EC has lost credibility: Mufti

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 9: President of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Mohd Sayeed, alleging large scale riggings in the just concluded Parliamentary elections, said that the party would not like to be used in future to give "legality and credibility" to the illegal electoral process in the State.

Mr Mufti said this while talking to news persons here today. He said the people have lost faith in the Election Commission of India and added that like before the ruling party used every thing at its disposal to rig the elections and made blatant use of Special Task Force in the polling and counting process but unfortunately the Chief Electoral Officer and Election Commission of India chose not to act.

Stating that Election Commission has lost credibility in the State, particularly in Kashmir Valley, Mufti Mohd Sayeed said several instances of booth capturing and casting of votes by gunmen were brought to the notice of EC but nobody bothered to do anything.

Terming the polls as "fraud elections" Mr Mufti said the PDP is organising two conclaves on October 13 and 21 at Jammu and Srinagar respectively to discuss future course of action.

Commenting on low turn out, he said boycott calls given by All Party Hurriyat Conference went into the favour of ruling National Conference, as they forced the people to vote in their traditional vote banks by using security forces while voters of opposition were forced to remain indoors by frightening them.

The Mufti said that fighting the Human Rights violations by security forces will be the main agenda of his party in coming days. He said if a militant commits a crime he has no accountability but if an organised force like police resorts to human rights violations, it was shameful.

Taking a dig at Bhartiya Janata Party, Mufti Sayeed said that pro-active policy of Mr Lal Krishan Advani has proved to be counter-productive as militancy has spread even to Rajouri and Poonch districts.

He said State Government’s endeavour to crush militancy by force is going to cause more harm to Kashmir as bullets cannot be the only answer of Kashmir problem.

He said only negotiations can bring peace back to Kashmir as experience of past one decade has taught us that by violence we cannot achieve anything but only destruction.

Mr Mufti was flanked by his daughter Ms Mehbooba Mufti and Mr Muzzaffar Hussain Beigh, who lost the Lok Sabha elections from Srinagar and Anantnag respectively.

Shrine Board conducts checking of consumable articles

Excelsior Correspondent

KATRA, Oct. 9: On the eve of Navratras and in view of ensuing heavy rush, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board today carried out an extensive checking of different consumable articles being sold from Banganga to Bhavan. The prohibited items were destroyed on spot and instructions were given to the shopkeepers to maintain utmost cleanliness, hygiene and avoid selling rotten and stale items on the track. Further the shopkeepers were asked to exhibit the rate lists and avoid overcharging from the yatries.

Kashmir traders flays hike in diesel prices

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 9: The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry has expressed grave concern over the abrupt increase in the diesel prices and raised apprehension that it would led to the unprecedent hike in the prices of the essential commodities.

In a press release issued today, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries said that if hike in the diesel prices will not withdrawn forthwith the prices of essential commodities were bound to increase further which will make the life of common man further miserable.

"The proposal put forth by the Chief Minister to close the shops and commercial establishment by 5.PM will further add to the losses being suffered by the trade since last ten years", the release said.

While appreciating State Government for extending Amensty Scheme for recovery of electricity arrears upto December, Chamber criticised steep hike made in the electricity fee three times during the 1998-99 and said that unprecedent hike in power tariff has made a mockery of Amensty Scheme.

Kashmir Chamber strongly criticised the State Government and Electricity Department for collecting tax from the people without any justification.

JKTUC highlights problems of PSU employees

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 9: The Jammu and Kashmir Trade Union Congress (JKTUC) reiterated demands of the Public Sector Employees and urged the State Government for early solution. JKTUC also demanded increase in wages of the daily wager employees of the State.

According to a press release, a meeting of the JKTUC was held under the chairmanship of Mr Sewa Ram Sharma, president and Mr O P Khajurai, general secretary to discuss the problems being faced by the employees. Meeting criticised the State Government for meting out a step-motherly treatment with PSU employees and depriving them of genuine financial benefits like pension, COLA in time, enhancement in the amount of Gratuity from Rs 1.00 lakhs to Rs 2.50 lakhs. Meeting expressed their full support to the daily wagers, who have been facing lots of hardship due to the apathetic attitude to the Government. JKTUC criticised Labour Department for maintaining a criminal silence over the condition of the daily wagers who have not been paid minimum wages as recommended by the Minimum Wages Act.

