*Cross-LoC travel, IB situation high on agenda

Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Apr 8: The Central Government will hold high level review of security situation in Jammu and Kashmir including the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) and initiate steps to ease cross-LoC trade and travel restrictions on Poonch-Rawlakote and Uri-Muzaffarabad routes during the three days visit of Union Home Secretary LC Goyal and a high level delegation of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) beginning tomorrow.
He will hold two separate security review meetings in Jammu and Srinagar and also call on Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed separately to take their view point on the situation and brief them on the Centre’s feedback of security scenario, official sources told the Excelsior.
Goyal accompanied by Joint Secretaries MHA-Rajat Punhani (Incharge Jammu and Kashmir Affairs) and HK Makwaha (Incharge Border Management)-will arrive here tomorrow morning along with other senior officers of the MHA and para-military forces and straightway fly to forward border post of Octroi in Suchetgarh sector along the International Border (IB) for on spot review of the situation.
This is first high level review of border situation by the Government of India after takeover of PDP-BJP coalition Government on March 1. Two recent terror attacks by the militants after infiltration from across the border at Kathua and Samba districts on a police station and Army camp on March 20 and 21, more attempts by the militants to cross over and steps taken by the BSF to curb the intrusion bids would come up for high level review in the meeting Goyal and his team would hold on the IB with top brass of BSF and other security agencies at 10.30 am tomorrow.
The proposal to construct embankment along the IB to plug the infiltration routes and other measures required to check infiltration of the militants from Pakistan especially from the Nullahs would also be discussed, sources said, adding the MHA was also keen on protection of the border people and would dwell on their safety measures during Pakistan firing especially allotment of 5 marla plots to them in safer zones and construction of concrete bunkers for them on the borders.
“The MHA is ready to fund construction of concrete bunkers on the IB and pay for allotment of 5 marla plots to the border people in safer zones, the land for which has mostly been identified in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts,” sources said.
The Home Secretary will hold high level review of security situation in Jammu region along with top brass of Army including 16 Corps Commander Lt Gen KH Singh, 9 Corps Commander Lt Gen Rajeev Bakshi, Tiger Division Commander GOC Maj Gen Dushyant Singh and heads of BSF, CRPF, police, Intelligence Bureau, SSB, civil administration and all other security and Intelligence agencies operating in the region.
Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khandey and Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra will also be present in both the security review meetings in Jammu and Srinagar.
Goyal along with the MHA delegation will hold another high level security review of situation in the Kashmir valley on April 10 in Srinagar in which GOC 15 Corps Lt Gen Subrata Saha and GOC 14 Corps (Leh) Lt Gen BS Negi apart from all Kashmir based heads of para-military forces, police, Intelligence agencies and civil administration will be present.
Arrangements for peaceful summer to ensure smooth flow of tourists and Amarnath Yatra will also figure in the meeting apart from militancy related situation.
Apart from security review, the MHA delegation will hold separate meeting on relief and rehabilitation arrangements for September 2014 and March 2015 flood victims in Srinagar on April 10 afternoon.
On April 10 morning, the MHA teams led by the Home Secretary will fly to cross-LoC point of Chakan-Da-Bagh in Poonch followed by Salamabad in Baramulla to review arrangements and measures required for easing cross-LoC travel and trade restrictions on Poonch-Rawlakote and Uri-Muzaffarabad routes.
“There have been demands from the traders dealing with cross-LoC trade and people intending for travel to meet their divided families on either side of the LoC to ease restrictions. Further, the MHA was also concerned about smuggling of narcotics and other undesirable elements in the grab of trade. The MHA will discuss steps required to curb such practices,” sources said, adding the Centre wants to boost trade and travel on the two cross-LoC routes but without compromising the security situation.
The Union Home Secretary will have one-to-one meeting with Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan in the evening and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed at the Civil Secretariat here in the afternoon tomorrow.
He will assess requirements of the State and share with them the security perception and relief and rehabilitation arrangements for floods.
“Several other issues would also come up for discussion during the two meetings,” sources said.
The MHA delegation will have night halt in Jammu on April 9 and Srinagar on April 10 before flying back to New Delhi on April 11.
Only yesterday, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh and discussed them with various aspects of Jammu and Kashmir situation including Rs 44,000 crores worth flood relief package submitted to the MHA by previous NC-Congress Government after September floods. The MHA is yet to take a decision on the package.

