Telecom opens new lines for Srinagar

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 13: Keeping in view the difficulties being faced by the public in general due to heavy congestion on Jammu-Srinagar route, the Telecommunication Department has decided to put-through these circuits for traffic trial with immediate effect.

According to a press release, the during the press conference of the Chief General Manager, Telecom, J&K circle on August 7, 2001 at Jammu it was indicated that the STD circuits between Jammu-Srinagar will be augmented from the existing 210 to 630 to cope with the heavy rush of callers consequent upon giving access to STD on local telephones upto 200 kms radius.

Since the additional circuits have been installed and are under "Acceptance Testing" before these could be thrown open for public use, it was indicated during the press conference that the circuits will be available for use after our weeks time. Now keeping in view the difficulties being faced by the public in general due to heavy congestion on Jammu-Srinagar route, it has been decided to put-through these circuits for traffic trail with immediate effect so that these are available to public and suitability tests etc which are required to be done go on simultaneously.

Majority of Jammuites feel
Political will & not Disturbed Act required

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 13: Though the State and Centre Governments have brought all six districts of Jammu province under the purview of Disturbed Area Act to provide more teeth to security forces to counter the stepped up terrorist violence in Jammu region, there is wide spread feeling among people, particular of Jammu district, that imposition of this act would have bad ramifications.

People by and large feel that this act will not help in containing terrorism unless and untill both state and Central Government inculcate a will to wipe out terrorism from this violence plagued State.

Almost all political groups of Jammu region but one have, one way or other, opposed what they called ‘haste idiotic decision’ of both the Governments to hide their failures.

The state president of the BJP has supported implementation of Disturbed Area Act but serious differences have cropped in the party as its Kashmir unit has stoutly opposed the new move of the Government.

Even most radical outfit of Sangh Parviar-the Vishwa Hindu Parishad has opposed this act and aired apprehension that instead of containing militancy this move will shatter economy of Jammu region.

"What is the fun of implementing this act when a non-serious person like Dr Farooq Abdullah is at the helm of the affairs", asked Dr Rama Kant Dubey, state chief of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. He was of the view that imposition of Governor’s rule was the one and the only option to nail terrorism. He said that implementation of Disturbed Area Act will send wrong signals outside the state and economy of Jammu region will be badly affected.

VHP leader said that both state and central Governments lack political will to take on terrorism and, as such, this act was not going to serve any purpose.

General secretary of the PCC-I, Th Hari Singh termed the decision as non-serious and expressed surprise over decision of a duly electric Government, with two third majority at its command, to impose Disturbed Area Act and Special Armed Act in the state.

"I think it’s first time in the history of India that a democratically elected State Government has itself implemented Disturbed Area Act in its state", he said and opined that there was no need to implement the same in Jammu and Kathua districts.

"With brute majority at his command Farooq Abdullah can make any law to contain terrorism", he said, adding, "Chief Minister has taken this step only to shift his responsibility on others".

Daya Krishan Kotwal, state president of the BJP, is the only person who has whole-heartedly supported decision of the State and central Governments to implement the act. "For the last six years we have been crying for implementing this Act in the state", he said and claimed that it was all due to their pressure that Jammu has been declared as Disturbed Area to counter terrorist activities in Jammu region.

"I do not subscribe the argument that implementation of this act will increase alienation among masses. I am rather of the strong view that this act will give more teeth to the security forces to take on both under ground and over-ground terrorists active in the state", he said, adding, " I don’t see any reason to exclude Jammu district from this act as militant have been doing this activities in the border areas of Jammu region".

Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Ram Sahai offered traders’ whole hearted supported to any move of the State Government to normalise the situation but he shared apprehension of some people that security force may mis-use this act.

"There is a wide-spread feeling among Jammuites that this step will give unchecked powers to the security forces resulting into the harassment of innocent civilians ", he said and suggested that a committee of the citizens should be constituted which will hold regular interaction with security forces to remove mis-understanding between civilians and security forces.

Sahai was of the view that development of the trade and industry largely depend on peace. "Economy of a region flourish only if peace prevail on that areas. So peace is must for development of business", he said and offered full support of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries to the state and Central Government in their efforts to bring peace in the region.

President of the Dogra Sadar Sabha, Th Gulchain Singh strongly opposed, what he dubbed, haste and senseless decision of the state and Central Government to bring entire Jammu region under the purview of Disturbed Area Act. "Both State and Central Governments have taken this decision only to hide their own failures. I do not think there was any reason to declare Jammu and Kathua districts as Disturbed Areas", he said and added that instead of this some pockets of these two districts should be identified to bring them under the purview of Disturbed Area Act.

