Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 14: Tension gripped forward villages of Balakote sector in Poonch district as Pakistan Army pounded forward positions of troops and civilian areas with mortars while exchange of firing between the two sides continued since last evening in Balakote and Mendhar forward positions even as Army officials of India and Pakistan exchanged sweets at Chakan-Da-Bagh zero line and Hot Spring at Mendhar on the occasion of Independence Day of Pakistan.
However, there was no exchange of sweets between BSF and Rangers at Octroi Post in Suchetgarh sector of RS Pura in view of continued firing by the Rangers in Arnia sector, which has, however, stopped since yesterday.
Official sources said Pakistan Army fired mortar shells in forward areas of Tarkundi, Panjani and Tekri in Balakote sector of Poonch district at about 5 pm today. Pakistan Army targeted forward Indian position and civilians areas, Several shells landed in the villages but there were no casualties or damage on the Indian side as the civil population had already gone inside the houses or the bunkers to survive.
Sources said the shelling from Pakistan side continued till 6.30 pm and was appropriately replied by the Indian side.
Due to explosion of mortar shells, some portion of forests in Balakote sector caught fire.
Prior to the shelling, Pakistan Army violated ceasefire and resorted to heavy firing in several forward areas of Balakote sector last night from 9 pm to 2 am and Mendhar sector from 11 pm to 1 am. Again in the morning, firing took place in both the sectors from 9 am to 12 noon.
Sources said Pakistan Army didn’t refrain from firing even when they were celebrating their Independence Day today. At all the places, the Indian Army gave appropriate response to the firing, they added.
Meanwhile, amidst exchange of firing in Balakote and Mendhar, Army officials of India and Pakistan exchanged sweets and fruits at Chakan-Da-Bagh zero line in Poonch district on the occasion of Pakistan’s Independence Day.
Indian side in the exchange of sweets was represented by Col Himmat Singh of Krishna Ghati Brigade while Lt Col Hillal-ul-Haq came from the Pakistan side. The brief function started at 10.15 am and lasted just half an hour. Both sides exchanged sweets and fruits and dispersed.
A similar function at Chakan-Da-Bagh is expected to take place tomorrow on the occasion of India’s Independence Day.
However, sources said, the BSF and Rangers didn’t exchange sweets on the International Border (IB) at Octroi Post in Suchetgarh sector in view of tension prevailing on the borders especially Arnia sector, where BSF jawans and civilians were injured in firing by the Rangers and there was massive damage to civilian property in shelling and firing.
No incident of firing or shelling was reported along the International Border in Arnia sector or anywhere else since yesterday morning, sources said.
Army and BSF were maintaining high alert along the LoC and IB respectively anticipating infiltration of militants under the cover of Pakistan firing to disturb Independence Day celebrations, sources said.

*Big question mark on Govt’s intention to fight corruption

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 14: In what could be termed as a big question mark on the Government’s intention to probe allegations of corruption and malpractices against public functionaries, State Accountability Commission is all set to become defunct from August 20 due to the failure of the Government to initiate timely exercise for appointment of its new Chairperson and Members.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that present Chairperson of the State Accountability Commission, Justice (Retd) Y P Nargotra and its Member Justice (retd) H Imtiyaz Hussain, who were appointed in August 2011, are completing their three years term on August 20, 2014 as per the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir State Accountability Commission Act, 2002.
Following the completion of their term, this vital Commission will meet the fate of several other such bodies in Jammu and Kashmir as no exercise has so far been initiated by the Government to make appointment of new incumbents, sources said.
“Not only the State Accountability Commission will become defunct from August 20, there will also be a big question mark on the intentions of the Government to probe allegations of corruption against the public functionaries as the Government was duty bound to begin the exercise for appointment of new incumbents well in time instead of turning blind eye towards the same”, they said.
In terms of Section 4 of the Jammu and Kashmir Accountability Commission Act, the appointment of Chairperson and the Members is to be made by the Governor on the recommendation of a Committee consisting of Chief Minister, Speaker of Legislative Assembly, Chief Justice of State High Court, Law Minister and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly.
