20 parties vow to fight for cause

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU,Oct 21: The representatives of around 20 political and social organizations, civil society, intellectuals, lawyers, dents and youth associations and trade bodies today held a joint session and passed a resolution in Jammu christened as ‘Jammu Declaration’ seeking statehood for Jammu region in view of persistent neglect and deprivation faced by the people of the region in multifarious fields including general development, funds allocation, tourism promotion, employment etc for the past several decades.
The participants observed that the disregard for the incarcerated Jammu region continued even post re-organization of J&K State and abrogation of Art 370 thereby leaving statehood as the only available option for the people of Jammu region. The meeting was convened by Chairman JKNPP, Harsh Dev Singh and former Minister. It was attended by representations of various political and social organizations including Former Session Judge, Pavitar Singh and president, Amar Kashatriya (Rajput) Sabha, Gulchain Singh Charak, president, Dogra Sadar Sabha, Yash Paul Kundal, general secretary, NPP and Ex-Minister, Manish Sahni, president, Shiv Sena (Bal Thakray), Krishan Manhas, Chairman, Hindu Shiv Sena, Rajiv Mahajan, president, Shri Ram Sena, Col. (retd) S.S Pathania, Chairman, Sainik Samaj Party, Ankur Sharma, Chairman, IKKJUTT Jammu, M.S Katoch, working president JPPF, K.S Salathia, convenor UDA, Tarlok Motton, president, All India Batwal Biradari Welfare Association, Sudhir Singh, retired IGP, Prof. Jai Kumar, retired Director Colleges, Rakesh Singh, advocate, Parshotam Parihar, secretary Dogra Kranti Dal and Raj Pratap Singh convenor, ‘Jammu ki Yuva Soch’ besides others.
Speaking on the occasion, Harsh Dev said that even after abrogation of Article 370, Jammu continues to suffer and bleed. The much touted slogans of Jammu’s empowerment and equitable share in State’s resources besides assured benefits of several other Central laws and schemes have proved a hoax. While Ladakh and Kashmir continue to receive the focussed attention of the Centre, what actually falls in the lap of a marginalized Jammu region is mere peanuts. The first select list issued post de-organization of State by the Government relates to Fire Services Department wherein Jammu region has got a bare sprinkling in the form of 10% share while the major decisions continue to be taken keeping Kashmir in mind.
Asserting that Jammu Pradesh was the biggest causality of Kashmir crisis, Singh said that there was no justification whatsoever in clubbing Jammu with Kashmir and classifying it as a Union Territory. “The peace loving people of Jammu region were well known for their nationalist, secular credentials and respect for country’s Constitution, its integrity and sovereignty. Jammu region had remained most peaceful even when the other states witnessed violent protests, arson and bloodshed as seen during the recent CAA and NRC agitation in the country. It was however most distressing to note that it was being made to suffer only for the troubles in Kashmir and divested of even its basic rights. The 4G Internet connectivity was snapped in Jammu region only because of problems in Kashmir. Statehood was snatched from us only because of issues with Kashmir. The democratic rights have been denied to us only because of adverse security situation in Kashmir and so on and so forth”, lamented Singh.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 21: Power Development Department has ordered promotion of 2 Incharge Executive Engineers (Electric) as Incharge Superintending Engineers (Electric) and 8 Incharge Assistant Executive Engineers (Electric) as Incharge Executive Engineers (Electric).
The promotees are Rajinder Kumar Kohli, Ghulam Qadir Dar, Rahul Dev Manhas, Suresh Kumar, Sunil Dutt Pandoh, Ashol Kumar Chibber, Muneer Ahmad, Mehraj-ud-Din Ganai, Rakesh Sharma and Sheikh Rashid Ahmad.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 21: The Home Department of the Union Territory Government today extended ban on 4G mobile data services in Jammu and Kashmir except Udhampur and Ganderbal districts till November 12.
An order to this effect has been issued by Shaleen Kabra, Principal Secretary to Government Home Department.
As per the order, the high speed mobile data services will be available in Ganderbal and Udhampur districts only while in rest of the districts, the internet speed will be restricted to 2G.
While the post paid SIM card holders will continue to have access to the internet, these services will not be available on pre-paid cards unless verified as per the norms applicable for post-paid connections.
The latest instructions will remain in force till November 12, unless modified earlier.

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 21: Government of Jammu Kashmir Union Territory today nominated Administrative Secretaries and Deputy Commissioners as the Nodal Officers for facilitating speedy disposal of representations/grievances received by Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat.
The Nodal Officer will coordinate with the  ’Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat References Monitoring Cell’ established in the General Administration Department for expeditious follow-up and better coordination with the Administrative Departments/ Deputy Commissioners as required for disposal of the representations/grievances received by Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat.
