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Soz’s remarks on Advani’s statement in bad taste: BJP
J&K among the slowest in land record computerisation
In denial mode, Pakistan blames BSF for ceasefire violations
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Mock poll in Leh today
Mirwaiz comes out in support of Geelani
Police arrests Hurriyat chief
Promote tourism in
Gurez: Tarigami
Distribution of ration streamlined
Ahead of I-Day, security tightened along LoC
GSI team to go up to Zero Line to unravel tunnel mystery
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Soz’s remarks on Advani’s statement in bad taste: BJP
Jammu, August 10 The BJP spearheaded an attack on the JKPCC chief, saying “if this downward trend (remarks in bad taste) continues, one shudders to imagine to what low level the political discourse will fall in the coming times, particularly when someone as literate as Soz also chooses to use such
expressions.” In a statement issued here, BJP state chief spokesperson Jitendra Singh referred to the rich tradition of “mutual respect” established by the founding fathers of the Indian Republic and reminded Soz that even in the worst times when his party patriarch Jawaharlal Nehru disagreed or lost his temper with Shyama Prasad Mookherjee, he would immediately apologise without making any personal insinuations against Mookherjee. Singh said, “Nehru once had taken the unusual initiative of introducing young opposition leader Atal Behari Vajpayee to
the visiting Soviet leader, Khrushev, as a potential Prime Minister
of India.” Imploring upon leaders from all political parties to exercise discretion, Singh said it was the responsibility of senior politicians like Soz to set an example of “respectful disagreement” with their opponents so that young political activists across the party lines could also follow the same. On Friday, the JKPCC chief while launching an attack on Advani for his statement had termed it as a “reflection of sheer frustration.” “Advani can talk of his party (BJP) and its
NDA alliance for its inability to form the government in 2014, but he is wrong in making predictions about the Congress and UPA, which have tremendous achievements to their credit,” Soz had said. Advani had said the UPA had lost its legitimacy after the controversial trust vote necessitated by the Left’s withdrawal of support over the Indo-US nuclear deal in 2008. He, however, had to withdraw his words on the UPA’s legitimacy. |
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J&K among the slowest in land record computerisation
New Delhi, August 10 Ramesh said Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Jharkhand and Kerala were lagging behind the rest of the country in computerising land records, a task which would help India progress towards a regime of conclusive titles for land as against the existing presumptive titles. The Government said it was working on the Model Titling Bill, which will be presented in the next session of the Parliament. The Bill, Ramesh explained, proposed for the first time a graduation to a system of conclusive titles of land in place of presumptive titles which lead to several disputes in courts. At present, people in possession of land in the country are presumed to be the owners unless proved otherwise. “But before we can move towards conclusive titles, we would have to update our land records and computerise them. While Karnataka, Haryana and Gujarat have moved very fast with the computerisation by re-surveying land records, other states have not,” Ramesh said during the Question Hour on Thursday. The documents submitted by the Ministry of Rural Development to the Parliament in this respect showed that Jammu and Kashmir has so far used only 15 per cent of the funds that the Centre released to it for the process. As against Rs 1,828 crore released by the Centre for this purpose, only Rs 286 crore have been used since 2007, when the scheme was launched by the Department of Land Resources. Under yet another scheme, the National Land Records Modernisation Programme, the state has not spent any money out of Rs 1,479 crore given to it. However, the state has managed to show a decent expenditure on the Strengthening of Revenue Administration and Updating of Land Records scheme. It has spent Rs 1,312 crore out of Rs 1,509 crore allotted to it. The National Land Records Modernisation Programme is currently implemented in only 267 districts. Under the 12th Five Year Plan, the Government proposes to cover all 620 districts under the programme. The scheme encourages states to conduct fresh surveys of land and update land records to root out corruption in the system. The situation, however, is very grim with only a few states being proactive in updating records. In Bihar, for instance, the last survey of land records was done in 1907, in Andhra Pradesh, it was last done in 1931 and in Uttar Pradesh in 1957. During discussions on the question of modernisation of land records, Rashtriya Lok Dal member Jayant Choudhary said bureaucrats were preventing modernisation of records in most states.The Centre, on its part, is all set to establish the National Institute of Land Area Management near Neemrana, between Jaipur and Delhi, to address the problem of shortage of land surveyors in India. Jairam Ramesh said the institute would train officials of states in modern methods and techniques of land record updating. |
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In denial mode, Pakistan blames BSF for ceasefire violations