Meeting demanded immediate implementation of the Central sponsored scheme of grant pension to the PSU employees of the State beside increase in the gratuity from Rs 1 lakhs to Rs 2.50 lakhs.

Travel agents hail Tourism Deptt for organising
Navratra festival

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 9: A meeting of the Association of Jammu Travel Agents (AJTA) was held under the chairmanship of Mr Amrik Singh.

According to a press release, meeting hailed decision of the Director Tourism, Mr S S Bhalla to organise Navratra festival at Bahu Fort from October 10 to 19th at Jammu and Katra.

AJTA also hailed the Department of Tourism in making elaborate arrangements for yatris during their visit to Mata Vaishno Devi Ji during Navratras festival. Association decided to leave its volunteers under the leadership of the general secretary, Mr H K Gosain for all strategic points of tourist interest at Jammu to assist, educate and guide the tourism free of cost. Association volunteers will also remain on duty at Bahu Fort, Raghunath temple and Railway Station to assist the tourists during the Navratra period. A delegation of the Association headed by Mr J S Aneja, chairman, AJTA will attend the inaugural function at Katra and Jammu.

Association also feels satisfaction with Mr S S Bhalla, who has agreed to cooperate with Association members in operating their mini coaches expecially for evening cultural shows at Bahu Fort from Hari Market and Residency Road as well. The Association has planned to operate evening conduct trips.

CM for protecting environment

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 9: The Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah has stressed on mass participation of the people in the furtherance of the cause of environmental protection and preservation in a more concrete manner.

In a message, read out by the Works Minister, Mr GM Shah at the concluding function of the Habitat Week, organised by the Forests and its allied departments here today. Dr Abdullah said students, NGOs and public at large shall have to come forward to supplement efforts of the Government for environmental protection. He said no programme can succeed without mass support adding that the Jammu and Kashmir Government has demonstrated this thing very clearly. The involvement of the NGOs, public, students and village community, he said, has figured as a central theme in the Government’s programme profile. He said the concept of Habitat Conservation has now gone down to the grass root levels.

The Chief Minister said although much work has been done, there is no room for complacency. "Much more is to be done," he added. He said the Forest Action Plan prepared by the Government has a futuristic vision for the ecology and environment of the State. He cautioned that the efforts have to be kept up to preserve and protect our precious environment.

Referring to the need for the preservation of the environment, Dr Abdullah said that if the current rate of land degradation continues, one-third of the world’s arable land will be destroyed and the remaining area of un-logged productive forest will be halved and the disproportionately consumption rates in developed countries will aggravate the situation. He said the entire growth oriented human activity leading towards high rate of consumption is degrading the environment at a much faster rate. The industrial activities, are adding to the problem. He said the situation has attracted world wide attention and various summit meetings have been held to tackle the problem of environment and ecology.

The Chief Minister said the celebrations of the environment week and the habitat week are the activities that focus the attention on the ecological problems. He appreciated the Forest Department for adopting a holistic model for preserving and protecting the ecology and habitat. He said this augurs well for the State and hoped that "we shall live in perfect harmony with nature for all the times to come."

The Works Minister, Mr GM Shah, who was the chief guest at the function in his address stressed the need for protection and preservation of forest wealth. He said since the food is subserviant to the forests, therefore, it was the responsibility of all of us to preserve and protect the natural green gold. He said in the past, particularly during the last ten years of turmoil in the State, the forests witnessed a large scale destruction. He said the Government have launched a comprehensive drive to check the illicit felling and smuggling of green gold. He sought the co-operation of the people in maintaining the ecological balance by undertaking aforestation in a big-way and keeping the surroundings neat and clean.

