The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	State govt diluting powers of anti-corruption bodies Opposes powers of accountability panel, renders info commission a ‘toothless tiger’ Arteev Sharma Tribune News Service Jammu, September 2 The ruling National Conference-Congress coalition seems to be on the job to disempowering anti-graft institutions in the state. A week after the state government objected to the suo motu powers of the State Accountability Commission (SAC) to initiate action against its legislators in corruption-related cases, it virtually rendered the State Information Commission (SIC) a “toothless tiger” by repealing the “detailed and exhaustive” rules guiding the J&K RTI Act, 2009. The government had made some Amendments to the Act in 2010 also. In a fresh notification, the General Administration Department (GAD) repealed the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Rules, 2010, and that too “without consulting stakeholders”. There were at least 44 rules in the previous Act which had been reduced to just 13. Though the government has reduced the fee for filing an RTI application from Rs 50 to Rs 10, the new rules are silent on the procedure to be adopted if the directions of the SIC are not followed or implemented by public authorities. These rules are also not clear on the constitution of various wings of the commission like Legal Cell, Monitoring and Reporting Wing and Right to Information and Transparency Institute (RITI). Similarly, the government had last week contested the powers being exercised by the SAC on the ground that there were no plenary/inherent powers under law which confers any jurisdiction to the commission to issue suo motu notices or take any action against any public functionary. Various sitting and former ministers and bureaucrats have challenged the powers exercised by the Accountability Commission through various writ petitions before the state High Court. “Corrupt politicians and bureaucrats are trying to scuttle the independence of these institutions. The Chief Minister, who may be sincere in weeding out corruption from the state, must understand their designs,” a top government officer told The Tribune requesting anonymity. Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) G R Sufi was taken by surprise after the sweeping changes in the RTI rules. He remarked, “Things have been done in a very clumsy manner. I am surprised why the government did it in a hush-hush manner. The government should have held consultations and sought opinions from all stakeholders prior to taking any such decision.” Sufi said the government had powers to make rules but as a citizen of the state and the country, he had a right to ask what were the reasons that necessitated sweeping changes in the rules. J-K Govt questions powers of anti-graft panel The state government had last week objected to the powers being exercised by the State Accountability Commission to initiate action against its legislators in corruption-related cases. The SAC powers have been challenged through various writ petitions, mostly filed by sitting ministers and former ministers and bureaucrats. In a reply made before the court, the state government submitted that there were no plenary or inherent powers under law which confers any jurisdiction to the commission to suo motu issue process or takes any action against any public functionary. New rules silent on INfo panel powers The state government had earlier this year submitted to the High Court that it would reduce the application fees and bring it at par with the Central RTI Act after a public interest litigation was moved against the government for charging exorbitant fee. Apart from reducing application fees, the government made sweeping changes in J&K RTI Rules, 2010, despite the fact there was no demand for repealing previous rules. The new RTI rules has made the State Information Commission a “toothless tiger”. If a Public Information Officer (PIO) does not comply with the commission’s order, there is a provision of filing a criminal complaint against the officer. The new rules are silent on the powers of the commission for any investigation pertaining to an inquiry by utilising the services of any officer or investigation agency of the government. Govt decision unnecessary, says Cong The main coalition partner Congress has termed the decision taken by the government as “unnecessary”. “It was not necessary to repeal the previous RTI rules. We will thoroughly read the government decision and will decide on it thereafter,” said Pradesh Congress Committee Congress (JKPCC) chief Saifuddin Soz.
