The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Bedlam in J-K Assembly over ‘corrupt’ coalition
PDP stages walkout after Speaker disallows adjournment motion
Arteev Sharma/TNS

Jammu, February 24
Pandemonium broke out in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today after Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislators trooped into the well and later walked out from the House, demanding a debate over the issue of “high-level corruption” in Omar Abdullah-led coalition government.

As the House assembled on the second day of budget session, the PDP legislators led by Leader of the Opposition Mehbooba Mufti were on their feet and demanded that their ‘adjournment motion’ should be taken up for a debate over the issue of “corruption, favouritism and nepotism”.

“An extraordinary situation is prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir as the Cabinet members, right from top to bottom, are facing murder, corruption and nepotism charges. We demand that the House should hold a discussion on corruption,” Mehbooba said while referring to the notice issued by the Jammu and Kashmir State Accountability Commission (JKSAC) to the Chief Minister and other Cabinet ministers.

The Speaker, Mohammad Akbar Lone, however, turned down the PDP chief’s plea, saying they could raise the issue only after the Question Hour concluded.

“It was decided at the all-party meeting that all members would allow smooth conduct of the Question Hour, which is important for raising public issues. If there are allegations against someone, we will discuss it after the Question Hour,” Lone responded.

Though the legislators of other opposition parties, including the BJP and the National Panthers Party preferred to maintain silence on the issue, all PDP legislators moved the front row and started raising slogans against the ruling coalition.

At this point of time, the House echoed with slogans like “corruption hai hai”, “har taraf loot hai”, etc. The PDP legislators accused the government of “shying away” from discussing the “deep-rooted corruption” and questioned the “silence” of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Reacting sharply to PDP legislators’ accusations, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Sagar said they were discussing “unnecessary issues” and were “playing negative politics” during the Question Hour.

“You are violating the writ of the House as it was decided that all parties would cooperate in smooth conduct of the Question Hour. You were there as a member to decide this. First raise public issues in the Question Hour and then raise whatever (issue) you want to raise,” Sagar said.

Amid the relentless disruption of the House, the PDP legislators stormed into the well and raised slogans against the government. They continued their protest there for 20 minutes, urging the Speaker to take up the adjournment motion.

PDP to press for adjournment again

The PDP has decided to again move an adjournment motion in the Assembly on February 25 to discuss the corruption issue. “Piqued by the persistent attitude of apathy by the ruling alliance towards public issues of importance, the PDP has again decided to press adjournment of normal business of the Assembly to discuss and debate the issue of corruption, which has seriously put the entire democratic system in jeopardy,” a statement issued by the PDP spokesman read.

Mehbooba steps up attack on Omar
Arteev Sharma
Tribune News Service

Omar Abdullah may be very powerful because he has very good connections in New Delhi, the media or otherwise but Omar as the Chief Minister has become the ‘weakest CM’ the country has seen so far
— Mehbooba Mufti,
PDP president

Jammu, February 24
Stepping up its attack on the National Conference-led coalition government, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today described Omar Abdullah as “weakest Chief Minister” of the country who has “no control over corrupt ministers in his Cabinet”.

“The Chief Minister has no control over his ministers and he has lost the moral authority to continue,” PDP president Mehbooba Mufti told reporters outside the Assembly Secretariat here.

She remarked, “Omar Abdullah may be very powerful because he has very good connections in New Delhi, media or otherwise but Omar as the Chief Minister has become the ‘weakest CM’ the country has seen so far.”

The PDP chief, who along with her party MLAs walked out of the Assembly after the Speaker refused adjournment of the Question Hour and a debate over the corruption issue, said she didn’t think that anybody could make ministers accountable as long as the Chief Minister, who is the head of the government, was himself in the dock.

“He is being suspected of murder. His father is alleged to have taken money for MLA and MLC berths. Earlier, only the Chief Minister was struggling to save his chair, but now Cabinet ministers are also facing corruption charges. Ministers have patronised and awarded contracts to their sons, sons-in-law and relatives after misusing their positions,” Mehbooba alleged.

“It appears the government has adopted corruption as a matter of policy with the Chief Minister, his Cabinet ministers and others resorting to open loot of public money. Apart from embezzlement of funds, the funds sanctioned by the Government of India under budgetary provisions and for development activities are being utilised in select Assembly segments, depriving people of their rights,” she said.

