The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Alleged Custodial Death of NC Worker Vital evidences in case fudged, says Mufti Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, November 28 Breaking his silence over the decision of the state government to appoint a one-man Judicial Commission of Inquiry comprising Justice HS Bedi (retd) to probe into the alleged custodial death of NC worker, Syed Mohammad Yousuf, former Chief Minister and PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today demanded that the case be handed over to an independent investigating agency. “I don’t know what Justice Bedi will look into case of the custodial death of NC worker Syed Mohammad Yousuf because all evidences have already been fudged,” Mufti alleged while addressing a meeting of the executive committee of the Jammu province of the party. The former Chief Minister said this on the day when Justice Bedi started the probe into the case. In an obvious reference to the top NC leadership, Mufti said the role of those at the helm of the affairs was not above suspicion and evidences had been fudged. To substantiate his allegations, he pointed towards the transfer of the entire security staff of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah within minutes of the incident and the receiving of the post-mortem report. Mufti availed of the opportunity to attack the Central government and civil society for “maintaining double standards” on the issue of corruption. “I fail to understand why social activists like Anna Hazare are silence over the glaring examples of political corruption in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said and demanded that civil society should adopt same parameters in all parts of the country. Mufti said Yousuf’s custodial death case had dented the credibility of the Omar-led coalition government. “The present regime has lost the faith of the people due to the lack of governance. The credibility of the government is at the lowest ebb after Yousuf’s custodial death,” he said. The incident had exposed deep-rooted corruption in the government as well as the NC. “If NC leaders are taking money from its own workers to make them members of the Legislative Council (MLCs), one can imagine how these leaders treat common people? he said. While comparing the Yousuf case with those of khap panchayats of Haryana, Mufti said, “Under what law the Chief Minister had ordered Yousuf’s arrest. Was the Chief Minister competent to order his arrest? Under what law the Inspector General (IG), Crime, had arrested and detained Yousuf?” Taking a dig at the NC-led regime for its failure to connect with the people, the PDP patron said the government had created a trust deficit, which would further alienate the people of the state. He added all announcements made by the government during the last three years remained only on paper.
	PDP unit merges with NC Tribune News Service Jammu November 28 The PDP today received a severe jolt when its party unit in Gool-Arnas merged with the NC at a public meeting here today. PDP district president Shamshad Shan, along with the entire district unit of the PDP, including sarpanches, panches and other office-bearers, resigned from the basic membership of the PDP, relinquished party posts and joined the NC in the presence of advisers to Chief Minister Mubarak Gul and Devender Singh Rana. Shamshad and other leaders said the decision to join the NC was taken after seeing the indifferent attitude of the PDP towards the people. He added that the PDP was only in search of occasions to ignite tension between various sections of society by exploiting their sentiments on one or other pretext. “The PDP while in power did nothing to ameliorate the lot of people, especially living in the far-flung and remote areas. Its leadership is only interested in grabbing power for vested interests,” he alleged.
	Three years on, Doda satellite campus of Jammu varsity fails to take off Raju William Tribune News Service Udhampur, November 28 Even three years after its inauguration, the satellite campus of the University of Jammu at Doda is yet to take off. On seeing the apathy of the government on the issue, residents of Doda district have decided to observe a strike on December 1, on a call by the Doda Development Front (DDF). Resentment among people has been brewing in the academic and social circles over the issue of alleged discrimination against the people of Doda district, which is educationally backward as compared to the neighbouring districts of Ramban, Kishtwar and Bhadarwah, where the campuses of the university are functioning properly. Interestingly, the university campuses at Kishtwar and Doda were announced simultaneously. The campus at Kishtwar started functioning, but the one housed temporarily on the premises of Government Senior Secondary School, Doda, was reduced to a university forms sale counter. Spokesman for the DDF Ishtiaq Dev told The Tribune that they gave the strike call as the state government had neglected all representations given by the Doda residents. “We are fed up as the official apathy has made us believe that we are being discriminated against. Since the students from rural areas were to be benefited, the non-functional campus was a cruel joke on them,” said Dev. The district unit of the All India Students Federation (AISF) had on Saturday conveyed the seething anger among the students to MLA, Doda, Abdul Majid Wani, who had assured them that he would take up the case with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. President of the AISF Mukesh K Parihar said the organisation had been struggling to get the campus started for the last two years. “We sat on a 48-hour fast, besides organised a signature campaign and a number of demonstrations over the issue, but to no avail. We support the call of the DDF to press the government to make the campus functional soon,” said Parihar. The Doda campus was inaugurated by former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on June 27, 2008, in the presence of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jammu. “At that time, Azad had announced the start of a postgraduate degree in applied mathematics. Later the university issued a notice on April 30, 2009, that the classes for the first batch of e-learning course for girl students will be started soon, but nothing happened on the ground. Due to the non-functioning of the campus, the students have either to go to Jammu, which the majority of them could not afford. The students have no option but to stop pursuing the postgraduate courses,” said Faizan Ali Tramboo, president of the Doda Students Welfare Organisation. Coordinator of the satellite campuses of the university Dr Dawood Iqbal Baba attributed the situation to the non-availability of land. “We have written to the Department of Higher Education to arrange a minimum of 50 to 100 kanals for the purpose. The process is still on,” said Baba. He added no subject was being taught from the makeshift campus.