	Cong leaders caution high command against future ties with NC Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Agore (Nagrota), September 2 Congress leaders today cautioned the party high command against entering into an alliance with the National Conference (NC) in the next Assembly elections without taking local workers into confidence. Speaking at a public meeting at Agore village of the Nagrota Assembly segment, Congress leaders said there was strong resentment among party workers against the functioning of NC ministers. They said the confusion over future alliance with the NC should be removed to revive confidence of the workers. Lok Sabha member from the Jammu-Poonch constituency Madan Lal Sharma criticised NC leadership for not incorporating the 73rd Amendment of the Indian Constitution in the J&K Panchayati Raj Act. He warned that the Congress would be wiped out from the political scene of the state, if it failed to implement its own manifesto. “Our stand on the 73rd and 74th Amendments is clear so it is the responsibility of our ministers in the government to convince the ruling party to extend these Amendments to the state,” he said and urged the high command to ask NC leaders to empower panchayats by extending the 73rd Amendment. While referring to reports regarding continuation of the coalition in the next Assembly elections, he said it was too early to say anything. He, however, said that ignoring promises, which the Congress leadership had made to the people of the Jammu region, would prove disastrous for the party in the coming days. Sharma also made a veiled attack on Congress ministers for not pursuing the party’s agenda in the government aggressively. “If you are finding it difficult to pursue the Congress’ agenda in the government, you should resign from your posts,” Sharma told two Congress ministers who were also present at the public meeting. Another senior Congress leader Shiv Dev Singh echoed similar sentiments and said any hasty decision to continue with the NC would prove “suicidal” for the party. Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief Saifuddin Soz later tried to downplay the sentiments of the party leaders. “As far as the Assembly elections are concerned, it is too early to say anything about an alliance with the NC. But there is a possibility that the two parties will contest the urban local bodies elections jointly,” said Soz. Interestingly, the Congress leaders have chosen the Nagrota Assembly segment to raise the issue of alliance with the NC because the NC has some strong pockets in the segment and the Congress leaders are also eyeing the constituency.
	Ex-interlocutors gheraoed by BJYM activists in Jammu Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, September 2 Two former interlocutors Dilip Padgaonkar and Radha Kumar received a hostile response during their visit to Jammu as activists of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of the BJP, along with lawyers and students today “gheraoed” them before their scheduled closed-door conference here this morning. Some youth, shouting slogans, tried to “manhandle” them but the police acted swiftly and saved the situation from worsening. The two former Interlocutors are on their visit to Jammu to get a feedback on their report which they have already submitted to the Union Home Ministry. Activists of the BJYM had already gathered outside the venue where the conference was scheduled. As soon as the former interlocutors’ vehicles reached near the venue, a number of youth started shouting slogans against the interlocutors and gheraoed them. The activists also tried to push them but the police acted swiftly and dispersed the protesters. For some time, the interlocutors were not allowed to enter the venue. It was only after a heavy police contingent reached the spot that the slogan-shouting youth were dispersed and the situation was brought under control. Dubbing the interlocutors agents of ISI man Ghulam Nabi Fai, the youth alleged that the report submitted to the Union Home Ministry was completely anti-national. They shouted “interlocutors go back, don’t propagate secessionism in Jammu”. “The report has already been rejected by all religious, social and political organisations,” said Munish, state president of the BJYM. “The report contains nothing for the benefit of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. We want the interlocutors to immediately leave the state,” he said. The youth wing of the Panun Kashmir also held a demonstration outside the venue of the meeting. The protesters raised slogans against the former interlocutors and burnt copies of their report at the venue. Slogans such as “Fai agents go back” were raised by the youth activists during the demonstration. Later, Dilip Padgaonkar told The Tribune that their meeting at Jammu was highly productive because participants at the meeting “were of high order”. He said tomorrow they would interact with delegations. “Our meetings with various sections are in progress and we will be meeting a few of them tomorrow. We have received important feedback on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir vis-à-vis the report submitted to the Union Home Ministry,” he said, adding that there was a consensus at the meeting that the process of dialogue should be carried forward.
	Man returns from Pak after 18 yrs, wife goes missing en route Amin Masoodi Handwara, September 2 The joy of returning home after 18 years proved short-lived for Mohammad Jamal Bhat (65) and his three children. While returning from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to his native Soddal village in Handwara town of Kupwara district, Bhat’s wife Fatima Begum (45) went missing from the Gorkhpur railway platform. A resident of Rawalkote in Pakistan, Fatima went missing on July 10 and remains untraced so far. The family had to board a train for their next destination when Fatima went missing amid a crowd of commuters at the railway station. “We are worried about her. She was lost mysteriously in a huge crowd of commuters,” Bhat’s relative told The Tribune. After an extensive search in Gorkhpur and its suburbs, Bhat was forced to leave for his native village along with his three children. “He had no option but to take his children to his native village after nearly two decades. He reached here on July 18 and left in search for his missing wife the next day,” he said. There is no word about Fatima so far. “He along with few other relatives went to various cities of Punjab, Delhi and other places, but couldn’t trace her,” he said. Bhat had gone to Pakistan for arms training 18 years ago. He didn’t receive arms training and instead chose to lead a normal life and ran a homeopathic medical shop. Through a section of the print media, Bhat’s relatives in Handwara have sought information about Fatima. Bhat decided to return home after the state government announced the rehabilitation policy for youths who had gone for arms training to Pakistan.