For better coordination between the ‘Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat References Monitoring Cell’ and Administrative Departments / Deputy Commissioners, the need was felt that all the departments/organizations nominate Nodal Officers for the purpose.
Accordingly, all the Administrative Secretaries and Deputy Commissioners have been nominated as Nodal Officers for speedy disposal of the grievances/references pertaining to their respective Departments/ Offices.

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 21: High Court today directed the Government to retrieve and repossess the public land in J&K which is under illegal and unauthorized occupation and encroachment by the unauthorized occupants.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Puneet Gupta observed that the disposals of public property can be only by transparent and fair processes and persons who are under expired leases have no right to continue to do so.
“The respondents shall take immediate steps for retrieval of public land which is under unauthorized occupation and encroachment”, DB directed in general while dealing with a matter pertaining to the protection and preservation of world famous tourist resort Gulmarg.
The DB in this connection has sought an action taken report with regard to properties which continue to be in unauthorized occupation which are under the control of the Department of Tourism positively before the next date of hearing.
With regard to demarcation of Forest Land it has been brought before the court that the dispute regarding demarcation of the property is between the Revenue Department and the Forest Department. In this regard, the Minutes of Meeting held by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir have been placed before the court.
Court has been informed that the demarcation of the public land, forest areas and land leased out has been completed and exercise has been carried out. Divisional Forest Officer, Special Forest Division Tangmarg has reported that an area of 1549 kanals 13 marlas stands transferred to the Gulmarg Development Authority and land comprising 5190 Kanals and 05 marlas are in possession of the Forest Department which is recorded as Maqbooza Janglat.
Court has been apprised that the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir is taking steps for resolution of the differences between the Forest Department and the Revenue Department in order to enable marking of the boundaries and a report in this regard has been submitted to the Chief Secretary of J&K UT.
“Let a status with regard to the demarcation be filed before us on affidavit by the CEO, Gulmarg Development Authority; the Secretary Revenue; the Secretary Tourism and the Secretary Forest. Reports will be filed under the signatures of these officers within two weeks from today”, reads the order.
On the issue of encroachments by specified hotels the Forest Department has reported encroachment of forest land of 13 marlas by Hotel Khyber Resort and 7 marlas by Hotel Castle for which notices have been issued by the DFO concerned for eviction.
Court said the reported encroachment of forest land is in violation of several orders passed by the Supreme Court of India and the National Green Tribunal and several directions passed by this court.
“Both the Khyber Hotel and Castle Hotel shall not obstruct the Tehsildar and forest authorities from visiting the properties and demarcating the land. This exercise shall be done within one week from today. A direction is issued to Hotel Khyber Resort and Hotel Castle to forthwith remove their trespasser and restore the land to the Forest Department”, DB ordered and added that the Special Forest Officer, Tangmarg, and the Tehsildar concerned shall visit on spot for retrieving the land in question.
Department of Tourism on framing of policy about expired leases informed the court that after coming into force of J&K Reorganization Act 2019 it is for the Central Government to take decision on the issue.
Court has pulled up the department for taking the shield of J&K Reorganization Act, 2019 and submitting that the Central Government has the power to adopt laws for the Government of J&K.
The DB said, that there is a valuable body of jurisprudence available on the subject in the context of leases/expired leases/rights if at all of lessees/manner of disposal and grant of rights to private persons in public properties at prime locations in Delhi including Chanakya Cinema Complex, the Taj Mahal Hotel on Mansingh Road, New Delhi, and other properties. “The public exchequer is being exposed to tremendous loss and damage by the respondents by their dilatory tactics and their failure to take action with regard to public property”, DB recorded.
Referring to various citation of Apex court, the DB said these rulings binds this Court and certainly binds the Government functionaries in their dealing with public lands, grant or renewal of leases/ licences, retrieval of public lands from encroachments.
Registrar Judicial has also pointed out encroachment by Pride Resort regarding which the Forest Department has not taken any action. Court directed the DFO and the Tehsildar to visit the Pride Resort and inform this Court about the status of this property especially encroachment of public land, if any.
Court directed the Member Secretary PCB to conduct an inspection to Hotel Khail, Hotel Pine Spring, Hotel Grand Mumtaz, Hotel Gulmarg Resort and Hotel Alpine Ridge, and find out whether STPs have been installed by these hotels and are functional for sewage treatment.
Court has been assured that essential and efficient steps for ensuring solid waste collection management and disposal would be undertaken in Gulmarg and sought a report in this regard. Court also directed the respondents-GDA to also provide the date on which the Solid Waste Management Bylaws were notified as well as the details of the fines imposed and collected by the respondents thereafter.