	Snow leopards return to Kargil areas Archit Watts/TNS Jammu, November 28 With peace in the Kargil sector, snow leopards are again seen in the area. Due to the Kargil War in 1999, most of the wildlife species, including snow leopards, had abandoned their habitats in Kargil. However, with the improvement in the situation, a big cat with two cubs had been spotted in the area. Earlier, locals claimed that they had seen the animal, though there was no evidence of the presence of the big cat, post-Kargil War. Jigmet Takpa, Regional Wildlife Warden, Ladakh, told The Tribune over the phone that these big cats, having tails as long as their bodies, which had almost abandoned their habitats in Kargil after 1999, had returned to the area. “Though Leh and Kargil are the best suitable habitats for this endangered specie, the snow leopards were not seen in Kargil during the past few years,” said Takpa. He added, “Poaching was a major problem. However, it has now been brought under control and the big cats can once again be seen in Kargil.” Takpa said there were nearly 400 snow leopards in the region comprising Leh and Kargil districts. “We have one national park and two wildlife sanctuaries here. These animals move about freely in an area of 97,000 sq km,” he said. Giving further details, Takpa said the Wildlife Department had launched various projects in association with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and other agencies to save and attract more snow leopards. “The results are very positive. The situation has improved in Leh also, where these big cats can be easily seen,” he said. Takpa lauded the role of the Army in the return of the snow leopards to Kargil. “The Army has played a major role in controlling poaching, which was the biggest threat to the animal. No one can move freely with a weapon, without the permission of the Army. These animals face no threat from poachers now.”
	Four bovines rescued from luxury bus Ashutosh Sharma Tribune News Service Jammu, November 28 The police rescued four bovines, being smuggled to Srinagar, from a luxury bus on the Bablian road here today. Though the police has started a special drive against bovine smugglers in the region, the smugglers have adopted a new modus operandi to transport the animals to the Valley. Instead of using trucks, load carriers and tractor-trolleys to smuggle the animals, the smugglers are now using luxury buses to hoodwink the police. The new trick came to light when the police arrested two smugglers while they were transporting four bovines to Srinagar in a luxury bus. During a naka on the Bablian road, a police party stopped the bus and during its search the cattle were found tied with ropes. The driver of the bus and the conductor were arrested and the vehicle was impounded. The driver and the conductor have been identified as Nisar Ahmed and Farooq Ahmed, respectively, both residents of Budgam district. “During questioning, the duo disclosed that they had loaded a cow and three calves from Maralian in the Miran Sahib area of RS Pura,” a police officer said. He added, “An FIR under Section 188 of the RPC and the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals Act has been registered at Satwari police station.”