Fayaz Bukhari

Srinagar, Apr 8: As the Court has granted status quo to several former Ministers for occupying Ministerial bungalows, the State Government is facing accommodation crisis and has approached the High Court for vacating the status quos.
Courts have granted status quo to former Ministers Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, Sakina Itoo, Mir Saifullah, Ajay Sadhotra and former MP Ghulam Nabi Ratanpuri for continuing to occupy Ministerial bungalows. These Ministers and MP have approached courts apprehending that the Government will vacate them from their official residences and allot them to the new ministers.
The Government has approached the High Court seeking interim direction for vacation of the status quo with respect to Set No. T-15 at Tulsi Bagh, Srinagar occupied by former Minister, Choudhary Ramzan, but Justice Ali Mohammad Magray of Jammu and Kashmir High Court has sought the list of illegal occupants from the Estates Department.
The court said: “By the medium of instant application, respondents/ non-aplicants seek vacation of interim direction dated April 2, 2015, passed in CMP no. 1034/2015, by virtue of which status quo has been ordered to be maintained with respect to Set No. T-15 at Tulsi Bagh, Srinagar, till next date before the Bench.”
The Government in its submission for the vacation of the status quo in Choudhary Ramzan case has stated: “The vacation it sought on the grounds that the Government accommodation allotted to the petitioner is required to be made available to the newly elected legislators/ Ministers; that the accommodation in question was allotted to the petitioner in his capacity as Legislator / Minister as he then was; that since the petitioner does not hold any post or position now, he is not entitled to occupy or retain the said accommodation, more so because the accommodation is required to be made available to the person who is now entitled to the same as per the rules. It is further stated that the status quo order is harshly working against the interests of State respondents who are unable to arrange accommodation and make it available for the person(s) who is/are now entitled to the same.”
The court observed that the application filed by the State-respondents reveals that Government accommodations are being unauthorisedly occupied by erstwhile Legislators/Ministers and others and such persons are perpetuating their such occupations against Rules.
“Before considering the present application for vacation of the stay order, it would be appropriate to require the State-respondents in general and the Director, Estates Department, in particular, to submit an affidavit detailing out the persons who are unauthorisedly holding and occupying the Government accommodations in Srinagar”, the court directed.
The Director Estates has been asked if there is any policy of the Government to provide accommodation to protected persons and if they have any private properties in Srinagar city limits and areas of district Budgam bordering Srinagar district. “They will also inform the Court if there is any policy framed by the State Government to provide alternate accommodation to such protected persons. I further feel that such information(s) would be inconsequential, unless the respondents also indicate the details of the private properties owned by such unauthorized occupants in and around the limits of City of Srinagar, including parts of district Budgam bordering Srinagar district.”

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 8: Division Bench of State High Court comprising Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur today deprecated illegal and backdoor appointments in Jammu and Kashmir and issued guidelines for future recruitment.
The guidelines were issued in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Shiv Shanker Sharma, a retired Assistant Engineer. The contention of the petitioner is that in Jammu and Kashmir about 7893 backdoor appointments were made in about 10 departments, which led to issuance of Circular No. 09-GAD of 2013 dated March 26, 2013 calling upon the authorities to strictly observe the restrictions as contained in Section 14 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Special Provisions) Act, 2010.
The petitioner through Advocate S C Mansotra submitted that illegal appointments and engagements of various persons were made and some of them were not possessing the requisite qualifications. Quoting various instances in his affidavit, the petitioner prayed for issuance of a writ of certiorari so as to hold the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Special Provisions) Act, 2010 as ultra vires to the Constitution of India being violative of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India. He also prayed for cancellation of the appointments made illegally through backdoor methods.
After going through the petition, the DB observed, “the action of the State in appointing persons through backdoor negates the Constitutional legal rights of the persons, who are residents of the State, and is violative of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India”.
“The prayers are for issuing writ of mandamus directing the respondents to implement and follow in letter and spirit Circular No. 9-GAD of 2013 dated 26.03.2013 and take appropriate action against the authorities and officers who made various illegal appointments and engagements all over the State”, the DB said.
“The third prayer of the petitioner is for issuing a writ of mandamus directing the respondents not to make any such temporary engagements henceforth. His fourth prayer is for issuing directions to the respondents to spell out a transparent and clear policy in terms of ratio of strength at the minimum as per requirement to make appointments on regular basis and on adhoc, consolidated, casual or daily rated workers so as to justify the utilization of money from public exchequer”, the DB further said.
“Senior AAG Gagan Basotra has produced an order passed by the Government on March 17, 2015 and submitted that the authority to engage Casual and Seasonal Labourers to various departments was withdrawn with immediate effect”, the DB said, adding “due to this order, the third prayer made by the petitioner is already acceded to by the Government”.
Division Bench further observed, “the State Government though has issued instructions against engagement of any person, situation may arise to engage persons for attending emergency duties and routine duties for some time, for which the State must have clear guidelines for selecting and appointing persons in various cadres including Daily rated, Casual, seasonal or adhoc basis”.
“In view of the fundamental rights guaranteed to citizens for equal opportunities in public employment, all appointments made in Public Sector Undertakings and State Government departments and partly or fully aided Government institutions must be strictly in complying with the guaranteed rights”, the DB said, adding “the issue as to whether the Government department or agencies or instrumentalities can restrict the candidates sponsored through the employment exchange alone for selection to public employment was considered by the Supreme Court”.
The Apex Court has directed to all the High Courts to comply with the purport of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India while filling up of any vacant post either in the High Court or in the Subordinate Courts throughout India. In this decision, the Supreme Court has held that all posts shall be filled up by issuing advertisement in at least two newspapers, one of which must be in vernacular language having wide circulation in the respective State, apart from calling for a list from the local employment exchange and any selection made without advertising as prescribed, shall be void ab-initio and would remain unenforceable and in-executable except the appointment on compassionate grounds.
With these observations, Division Bench directed that any appointment— casual, adhoc, temporary, part time and regular must be in compliance with Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India, which is equally applicable as per Section 10 of the Jammu & Kashmir Constitution. “If any officer deviates the principle and give appointment to any person, the same is illegal and the person so appointed will not get any benefit arising out of such illegal appointment and engagement”, DB added.