	Reforms needed in monasteries of Ladakh, says minister Our Correspondent Leh, September 2 A three-day-long international seminar ‘museums and the changing cultural landscape’, focusing on Ladakh began at the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies in Leh today. It is being organised as part of the ongoing eight-day-long Ladakh Festival by the National Museum Institute (NMI) in collaboration with the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh. Tourism and Culture Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora inaugurated the seminar. Jora said the state Tourism and Culture Ministry was planning to set up a museum in Ladakh, but could not decide what to keep in it, as the existing monasteries, which are the hubs of culture and centres of learning in the region, are the living examples of the museums of Buddhism. He said there was a need for reform in monasteries of Ladakh and expected some recommendations from experts participating in the seminar. Prof MV Nair of the NMI while introducing the seminar said it was one of the series of programmes being organised by the NMI in Ladakh. He said photographic exhibitions during the ongoing festival, workshop for monks about the conservation of museums and documentation of historical villages of Leh district were the major projects taken up by the institute.
	IPS officer, sub-inspector get into a scuffle Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, September 2 An IPS officer posted as the Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) and a sub-inspector (SI) of the Special Security Guard (SSG) got into a scuffle while determining their respective jurisdictions during a function in Srinagar today. While top police officers maintain it was a minor argument, the eyewitnesses said the situation turned ugly when the SI did not allow the SDPO to enter the Amar Singh College ground where Union Minister Farooq Abdullah was due to inspect developmental work. “The SDPO Imtiyaz Ismail and his personal guard were told by the SI that the police, as per the standard operation procedure (SOP), was supposed to maintain security outside the venue and once the SSG took over, they could not allow anyone to enter the venue,” said a source. “Both side got into a heated argument and there was a minor scuffle over the issue. It was only when the senior officers intervened that the situation was calmed down,” he said. While SDPO Imtiyaz Ismail claimed there was no such scuffle, SSG director Hemant Kumar Lohia said the issue was being blown out of proportion. “There was a simple argument and the issue was resolved within minutes,” he said.
	Another militant killed in Ganderbal encounter Tribune News Service Srinagar, September 2 Another unidentified militant was killed in an ongoing encounter in the central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, taking the death toll of militants in the encounter to two. "One more militant has been killed in the operation today which is still underway," an Army spokesman said. "We also busted two hideouts during today’s operation." The police said the body of the militant (suspected to be a foreigner) who had been killed on Saturday was yet to be retrieved. A search operation in this regard was on in the Chattergul forest. The police said that intermittent firing in the forest area was still going on and the Army and police were searching the area to locate more militants who are hiding in the forest. “So far two militants have been killed in the encounter which erupted on Saturday morning after we received inputs about a movement in the Chattergul forest. We suspect that three to five militants are still hiding in the forest who are firing at the forces,” said a police officer. “We are not sure whether the group had recently infiltrated to Kashmir or had been operating in the north or central Kashmir,” he said. Sources said the troops in the neighbouring areas had also been put on alert to ensure that the militants do not to escape the cordon.
