Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 29: A large delegation of the Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation, Srinagar, met N. N. Vohra, Governor, at the Raj Bhavan here today and presented to him a memorandum of their demands.
The demands presented by the delegation included, interalia, provision of adequate compensation and appropriate rehabilitation of the shopkeepers whose establishments are being affected by various road widening schemes and the Jehangir Chowk-Ram Bagh Flyover project in the city. They also sought the transparent and effective implementation of the State Government’s amnesty scheme for the one-time payment of electricity arrears payable by the consumers.
While raising issues about functioning of the J&K Bank, the delegation stressed the importance for the Bank to ensure greater transparency in its recruitment processes, not leaving any scope for favouritism and nepotism.
The Governor assured the delegation that the issues raised by them would receive due attention.
The delegation comprised Haji Mushtaq Ahmad Darial, Chairman of the Federation; Haji Advocate Mushtaq Ahmad Sagar, President of the Federation; Bashir Ahmad Wani, Secretary General; Peerzada Sahid Jeelani Makhdoomi; Chief Organiser; Hilal Ahmad Mandoo, Publicity Secretary; Nissar Ahmad Mir, Senior Vice President; Abdul Rahim Fafoo, Finance Secretary; Ghulam Rasool Shah, Publicity Chief; Haji Altaf Dar, Sheikh Zahoor Ahmad and Mushtaq Ahmad Kulla, Advisors; and Ghulam Nabi Wakeel, Chief Spokesman.
A 7-member delegation of the All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee, Srinagar also met Mr. Vohra and presented to him a memorandum of their demands.
The demands presented by the deputation led by Jagmohan Singh Raina, Chairman of the Coordination Committee, included, interalia, granting minority status to the Sikh community in the State as per the National Commission for Minorities Act, filling up of vacant posts of Punjabi teachers in the various Colleges and Higher Secondary Schools in the Kashmir Valley, setting up of a Punjabi Department in the Kashmir University, special employment package for the un-employed youth of the community and the provision of a provincial authority to issue Permanent Resident Certificates in favour of those persons who had to leave their villages due to militancy but are living within the Kashmir Valley.
The Governor observed that he had urged the State Government to establish a Commission to look to the interests of various minorities in the State and had been given a positive assurance. Regarding their other demands, he said that they would receive due attention.
Meanwhile a delegation of the All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference, Srinagar presented memorandum of their problems and demands to the Governor. The demands included strengthening of Panchayati Raj Institutions in the State and the J&K Panchayati Raj Act being urgently amended for this purpose, immediate conduct of elections to the Block Development Councils, establishment of District Planning and Development Boards, provision of constitutional guarantee for the powers to be exercised by the Panchayati Raj Institutions and enhancing the honouraria payable to the Sarpanchs and Panchs.
The delegation comprised Fazal Hussain Khan Abdul Majeed Mir, Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Sofi, Mohammad Hussain Naqashbandi, Ashkoor Ahmad, Haji Ghulam Qadir Akhoon, Khurshid Ahmad Mir and Ghulam Mohammad Lone, functionaries of the Conference.
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