Mir Iqbal
While the people of Kulgam district in South Kashmir have witnessed new developmental works after it was carved out from Anantnag, but the people in Kulgam Assembly constituency are still struggling for basic amenities like pure drinking water, health care and electricity.
The constituency is represented by the CPI(M) General Secretary MLA, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami since 2008. He was first time elected from this constituency in 1996 and represents this constituency since then.
The inhabitants of dozens of villages while talking to EXCELSIOR said major projects like Mini Secretariat, District Hospital building and intra-district roads were built, yet they complain about day to day problems faced by them.
“What is the fun of constructing mega buildings and roads when people are being slowly poisoned to death by supplying highly contaminated water,” Haji Bashir Ahmad Dar, of Kulgam town told EXCELSIOR.
Dar said their representative should focus on pure water supply, improvement of health care services and ensure uninterrupted, scheduled power supply, and then these buildings and roads would be meaningful.
The inhabitants accused the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department of providing them contaminated water.
They said innumerable sewerage outlets and drains of upper areas open in the water supply channels, which is then supplied to them through taps without filtration.
Inhabitants of Chekpora, Ashmuji, Brazul, Skinder, Amnoo and other areas said from last five years water-borne disease break out in these villages due to which hundreds of people including women and children are suffered from diseases like gastroenteritis, diarrhea, typhoid and hepatitis.
Despite crores of rupees being spent on the construction of water supply schemes to ensure the supply of quality water, authorities continue to supply the water to the people without any filtration and chlorination.
Mohammad Yousuf parry, Lumberdar of village Chekpora said scores of latrines at Village Amnoo, wastage of CRPF camp located in the south of Kulgam town on Devsar road, garbage of a revered Shrine in main town Kulgam and pollutants from district hospital Kulgam are directly dumped into the canal, thus, posing threat to thousands of lives.
Parray said even cattle don’t drink tap water that is being fed to the humans. The tap water contains insects, earth worms and yellowish particles remain floating in it.
Locals said that the PHE has dipped pipes into the Veshav stream at village Mirhama and supply it directly to inhabitants in the area without any filtration.
“Nallah Veshav, which drains most of the northern face of Pir Panjal is the main left bank tributary of river Jhelum and traverses through District Kulgam, has been polluted to the extent that fowl smell emanates from it due to which health of thousands of inhabitants is at risk,” Mohammad Yaqoob, a local said.
Terming the contaminated water supply as “poison”, the inhabitants said the water pipes are also damaged at many places which suck dirty water of canals and drains at several places through big holes and the same water is being supplied without any filtration.
The residents alleged that despite crores of rupees spent on construction of water tank at village Amnoo and Panepora water supply scheme, the authorities failed to supply filtrated water.
“Recently, a water borne disease spread in our village which affected health of more than 30 people, we visited Chief Medical Officer, Kulgam and he asked people not to take tap water without boiling,” said Master Mohammad Khalil Bhat of Chekpora, adding when the villagers asked CMO that district hospital waste also contaminates the water canal, he downplayed the issue.
The angry villagers said that they visited Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam thrice after the spread of water borne disease; he didn’t pay any heed to their pleas.
Since farming is the main source of economy in this constituency, the inhabitants said for that they need proper irrigation canals, but the canals are dysfunctional as these are not cleaned by Irrigation Department despite the users paying irrigation tax (Aabiyan) regularly.
The locals also leveled allegations against the PHE for setting their main office building on fire to hide the mass bungling carried out by some vested interested people from past some years.
“We filed an RTI to know the status of Duderkoot to Yamrash and Kulgam water supply schemes, but instead of replying us, they (PHE) official set the building on fire,” they alleged.
The residents also said dozens of other villages in the constituency which include village Laroo, Shurat, Bugam, Poniwah, Awgam, Katrasoo, Shalipora, Chancer, Okey, Hadigam, Awhatoo, Amnoo, Checkpora, Mirhama, Lisoo, Chehlan, Behibagh, Nanibugh, Sangus, Nillow, Mahipora, Daderkoot, Tantraypora, Sempora, Munad Guffan, Manchiva, Dessand, Hanjan, Turigam, Parigam, Pariwan, Odura are facing similar problems.
Similarly, inhabitants of this Constituency said that they are satisfied with the timely construction of many projects with the personal efforts of local CPI (M) leader and MLA Kulgam Assembly constituency Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, but maintained that little attention was given to some other important projects like drinking water supply, electricity and health care.