Need to channelise youth force to address 21st century concerns: Omar
Tribune News service

Srinagar, February 24
Underlining youth power as the most significant resource to deal with the challenges confronting mankind, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has emphasised the need for channelising this force in the right direction to effectively address concerns of the 21st century.

“The educational relation of youth with science and technology is all the more important to address problems and find out solutions to these,” he said, stressing the need to inculcate deep interest of youth in scientific and technological spheres of modern learning.

Inaugurating the five-day camp on “Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)”, organised by the University of Kashmir in collaboration with the Union Science and Technology Ministry here today, Omar said despite tremendous advancement in the field of science and technology, its optimal benefits have not transferred to the masses, especially in this part of the world.

“We understand that the promotion of science and technology is possible only when the youth are attracted to this field. It is important for tackling and addressing various challenges and concerns,” he said.

Omar maintained that there was need to address the 21st century concerns like poverty, diseases, environmental degradation, energy crisis, disasters, climate change, etc. “Most of the services and benefits mankind currently enjoys are the outcome of scientific research carried out all over the world.”

The Chief Minister said INSPIRE was an innovative programme for attracting talent to science. He expressed the hope that the basic objective of INSPIRE to communicate to the youth the excitements of creative pursuit of science was realised through such camps and the required critical human resource pool was built for strengthening and expanding science and technology for research and development.

He said the youth in Jammu and Kashmir were second to none in talent and their grooming in scientific temperament is the need of the hour so that they are able to address specific challenges the state is confronted with in various fields.

Omar asked the university management to create an understanding with the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicines (IIIM) at Srinagar and Jammu for providing an opportunity to research scholars in carrying forward their R&D pursuits. “You should develop liaison with this institution and help students undertake research projects for which the government will extend you all help”, he told the management of the University of Kashmir.

HC stays panel’s proceedings against Peerzada
D S Chauhan

Jammu, February 24
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court here today stayed the proceedings initiated by the J&K State Accountability Commission (JKSAC) against Cabinet minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, who is accused of using his official position to help his foster son Imam Soubhan Bhat during his Secondary School Examination in 2009.

The JKSAC, while taking suo motu cognisance of the reported story published in “The Tribune” in the issue dated February 9, 2012, had directed personal appearance of former Minister of Education Peerzada or his counsel on March 2.

The high court, while admitting the writ petition raising the question that “whether the regulations framed by the JKSAC can override the statutory rules”, passed the restraint order against the accountability commission in its proceedings against Peerzada.

It was argued by the counsel for Peerzada, who moved the writ petition in the high court yesterday, that the direction of the Secretary, J&K Accountability Commission, to the Registrar to prepare a report on the basis of a news items against the petitioner in terms of Regulation 9 of the J&K Accountability Commission Regulations, 2005, and subsequent cognisance taken in terms of the order dated February 17, 2012, is without jurisdiction and contrary to the expressed provisions of Sections 3, 9, 11, 12, 13, 18, 21, 24 and 27 of the J&K Accountability Commission Act, 2002.

The word “complaint” used in Section 3 is indicative of the fact that it shall assume jurisdiction only where there is a complaint. The regulation-making power of the commission cannot extend to expanding its jurisdiction contrary to the Act as the subordinate legislation always has to be in conformity with the principal legislation.

Summer unrest 2010
Govt reviewing amnesty to 1,524 stone-throwers
Dinesh Manhotra
Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 24
Even as 25 persons, including some students have again been detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) for their involvement in various offences, the state government under its amnesty scheme is examining cases of 1,524 people, allegedly involved in stone-throwing incidents during the summer unrest in the Kashmir valley in 2010.

In a written reply to queries of two members namely Hakim Mohammad Yasin and Peerzada Mansoor Hussain, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who holds the portfolio of Home, told the Assembly that 228 cases were being examined and orders for their withdrawal, if falling within the ambit of the scheme were likely to be issued in the near future.

The Chief Minister said the amnesty scheme was launched on August 28, 2011, for the youths and first-time offenders, who were not involved in serious offences during the summer unrest of 2010.