The Forest Minister, Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan in his presidential address highlighted the importance of observance of habitat week and said that wild animals constitute a valuable national asset and their wanton killings have to be stopped. He said if we allow our wild life to be destroyed our own future and future of the humanity is likely to be endangered. He said people have to realise that it is much more interesting and aesthetically satisfying to watch and study wild life than to destroy it.

Mr Ramzan said that in the past much damage has been done to the wild life resulting in extinction of some of the rear species. He said we can not afford to lose any more of our wild life as these are much valuable and important for maintaining the eco-system.

The Minister said the nature has bestowed our State with a wide range and variety of wild life in all the three agro-climatic regions and in Ladakh especially we have some peculiar wild animals which are hardly found in any part of the country. He, however, said that due to wanton disregard of trigger happy people for their selfish motives, the numerical strength of some of the rear species has not only declined in recent years but some of the species have become extinct. He said the time has come when we should cry an urgent halt to these acts of vandalism and do all that is possible to preserve and protect the invaluable natural assets.

Mr Ramzan said though State Government has taken various measures to protect the wild life in all the three regions of the State by creating a network of sanctuaries, national parks, game reserves and wet-land reserves, yet, a lot has to be done for the protection and preservation of the habitat. He said there are four national parks, 13 sanctuaries, 18 game reserves and 12 wet land reserves in the State and bio-sphere reserves at Gulmarg have been created, he added.

While emphasizing the imperative need of more afforestation and preservation of fauna and flora in the State, Ch Ramzan said that the rapid industrialization was a great challenge to the ecological equilibrium. Referring to the advantages of the green wealth, he said, besides timber, medicinal plants, herbs and animal life, the forests and the green cover play an important role in maintaining the atmospheric composition especially oxygen and moisture. He said like other parts of the country there had been major changes in the environment of our State resulting in loss of forest cover, shrinkage of lakes, pollution of water bodies, destruction of habitats and fauna and flora.

He called upon the NGOs, voluntary organizations, the school children and the general public to supplement the Government efforts for creating awareness among the people about the importance of maintaining the ecological balance imperative for the fauna and flora and well being of our eco-system. He said the State is proud of having neat and clean environment hoping that it would continue to have the distinction of being the "Heaven on Earth" in future also.

Earlier, Mr GM Shah released the booklet on Forest Conservation Act while Ch Ramzan released the copies of the State Forest Act which has been amended recently and translated in three languages, English, Urdu and Hindi. Mr Mohammed Shafi Bhat, MLA also released a copy of the book "Van Chu Vadhan" (Forest is weeping).

The Principal Secretary, Forest and Environment, Mr Vijay Bakaya, Chairman Pollution Control Board and senior officers of the Forest and its allied departments were also present at the function.

The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Mr P Patnaik dwelt at length the measures taken by the department for rehabilitation of degraded forests in the State.

Various legislators, senior officers of the Government, prominent citizens, NGOs and students of various schools of Srinagar district were present at the concluding function.

The school children presented a series of cultural items and folk songs while the artists dressed in colourful attires presented a famous "Band-a-Pather."

CCI flays 9 hour power cut

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 9: An emergent meeting of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries was held under the presidentship of Mr Romesh Chander Gupta, president of the Chamber.

According to a press release, meeting strongly condemned the bureaucratic high handedness by the Power Development Department which on the one hand not supplying quantity and quality power supply while on the other hand have imposed a 9 hour power cuts in the Jammu region thereby increasing miseries of the people of Jammu especially students who shall be at a disadvantage as compared to students of other states. Chamber is of the opinion that this power cut will give rise to militant activities and also increase thefts in night hours. Chamber president expressed concern over this unprecedent prolonged power cut schedule despite the fact that the Government has admitted itself that there is no power shortage in the State.

Mr Romesh Gupta appealed to the Chief Minister, who is also holding the charge of Power Development Department, to ensure continuous power supply without any cuts and also issue an order withdrawing monthly minimum charges only as per meter reading as promised and committed by him in a high powered meeting with the delegation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry so that the already crippling industry will be saved from extinction.