*Independent, BJP MLAs trade charges

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 8: Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Legislative Assembly today over Union Government’s proposal to construct composite townships for the Kashmiri Pandits in Valley with Opposition MLAs demanding PDP-BJP Coalition Government to come clean on the plan and take entire House in the confidence. Even main Opposition party—National Conference opposed the proposal and dubbed it a part of nefarious plan of the present Coalition Government in the State.
Independent legislator from Langate, Engineer Abdul Rashid raised the issue during Zero Hour and stated that settling Kashmiri Pandits in separate townships will not be allowed to happen as it is detrimental to the interest of every community living in Kashmir.
“The fact of the matter is that majority of KPs are not interested in settling back in Kashmir as they are happy in enjoying perks, packages and privileges”, he said, adding “it is unfortunate that PDP led by Mufti Sayeed is acting as a facilitator in the plan of BJP brigade to communalize and polarize situation in Jammu and Kashmir”.
He asked Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to clear his stand and ask New Delhi to take measures to heal the wound of Kashmiris, who have suffered all these years. “The perception that Kashmiri Pandits are not safe in their native places is totally wrong. The fact of the matter is that Kashmiri Pandits don’t want to lose packages”, he added.
Engineer Rashid was interrupted by the BJP Legislators—Ravinder Raina, Gagan Bhagat and R S Pathania, who remarked: “Kashmir valley is not the personal property of any individual and Kashmiri Pandits can be settled anywhere in the Valley”. Ravinder Raina said, “on one side you are stating that Kashmiri Pandits are your brothers and on the other side you are opposing to their rehabilitation proposal. The opposition to composite township proposal exposes your real face”.
Verbal spat between Engineer Abdul Rashid and BJP Legislators continued for some time and thereafter CPM MLA, Mohd Yousuf Tarigami intervened and asked the Government to take the State Assembly into confidence and explain the plan regarding the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants in Kashmir valley.
“The dignified return and complete rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants is the prime concern of all of us, but the Government must spell out what and how it plans to do the needful. Since the newspaper reports are vague, misconceptions and rumours can generate and encourage the divisive elements”, he said.
Tarigami further said that Kashmiris have already suffered a lot and every move should help in healing the old wounds and should not inflict new ones. He cautioned that while taking any decision for their rehabilitation, there should be no room for any apprehension of creating any further divisions in society.
Meanwhile, National Conference, while opposing the plan of the PDP-BJP Government to allocate land for composite townships for the return of Kashmiri Pandits, said that this move would be detrimental to the idea of reconciliation between the two communities and was in fact part of a greater nefarious plan by PDP and BJP.
NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar, while interacting with media-persons outside Legislative Assembly, said, “the plan to settle Kashmiri Pandits in separate and isolated clusters is aimed to isolate and distance the two communities from each other”, adding “these tactics will have an adverse effect on Jammu and Kashmir”. He further said that this would not be the first time when PDP has compromised on the basic tenets of ‘Kashmiriyat’ for the petty trappings of power.
“Kashmiri Pandits were integral part of the social fabric of J&K and National Conference had worked harder for their return than any other political group. We want to welcome every single Kashmiri Pandit back to the Valley with utmost dignity and warmth and we want to welcome them back into the society – to their homes and hearths. However, this whole idea of composite townships is aimed to engineer a long-lasting divide between Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits”, Sagar said.
Lashing out at PDP for changing its colors with the changing wind, the NC general secretary said that PDP also opposed to idea of separate composite townships for Kashmiri Pandits while it was out of power. “However it seems PDP – while selling its soul to BJP for making Mufti Sayeed the Chief Minister has sold every single stand it had taken earlier. Now it seems that these bargains have been struck with the BJP to ensure a Cabinet berth for Mehbooba Mufti and God knows how many more sell-outs PDP will script for its evidently insatiable desire for political power at any cost”, he added.
Highlighting the policies implemented by successive National Conference Governments for the dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits to their homes, the NC general secretary said it was none other than National Conference that worked towards creating jobs for Kashmiri Pandits and ensuring there is an enhancement of compensation provided to Kashmiri Pandits for the construction of their homes.
“PDP and BJP are trying to bring back Kashmiri Pandits into isolated ghettos and barricaded compounds that isolate Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmiri Muslims. This policy of religious segregation is unacceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir irrespective of their faith, caste or creed”, Sagar further said.
Meanwhile, State Government made it clear that the Kashmiri Pandits are a part and parcel of the traditional Kashmiri ethos and they would be reintegrated into their native place as a part of the society and not as an isolated community.
Discounting as misconstrued, misconceived and mischievous the impression being created by certain quarters regarding establishment of exclusive habitations for Kashmiri Pandits, an official spokesman said the society and the Government is committed to facilitate reintegration of migrant Pandits in their homeland with honor and dignity without compartmentalizing them as an isolated community.
“As has been already made clear by the Chief Minister, the migrant Pandits are most welcome to return and resettle at the places of their choice, and various initiatives have already been taken by the State Government to bring them back with honor and dignity”, the spokesman said, adding “the Government is keenly awaiting the return of migrants and they will be resettled at their original places of inhabitation with honor and dignity”.
He said that migrants from all the communities who have no land and properties left in Kashmir, can be accommodated in the composite township, if they desire so.

