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Parties fail West Pakistan refugees on citizenship demand
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Use of ‘durbari’ terms an insult to democracy: RTI activists
CM rubbing salt into injuries: Mehbooba
No Minority Commission for state yet, says Omar
Poverty alleviation govt’s focused area: Omar
Keep calm, says CM
Omar faces outrage on Twitter over Delhi gang rape
Delhi gang rape culprits should be stoned: Geelani
Bail plea of drug smugglers rejected
Gujjars to work for recognition of Gojri at national level
Sopore gunfight
Legislature Complex collapse case A clarification
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1,100 lives lost in accidents this year
Official statistics says at least 1,080 people, mostly two-wheeler riders, have lost their lives in around 5,740 road accidents so far this year. “About 8,600 people also received critical injuries, many of them were rendered handicapped in these accidents during this year,” the statistics say. A total of 6,644 road mishaps occurred in 2011, claiming 1,120 lives and causing critical injuries to 10,108 people. In 2010, 1,042 people died in 6,136 road mishaps. The number of road accidents that took place in 2009 was 6,006 while 1,126 people lost their lives in 2009. “Although the state government announced several corrective measures to curb the fatal road accidents, the efforts have failed to yield desired results so far. The government has declared five districts, including Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Rajouri and Poonch, as accident-prone, following recurring fatal road accidents. Special focus is being laid on curbing traffic violations such as overloading, rash driving and fitness of vehicles but most fatal road accidents have been reported from these districts this year,” a source said. The statistics reveal that the Traffic Police has issued 3, 09,139 challans and realised Rs 8,88,83,729 as fine so far this year. The department has penalised 2,88,453 vehicles, realising a fine of Rs 6.47 crore for the period. A total of 3,36,260 challans were issued by the Traffic Department and it recovered Rs 8,91,84,581 as penalty from violators in 2011. In 2010, a total of 3,79,000 vehicles were challaned and Rs 6.44 crore was realised as fine from violators. Inspector General of Police (Traffic) Muneer Ahmad Khan, however, said they had analysed that nearly 80 per cent accidents had taken place due to “human errors”, while the remaining 20 per cent had occurred due to “poor road engineering and mechanical failure”. “Our focus area is now on visible offences, which comprise over-speeding, overloading and bad fitness of vehicles. As far as the fitness of vehicles is concerned, it is to be seen by the Motor Vehicle Department. We have taken some long term and short term measures to curb the fatal road accidents. Under the short measures, we have proposed to increase the penalty amount so that people don’t violate road safety norms frequently,” the IGP said. Khan said they have decided to establish rest and recoup centres for drivers on the highway to ensure that they don’t go to sleep while driving. “We have also deployed eight highway patrolling vehicles which would check violations of norms during the night hours,” the IGP said. Under the long term measures, the Traffic Department has requested the state government to widen the national highway, construct more culverts and retention walls, besides improve the road conditions, he said. Transport Commissioner Mehraj Kakroo refused to comment on the issue. |
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Parties fail West Pakistan refugees on citizenship demand
Jammu, December 23 In the beginning of this year, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Saif-ud- Din Soz, in the presence of senior party functionaries, had promised that the problem of the West Pakistani refugees would be solved, but the Congress leadership has so far failed to convince its coalition partner the National Conference to adopt a humanitarian approach towards the issue. Instead of showing some flexibility, some National Conference leaders have started openly opposing any move to grant fundamental rights to the refugees. “The National Conference is enjoying power due to the support of the Congress but it is unfortunate that the Congress leadership has failed to persuade its coalition partner not
to adopt an inhuman approach on this issue,” rued Labha Ram Gandhi, chairman of the West Pakistani Refugees Action Committee (WPRAC). Gandhi said the West Pakistani refugees had decided to convene a meeting on January 6 in which all Congress ministers, Lok Sabha members of the party and other senior leaders would take part to chalk out the future course of action. The BJP too is supporting the demands of the West Pakistani refugees but these national parties have expressed their helplessness to solve the issue due to the tough stand taken by the Kashmir-centric parties especially the ruling National Conference and some factions of the Hurriyat Conference. In August, a high-level delegation of the Jammu and Kashmir Congress Committee met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and took up the demands and problems of the these refugees. the demands
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Valley set to record high yield of saffron