Over Rs 4-cr being spent on tube wells

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 9: Over Rs 4.47 crore are being spent on the construction of ten tube wells under Master Plan Phase-II by the Public Health engineering Department, Jammu during the current financial year. Out of the released funds of Rs 208.47 lakh, Rs 153.12 lakh have so far been spent on the construction of these tube wells.

This information was given to the Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Mr Ali Mohammad Sagar at a high level meeting held under his chairmanship to review the physical and financial achievements registered by both the departments during the current financial year.

The Minister was apprised that the construction of Boria-X-XI, Ajit Nagar, Bhore Camp, Mattoo colony, Dili, Exhibition ground, Colonal colony, Kothian Netar and Patta Bohri tube wells is in progress. In addition the spill over works which includes construction of tube well building at Preet Nagar, Dashmesh Nagar, tube well building and pump room at Bahu-B, cahin link fencing at Central Pumping Station Muthi, completion of raising main from tube well No. 5-6 at Udheywalla/Science College have been completed. Besides interconnection of rising main at Sunjwan, interconnection of GSR Bhatindi with GSR of one lakh gallon, major distribution system of Bhwani Vihar, Trikuta Nagar extension, Adarsh Colony, the work on distribution of Model Town, Preet Nagar, Gangyal garden, Roop Nagar, Enclave, Patta Ploura, Gadigarh, have also been completed.

Under the special improvement programme out of the total allocation of Rs 4 lakh about Rs 3 lakh has been spent upto ending September, 1999. With this improvement to distribution of Old Rehari has been made besides improvement to distribution of drinking water supply system at Ustad Mohalla, Nitco lane is in progress and improvement of Dhounthly Slump Tank and Darru Grian Mohalla have also been completed.

The meeting was further apprised that during the peak summer season 17-19 water tanks were pressed into service in PHE, Jammu/Greater Jammu, 15-20 tankers in Jammu rural, 14-19 tankers at Akhnoor to meet the scarcity of drinking water. Currently 13 tankers have been deployed in PHE rural, 14 in Akhnoor and 10 tankers in Jammu city and Greater Jammu.

While reviewing the physical and financial achievements of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Jammu the Minister was apprised that an amount of Rs 42 crores has so far been spent on the modernisation of Ranbir, New Partap and Kathua canals. The work on these canals will be completed at a cost of Rs 106 crore.

Under the Minor Irrigation schemes seven projects have been sanctioned with the loan component of Rs 19 crors from the NABARD. Of these two schemes namely Neeli Majana and Malog Jandrore in Udhampur district will be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 57 lakhs during the current financial year. The meeting was further apprised that 31 new schemes under minor irrigation at a cost of Rs 15 crores have been projected for the Jammu region and submitted to the NABARD for sanction of loan.

Addressing the meeting, Mr Sagar impressed upon the functionaries of the both the departments to work with zeal and dedication so that the on-going projects could be completed within the stipulated period and benefits of these schemes be perculated to the people at the grass root level. He asked them to conduct frequent visits in the field and assess the pace of progress of the on-going schemes on the spot. He said that the Government servants are accountable to the public and they should attend to the problems of the people on priority basis. Mr Sagar said that PHE is an essential service and the Government will not tolerate any lapse on the part of the employees. He asked the officers to take appropriate action against care less employees.

The Minister also took a serious note on the attachment of Junior Engineers and directed the Chief Engineer, PHE to detach all the attachments of Junior Engineers immediately and direct them to report their respective place of postings, failing which the action warranted under rules would be initiated against the defaulters.

The meeting among others was attended by the Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control, S Inderjeet Singh, Chief Engineer, PHE, Mr SK Kotwal, SE, PHE, Urban, Mr IC Jandial, SE Hydro, Jammu, Mr NN Hira, SE, Mechanical, I & FC, Mr VK Kilam, SE (M), PHE Rural, Mr Gurdev Singh and Executive Engineer, Ground Water Division, Mr BS Johar.

| home | state | national | business | editorial | advertisement | sports |
| international | weather | mailbag | suggestions | search | subscribe | send mail |