Smelling some foul play in declaring entire Jammu region as disturbed area, general secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Ved Mahajan said that this decision will give more power to non-serious Farooq Government to stifle its political opponents. "I do not think this act will help in containing terrorist activities, it will rather serve interests of the National Conference

Government’’, he aired apprehension. Jammu Paryatan Vikas Mandal, the apex body of 22 associations connected with tourist trade in Jammu, strongly condemned, what it called, hurriedly taken step of government in imposing Disturbed Area Act in Jammu which will definitely affect the economy of Jammu and Katra which are totally depend upon pilgrims of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji.

Mandal feel that the announcement of Disturbed Area Act has already been noticed with the decline in number of pilgrims to Mata Vaishno Devi Ji.

Jammu Paryatan Vikas Mandal leaders Kuldip Wahi, president, Inderjeet Khajuria, general secretary, Baldev Khullar, vice-president have said that the Government should take positive steps to eliminate militants. They further appealed to the state and Central Government to review the situation and withdraw the Disturbed Area Act specially from Jammu, Katra and Kathua from where the people are maintaining communal harmony inspite of some incidents of the outfits to create mis-understanding.

Machail Yatra accorded warm reception

Excelsior Correspondent

KISHTWAR, Aug 13: The holymace of the annual Machail Yatra was accorded a remarkable warm reception by the citizens on reaching its first night halt station Kishtwar yesterday evening.

An unprecedented religious congregation was organised in the premises of the Government Girls Higher Secondary School where most of the pilgrims were provided boarding facility. Highlighting the importance of the Hindu Dharma, the speakers said that Machail yatra is the best example of spreading mutual brotherhood among the masses of different faiths.

The enthusiasm exhibited by the local devotees and the people as a whole was appreciable who thronged in large numbers to greet, worship and pay their obeisance to the holymace despite certain restrictions difficulties.

After night halt, the holy mace along with pilgrims proceeded for its second night halt station Atholi, Paddar after performing pooja and bhandara at Shiv Temple Vassar Kishtwar in the wee hours today.

The Managemant of the Machail yatra Sarve Shakti Sewak Sanstha has lauded the arrangements made by the local administration for smooth conduct of the yatra and safety of the pilgrims.

Farooq opposes increase in loan component in JK plan

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Aug 13: Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah today opposed increasing loan component in State’s annual plan by the Planning Commission and said that it is against accepted norms set for plan funding pattern for special category states like Jammu and Kashmir.

Reviewing the performance of works sector at a high level meeting here this morning, the Chief Minister said he will take up this distortion in funding pattern to the State during the ensuing National Development Council (NDC) meeting being held in New Delhi. He said the loan component in the annual plans have gone up significantly, that is quite detrimental to the State. In 2000-01, the negotiated loan accounted for about Rs 251 crore in the annual plan against Rs 45.58 crore in 1996-97, he said.

Dr Abdullah said that this pattern has put an excessive strain on the limited resources of the State that has been adversely affected by militancy. The deviation from the norm of 90 per cent grant and 10 per cent loan by increasing negotiated loans to be borrowed from financial institutions would further affect the resource position of the State as it will have to bear interest at stipulated rates as a component of the plan finance, he added.

The Chief Minister said that he will also take up the issue regarding guidelines on Prime Minister’s Gramodaya Yojna (PMGY) in the NDC as the changes introduced in BMS in the garb of the new scheme will go against the avowed policy of decentralisation.

Dr Abdullah reviewed the progress achieved in roads and buildings, public health engineering, irrigation and flood control sectors and said that achievements in various disciplines will have tremendous impact on the people who are interested in roads, constructions of bridges, supply of safe drinking water and provision of adequate irrigational facilities for boosting the crops.

Dr Abdullah said that he will also take up with the Centre the ambitious Master Plan for providing drinking water in Jammu by tapping the source at Chenab. He also called for preparing a blue print for tapping water from Sindh River for augmenting water supply in the Kashmir valley. This resource could be tapped by constructing a tunnel upto Harvan reservoir, he said.

The Chief Minister urged engineers to lay thrust on digging hand pumps in a big way. These could be handed over to Panchayats in villages for maintenance and upkeep. This facility, he said, needs to be created in urban and semi-urban areas also. He said in view of the depleting water resources particularly fast melting glaciers, a real difficulty is unavoidable in near future.

He noted with satisfaction the reconstruction of militancy damaged major bridges and impressed upon the executing agencies to complete these expeditiously. Of the 157 gutted bridges, 57 have been reconstructed while another 30 are nearing completion. He said the Planning Commission had provided special assistance for the purpose.

