Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 30: Irrespective of their political affiliations Members in Legislative Assembly today were unanimous on police reforms and making tourism a focal point of development while participating on annual grants of GAD, Home, Information Department, Tourism, Hospitality and Protocol.
Congress Legislature Party Leader Rigzin Jora said that with the new scheme of financing police modernization will no longer be funded by the Government of India and the State will have to find out of its kitty.
Jora pleaded with Chief Minister that the ratio of funding between the State sector and the district should be brought to 50: 50 from the present ratio of 65 : 50. Only then can we hope for equitable development all across the State.
Jora pointed out that in reply to his question on creation of a Police Range for Ladakh the Government has ruled out doing so on the plea that the crime rate in Ladakh is low. He asked do you mean that Ladakhis have to increase their crime rate to get a Police range ?
Jora also asked the Chief Minister to evolve a transfer policy for police personnel from Ladakh serving in Valley who don’t get transfer back to Leh despite serving 6 years whereas the ones from Kashmir serving in Ladakh get transferred back in 2 years. This needs to be addressed. Jora also demanded that somebody from Ladakh must be accommodated in the Public Service Commission. There any number of officers with impeccable integrity who have retired recently to choose from. Jora asked the Chief Minister who is in charge of tourism to complete the golf course in Leh.
Speaking on the grant the Congress Deputy Leader in the House Ajaz Khan demanded enhancement of allowances of SPOs and VDCs. He asked Chief Minister fund tourism from the State sector liberally. Ajaz Khan asked Chief Minister to learn from the experience of Kerala and Goa who have reaped rich economic and employment dividends by investing handsomely in tourism. He demanded that a tourism circuit be developed from Katra to Arnas , Gool, Gulabgarh to Banihal so that living in these areas could also benefit from tourism sector. Khan also pleaded for introducing water sports activities in Salal lake and asked for development of Kousarnag and other lakes in Pir Panchal range.
Ravinder Raina of BJP asked the State Government to immediately scrap the surrender and rehabilitation policy for the terrorists who are posing a grave threat to the national security.
While taking part in the discussion over the grants of Home Department in Legislative Assembly (LA), BJP MLA from Nowshera demanded immediate scrapping of surrender and rehabilitation policy for terrorists in the State. Raina highlighted the issue in the House and raised the question mark for the State Government by saying that who will be held responsible for any eventuality and who will take the guarantee for the act of these terrorists in the future.
Raina also countered the verbal attack of the MLA Langate Er. Rashid during the discussions and asked him whether he would take guarantee if any tragedy would take place due to misconduct of these surrendered militants.
He also raised the issue of ever rising corruption in the Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) Department and asked the Home Department of the State Government to make public, the records of moveable and immovable property of police officials.
He also asked the Department to upload all the records of officers on its website to bring transparency in the working of the Department.
He asserted that a police officer on higher rank must be made responsible and should be booked under law for the unlawful act of its juniors and subordinates. “If an SHO commits a crime, punishment must be given to DySP and if a DySP commits it action must be taken against the SSP. Senior officials must be made accountable for the wrong doings of their juniors”, he added.
Raina also demanded regularization of SPOs and release of proper honorarium to the VDC members as they are playing very significant role in eliminating the crime and terrorism from the State.
His Party colleague Rajiv Jasrotia expressed serious concern over damage suffered to wheat crops in heavy rains and hailstorm. He said entire wheat crop has been damaged and farmers are worried. He wanted to know what steps Government was going to take to compensate the loss of farmers.
Expressing serious concern over the infiltration from across the border and recent terrorism attacks in Kathua and Samba district, Jasrotia demanded that on Ladakh scouts pattern border scouts be created to guard the International Border. He said border from Pahadpur to Samba is soft and Government should take serious steps to curb the infiltration.
He demanded Shahpur Kandi project and Ujh Multipurpose Project be taken up in hand to solve the irrigation and water supply problem in the Jammu.
He said on Ujh Multipurpose Project Rs 17 crore were spent on consultancy and the project will irrigate 80000 acres of land besides generating 208 mw of power. This project has no link with Indus Water Treaty and hence be taken up in hand as it will also solve the drinking water problem in the Kathua Samba districts, he added.
He demand promotion of tourism in Kathua district by giving focus to Jasrota Fort and Aroma village. He also stressed on police reforms. He demanded that Nagri Police Chowki linking to border and Punjab be made a Model Police Station. Besides on the pattern of Dal lake Mansar and Surinsar lakes be developed and Basohli Lake be also developed for water sports.
Sat Sharma of BJP, while differing with those who term police as corrupt said the police personnel throwing their lives in grave risk ensure the security of the people. He suggested taking welfare measures to eradicate corruption.
He said there is shortage of buildings for Police stations and 18 police stations and 103 Police posts function in private buildings while many police stations and PPs are without vehicles.
Sharma said agriculture is second service sector after tourism but it lacks proper infrastructure. He said Jammu city which was a business hub once has lost the same status. He stressed on speedy completion of Tawi lake and development of Mubarak Mandi a pillar of Jammu culture.
Sharma demanded development of Tulip Garden at Jammu, Tata Pani springs in Rajouri and Gool as well as development of Ranjit Sagar dam.
NC’s Nazir Gurezi said that two parameters are being adopted for air lifting of people. One is for Ladakh and another for Gurez and Tanghdar. Transfer policy was formulated for Ladakh and not for Gurez Tanghdar. There is no air connectivity to Gurez. He also demanded action against the corrupt officers.
However his Party colleague Mohammed Akbar Lone intervened saying that member should not accuse an officer unless and until he has proof for the same. He appealed the Speaker that such words be expunged from records. However Gurezi asked the MLA don’t cover such officers.
G M Saroori of Congress said that it takes six months in clearance of a file in Civil Secretariat and demanded that recruitment in police be made in Inderwal Constituency. He urged the Government to fulfill the promise of giving a job to one member of every family.
Saroori alleged that Information Department has become defunct in Doda and Kishtwar districts and demanded that the SPOs wages be raised to Rs 15000 per month.
Saroori also alleged that Article 370 has been eroded right from the time of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah till date.
Raja Manzoor Khan of PDP demanded Bangus be developed as tourist spot while Yawar Mir of his Party strongly advocated for rights of police personnel. He said Police faces shortage of vehicles accommodation and they be provided facilities.
He also demanded bullet proof vests for police personnel. Engineer Rashid and other members also participated in discussions.
MLA Shopian stressed that tourism should be made focal point of development. He said instead of paying attention of those tourist spots which are already on focus new tourist resorts be developed. He demanded religious and eco tourism be also paid attention and stressed on development of Kapalmochan, Arhama and Jama Masjid in Shopian as tourist spots.
Vikar Rasool of Congress said that special recruitment drive in police was done at selective places and his constituency Banihal was ignored in it. He was snubbed by Minster of Tribal Affairs and CAPD Ch Zulfkar who said that you were in Government at that time why did not you act.
M Y Tarigami of CPI (M) who was on the chair at that time said it is an undemocratic practice and this practice should end.
Mubarak Gul of NC said that previous Government had removed bunkers from various places and this Government should also take an initiative in this regard. He wanted to know will government continue surrender policy and release political prisoners.
BJP’s R S Pathania stressed on police reforms and demanded regularization of SPOs.
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