	Work remains suspended at Wular Lake project Majid Jahangir/TNS Srinagar, September 2 While the state government is asking labourers and the construction companies to resume work at the Wular Lake conservation project, which was targeted by a group of militants on August 27, the work on the project continues to remain suspended for the sixth consecutive day. The J&K police has deployed nearly 25 policemen to guard the construction site at Aadipore village, near Sopore town, but it has failed to restore confidence of contractors and workers to resume the work at the Centre-sponsored scheme for the conservation of the lake. “The government is talking to the contractors and labours, but we cannot force a labourer to resume work at the site,” said Public Health Engineering and Irrigation Minister Taj Mohideen. “We are trying to build confidence among the workers so that they can restart the work.” The Wular conservation project is a Centrally-sponsored project to conserve the Asia’s largest fresh water lake — Wular. The work on the Rs 389-crore project started in August. The conservation project, the officials said, is aimed to conserve the lake, enhance tourism, grow fodder for the animals and increase the production of fish and water chestnut in the lake. The conservation project is located close to the suspended Tulbul Navigation Lock Project (also called Wular Barrage), which had featured at the Indo-Pak secretary-level talks last month.
	Parikshit wants to set up drama academy in Valley M Aamir Khan/TNS Srinagar, September 2 In an effort to groom the artistic skills of local talent, well-known Bollywood and television star Parikshit Sahni wants to set up an academy of dramatics in memory of his father and Bollywood legend Balraj Sahni in Kashmir. “Kashmiris are highly talented and natural actors. It is my dream to set up Balraj Bhisham Academy of Dramatics and Arts in Srinagar since I am a state subject (of J&K). After Partition when we shifted from Rawalpindi, Srinagar used to be my summer home during schooldays,” said Sahni, who is on a visit to the Valley after 23 years. He had come here to take part in the centenary celebrations of Tyndale Biscoe and Mallinson Society (TBMS)-run girls’ school. Sahni got his early schooling in TBMS-run boys’ school, Tyndale Biscoe, which happens to be Kashmir’s oldest school founded way back in 1880. “Tyndale Biscoe was my first school and I studied there in the late 1940s and early ’50s,” he said. Regarding the dramatics academy, Sahni said he planned to set it up at a piece of land owned by the family at the Raj Bagh area of the summer capital. While the veteran actor was last seen in Aamir Khan-starrer “3 idiots”, Sahni is still remembered by fans in Kashmir for playing the lead role in popular television serial of yesteryear - “Gul Gulshan Gulfam”. The serial was shot in houseboats of the picturesque Dal Lake. As Shak Rukh Khan is currently shooting for a movie in Kashmir, Sahni welcomed the revival of Kashmir’s tryst with Bollywood. “Kashmir used to be the favourite shooting destination of Bollywood but after the eruption of militancy, we could not shoot here. I am happy that Bollywood is back in Kashmir… why go abroad for shooting to places like Switzerland when we have so many beautiful locations in Kashmir,” he said.
	Inspired by religion, young men seek change in society Azhar Qadri Tribune News Service Srinagar, September 2 A group of young students at the University of Kashmir are attempting to tear down the structure of centuries-old local customs, which have become interwoven with the idea of marriage and family in Kashmir. They are promoting the concept of early and austere marriage and seek to bring a societal shake-up. Their talk is interspersed with references from the Islamic literature. At the Ibn Khaldun auditorium, where love, dating and marriage was discussed for two days, these young men and women have shed their backgrounds. Here they have become brothers and sisters - bonded by faith - and are on a mission to remove the baggage of local customs which has got blurred with the religion in the Kashmiri society. For two days, they talked in detail about marriage, marital discords, rights and duties of spouses and new-age relationship trends, imported over the last two decades via cable networks and more recently by the Internet Yaqeen-ul-Haq Ahmad Sikandar, a student of Islamic International University, Malaysia, and the main speaker at The Serene Bond Workshop, said, “What we wanted to address is what is practically happening in Kashmir.” Sikandar says the extravagance in Kashmiri weddings is devastating the ethos of marriage. “It should be the groom’s family, which should spend the most. The bride’s family is supposed to spend a minimal amount. We have a vice-versa here, which is a local custom and has nothing to do with the religion,” he said. Another organiser of the workshop, Mufti Faizan, became interested in religion while studying in Malaysia. He says their group wants to change the “orthodox” society. “The Kashmiri society is not flexible, it is not practical. People are arrogant.” To show the practicality of their ideas, the group had arranged a live interview session with a young groom. “I am 19 years and some days old,” said Khurram Jahan, a former student of a Christian missionary school here, who was bonded in a marital knot two weeks ago, an unthinkable act for boys of his age and men years older to him. In Kashmir, the average age for marriage has gone beyond 30 years.