Though only six days have been left for the expiry of term of present Chairperson and one Member of the Commission, the Select Committee has not met till date despite the fact that it is only on the recommendations of this Committee that Governor makes appointment by warrant under his hand and seal, they said, adding even the oath to the Chairperson and Member(s) is administered by the Governor and the tenure of Chairperson and Member(s) begins from the date they assume the charge of the post.
Questioning the intention of the Government towards keeping Accountability Commission functional, sources said, “the Division Bench of State High Court in a Public Interest Litigation titled Sheikh Mohammad Shafi and Another Versus Union of India and Others had on July 8, 2014 directed the Government to immediately take steps for appointment of Chairperson and Member of the Commission but the concerned authorities remained slept over the directions for several days instead of ensuring prompt action”.
More than one month after the directions of the High Court, the Law Department through a status report apprised the High Court today that meeting of Select Committee was proposed to be fixed on August 12 but due to pre-occupation of Chief Justice the meeting could not be fixed and the Secretariat of the Chief Justice has been requested to convey/suggest any other date for the meeting as per the convenience of Chief Justice and his availability at Srinagar.
Why the meeting of Select Committee was proposed to be held only few days before the scheduled date for the listing of PIL before the Division Bench? sources asked, adding had the Government been serious enough to ensure that State Accountability Commission doesn’t become defunct it should have convened meeting of the Select Committee within days of the issuance of directions by the High Court on July 8, 2014.
During the course of hearing in the PIL today, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmad, counsel for the petitioner, during the course of arguments before the Division Bench comprising Justice Virender Singh and Justice Tashi Rabstan questioned the seriousness of the Government towards strengthening Commissions like SAC.
“Ever since the constitution of the Accountability Commission the successive Governments including the present one never tried to ensure smooth functioning of this vital body”, he said, adding “it was only due to the intervention of the High Court that process was initiated for providing investigating wing to the Accountability Commission and necessary staff to the State Vigilance Commission”.
“Whatever infrastructure is available with the Accountability Commission and Vigilance Commission is only due to the indulgence shown by the High Court and the conduct of the State Government stands already deprecated by the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice, who in various orders has dubbed these Commissions as white elephants and flyovers without connecting roads”, he said.
Senior Advocate Sunil Sethi appearing for the Accountability Commission submitted that this court being constitutional court can pass orders for continuation of the present team till the appointments of new incumbents and the same will not amount to reappointment. He strenuously argued that since this Commission is highest anti-graft body against politicians so keeping this Commission without Chairperson and Member would be against larger public interest.
However, Senior Additional Advocate General, Gagan Basotra opposed the same on the ground that State High Court cannot pass directions contrary to the laws framed by the Legislature.
After hearing all the sides, the Division Bench observed in the open court that detailed order would follow.
It is pertinent to mention here that Accountability Commission was constituted to eradicate the vice of corruption, favouritism, nepotism or lack of integrity besides to maintain probity, transparency and improving the efficiency in public services.
Notwithstanding its significance, the Accountability Commission always received less importance from the respective Governments. Earlier, the Commission remained nonfunctional for over two years following completion of term of the then Members-Justice G L Raina and Justice Muzaffar Jan and thereafter its functioning was marred due to non-availability of adequate staff.

Mir Farhat
People in Langate constituency have always been represented by “outsiders” in the Assembly. But in 2008 voters decided to elect Abdul Rashid Sheikh, known as Engineer Rashid, so that their “own son” represents them and develops the remote, hilly area. However, almost after over five years, inhabitants of the constituency are angry with the MLA for not delivering what he had promised to them.
The Independent candidate, Abdul Rashid Sheikh, defeated his rival Mohammad Sultan Panditpuri of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) by a margin of 200 votes in 2008 elections. Sheikh polled 7964 votes and Panditpuri 7, 764.
Residents of Lash, which is Rashid’s own village, said the only thing that has changed in the last years is that “security forces does not beat us now, they don’t harass us”.
“There is no dispensary; a middle school exists since Maharjas ruled the State. Development means when health, education facilities improve. But nothing has changed,” Haji Ghulam Mohammad Wani, a resident said. All lanes, by-lanes in the village are dilapidated and have not been concretized in the last five years.