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 8: Amidst ongoing controversy over diversion of recently sanctioned AIIMS to Kashmir from Jammu region, PDP-BJP Coalition Government today said that an enquiry would be conducted to ascertain how the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at Centre stalled the up-gradation of Government Medical College Jammu to the level of AIIMS.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government in the year 2003 selected six States of the country for granting projects of up-gradation of Medical Colleges and Hospitals to the level of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
On January 25, 2004, the then Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Sushma Swaraj laid the foundation stone of up-gradation of Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu to the level of AIIMS in the presence of the then State Health Minister in the Congress-PDP Coalition Government, Ch Lal Singh and others.
However, the new dispensation at the Centre-Congress-led UPA reflected the project as only up-gradation of Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu and sanctioned merely Rs 120 crore-Rs 100 crore Union Government share and Rs 20 crore State share. During UPA’s 10 years tenure, no-where in the official record it was mentioned that GMC Jammu would be up-graded to the level of AIIMS.
Thereafter, none of the politicians from the State ever uttered any word about reducing of upgradation of GMC Jammu to the level of Super Specialty Hospital from AIIMS. The BJP-led UPA Government in its second Budget this year, sanctioned Rs 1600 crore worth AIIMS for Jammu and Kashmir.
However, the PDP-BJP Government in its Common Minimum Programme (CMP) mentioned that recently sanctioned AIIMS would be established in Kashmir valley and this resulted into controversy as earlier an impression was given that AIIMS would be set-up in Jammu region.
The issue figured in the Legislative Assembly today when BJP MLA from Jammu East, Rajesh Gupta sought to know the reasons for not upgrading the status of Jammu Medical College to that of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) despite the announcement already made in this behalf over a decade back.
Responding to the issue, Minister for Health and Medical Education, Ch Lal Singh remarked, “had the GMC Jammu been upgraded to the level of AIIMS instead of Super Specialty Hospital, the present controversy over setting up of recently sanctioned AIIMS in Kashmir valley could have been avoided”.
“It is a fact that originally the project was for up-gradation of GMC Jammu to the level of AIIMS as I was Health Minister at that time”, he said, adding “I am shocked over the reduction of GMC’s upgradation to only Super Specialty Hospital”.
He announced on the floor of the House that Government would conduct enquiry to ascertain how the original project was stalled. Without naming Ghulam Nabi Azad, he said, “the person who was Health Minister of the country remained mute spectator to this unfortunate development. Moreover, those who held the portfolio of Health and Medical Education in Jammu and Kashmir during these years too didn’t bother to ensure that original project was executed”.
“I will leave no stone unturned to find out who played spoil-sport and for that I will even go to the Union Health Ministry to trace out the official record whereby upgradation of GMC Jammu was reduced to Super Specialty Hospital instead to the level of AIIMS”, Ch Lal Singh said.
However, Congress MLA from Banihal and former Minister, Vikar Rasool, while speaking on the issue, said, “Ghulam Nabi Azad was the best ever Health Minister of the country and his contribution for the upgradation of health infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir cannot be undermined”, adding “the present dispensation must not forget that Ghulam Nabi Azad had sanctioned five Medical Colleges for Jammu and Kashmir”.
Meanwhile, in reply to the question of Hakeem Mohd Yasin and other legislators, Ch Lal Singh admitted that rationalization of staff in the hospitals particularly in remote and far-off areas was required. “I assure this House that adequate staff would be provided in each and every hospital of the State and efforts would be made to make all necessary equipments available”, he added.
He admitted that sanctioning of funds for hospitals was most irrational in the past and said, “there would be parity in this regard now and every area would get due attention and share”.