	National Rural Health Mission Honorarium of docs, paramedics raised by 20 pc Tribune News Service Jammu, November 28 The state government enhanced the honorarium of doctors and paramedical staff engaged under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) by 20 per cent today. The increased honorarium shall be paid from October 1, 2011. Minister for Health and Family Welfare Sham Lal Sharma announced this while addressing doctors during a workshop on maternal health care organised by the State Health Society here. Describing health and education as core sectors, Sham Lal said the state government was making all-out efforts to improve the delivery of these vital services in the rural and far-flung areas. “To encourage doctors and paramedical staff to serve in the rural and far-flung areas, the government has affected a substantial increase in the incentive structure applicable to them under the NHRM,” he said. Hinting at a possible increase in allowances to the employees of the Health and Education departments serving in the rural areas on a par with those in the urban areas, the minister said the government was seriously considering the matter to encourage officials to serve in the rural areas. Maintaining that merit would be the only criteria for promotion and postings in the Health Department, Sham Lal cautioned poor performers and told them to improve their functioning or face action. He stressed on improving work culture in the health institutions and gave orders for taking appropriate measures in this direction. Sham Lal categorically mentioned that the performance of the doctors and the paramedics engaged under the NRHM would be reviewed every year and those found wanting may not be granted extension. The Director, Health, Dr Madhu Khullar, Chief Medical Officers (CMOs), Medical Superintendents, Block Medical Officers (BMOs) of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Poonch and Rajouri and officers of the NRHM were present on the occasion. Earlier, taking a serious note of the poor performance of and mismanagement in the local hospital, the minister attached the Block Medical Officer (BMO), Marh, Dr Mohit Kapoor, to the Government Hospital, Gandhi Nagar, till further orders.
	Government considering raising salary of Home Guards Jupinderjit Singh Tribune News Service Jammu, November 28 In a ray of hope for about 1,300 Home Guard jawans in the state, the state government is contemplating raising their monthly remuneration from a paltry Rs 545 to a ‘substantial amount’. The Home Guard jawans have been staging a relay protest at the Mubarak Mandi complex for over five years seeking higher wages and the regularisation of their services. The All Jammu and Kashmir Home Guards Welfare Association wants Rs 10,000 as monthly salary on the pattern of Punjab and other states, besides the regularisation of the services of the Home Guard jawans. The association is scheduled to stage a protest march from the Jammu Press Club to the Civil Secretariat tomorrow in support of its demands. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told The Tribune that increasing the salary of Home Guard jawans was under consideration but their absorption in the police department was difficult. “We value Home Guard jawans and their service to the state. But their work was always voluntary. They get money for the number of days they work. They have to understand that their job was like that of the Territorial Army personnel, which is not full time.” he said. The government had increased their monthly remuneration from Rs 460 to Rs 545 recently. Kamla Sharma, president of the association, which has a sizeable number of women members, said the state government had only given them a lip service all these years. Terming the payment of Rs 545 as a cruel joke in the present time of high inflation, she said, “Just imagine someone has been protesting for over five years and the government has increased the salary by only Rs 95 so far,” she said. “Recently, the Central government was criticised for the data that a person is not poor if he or she spends Rs 32 per day in an urban area and Rs 26 per day in a rural area. That makes it Rs 960 and Rs 780 per month, respectively. The government withdrew the data later as it was criticised to be highly impractical. But we, by our spending power of Rs 545 a month or Rs 16 per day, are the poorest in the country by even that standard.” Kamla said the Home Guard jawans had worked with the police in the fight against militancy but they were not given their due. “The government has regularised the services of two battalions of Home Guard jawans in 1990 when militancy was at its peak. But we have been ignored.” She said the association had approached everyone up to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi “but we got only assurances and hollow promises”. The association had launched its protest dharna on November 15, 2006.
	Use social networking sites to spread PDP message, says Mufti Dinesh Manhotra/TNS Jammu, November 28 Besides opposing the policies of the NC, the PDP has now decided to use the services of telecommunication engineers and Internet users to counter its arch rival on social networking sites. Welcoming a large number of telecommunication engineers, who joined the party in the presence of former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed recently, PDP leaders asked them to use the social networking sites to spread the message of the party among the netizens. The party leaders admitted that in the present era of technology, the Internet was an important means to spread the message of the party as well as counter the campaign of its political rivals on the social networking sites. Speaking on the occasion, Mufti said the agenda of the PDP was to address the aspirations of all regions and subregions of the state. He added during his tenure as Chief Minister the process of recruitment was institutionalised and appointments were made in a complete transparent manner. “During my tenure as Chief Minister more than 80,000 teachers were appointed and a similar number of anganwari workers were engaged in a total transparent manner,” Mufti said. He added, “The recruitment of the people was done not only in a transparent manner but the government also institutionalised the whole process to recruit genuine and deserving candidates.” Reiterating the resolve of the PDP to pursue its agenda of peace and an equitable development of all regions to change the system, the former CM said the development of all regions and subregions and the uplift of all sections of society was on the agenda of the party. “Attaining power is not the aim of our party. Our agenda is to restore peace by addressing the aspirations of all sections of society,” he said. He added, “The PDP always formulated its policies by accommodating the aspirations of the people of all regions of the state.”