The main road from Kargama to Reshwari that is the connecting 28 villages is in complete shambles except the first five kilometers. The road is being constructed by BEACON and is in complete shambles due to widening process. The work is ongoing from the last three years and the villagers said they have been suffering immense troubles.
“Our children, patients, women have been living a life of hardship from the last five years. We pray our troubles end soon,” Wani said. The villagers said “our son of the soil has disappointed us”.
The roads in other villages are dilapidated and have huge potholes, and the dust billows from their surface even as a two wheeler move over it.
“The whole area along Mawar road looks as if its entire surface is being excavated to discover some marvel,” Wani said in a quirk remark toward the work being done on the road.
The villagers said besides the back-aching journey on the roads, dust has caused respiratory diseases in the area.
Villages like Kargama, Hanga, Batagund, Chentpora, Qalamabad, Shazipora, Yahama, Tulwari, Batpora, Yaroo, Ganapora, Kralgund, Renen, Kutlari, Harvat, Wahipora, Udipora, Walrama, Shahngari, Shanoo, Sohipora, Teerwah, Tulwari, Rawalpora have all dilapidated lanes and by-lanes.
The residents in the villages said despite having Mawar canal nearby they are facing drinking water shortage because of the lack of proper functional water supply schemes. They said those areas which have water supply schemes are unfiltered, unhygienic drinking water as the schemes do not have filtration mechanism in them.
Muneer Ahmad, a young resident of Qalamabad, said their village has seen no development. “We are drinking impure water”, he said. He alleged that those lanes and bylanes have been concretized which belonged to the MLA’s workers.
The only primary health center in Qalamabad is running from three room structure, and the residents said it lacks basic facilities.
In Shanzipora village, residents said they have witnessed no change taking place in their village.
“The power system like LT and HT wires and transformers has been same here since 1984. It has not improved, wires are connected through trees and damaged poles,” said residents.
They said a Unani dispensary exists in the village from the last 30 years, and it has no doctor, even not a building. “It can’t give us even first aid like dressing a wound or a pill for headache,” they said.
“Engineer Rashid has been protesting for others while neglecting those who trusted him and elected him. What has our village achieved from his protests? He should have focused on the development of his constituency than protesting in Srinagar or shouting in Assembly,” said a man, who wished anonymity.
A youth, Altaf Ahmad in Shanzipora, said that their area has seen “some” development taking place. “More schools were built in the last five years. Road connectivity improved than rest of the area. But more needs to be done. Like the dispensary should have been upgraded into a primary health center,” Ahmad said.
In Batagund which was named “Model” village in 2007, the villagers said the lanes and bylanes are in shambles. The link road to Langate is damaged at Batagund and has huge potholes. They villagers said the road has seen no repairing from the last 8 years. They demanded its immediate patchwork.
They villagers said the MLA sanctioned Rs 20 lakh for the sports ground and did fencing of the Masjid.
Mohammad Maqbool Khan of Batagund said the sub centre has not doctor.
Villagers in Shanoo said that a bridge over Mawar canal is being constructed from the last 10 years, and only two culverts have been completed since.
Farmers in the area said the rampant illegal extraction of sand and boulders from the canal has wreaked havoc on agriculture. The water that fed our paddy and vegetable fields has dried due to the increase in its depth, they said, adding, it has also created erosion of banks that protected the farmland from sliding during heavy rain.
Others farmers said the agriculture produce has fallen due to lack of irrigation facilities in the area.
Due to lack of hospital, the villagers said they have to travel to Handwara for minor treatments. “We direly need a hospital,” said a Mehbooba, who travelled all the way to Qalamabad to take her ill daughter to a compounder for an injection.
Inhabitants of other villagers also complained of bad roads, poor drinking water facilities and lack of infrastructure in schools.
Unisoo villagers said they have no drinking water facility.
Women of Unisoo village, who carrying plastic pots to fetch water from a small canal along the Handwar road, said they have been drawing drinking water from the canal all through the year.
“We have never seen tap water in our villages. Carrying water in pots has become a routine now,” said a young woman.
She said in 2007, they heard Government has started laying down the pipes for water supply. “We thought our troubles will be over, but unfortunately we never saw the tap water or a tap,” she said.