	Education reform as per UNESCO a challenge for government Arteev Sharma Tribune News Service Jammu, September 2 Due to poor infrastructure and shortage of manpower in the Education Department, it will be an uphill task for the state government to implement recommendations of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in bringing reforms in the education system. Though the state government has been contemplating reforms in the education system by making major changes in curriculum and implementing the evaluation system following the UNESCO’s recommendations, the state education sector paints a grim picture, as over 4,000 primary and middle schools either don’t have government-owned buildings or have “deficient” accommodation. Similarly, 948 primary school buildings are in a dilapidated condition while some schools are being run in buildings having poor infrastructure and could collapse any time, official sources said. Sources said over 7,900 primary schools, 1,140 middle schools, 231 high schools and 84 higher secondary schools lacked toilet and water facility for students, including girls. “Nearly 67 per cent schools in the state are deficient in staff. Over 27,000 posts of teachers and lecturers are lying vacant in various government schools,” the sources added. The UNESCO has asked the Central government to bring in changes in its educational system, especially in the restive states, including Jammu and Kashmir. “The government is unlikely to implement all recommendations of the international body, which has suggested major changes in the curriculum and special training classes for teachers,” the sources said. Former School Education Minister Harsh Dev Singh while welcoming the UNESCO’s recommendations called for “serious efforts” on the part of the government to bring in “much-needed” reforms in the education sector. “Until and unless the government makes serious efforts to raise infrastructure and fill vacant posts in the department, no reform is practically possible in the state,” he said. He said the need of the hour was to provide basic facilities to all educational institutions. “Serious efforts are not visible on the ground. We have witnessed no improvement in the education sector after 2006. The funds allocated by the Centre were not utilised and all educational institutions in rural areas have been facing a severe staff crunch,” Singh said and added that the government’s approach must be result-oriented. Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu, Prof MR Puri said, “I think the education standard in government institutions is good, as they have qualified faculty. The need of the hour is to provide proper infrastructure to all institutions, which would help in getting desired results. No reform is possible without proper infrastructure.” Commissioner Secretary, School Education Department, Farooq Ahmed Faktoo remained inaccessible despite repeated attempts to contact him.
	Farooq turns to Azharuddin for training cricketers of state Vikas Sharma/TNS Jammu, September 2 The Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) president, Dr Farooq Abdullah, has sought the assistance of former Team India skipper Mohammad Azharuddin for giving batting tips to players of the state. “We have requested Azharuddin to give batting tips to our players to help them further hone their skills,” JKCA president Farooq Abdullah told mediapersons after taking stock of earth-filling work at SP College Ground in Srinagar today. Replying to another question, Dr Farooq said the JKCA would make all efforts to retrieve the money of the association that had been allegedly embezzled in the infamous multi-crore cricket scam. When asked about the status of the ongoing investigation into the scam, the JKCA chief said, “The police investigation is going on and our own probe is also in progress. We will act only after we get the complete report. We will try to get the money back, as it does not belong to Farooq Abdullah, but to the cricketers of the state.” The initial findings of the in-house advisory (probe) committee of the JKCA had revealed that Rs 35 crore meant for promotion of cricket activities in J&K had been embezzled. The multi-crore cricket scam came to the fore two months ago after JKCA officials were found running a number of parallel accounts in Khanyar and Air Cargo branches of the JK Bank along with the original account. JKCA treasurer Manzoor Ahmad Wazir, who was also present at the venue, said, “Yes, the JKCA president has disclosed that the association will approach former skipper Mohammad Azharuddin to give batting tips to our cricketers.” “Dr Farooq has provided financial assistance to both Amar Singh College and SP College for maintenance of college grounds to conduct the cricket activities,” said Wazir.
	Governor summons legislature on October 1 Tribune News Service Srinagar, September 2 Governor NN Vohra today summoned the state legislature to commence session on October 1. “In exercise of the powers conferred upon him under Section 53 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, the Governor has summoned the state legislature to commence session on October 1,” an official said. “The Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council shall meet at Srinagar on October 1 at 10 am and 10.30 am, respectively,” the official said.