Jammu, August 10 “At the flag meetings, Pakistan Rangers remain in a denial mode and instead blame us for opening fire first,” said a senior BSF officer. He said that even yesterday Pakistan Rangers denied violating 2the ceasefire agreement in the Hiranagar sector on August 6. On August 5, the Rangers had opened unprovoked fire in the Arnia sector. “During a flag meeting along the Zero Line in the Hiranagar sector yesterday, the Rangers once again remained in a denial mode and rather blamed us for initiating the trouble,” said the officer. The commandant-level meet, which lasted for over an hour, was attended by the BSF’s 68 Battalion Commanding Officer NS Ozla and 24 Chenab Rangers Commanding Officer Raja Shahid. On August 6, Pakistan Rangers had opened RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) fire on the Pansar post in which two BSF troopers had sustained splinter injuries. The officer, however, favoured a dialogue to resolve the differences. “Why would a country which has launched a low intensity conflict against us ever admit to its involvement behind intrusion bids and ceasefire violations at flag meetings,” the BSF officer said. “We know Pakistan’s stance towards India. Despite their denials at the flag meetings, we can’t afford to stop a dialogue because these flag meetings become a basis of discussions at the DIG, IG and DG-level talks between the two border-guarding forces,” he said. “Every time the Rangers violate the ceasefire agreement, we tell them to exercise restraint and we put across our point to them because that is more important,” the officer said, adding that in the arena of international diplomacy issues could only be resolved through talks. “If we stop holding flag meetings with them just because they usually remain in a denial mode, it will not be in our interest,” he said. Under confidence-building measures, India and Pakistan had agreed to a ceasefire in November 2003.
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Mock poll in Leh today
Leh, August 10 A team of election officials, including Deputy Election Commissioner Alok Shukla, Chief Electoral Officer Omang Narula, election observers and members of the expert committee on the VVPAT, reached Leh today to witness the actual field trial of the VVPAT to be conducted tomorrow. All EVMs with the VVPAT were rigorously tested today by technicians. Leh district has been identified by the Election Commission as one of the five locations in the country for field trial of the VVPAT. The other places chosen for field trial are Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, Cherrapunji in Meghalaya, East Delhi, and Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. The Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Tsering Angchuk, who is the district election officer, said the polling stations for field trial will be in Leh and Chushot blocks of the district. The necessary training was conducted yesterday for the presiding and polling officers. The counting of votes will be held on August 12 in Leh town. The first field trial of the VVPAT was conducted in Leh district in July 2011. The present is being conducted with some improvement in the system. |
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Mirwaiz comes out in support of Geelani
Srinagar, August 10 Addressing a gathering before the Friday prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid here, the Mirwaiz termed the frequent house arrest of Geelani as the state government’s “frustration”. He also flayed the government for “disallowing” the hardline separatist leader from offering the Friday prayers while demanding that curbs on him be lifted. Geelani and the police were involved in a verbal duel over the separatist leader’s house arrest. While the police had maintained that Geelani was placed under house arrest only when there was a potential of “creating breach of peace and public tranquility by him which endangered the public life and property”, the Hurriyat had claimed that Geelani was prevented from offering the Friday prayers since April 6. The Mirwaiz also appealed to the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) to take a serious note of the killings of the Muslims in Burma. He also urged the OIC to take note of the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir. The Mirwaiz called for a shutdown on August 15, which he termed as a “black day”. Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik also called for a shutdown on August 15. “Kashmiris living across the globe celebrate August 15 as a black day….the day will be observed as a black day this year too and Kashmiris by observing a complete shutdown on the day will reiterate their commitment towards the freedom struggle,” Malik said while addressing a gathering at Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district today. Geelani has also called for a shutdown on August 15. |
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Police arrests Hurriyat chief
