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Trifurcation, not regional councils

Sir,

Mr Sati Sahni has done well to pen down all that transpired at the Broadway Hotel (Srinagar) September 30 and October 1 seminar on ''Kashmir: challenge and prospects'' (DAILY EXCELSIOR, October 12).

However, there are certain serious flaws in the otherwise very comprehensive report on the seminar. Take for example, his assertion that while reflecting on Mr Salman Haider's report on the political aspect concerning the State, I opined that ''separate regional councils duly empowered could be a way out''. In other words, he has sought to create an impression that I emphasized the need for the setting up of three regional councils, one each for Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

I must make it loud and clear that I never recommended the concept of regional councils. What I said was that the concept of regional councils was out-dated, that it failed the people in the past and that it will fail the neglected and oppressed people of Jammu and Ladakh too in case this idea is put into practice. As a matter of fact, I urged the seminarians to take the stark realities in the State into consideration and reject out of hand the idea of regional councils. In this context, I also referred to the fate of those regional councils which were set up long ago to cater to the needs of the ignored and marginalised people of those areas which now form the present Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

At the same time, I pointed out that the political reorganisation of the State had become a dire necessity and that we must support the idea of segregation of Jammu and Ladakh from the Valley so as to make the people of these areas master of their own political and economic destiny within India and under the Union Constitution. In fact, it was the advocacy on my part in favour of the State's trifurcation which provoked a fierce debate on the whole issue. A number of participants, including Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, Former Union Minister Saif-ud-Din Soz and Zafar Iqbal Manhas of the Regional Autonomy committee, reflected on what I said while making my point on the issue of the State's reorganisation and expressed their anger against the very idea. While Dr Abdullah warned that the idea of trifurcation, if accepted, would lead to bloodshed, Mr Soz said that he would discuss the issue with me outside the seminar room as it could not be clinched in such an assembly. Mr Manhas also said the same thing using more sophisticated language.

I hope Mr Sani would take all this into account and set the record straight.

Yours etc....
Prof. Hari Om

Shrinking forest cover

Sir,

To which extent the forest department is serious towards its primary objective of forest conservation, looking at the ground realities, is a baffling question. Where on one side tall claims are made about the achievements of the department, forest cover on the other hand is skrinking fast. All this is happening under the very nose of those boastful claimants. Notwithstanding the illegal forest cutting with the help of its protectors, there are some legal ways covered out by its perpetrators.

There is a Government policy to provide 5 (five) marlas of land to each landless family for house construction. This policy is misused to the full by revenue and forest persons. The basic idea was to allocate a suitable land, demark it and then allot it to the deserving landless people in such a way that a cluster of hutments are constructed at the site. This was a good scheme. Contrary to it, the scheme is grossly misused and all norms are thrown to winds.

No enquiry is made about the landless status of an allottee and if made the false reports are made to legalize his claim. Most of the beneficiaries are affluent people having political patronage or money in their hand. The officials of revenue and forest departments help the beneficiary to locate a lush and fertile area of the forest land and with utter benevolence facilitate his unhindered forest clearing and fencing of hundreds of Kanals of public land as private property.

Another and most virulent aspect of this policy and which has been a cause of simmering unrest among the masses is malfeasance of bureaucracy aiming at to change the demography of particular areas.

As the imminent result of this vicious process, militancy has gained vigour in those areas which otherwise were untouched hither to. Moreover, the midforest hutments have become safe heavens for the militants.

The livestock is the main source of livelihood for the rural people and the forests provide sustenance to this live stock with this escalating menace, the rural population is under grave threat of loosing their mainstay. The shrinking grazing land has led to frequent scuffles among the original users and the new settlers who have fenced large chunks of forest depriving the ages old users of that area of this God given source.

Yours etc...
Sarab Dayal Sharma
Chatyari Tehsil
Rajouri (J&K)

Registration of SKUAST-J

Sir,

We the veterinary students want to draw the attention of the concerned authorities to some of our problems. The most burning issue of Registration of SKUAST-J in Veterinary Council of India (VCI) is essential failing which B.V. Sc & AH. students of SKUAST-J will not be able to appear in any competitive examination outside state & will also not get any job outside J&K. This will limit the opportunities of number of students who aspire to go in research field.

Yours etc.....
Vikram Slathia
All J&K Veterinary Students Association Jammu.