Mgmt playing with our future: Students

Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Oct 21: Owing to the ‘financial downfall’, the Devki Arya Putri Pathshala (DAPP) is set to close down the school by the end of this month, leaving scores of students in a lurch.
As per the details, the school is facing financial crunch for last one year and recently the issue of salary to teachers cropped up after which the school administration took up the matter with the office of the Deputy Commissioner.
As the students came to know about what they called as a sudden move of the school administration, they started protesting against it and said that the school administration was playing with their career.
”We were given the reason that the school building is unsafe due to the damages caused to it during the floods. How come the building was safe since 2014 and now, all of a sudden, the building is unsafe for us?” Aisha a class 9 student of the school told Excelsior.
The school is more than 100 years old and currently, almost 300 students are enrolled there in different classes
After the school administration approached the authorities, the ADC visited the school and took the stock of the situation. However, after the visit of the ADC, a letter was written to the Director School Education, informing him that the administration of the school has decided to close down the school due to the financial crunch and is not in a position of repairing the building which is in dilapidated condition.
The letter issued from the office of the Deputy Commissioner states that they have received a communication from the President, Devki Arya Putri Pathshala, Hazuri Bagh that they are facing financial downfall.
The students, who have been left in the lurch, said that they are indecisive on what they are supposed to do. “We have got nowhere to go. To get the admission in another school, we need to get the migration certificate, they have made it difficult to us; how can they decide to close the school all of a sudden,” said Shahnaz, another student of the school.
President of the School, Veena Chandok told Excelsior that due to various factors, it was difficult for the management to keep the school functional and subsequently it was decided to close it down.
“We have tied up with the Khalsa School, they are ready to accommodate all the students; the fee structure is the same and I request the parents to let the school [Khalsa] admit their wards,” she said.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 21: Government has constituted sub committee for identifying the shortcomings/bottlenecks and suggest improvements in implementation of various beneficiary oriented schemes viz Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme, Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana, National Urban Livelihood Mission and National Rural Livelihood Mission.
According to the order, Principal Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department will be the Chairman of the committee, while Chief Executive Officer Urban Development Agency Jammu/ Kashmir as Member Secretary.
Secretary Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Commissioner Jammu Municipal Corporation, Director Urban Local Bodies Jammu, Director Urban Local Bodies Kashmir, Representative of HUDCO for UT of J&K, Convener of the UT Level Bankers Committee, Vice President, Lead Bank Department J&K Bank, Representative of Punjab National Bank for UT of J&K, Representative of State Bank of India for UT of J&K, Representative of J&K Grameen Bank for UT of J&K, Representative of Ellaquai Dehati Bank for UT of J&K, Representative of Indian Bank for UT of J&K and Representative of HDFC Bank for UT of J&K will be the members of the committee.

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, Oct 21: High Court has directed the Government to inform it about the bank accounts of former Law Minister and senior leader of National Conference Mir Saifullah for recovery of rentals and other charges in lieu of his Government accommodation.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Puneet Gupta while closing the petition seeking its earlier order directed the Government to inform the Court about the details of the bank accounts of Mir in case he had failed to deposit the rent and allied fee as was required to be paid by the accommodation holder.
The direction followed after the response to the query of the Court by the Government counsel that no rent, license fee, water and electricity charges have been paid by Mir who continued to be in illegal and unauthorized occupation of a valuable Government property. Court observed that the Government should have moved in accordance with law and ensured that the Ministerial Bungalow was vacated.
Court has also been informed that the writ court has passed the order for recovery of the rent and other charges as arrears of Land Revenue from Mir. “In case respondent fail to deposit the amount payable to the Government, it shall be open for the writ court to proceed to recover the amounts due from the respondent on account of the rent and other charges as admissible under rules by attachment of the bank account or the properties as the case may, of course, in accordance with law”, DB directed.
Court also sought appraisal from the authorities about the security assessment of Mir by the Security Review Committee as to whether security was deployed for him and if yes, then the nature thereof. “Let the same be place before us in the three days”, Court said also sought information as regards to cost incurred on the security month-wise and total period.
Petition was filed by the authorities seeking review of order on wrongful retention of Government accommodation, T-10 at Tulsi Bagh, Srinagar under the garb of court orders.
It was pointed out that by virtue of Government order in 2015 Mir was offered accommodation which he declined and as a result is retaining the Government accommodation illegally which was allotted to him as a Minister.
Court has been informed that more than five years have passed since the passing of the alternate accommodation but Mir is enjoying the Ministerial Government accommodation.
The DB while referring the Apex Court ruling on retention of the official bungalows by the erstwhile Ministers, Legislators said the said law laid down by the Supreme Court binds not only the officials but certainly the respondent who is an Ex-Minister.
