IG (Operations), CRPF, BN Ramesh; DIG, armed police, Rouf-ul-Hassan; DIG, traffic police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar; DIG (CID), Kashmir, ND Wani; DIG (South) CRPF, PK Singh; DIG (North), CRPF, Sham Chand; SSP, Indian Reserve Police, SA Hamid; SSP (security) Rafiq-ul-Hassan and SSP, Police Control Room, Javed
Faroqui. |
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Two Kashmiri teenagers missing after crossing LoC
Jammu, May 3 The duo had not returned back and troops were searching for them, the officials said. Army officials contacted their Pakistani counterparts through the hotline and asked them to handover the boys who had unknowingly crossed to their side. No response had been received about the duo so far from the Pakistani side, they said. The parents of the teenagers have lodged a missing report with the police.
— PTI |
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Man dies after consuming excess alcohol
Jammu, May 3 “He was a painter and had been living alone here,” the police said. It added that he would not go to work for a couple of days and remain heavily drunk on those days. The body has been shifted to the mortuary at the Government Medical College and Hospital here. |
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