Dr Abdullah gave instructions for expeditious completion of various works, which include macadamisation of Bandipur-Srinagar road. He said Rs 60 crore would be available to the State during the current year under Prime Minister’s Road Connectivity Programme. He also gave instructions for allocating funds for speedy execution of various works as projected by the engineers.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister for Works Mr Ali Mohammad Sagar said the strategy to ensure development of the State has been changed with shifting the thrust from twin capital cities to all the regions and sub regions. Development funds are now allocated on district and constituency basis and opinion of the representatives of the people is being sought for fixing priorities of works, he added.

Mr Sagar said that to offset the general complaint about emphasis being laid on the development of Srinagar and Jammu cities, a mechanism has been devised to ensure equitable funds to all the districts of the State for execution of various schemes.

He said to ensure greater transparency and accountability, the works to be taken up are widely notified and certification of completion of any scheme sought from the public representatives.

The Works Minister said a Task Force has been constituted in his ministry to take cognizance of complaints from the public. The Force swiftly acts on the complaints and action is taken against the erring officers, he said and cited the examples where such action was taken in the recent past. To take stock of the status of various works, periodical meetings are held and strategy is also worked out to ensure completion of developmental schemes within stipulated time frame.

To the observation of the Chief Minister about digging of hand pumps, the Minister said that Rs 5 crore each have been allocated for Srinagar and Jammu cities for the purpose. Emphasis is also being laid on creating similar facilities in towns and villages, he said.

Chief Secretary Mr Ashok Jaitly said that hand pumps are a viable answer to coping up the scarcity of water as only five per cent of ground water has been utilized so far. He said funds for the purpose would not be a problem and the executing agencies should go for this facility in a big way.

The meeting was briefed about achievements in various sectors. The roads currently being maintained in Jammu region account for 4395 kilometers and in Kashmir including Ladakh 9414 kilometers. While 2052 villages out of 3422 have been connected by roads in Jammu region, 2337 out of 2816 villages in Kashmir division have been covered.

Under NABARD programme, 1051-kilometer roads and 31 bridges would be taken up in Jammu region against 1688-kilometer roads and nine bridges in Jammu region.

Against the demand of 63-MGD drinking water in Jammu City and 65 MGD in Srinagar, the availability of this basic service is 50.80 MGD and 55.05 MGD respectively. Of this 5.70 MGD water has been added in Jammu during the past financial year against 5.50 in Srinagar. Under the rural water supply programme, 253 schemes out of 742 were completed during the past four years.

The State Government is endeavouring to cover all the remaining rural habitations with safe drinking water within a period of five years. A comprehensive action plan in this regard has already been submitted to the Union Ministry of Rural Development, Department of Drinking Water.

Under the major and medium irrigation sectors, 16 projects have been submitted to the Union Ministry of Water Resources for modernization. In Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) modernization of Ranbir, New Partap, Kathua canals has been sanctioned during 1999-2000 while another four projects for modernizing Letapora Lift Irrigation, Rajpura Lift Irrigation, Tral Lift Irrigation Schemes and Igo Phey Canal in Ladakh region were approved during the past financial year.

As many as 13 minor irrigation projects have been taken up for modernization in the State with NABARD funding.

Under Flood Control sector, six projects have been cleared for NABARD funding which include flood protection work on Chenab River, improvement of Dachigam nallah, river Sindh, river Jhelum and Gund Roshan nallah.

The meeting was attended among others by Financial Commissioner, Finance, Mr J A Khan, Principal Secretary, Works, Mr B R Kundal, senior officers of Works and Planning Departments besides Chief Engineers of the State.

COLA and pensionary benefits for PSU
employees demanded

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 13: Jammu and Kashmir Trade Union Congress (JKTUC) today reiterated the demands for grant of Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) and pensionary benefits to the public sector employees of the State. In a meeting of J&KTUC, which was addressed by Mr Sewa Ram Sharma, president and Mr O P Khajuria, general secretary, it was stated that few days back, the State Chief Minister had assured that payment of COLA to public sector employees, would be sanctioned within the current months and a decision would be taken in the meeting which was to be held for J&K State Road Transport Corporation.

The said meeting of Board of Directors, was chaired by the State Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah besides attended to by State Finance Minister and State Transport Minister.

However, it was first time that the issue of grant of pensionary benefits to the employees, came to be discussed in the Board of Directors meeting of SRTC, chaired by Chief Minister, deciding setting up of a committee to go through the demand of grant of pension to public sector employees.