Court said while offering the alternate accommodation, the officials had clearly undertaken the security assessment of Mir and it is not for him to dictate what accommodation is to be allotted to him as the law laid down by the Supreme Court bind the officials as well as the respondent-Mir.
Supreme Court has held in 2018 that the authority cannot permit any former Chief Minister to occupy any Government Bungalow or any Government accommodation after 15 days from the date on which his term come to an end.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 21: It is good news for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, as its 12 districts have figured in the list of top performing 30 districts of the country in PMGSY sector.
The districts which have achieved this distinction in J&K include- Doda, Udhampur, Anantnag, Rajouri, Baramulla, Budgam, Kupwara, Reasi, Kathua, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam.
Among the 31 States and Union Territories, the J&K has topped the list. Despite lockdown, the J&K completed 1544 kms of road length against the target of 7500 kms and connected 28 habitations against the target of 327, followed by Himachal Pradesh, which completed 1089.63 kms length against the target of 4960 kms, connecting 26 habitations against the target of 230 as on October 21, 2020. Karnataka, Harayana and Goa have remained at the lowest, with zero performance.
The PW(R&B) authorities in J&K had already declared that 2020-21 performance in this sector, would break previous records in achieving physical progress of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) since June 15, 2020 after the Unlock- I was announced to relax the restrictions enforced on construction activities in view of COVID-19 pandemic.
As on September 20, J&K had completed more than one thousand kilometers of road length, which is 13.57 % of the target length and maximum among the achieved physical progress by all 31 States and Union Territories of India, this year.
Sources further revealed that against the 7,500 kms targeted road length during the financial year 2020-21, the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Road Authority (JKRRA) had completed road length and connected 25 inhabitants by Sept 20.
Giving break up the sources said that achieved physical progress in three months includes 830.94 kms road length in Jammu division and 713.10 kms in Kashmir division. Doda district with 185.77 kms road length and Udhampur with 178.87 kms in Jammu Division have remained at the first two top places.
In respect of physical progress in Jammu division, Doda district is followed by Rajouri (131.60 kms), Reasi ( 70.42 Kms), Kathua (65.57 kms), Poonch (47.75 kms), Jammu (40.86 kms), Ramban (44.63 kms), Kishtwar ( 47.12 kms) and Samba (17.11 kms).
Pertinent to mention here that maximum performance of J&K in PMGSY had been 1800 km road length during the financial year 2015-16. In 2016-17, 1738 kms road length was achieved and 235 habitations were connected by completing 84 schemes with an expenditure of Rs 399.68 crores while in 2017-18, 1757 kms road length was achieved by completing 151 schemes and connecting 140 habitations with an expenditure of Rs 902.12 crores.
In 2018-19, 226 schemes were completed and 216 habitations were connected while 1559 kms of road length was achieved by spending Rs 1069.39 crores. In 2019-20, 189 schemes were completed and 146 habitations were connected while road length of 1169.94 kms was achieved with an expenditure of Rs 1168.93 crores, the sources added.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 21: Tata Motors has launched the ‘Grahak Samvaad 2020’, a nationwide customer engagement program from October 23-31, which will be followed by a nationwide service campaign, the ‘Grahak Seva Mahotsav’ for the whole month of November and celebration of National Customer Care Day on October 23, 2020.
According to Tata Motors these initiatives are popular amongst its customers and channel partners, which also provide customer feedback sessions, felicitation of channel partners and nationwide check-up camp of all its commercial vehicles range. This year, Tata Motors says it is focusing to provide its commercial vehicle customers with a hassle-free service experience during the pandemic.
R Ramakrishnan, Global Head, Customer Care, Commercial Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors, said, “In the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, the Indian trucking industry has emerged as the custodians of the country’s supply chain. As a market leader in commercial vehicles, Tata Motors undertook a responsibility to ensure the wellbeing of the entire trucking community, through several initiatives throughout the pandemic. To further this objective, this edition of the customer dialogue program and service camp is set to cater to the changing times and fast-evolving demand of the consumers. As a customer-centric company, we are always at the forefront of listening to the customers’ needs and offer the best solutions. The success of the Grahak Samvaad over the years has not only ensured that we deliver the best customer service, contentment and freedom to the owners and drivers, but also develop world-class products for the market. Sampoorna Seva 2.0 expands our efforts to provide a unique customer experience and convenience.”
The Sampoorna Seva 2.0 is an umbrella of services offered by Tata Motors for its commercial vehicle customers, which includes breakdown assistance with assured reach and resolution time anywhere in the country (except troubled areas), guaranteed turnaround time at authorised workshops for service and repair during the warranty period, restoration of vehicle after collision within an assured time period, annual maintenance contracts, long warranty period, genuine spare parts and remanufactured engines, clutches among others.