Srinagar, December 23 “This year we expect the production to be around 10 metric tonnes. The production was 9.5 metric tonnes last year.” The crop which produces the costliest spice in the world with the price ranging between Rs 2 lakh and 2.5 lakh per kilogram is mainly cultivated in hundreds of hamlets on the Srinagar-Jammu highway. The production of saffron- also known in old texts as ‘lovers spice’, has decreased from 16 metric tonnes annually to 6.5 metric tones in the late 90’s. Land under saffron cultivation in the Valley too has decreased from 5,707 hectares in 1997 to 3010 hectares. The Minister for Agriculture, J&K, Ghulam Hassan Mir, said the farmers who had given up cultivating saffron have resumed cultivation of the precious crop. “The National Saffron Mission has really helped in this direction. It is the main reason that we will have the production of the saffron more from last year,” Mir said. “The area under saffron cultivation is also increasing,” he added. Scientists claim that saffron production started declining in 1999 due to a drought in the Valley. Reasons like poor irrigation facilities, pollution level around saffron fields, availability of cheaper Iranian variety of saffron in the market and adulteration in Kashmiri saffron accounted for the low yield of the crop. Experts say many things have helped in increasing the production of saffron. “The farmers have started adopting new technologies to increase production like sprinkle irrigation. With the help from the Centre over the past few years, state’s Agriculture department and scientists of Sher- e-Kashmir University for Agriculture Science and Technology (SKUAST) are working to revive the golden crop,” said another agriculture officer. “But more efforts are needed,” he said. He said the production of saffron in the coming three to four years would increase more as the department had adopted a multi-pronged strategy to increase its production. “We expect the production to increase more in the coming years,” Ahmed said. The President of All J&K Saffron Growers Development Cooperative Association, Abdul Majeed Wani, said the saffron production has increased. “If the farmers continue to adopt scientific techniques, we will be able to increase production of the crop,” Wani said. |
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Use of ‘durbari’ terms an insult to democracy: RTI activists
Srinagar, December 23 The word ‘Durbar’ commonly used as part of the term ‘Durbar move’ for the seasonal shifting of the state secretariat to the winter and summer capitals of Jammu and Srinagar, was originally used for a gathering of an emperor, his council of ministers and state subjects. The durbar was attended by most rulers of India’s 600 princely states. The princely state of Jammu and Kashmir was under the colonial rule of four Dogra Mahrajas for over a century from 1846-1949 during which these durbars were often organised. Slowly the word found a place in the official dictionary. During the four-year tenure of the present National Conference-Congress coalition government in the state, the use of the word “durbar” not only became frequent but came to stand for the general meetings of the Chief Minister and his council of ministers. These meetings including the general
public were called “Awami durbar”. The term was changed from Awami durbar’ to Awami mulaqat’ for public grievance camps following an application filed by a Jammu-based RTI activist, Raman Sharma. But the change could not be sustained. A Kashmir-based social activist, Idrees-ul-Haq has filed five complaints with the Chief Minister’s grievance cell against the use of the word anywhere in the official language. In a fresh complaint, Idrees has described the use of the word “durbar” as an insult to the democratic set up in the state. “We are no more an autocracy. History tells us that the durbars were a perfect setting during the Mughal rule in India and under the princely rulers of various states afterwards. But even after half a decade since the monarchy was abolished, we have not still gotten over their words. We need to do away with this,” Idrees said. |
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CM rubbing salt into injuries: Mehbooba
Addressing groups of people, including ex-servicemen from the Valley and youth from Gurez, who called on her to join the party, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said the Chief Minister’s advice to the Central government on handling the current situation that had arisen in the wake of the gang rape of a young women amounts to rubbing salt into the wounds of his own people. “The situation in 2010 was also triggered by a single incident of the police excess that resulted in the death of a young boy, Tufail Matoo. What followed was an expression of outrage and anger as is witnessed currently throughout the country against atrocities committed on the 23-year-old girl in New Delhi. However, the responses to the two situations have been entirely different, forcing the people to conclude that different yardsticks are applied to them which are neither judicious nor democratic,” she said in a statement. Condemning the gang rape of the paramedical student in Delhi, where women are increasingly feeling insecure, Mehbooba recalled how a similar incident involving two women in Shopian had been conducted differently. She said even before an inquiry was held the Chief Minister declared that the two women had drowned in a river that hardly had any water and then managed a cover up that has become too familiar for Jammu and Kashmir. She said those unfortunate women were denied justice and such insensitive responses had resulted in continued alienation of people in the state. Mehbooba said now that the Chief Minister had accepted his “mistakes” would he still not withdraw cases against hundreds of young people who had been slapped with serious charges. “The Chief Minister had made announcements at least on three occasions, the last on February 25, that cases of stone pelting had been withdrawn but it has turned out to be another hoax. The lie about the withdrawal of cases has finally been nailed with the arrest of Zahida from Anantnag, a girl who lost her leg as a result of police firing, and was arrested on charges of stone pelting,” she said. She added that ironically the girl was arrested on the same day when the Chief Minister was sharing his wisdom with the Central government on tackling the current agitation. |