Messrs Jagmohan Sadotra, working president, Ch Mohd Iqbal, senior vice-president of the organisation who raised the demands of payment of gratuity to the tune of Rs 3.5 lakh to the retiring employees of the PSUs and bringing at par with the Government employees in grant of time bound promotions, as the employees are stagnating for years together.

Thakur Balbir Singh visits far-off areas of Billawar

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 13: Thakur Balbir Singh, MLA Billawar constituency conducted a six day Padyatra of the remote area of Dhany Parole, Duggain, Mooroian, Mankhari and Kohag of Lohai Malhar block and Nagrota Gujjaru, Kah, Uchapind of Billawar block alongwith Sarpanch Mr Panjab Singh and Shankar Singh.

In a meeting at Dhanu Parole, which is a remote area of Lohai Malhar, the people of Duggain, Kedtar, Korian, Kalana and Tup participated. The people mostly complained about the non-existence of Department of Rural Development.

They said that the ares if fully ignored and no development work has been taken up by the Department for the last four years and added that if some works were executed before 1998, payment has yet to be made to the local people of this area. The people also complained that the uncovered area of the village in respect of water supply sector and rural electrification sector has not been given the due attention by the Government.

The people were also critical about the acute shortage of teaching staff in the Government schools and felt insecure due to the free movement of militants in their areas.

They demanded a police post to be opened at Dhanu Parole to check the infiltration route of Kamad nullah and Ujh river. The poor people also told the MLA that they have not received free ration as well as kerosene oil so far.

The MLA, while addressing meetings assured the people that the matter regarding non visiting of ACD and BDO to the area, non disbursement of free ration and shortage of kerosene oil will be taken up with the Deputy Commissioner Kathua.

Regarding the covering of uncovered population by PHE and Rural Electrification Departments, he assured the people to talk to concerned Chief Engineers. He also assured the people to bring to the notice of Director General of Police the problem of law and order.

Teachers wary on working of Jammu CEO’s Office

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 13: A zonal level meeting of J&K United School Teachers Federation was held at Marh today in which the problems confronted by teaching community were discussed.

As per a release, addressing the meeting, Mr Som Nath Sharma a senior leader of the Federation stressed the need for creating a fighting force among the teachers to counter the nefarious designs and anti teachers policy of the administration.

He appealed the teachers to strengthen the Federation which is the only fighting force for the cause of the teachers.

The meeting criticized the functioning of Chief Education Officer’s (CEO) office at Jammu and alleged that all the norms and ethics have been thrown to winds.

It alleged that CEO Jammu is enforcing the policy of naked favouritism and nepotism in effecting the transfers of the teachers . It alleged that out of the transfer orders issued by the CEO himself, 40 per cent were modified by him later.

The meeting also dissolved the existing Adhoc Committee and elected a new Zonal Committee with Mr Sukhdev Singh Jamwal as its president.

Messrs Satish Kumar, Ratan Lal, Ganesh Chowdhary, and Ravinder Saini were elected as vice presidents and Joginder Singh was elected as general secretary.

Ashok Sharma, Sat Paul Sharma, Bachan Lal and Brahm Dutt Sharma were elected as joint secretaries, Baljit Singh Chib, Vipan Sharma and Devi Dass were elected as organisors while Tara Chand was elected as cashier.

RKJ organises poetic symposium

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 13: As part of the Independence Day celebrations, an impressive All India Urdu Poetic Symposium was organised by Prasar Bharati’s Radio Kashmir, Jammu before invited audience at Abhinav Theatre , here this evening.

Renowned poets, from within and outside the Jammu and Kashmir State, recited their poems in the poetic symposium.

It was a memorable evening with eminent poets like Raahat Indori, Ms Aziz Banu Darab Wafa from Lucknow, Prem Kumat Nazar from Punjab and K K Toor from Shimla in Himachal Pradesh impressing with their thoughtful poetry.

While prominent Urdu poet Prof Jagan Nath Azad presided over the mushaira , other poets, who participated in the mushaira also included: Talib Eiminabadi, Arsh Sehbai, Prithpal Singh Betab and Balraj Kumar Saaz. All the poets won repeated appreciations from the audience.

Prof Azad said that the Mushaira has been organised by the Radio Kashmir, Jammu in connection with the Independence Day function. He observed that besides Lucknow, Hyderabad, Delhi and other centres of Urdu in the country, Mushairas are held successfully in Srinagar and Jammu as well.

A number of people including social and political leaders, academicians, administrators and prominent citizens attended the function. The Station Director, Dr Ashok Jerath and staff members were present.

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