However, no amnesty will be given to persons involved in heinous offences or in causing arson and damage to public property, he said, adding that those found involved in such incidents after August 28, 2011, will also be out of the purview of the amnesty scheme. “The primary objective of the government in announcing this amnesty scheme is to ensure that the denial of police clearance and verifications on the account of their involvement in stone-throwing etc does not hamper their future prospects when it comes to applying for government jobs, passport, loan for education and self-employment or for pursuing higher education,” Omar said.

The Chief Minister added that 1,524 persons involved in 228 cases of stone-throwing had been prosecuted so far and probe was on in another 174 cases, involving 1,180 persons.

Regarding the number of persons detained under the PSA, Omar said 293 persons, including students and youth involved in the summer unrest of 2010 were detained under the PSA. “A total of 268 persons have been released while 25 persons were again detained after their release,” he said.

Avalanches pose constant threat to soldiers in state
Raju William
Tribune News Service

Udhampur, February 24
Soldiers defending the country’s frontiers and fighting insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir also have to deal with natural calamities like avalanches.

At least 14 soldiers were killed in two snow avalanches in the upper reaches of Bandipora and Ganderbal districts during the past couple of days.

On the basis of reports from the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE), the Disaster Management Cell, Jammu and Kashmir, had on Monday issued a medium danger avalanche warning in Chowkibal, Tanghdar, Keran, Machil, Drass, Kargil and Gurez areas in the Valley.

Though an advisory was issued, asking people living in these areas not to venture in avalanche-prone areas and take precautions, the Army troops given the sensitive nature of the duty could not afford to comply.

On February 2010 a high altitude warfare camp set up in the Khilanmarg mountains of the Gulmarg area was swept by a massive snow avalanche. At least 17 soldiers were buried and several others were injured.

A senior Army officer told The Tribune that dying of soldiers and paramilitary troops in avalanches, manning sensitive posts in the higher reaches was common. “Given the call of the duty coupled with scale and timing of natural calamities like avalanches, any precautionary measure becomes redundant,” said the officer.

Surveillance posts cannot be vacated despite conditions like heavy snowfall, as it amounts to dilution of the Army’s dominance. Gurez sector in the higher reaches of north Kashmir becomes inaccessible in winter. The Razdan pass closes during the winter and the Army and Air Force helicopters evacuate the people in case of any emergency.

Besides known as the traditional route for insurgents to sneak into the Indian territory, the Gurez sector along the Line of Control (LoC) is so vital that front posts manned by the 109 Infantry Brigade are set up at a visual distance of 300 to 400 metres, facilitating eye-to-eye contact with the enemy. The level of vigil has to be maintained to thwart of infiltration attempts, so in winter due to heavy snowfall, the distance has to be closer, said the officer.

BJP faces criticism for being mute spectator
Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 24
Even as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has decided to again press for its adjournment motion to discuss the issue of corruption in the Assembly on Saturday, the other opposition parties -- the BJP and Panthers Party -- faced criticism from social organisations for remaining mute spectators in the Assembly when the PDP members were creating an uproar in the House.

Gopal P Sharma, chairman of the Public Opinion Forum, flayed the BJP for adopting double standards on the issue. “Some of the BJP leaders were exposed after the cross-voting controversy, the role of other party leaders is also under a cloud now,” Sharma said.

“If BJP leaders are so serious about the rampant corruption in the state, they should rather join other oppositions groups to effectively corner the government on this important issue,” he said, regretting that the BJP had failed to come up to the expectations of the people.

State president of the BJP Shamsher Singh Manhas, however, claimed that his party would intensify the ongoing campaign for the ouster of the Omar Abdullah government.

Some social activists of Jammu also criticised the Panthers Party for its dubious role in exposing corruption in the government. Ved Sharma, a social activist of Udhampur district, said Panthers Party leaders have been criticising the coalition government for corruption in the state outside the Assembly but inside the House they remained mute spectators when other opposition groups were pressing for a discussion on corruption.

Rafiq Ahmed, another resident of Udhampur, also flayed the Panthers Party for not supporting the PDP in the Assembly on the corruption issue.

PDP to press for adjournment again

Amrit Malhotra elected Chairman of Legislative Council

Jammu, February 24
The Legislative Council unanimously elected Amrit Malhotra as Chairman of the legislative Council today.