The women said Engineer Rashid has dashed their hopes. “We thought our live will change for better. But we had thought wrong. All the politicians are same. They know only one thing: How to lure voters to grab power? Once they achieve it they ignore those who chose them to represent them,” said Anisa, who filled her pot from the canal and move toward her home.
Independent legislator Abdul Rashid Sheikh told Excelsior “there was nothing visible” as development in his constituency before he took over as its representative.
“Langate was always misrepresented and its voters were always exploited by outsiders. When people reposed their faith in me, I represented them with true spirit, treating them as my own people,” Rashid said.
Rashid said that he made security forces and police accountable to people in his area and he remained accessible to people throughout day and night.
He claimed that Langate constituency tops the constituencies in the State in terms of roads macamdamisation and metalling during his tenure.
He said the 15 kilometer road length with a width of about 8 meters from Kralgund to Ashpora was macadamized, and the road connects about 50 villages. Work by BEACON on Mawar road on which most of the villages fall from Kargama to Reshwari is ongoing from the last three years, five kilometers have been macadamised and the remaining 8 kilometers have not been macadamized yet, he said.
“I am satisfied with the progress of the work and hope the road is completed till Naugam before Assembly elections,” he said.
He said Haril to Langate road is fully macadamsied, 14 villages in hilly and remote area Langate on Rajwara road were made motorable with macadamisation and metalling. Besides most of the inner, link roads were macadamized, he said.
For his own village Lash, he said an amount of Rs 4 crore were spent on metalling of road; Langate to Batagund road has been tendered.
He said to improve connectivity at least 9 bridges were built; 3 bridges at Naugam, Kutlari, and another village were constructed. Mankal village, he said, had no bridge connectivity and it would take villagers 3 hours to reach their village, but today it takes them an hour “because of the roads and the bridge that I constructed”.
In health sector, the independent legislator said a sub-district hospital has been completed at Langate and will be functional “very soon”, Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Qalamabad was built and a new ambulance was given to it, two PHCs at Kutlari and Monabal are ready to be inaugrated, Kralgund, Ashpora, Naugam, Unisoo got new PHCs.
“The staff deficiency is not my fault. It is the problem that has to be addressed by the State Government, MLA cannot do anything on it,” he said.
The MLA Langate said that besides roads, his priority was to improve education and its infrastructure. A Degree College and an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) for Langate stand approved, he said.
“Number of new building for upgrading primary schools to middle, middle to high and high to higher schools were built after I became the representative of the people, he said, adding, “what funds other constituencies got on education my constituency also got that amount”. In addition, about 700 students were sent to outside state on scholarships.
Rashid said an auditorium with 1300 hundred seating capacity is being constructed at Hanga, 18 guest huts were built for the stay of tourists and State guests.
He said some areas in Langate had never seen electricity, and he constructed power receiving station in Ganapora, capacity of Qalamabad receiving station was doubled from 3.5 MW to 7 MW, a 10 MW mini hydro electric power plant will be constructed at Naugam. “This will be major achievement,” he said, adding a receiving station has been approved for upper Qaziabad.
He said two stadia, one each in Mawar Balla, Kachloo were constructed; fencing of many graveyards and shrines was done. He said a number of water supply schemes such as one in Palpora, which is being constructed, Mawar scheme was built for providing drinking water to the area. Flood control has been excellent the area, he said.
To boost tourism, he said Leepa and Bangus Valley were opened for people and development work is ongoing in these two tourist spots.

MUMBAI, Aug 14:  To ensure larger flow of credit to trade and industry in Jammu & Kashmir, RBI has extended relaxations given to the State till March 2016.
“It has been decided that the concessions/credit relaxations to borrowers/customers in the State of Jammu & Kashmir, will continue to be operative up to March 31, 2016,” it said in a notification.
The State has been getting trade relaxations since April 2003. Since, then the RBI has periodically extended the trade relaxation facility to the State.
Trade relaxations include increased working capital facilities to the State by banks, with relaxation up to 50 per cent for small borrowers; need based increased working capital laon to borrowers without delay; encouraging finance against accepted usance bills (hundies); concession to service tariffs for remittances.
The banks may also honour small fixed deposit receipts, say up to Rs 10,000 each to Kashmiri migrants at the designated branches without verifying details from branch of origin. (PTI)