Avtar Bhat

JAMMU, Apr 8: Three bills including Jammu and Kashmir Accountability Commission (Amendment) Bill 2015, Jammu and Kashmir Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill 2015 and Kashmir and Jammu Universities (Amendment) Bill 2015 were introduced in State Assembly today.
While the Jammu and Kashmir Accountability Commission Amendment Bill and Jammu and Kashmir Human Rights Amendment Bill were introduced by Minister of Rural Development, Abdul Haq Khan on behalf of Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Basharat Bukhari in the Assembly, the Kashmir and Jammu Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2015 was introduced by Education Minister Naeem Akhtar in the House.
The proposed amendment in Jammu and Kashmir Accountability Commission (Amendment) Bill-2015 seeks to amend Section 6 of the Jammu and Kashmir Accountability Commission Act 2002 for increasing the term of office of the Chairperson and the members from three years to five years and increasing their age limit for eligibility from 70 years to 75 years.
The Bill also provides for constitution of a three member Cabinet Sub Committee to act as a Search Committee for short listing the names of the probables for selection by the Committee provided for under Section 4 of the Act.
In his statement on the Bill, the Minister said that Accountability Commission Act 2002 was enacted by the State Legislature for establishing an institution of Accountability Commission to enquire into the allegations of corruption, favouritism, nepotism or lack of integrity and abuse for misuse of official position by public functionaries.
He said under the existing provisions of the Act, the Chairperson and the members hold office for a period of three years or until they attain the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier.
The Minister said that due to limited availability of eligible retired judges, the Commission has at many times in the past remained headless for long spell of time. In order to broaden the zone of consideration for appointment of chairperson and members, the term of office and the age limit of chairpersons and members is required to be increased.
Likewise the Government through an amendment to Jammu and Kashmir Protection of Human Rights Bill wants to provide for treating the leader of a single largest group or party in opposition to the Government as a member of the Committee in case there is no recognized Leader of opposition in the Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council, as the case may be. Moreover, through amendment Government wants to increase the term of chairperson and members of the Commission from three years to five years and the upper age limit for eligibility from 70 years to 75 years.
The Minister is his statement on the Bill said that all the positions of chairpersons and members in the State Human Rights Commission are vacant. The eligibility for appointment of a Chairperson is that he should have been judge of High Court and should not be more than 70 years of age. He said at present very few number of retired judges fulfilling such criteria are available. Accordingly, a draft Bill has been prepared, he added.
By bringing an Amendment in Kashmir and Jammu Universities Bill, the Government proposes to increase the tenure of the vice Chancellor for State Universities from three years to five years.
In his statement the Minister said the Kashmir and Jammu Universities Act, 1969 provides that the Vice Chancellor of a University shall hold office for three years. In universities across the country, generally duration of the term of Vice Chancellor varies from three to five years. The tenure of Vice Chancellor is for five years in most of the Central Universities as well as Delhi University and three years in University of Bombay and University of Madras.
The Minister said in Uttar Pradesh the term of office for a VC is for three years, but extension is given for one year. There is a broader consensus among academicians that a three year term is too brief period for a Vice Chancellor to formulate and implement policies and plans. He said it is difficult or rather improbable to make an impact, administratively or academically, in this short period. A five year time will definitely help Vice Chancellors to fully experiment with the ideas they conceive and fine tune them, he added.
He said in the three years term, the successor Vice Chancellor may not exhibit the patience to see the full implications of the scheme initiated by predecessors and their own agenda may affect the stability and cumulative progress of the system, he added.
He said the proposed Kashmir and Jammu Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2015 seeks to achieve this objective.