Srinagar, August 10 Geelani, who has spent most of the last two years under house arrests, was detained by the police outside his Hyderpora residence in the afternoon and lodged at the Humhama police station. “He was going to offer prayers when he was arrested. The police has not informed us on what grounds he was arrested,” party spokesman Ayaz Akbar said. A police spokesman confirmed that Geelani had been arrested. He, however, did not divulge the reason for the arrest. Earlier this week, the Hurriyat chief and the state police fell into a verbal spat when the separatist group claimed that their ageing leader was barred to attend an iftar (fast-breaking) party by the police. The police had rebutted the Hurriyat claim by saying, “He has not been under house arrest and is free to go anywhere.” Soon after its chairman’s arrest today, the Hurriyat faction posted pictures of Geelani being arrested and taken away in a police vehicle on its online forums on Twitter and Facebook. The Hurriyat spokesman said Geelani had been prevented by the police from ffering the Friday congregational prayers since April 6. Geelani has remained under house-arrest for most of the time since 2010 when his faction of hardliners spearheaded street protests hat crippled the state for months. The police has often claimed in its statements that Geelani’s visits to various places lead to stone-pelting. It also admits that Geelani’s movements are restricted on occasions when there is a possibility of him hampering public tranquility and endangering public life and property. |
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Promote tourism in
Gurez: Tarigami
Srinagar, August 10 The Committee said if the tourism potential of
Gurez was exploited, it would boost the economic conditions of the people in the area. During the visit, the EC team interacted with the locals, who expressed
concern over the condition of the Gurez- Bandipora road which connects the area to the rest of
the state. The residents demanded construction of a tunnel from Dawar to Gurez, which would act as an alternative route and minimise loss of human lives due to accidents. |
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Distribution of ration streamlined
Leh, August 10 The direction came
following several complaints by people of the Nubra valley about the untimely distribution of ration. The people had complained to the Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) that they were facing difficulties on the day when they were given ration
and missed it due to some reasons. The CEC held a meeting of the CAPD Executive Councillor, Executive Councillor and Councillors, representing the Nubra valley. In the meeting, the CEC directed the Assistant Director, CAPD, that storekeepers posted in remote areas of the district should adhere to norms and distribute the ration among villagers on the basis of a ration card only. |
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Ahead of I-Day, security tightened along LoC
Jammu, August 10 “Though we are on a 24x7 alert along the international border and cannot afford to lower our guard for obvious reasons, the boys have been put on a high alert because of the recent developments,” he added. “January 26 and August 15 are very important days for us and therefore we take extra precautions to guard the borders. The detection of the tunnel and two truce violations in the past few days are being viewed very seriously by us,” he said. Sources in the BSF said 15 to 20 militants divided into three or four groups have been seen on the other side of the international border. “They are being shifted from one place to another during the night and we are maintaining a hawk’s eye on their movement,” they added. The Army has also beefed up security all along the LoC. “Pakistani militants are now using all sorts of methods to intrude into the state,” said a senior Army officer. The officer said around 325 militants had been moved into various launching pads on the other side of the LoC south of the Pir Panjal range. The Jammu and Kashmir Police has also strengthened security along the borders. Random checkposts have also been set up in the capital city to ensure incident-free celebrations. The village defence committees have also been alerted. All entry points to the winter capital have been plugged and strengthened with additional
checkposts. |
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GSI team to go up to Zero Line to unravel tunnel mystery
On August 8, the GSI team comprising Chief Engineer Narinder Singh, Alok Kumar, SP Choubey and Om Prakash had found the tunnel’s end point some 40m inside the Indian Territory at Chachwal. Official sources said the team, which had sought some sophisticated equipment from its Lucknow headquarters, had decided to go up to the Zero Line from the barbed fence to find out the tunnel’s exact length, alignment and origin. A senior BSF officer said, “We have shown them the area and their scientific investigations are on. They are conducting some seismic and radar-based investigations.” “How far and how long the tunnel runs is for them to find out. As far as the BSF is concerned, we are providing them security and other requisite support,” added the officer. The tunnel had not opened up at the surface inside the Indian Territory. Sources said the tunnel being dug 25 feet deep was wide enough for the passage of a large number of infiltrators. |
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black” could be an apt expression for Pakistan Rangers, who have scant regard for the mutually brokered Indo-Pak truce deal and are always quick to blame the BSF for any skirmish that breaks out at the 192-km-long international border.
Chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today came out in support of chairman of the hardline Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Geelani over his frequent house arrests.
Srinagar, August 10
Jammu, August 10