The motion to this effect was moved by Devender Singh Rana and Ravinder Kumar Sharma, which was seconded by Ajay Sadhotra.

The Vice-Chairman, Murtaza Ahmad Khan, put the motion for vote, which was passed unanimously.

Later, Minister for Rural Development Department Ali Mohammad Sagar and Minister for Medical Education RS Chib along with other legislators brought Malhotra to the chair.

In his brief speech, Malhotra assured the House that he would try his best to come up to the expectations of the members by upholding the sanctity of the House.

He hoped that the government and the members would co-operate with him in running the business in the House smoothly. — TNS

Chemists begin strike against drug policy
M Aamir Khan

Srinagar, February 24
The chemists and drug distributors of the Kashmir valley started their two-day strike today in protest against the recently approved drug policy. The decision to go on a strike was announced by the Coordination Committee of J&K Pharma Traders and Professionals (CCJKPTP) during a demonstration held here yesterday.

Due to the strike call, all outlets selling medicines remained shut across the Valley.

The CCJKPTP has also warned that they would intensify their protest and shut down the “entire pharma trade” in the Valley if the government persisted with its decision to implement the drug policy.

The pharma traders have already taken to the streets twice against the drug policy that was approved by the state Cabinet last month.

The CCJKPTP members have claimed that the policy would render over 10 lakh people associated with the profession in the Valley jobless.

They have also claimed that the policy would only benefit a few big pharmaceutical companies and hit the businesses of smaller business houses as well as the wholesalers and retailers of drugs.

The government, however, has defended the drug policy. Health Minister S L Sharma has maintained that the new drug policy was aimed at discouraging the proliferation of spurious drugs in the market and for bringing transparency in the procurement and distribution of drugs.

In a recently issued statement, he had said the new policy would help curb the activities of the drug mafia.

Conference of Jammu Mathematical Society
Tribune News Service

Noted mathematician Prof Satya Deo Tripathi from Harish Chandra Institute, Allahabad, delivers a keynote address during the 22nd annual conference of the Jammu Mathematical Society in the University of Jammu on Friday. Tribune photo: Inderjeet Singh

Jammu, February 24
The 22nd annual conference of the Jammu Mathematical Society and a national seminar on Recent Developments in Complex Analysis and Related Areas began today at Seminar Hall of the Computer Sciences and IT Department, University of Jammu (JU).

The two-day conference is being organised by the Department of Mathematics, JU, in collaboration with the Jammu Mathematical Society. Prof MP Singh, Vice-Chancellor, JU, was the chief guest on the occasion.

He said no science was without mathematics and various researchers had been using all the mathematical formulations in most of the fields of science and educational research, including biological theory, chemical analysis, bio-chemical analysis, geo-chemical analysis etc.

Noted mathematician Prof Satya Deo Tripathi from Harish Chandra Institute, Allahabad, delivered a keynote address. Prof Tripathi said the Central government has declared 2012 as the mathematical year and December 26 should be celebrated as National Mathematical Day.

Prof JS Jamwal , HOD, Department of Mathematics, University of Jammu, gave a brief profile of the conference and also highlighted the achievements of the department in terms of research, publication, teaching methodology and infrastructure development.

Employees’ Corporation celebrates diamond jubilee

Jammu, February 24
The closing ceremony of the diamond jubilee celebration of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) was organised today at Police Auditorium, Jammu. Shahid Anayatullah, Labour Commissioner, was the chief guest on the occasion and members of the Regional Board of the ESIC were the guests. Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner, Jammu and Kashmir, K Mahendru was the guest of honour.

The function was also attended by employers and employees of the ESIC. Rattan Kumar, Regional Director, ESIC, in his welcome speech gave an account of activities carried during the diamond jubilee year and said the commitments made by the Director General of the ESIC were fulfilled. The Labour Commissioner inaugurated the programme with the release of a directory of the ESIC. The chief guest told the audience that the ESIC was celebrating the diamond jubilee of its services by completing 60 years in the field of social security to poor workers. — TNS

Minister for collective strategy to tackle warming
Tribune News Service

Udhampur, February 24
Minister for Higher Education, Employment and Labour Abdul Gani Malik today inaugurated a three-day international conference on ‘Global Warming: the biggest challenge of the 21st century’, at Government Degree College (Boys), Udhampur, here.