	Governor: Need to promote Scouts, Guides’ movement Tribune News Service Jammu, November 28 Governor NN Vohra said today children of Jammu and Kashmir were bright and talented and if provided enabling opportunities they could win awards and honours at the national level. The Governor, who is also the patron of the Jammu and Kashmir State Bharat Scouts and Guides, was interacting with Scouts and Guides, who, along with the functionaries of the state Bharat Scouts and Guides, called on him at Raj Bhawan here in connection with their Annual Flag Day. The Governor emphasised the need for promoting the Scouts and Guides movement in the state to bring a large number of youth under its umbrella. Referring to the need for creating the required infrastructure and training facilities for the Scouts and the Guides, he assured all possible support for setting up a training centre in Jammu. Speaking about a proposal of the state Bharat Scouts and Guides to organise a national-level Scouts and Guides camp in the state, the Governor said he would facilitate the initiative. He suggested to the organisers that, if possible, they could organise the mega camp at Katra in January-February next year. The Governor and the First Lady made a contribution to the Annual Flag Day Fund and wished the Scouts and the Guides all the success in their mission. The Governor called upon all sections of society to contribute generously to the fund for facilitating enhanced activities of the Scouts and the Guides in the state. The Governor also presented an award to Riya Gupta, a Class VI student of May Fair Higher Secondary School, Janipur, Jammu, for standing first in a national-level essay writing competition. Earlier, after the prayer, the Scouts and the Guides presented scarfs to the Governor, the First Lady and RK Goyal, principal secretary to the Governor.
	Compel Centre not to allow FDI in retail, CCI urges people Tribune News Service Jammu, November 28 Condemning the statement of Union Minister for Commerce Anand Sharma that the entry of foreign direct investment (FDI) was a panacea for all ailments afflicting the Indian economy, which would benefit the common people, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), Jammu, today appealed to the public, political parties and NGOs to join hands with them to force the Centre to desist from allowing the FDI in retail and wholesale sectors. “The argument of the government proves hollow when one considers the cases of all those countries where multinational companies (MNCs) were allowed to invest. To expect the multinational companies to be philanthropists is like entrusting a dacoit with valuables and expect honesty from him,” said YV Sharma, president of the CCI, Jammu. He also advised the Union minister to visit these malls and stores in other countries and find for himself how they had been flooded with goods made from a particular country. Sharma said, “How will we survive when there is no customer for our products? By their proposed billions of dollars worth of investment (as claimed by the Ministry of Commerce and big Indian corporates), these MNCs will make trillions of dollars of profit and take it out of the country.”
	Ex gratia to electrocution victims revised Jammu, November 28 The state government has revised the ex-gratia relief to be paid to employees of the Power Development Department (PDD) and other persons, who are killed due to electrocution or grievously injured due to electric shock. The scheme shall also cover domestic animals killed in such incidents after proper verification. The revised ex-gratia relief to persons has been fixed at Rs 3 lakh in case of death, Rs 1 lakh for total disability and Rs 30,000 for partial disability. The relief for the death of domestic animals like cow, ox and horse will be Rs 5,000, and for sheep and goat Rs 1,000. The beneficiaries, as the case may be, shall have to furnish an undertaking for the adjustment of the compensation granted by the government against the relief under the provisions of the Workmen’s Compensation Act. Medical treatment free of cost will also be provided by the government to daily wage workers or work-charged employees, who are injured while discharging duty, till they recover fully. The amount spent by the injured workers on their treatment and hospitalisation will also be reimbursed. — TNS
	Three-day training on RTI Act from Dec 2 Jammu, November 28 The Sangarsh RTI Movement in collaboration with the Common Wealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), New Delhi, is organising a three-day training programme on the Right to Information (RTI) Act at Gandhi Nagar from December 2 to 4. The main objective of the programme is to impart training to aspiring RTI activists, members of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), students and senior citizens. “The purpose of the training, as stated by the organiser, is to strengthen the RTI regime in the state, which is suffering because of corruption,” a statement said. — TNS