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No Minority Commission for state yet, says Omar
“No,” Omar said on whether the state would set up a Minority Commission. The National Commission for Minorities Act of 1992 does not apply to Jammu & Kashmir. The state has prepared a draft law of its own to set up a state minority panel and redefine the minorities in accordance with their population in the state. For instance though the Muslims are a centrally-listed minority community under the country’s law, the Muslims are not a minority in Kashmir just as
the Sikhs are not a minority in Punjab. The Sikhs and Hindus settled in Kashmir have for long been demanding a redefinition for the minorities in the state to ensure proper benefits reach the actual minorities. But clearly, the matter is politically sensitive. Chairperson of the National Minority Commission, Wajahat Habibullah, a J&K cadre IAS officer has written to the state several times to set up
a state Minority Commission and list the Hindus and Sikhs as minorities in the state. The state has, however, kept the matter pending. Just one of the many concerns such a commission could address is the fact that more than 3,000 families of Kashmiri pandits are awaiting to return to the Valley but do not feel secure enough to do so. Although the state CM had said on Friday that the time was ripe for the Hindus to return, Habibullah said the Hindus still feel insecure and under attack and much more needs to be done in terms of concrete systems to instill trust among the minorities. “One such system would be setting up of a state-level minority commission which can be empowered to look after the welfare of the minority communities,” Habillah said. |
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Poverty alleviation govt’s focused area: Omar
Jammu, December 23 While receiving the award, Omar said the process of poverty alleviation was kick started in the state by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah when he had announced and implemented agrarian reforms and made former the owner of the agriculture land free
of cost. He said his government was focusing on reduction of poverty by generating wide-ranging economic activities all across the state and converting the potential in various sectors into employment opportunities for people in general and youth in particular. He said job creation had been flagged as one of the most important concerns in the state’s development policy. The Chief Minister said poverty alleviation was being attended on priority by various initiatives put in place in rural development, housing and urban development, social welfare, agriculture, horticulture and industrial sectors. He said job opportunities for people in power, health, education, water supply, roads and bridges and tourism was being expanded through infrastructure development projects and other schemes. Omar thanked the jury of IBN7 Diamond States Awards for recognising efforts of his government and adjudging Jammu and Kashmir the best state in the category of poverty reduction. |
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Keep calm, says CM
Jammu, December 23 Omar appreciated the public anger for justice to the girl and appealed to the protesters to utilise it peacefully and without falling prey to the designs of those who want to use them for their vested interests. “Keep your protest peaceful and under control so that attention from the real aspect of seeking justice to the affected person is not diluted or diverted towards some other aspects like those of using water cannons and teargas shells,” he said, telling them not to trespass barricades or charge on Parliament. “God forbid someone can get severely injured by a teargas shell or even some precious human life can be lost,” Omar said. |
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Omar faces outrage on Twitter over Delhi gang rape
Srinagar, December 23 Omar shared some of the recent comments from his followers on his Twitter account where they had condemned him for being part of the government which “mishandles” girls, a reference to the police action against protesters who had camped on the streets of New Delhi against the gang rape of a 23-year-old girl. The rape has angered many and thousands have demonstrated to demand harsher punishment for the accused. “SHAME SHAME...I was your follower and (now am) unfollowing you today as you are part of this government which mishandles girls,” one of his Twitter followers wrote to Omar. The National Conference is a member of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance. Omar shared some of the angry tweets, suggesting the level of discontent over the Delhi gang-rape. He also had to face a taunt from a user who told Omar that he was “safe” with commandos and “government funded luxury”. “Another out-of-touch politician,” the user wrote to Omar. Omar had a word of caution for the New Delhi Government which has faced hundreds of protesters on the streets demanding “justice” for the girl who was gang raped. “I made the mistake of not being seen or heard in the summer of 2010 when the trouble first started. I wish my mistake had been learnt from,” Omar said, referring to the 2010 summer agitation in which more than 120 protesters were killed in Kashmir. He also warned against protests being hijacked by “rowdy elements”. “But I dare say the moment when these youngsters could have been engaged was before the rowdy element hijacked the protests and teargas flew,” the Chief Minister said. |
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Delhi gang rape culprits should be stoned: Geelani