The minister emphasised a collective strategy to meet the biggest global challenge while addressing a gathering of environmentalists, academicians, scientists and scholars during the inaugural session.

The conference is being sponsored by the University Grants Commission.

Eminent scientist from Spain Valentin Salcedo del Castillo; Head Department of Botany, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, Prof VK Jain and former Deputy Director General, Geological Survey of India, KS Jamwal were also present on the occasion. Principal, Government Degree College, Udhampur, Dr Nutan K Resutra read the welcome address.

“Man will have to understand and strike a balance between development and environment. Development should not stretch beyond the pollution bearing capacity of the atmosphere. The platform of this conference should come up with certain suggestions that help policy makers to define future development strategies,” Malik said.

Complimenting the college management for organising the first international conference, the minister said the event would provide a common platform for the state, national and international participants to deliberate on various issues related to the global warming, its consequences and implications for the entire globe in general and developing countries in particular.

On the occasion, the minister dedicated a centralised generator of 50 KVA for the smooth conduct of the teaching-learning process and also released a souvenir of abstracts and the college magazine ‘Devika’, which was published after a period of eight years.

Prof Salahuddin Qureshi from Aligarh Muslim University; Prof N Seker from Dyestuff Technology Department, ICT, Maunga, Mumbai, and Chief Conservator of Forests OP Sharma were among the prominent speakers on the occasion.

Publicise merit list of JK Bank recruitment: MLAs

Jammu, February 24
Legislators of the Panthers Party and the Jammu State Morcha (JSM) created an uproar in the Assembly on the issue of discrimination with the Jammu region. During the Zero Hour, Panthers Party MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia raised the issue of recent recruitment conducted by Jammu and Kashmir Bank Limited.

He said of the total number of candidates recruited by the bank, only 25 per cent belonged to the Jammu region. He alleged that the recruitment was conducted in a clandestine manner to debar candidates of the Jammu region.

Mankotia was supported by his party colleague Harsh Dev Singh, who expressed surprise over the way appointment orders were issued to selected candidates. He asked the Finance Minister to table the selection list of the candidates in the Assembly.

Jammu State Morcha MLA Ashwani Sharma also alleged fraud in the recruitment of candidates by the bank. However, they were pacified after the Speaker of the Assembly assured them that he would look into the matter. — TNS

Government departments yet to pay Rs 900 crore power tariff
Dinesh Manhotra
Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 24
In the cash-starved state of Jammu and Kashmir, where deficit in power sector has been increasing with every passing year, the government has failed to recover over Rs 900 crore power tariff arrears from its departments. Not only are the tariff arrears increasing with each passing day but the transmission and distribution (T&D) losses in the state are also more than 62.12 per cent.

Replying to a query of Chaman Lal Gupta in the Legislative Assembly today, Tourism Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora, on behalf of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, informed the House that the recoverable arrears of power tariff from government departments had been increasing. He said the arrears in 2010 were Rs 783.59 crore, and in 2011 they had touched Rs 900.49 crore.

Not only are some government departments defaulters but some legislators and ministers also have outstanding power tariff bills.

As per the document tabled in the Assembly, the Kashmir wing of the Power Development Department (PDD) has to recover Rs 271.06 crore as tariff arrears from government departments while the Jammu wing has to recover Rs 629.49 crore.

Giving details of the T&D losses in the state, the minister said the losses for 2010-11 were 62.12 per cent as against 63.04 percent during 2009-10.

The minister claimed that to reduce T&D the government had initiated several steps such as metering of grid stations and replacement of defective meters. He said 34,980 defective meters were replaced by new ones. He said metering of 30 towns under the Restructure Accelerated Power Development Reforms Programme (R-APDRP) would be completed by next March.

He said rigorous inspection drives were being conducted by inspection squads to check power pilferage. Till January, Rs. 8.67 crore fine had been imposed on defaulters, and out of it over Rs 5.29 crore had been recovered.

The minister said the PDD had gone for computerisation of its revenue centres. Out of 118 electric subdivisions, 115 were fully computerised and bills were being issued from these centres on a regular basis.