Gopal Sharma

JAMMU, Apr 8: Properties worth hundreds of crores of J&K Government, are lying under the illegal possession of the people in Delhi, Hissar in Haryana, Amritsar and several other States of the country while respective Governments in the State have virtually failed to retrieve the same for the last many decades.
These revelations were made by the Minister for Agriculture Production Ghulam Nabi Lone while replying to the question of NC Member Dr Bashir Ahmed Veeri in the Upper House of the J&K Legislature today. He disclosed that 97 kanals and 11 marlas of State land at Rajaji Marg in Delhi was under the illegal possession of Defence and CPWD authorities. Besides this, 1251 kanals of J&K land is under the illegal possession of Bajwa Brothers and Mirpur Cooperative Society at Sirsa in Haryana.
At Daim Gunj, on Tapai Road in Amritsar 32 kanals and 9 marlas prime land is under illegal possession of some people. About one kanal and six marlas land in Chandigarh is also under illegal possession. In Mumbai a Flat measuring 1436 sq ft area and Duplex flat-2, second floor Haveli Napean, Sea Road Mumbai with area of 5672 sq ft is under illegal possession. Mr Lone disclosed that the State properties at Haryana/ Sirsa and one at Amritsar, are sub-judice and the State Government is contesting the cases through the standing council in the respective courts of Punjab and Haryana for the restoration of the State properties.
The Government further replied that at Rajaji Marg New Delhi the State Government has 114 kanals and 11 marlas land out of which only 17 kanals is with the J&K Government and rest of the land is in illegal possession of Ministry of Defence and CPWD. At Chanakya Puri Delhi, the State Government has 11 kanals and 18 marlas land and this piece of land is in State’s possession. At 5-Prithvi Raj Road, New Delhi all 41 kanals and 12 marlas land is in the possession of State Government. At Amritsar also, the State owns another piece of land measuring 19 kanals, and it is in the possession of State Government.
Several members including Jugal Kishore, Naresh Gupta, Qaiser Jamsheed Lone, Dr Shehnaz Ganai, Yasir Reshi, Sajjad Kichloo, Ghulam Nabi Monga and Showkat Ganai cornered the Minister over the issue and alleged that the State has been failed to get back these properties. They claimed that for the last many decades, no sincere efforts are understood to have been initiated in this regard. Dr Shehnaz Ganai, and Showkat Ganai pointed out that this issue was raised in the Upper as well as in the Lower Houses several times and every time unique reply is given. Two Committees were also framed which visited these places, sought the detail and then submitted reports as well. But there is no information about the fate of those reports and the action taken by the Government.
Mr Monga and Naresh Gupta said that what is problem to the Government in telling market value of these properties and steps taken to get them back. There is no mention about the properties at Kolkata and other places. They pressed the Government for detailed reply and also sought directives from the acting Chairman for setting up of a special committee in this regard.
Minister for Agriculture Production G N Lone while replying on behalf of Chief Minister said that these properties are lying in illegal possession of some people since 1947 and it is unfair to hold this Coalition Government responsible for it. He said the Government would take up the issue with the Advocate General and also hold meeting in this regard. If needed Standing Counsels would be changed. He said the Mufti Mohd Sayeed led Government was serious on the issue and they would discuss the strategy with the Chief Minister how to pursue these cases for getting our properties back.
The acting Chairman Jehangir Mir while rejecting the formation of special committee said that two committees were already framed and the status is same. There is no need to appoint another committee. But he issued directives to the Government to take this issue very seriously and take all the necessary steps to get these properties back by taking up the issue with the Chief Minister.