Srinagar, December 23 “The incident of gang rape in Delhi is a shameful and an inhumane crime and the culprits should be stoned to death as per the Islamic law,” Geelani said in a statement issued from New Delhi, where he has shifted temporarily to escape the extreme winter conditions here. A 23-year-old paramedical student was gang-raped earlier this week in a moving bus in New Delhi, which sparked an outrage across the country, as thousands protested in the country’s capital, demanding stern punishment for the culprits, all of whom have been
arrested. Geelani said “our hearts have been wounded” by what has happened to “our child” in New Delhi but also said it was “tragic” that “people of India had opted for double standards”. “When this incident happened in Delhi everyone came out on the road to protest but no voice was raised over hundreds of cases of gang rape that have been committed over the last 22 years in Kashmir,” Geelani said. |
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Bail plea of drug smugglers rejected
Jammu, December 23 On the intervening night of January 30 and 31, 1998, the Army on receiving information about the likelihood of smuggling contraband in the Chenab river area, laid an ambush and apprehended two persons. The arrested persons were identified as Bharat Singh and Ashok Kumar. Twentyseven packets of heroin weighing 1 kg each, 150 gm of opium, one shawl, two rubber tubes, one .32 bore revolver and 50 rounds of ammunition in a polythene bag were recovered from them. The accused were later handed over to the customs authority. The samples were sent to a Forensic Science Laboratory, which revealed that the exhibit contained heroin and opium, which the accused had smuggled from across the border and brought into the Indian side. A case under Sections 21 and 23 of the NDPS Act was filed against the accused. On April 27, 2012, Principal Sessions Judge, Jammu, Jang Bhadur Singh Jamwal awarded 20 years rigorous imprisonment to the accused and also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on both of them. An appeal was filed in the High Court against the sentence. The Division Bench observed that, “Section 37 of the NDPS Act does not permit grant of bail to a convict who has been found guilty of such a heinous crime. According to the findings recorded by the special judge, the applicants/ accused were found to be in conscious possession of the contraband. At this stage, it cannot be concluded that the applicants/accused would not be found guilty of the offences under Sections 21 and 23 of the NDPS Act. |
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Gujjars to work for recognition of Gojri at national level
Jammu, December 23 Members of the community were present at a meeting organised by the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation to discuss the further course of action. The members were told to struggle for the recognition of their mother tongue at the national level. Secretary of the Tribal Foundation Javaid Rahi said, “We consider this recommendation as a significant step towards the preservation and promotion of Gojri and the Gujjar culture which has a 5,000-year-old history.” Rahi said, “We express our gratitude to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for writing a recommendation to the Home Minister of India, urging inclusion of Gojri in the list of official languages of India on the basis of its importance and merit.” He also lauded Governor NN Vohra for his role in the empowerment of the Gujjar and Bakerwal community in the state. A speaker said, “Noted saint, scholar and poet of the 13th century Hazrat Amir Khusroo had mentioned Gojri in the list of 18 major Indian languages of his time. Researchers agree that Gojri is the mother of Gujarati, Rajasthani, Urdu and Haryanvi.” |
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Sopore gunfight
Srinagar, December 23 “They (killed militants) became a victim of a malicious and vicious conspiracy conceived by two persons (whose houses were damaged in the encounter),” read the posters in Urdu, written on Lashkar’s letterheads. The two houses were damaged in a 30-hour encounter in Saidpora village, which had erupted on the wee hours on Tuesday, after the police and the Army cordoned off the village after specific information about the presence of militants. The encounter ended on Wednesday evening. Six militants were killed in the encounter. One of the killed militants was a resident of Sopore. A Major and a jawan were also injured in the gunfight. The appearance of the posters has spread panic in the area. The poster further appealed to the people of Sopore and Saidpora to outcast and not help the two persons who gave information to the Army and the police about the presence of militants in the village. The militant outfit also threatened the duo with serious consequences. The police said it was looking into the case. “These posters do not look genuine. But we are looking into it,” Sopore SP Imtiyaz Mir said. Sopore had observed strike for three days following the killing of the six LeT militants. |
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Legislature Complex collapse case
Jammu, December 23 The bale has been put on the Delhi firm by the members of the probe panel who are the same engineers and heads of the state engineering wing who had conceptualised the project. This way the panel members had tried to save their own skin in the case. In a statement issued here today, Singh said the engineers were required to explain what prompted them to approach a private consultancy firm in Delhi when the state government had its own Design Directorate for the purpose. He also alleged that the Delhi-based private consultancy firm had now disappeared and merged with a US based firm. Thus the blame for the damage to the historical complex had been shifted by the probe panel to a non-existing private consultancy firm. This had raised apprehensions about the veracity and genuineness of the report, he said. |
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Jammu, December 23
Srinagar, December 23
New Delhi, December 23