They said 105 villages from Nehama town to Ashmuji village and Munad to Devsar regions are facing irregular power supply and it has become too faulty to cater to the genuine energy needs of consumers in the constituency.
“Kulgam seems to be at the receiving end of this power crisis. Villages receiving erratic power supply for the most of the time face numerous other problems on account of low voltage,” Ghulam Hassan, a local Sarpanch said.
While the Power Development Department (PDD) attributes the erratic power supply to overloading and pilferage, the residents blame the Government for the crisis.
“The unscheduled power cuts are adding to our miseries and there is no improvement in power supply from last many years despite people here staged protested several times in the past,” Hassan said, adding, the situation has gone from bad to worse now as power cuts are more frequent and extended during the evening hours.
The residents also expressed their dissatisfaction with the functioning of district hospital Kulgam, and other health centers in the constituency, adding only construction of huge buildings doesn’t guarantee better health care, but deployment of human resources in good number with accountability would have played a major role in health sector here.
Abdul Rashid Tantray, a local resident said that the doctors most of the time remain absent from their duty during the night hours, due to which a number of death cases were reported in the hospital for last few years. “A woman doctor has unleashed her might and rule and if any attendant of patient raises genuine issue regarding treatment, she starts hurling abuses and threatens of police action,” he said.
Tantray said the referral records of this hospital would suggest the number of patients who were referred to territory hospitals in Srinagar after surgeries conducted at Kulgam hospital.
People’s Democratic Party, candidate for Kulgam Assembly Constituency, Nazir Ahmad Laway said that there are some medicos deployed in hospital, who have made it their personnel property due to their contacts with a particular political leader.
“Some medicos are enjoying political patronage, which has ruined the quality treatment of patients,” he said, adding, District Hospital Kulgam is the only hospital where police has registered maximum FIRs against the attendants rather than those responsible for the death of precious lives due medical negligence or any other issues.
The constituency is represented by Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami who defeated PDP candidate Nazir Ahmad Lawvey by over 200 votes in 2008 Assembly elections. Tarigami polled 17175 votes while Lawvey polled 16939 votes.
MLA Kulgam Constituency, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said that his style of developmental work is different because of which he completed almost all the major projects on time. “You will not see massive development in any constituency in Kashmir except in my constituency,” he said.
When asked that water borne diseases broke out in some villages including Chekpora, Ashmuji, Brazul, Skinder, Amnoo and others, Tarigami said when he received the information about the spread of water borne diseases in the area, he directed a team of doctors to visit the area and ensure proper treatment of patients. “I visited the villages to ensure that people won’t suffer from basic amenities including drinking water,” he said.
“Doctors found Hepatitis B and C have broken out there because of intake of excessive drugs,” said Tarigami. He said some people who tried to hide their fault and shifted the blame on impure water. “Work on several water supply schemes, filtration plants, service reservoirs are near completion. Some new water supply schemes have been approved,” he said.
Commenting on electricity crisis in Kulgam constituency, the MLA said that his constituency does not face any power crisis. “Power crisis is the problem of whole Kashmir, not confined to his constituency,” he said.
Claiming that Kulgam has the best healthcare facilities available in South Kashmir, Tarigami said district hospital Kulgam was constructed in record time where almost all the facilities are available. “We have latest equipment available in the hospital”, he said.
Showing displeasure against some doctors for preferring to serve only in cities, the MLA said those doctors selected on reservation quote like RBA, SC, ST and ALC don’t want to stay in their remote areas.”I requested these doctors to stay here to help poor and needy,” he said.

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, July 16: The State Vigilance Commission has directed for registration of a case against some Revenue officials and others for conferring ownership rights of a prime land under Roshni Act in favour of a dead person.
Vigilance Commission inquiry revealed that one Sita Devi was conferred ownership rights under Roshni Act in respect of prime State land measuring 4 kanals at Rajbagh after clearance by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir on 30.06.2007 on the recommendation of Nazool Department against the payment of Rs 72 lacs.
Interestingly, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar on March 4, 2008 ordered conferment of ownership rights upon Sita Devi for 4 kanals of land under survey number 1317 and 1318 in estate Nursing-grah though she had already expired on January 21, 2008.
Enquiry by Commission further revealed another person namely Shamsher Singh, who represented himself as an attorney holder of Sita Devi, in connivance with concerned Revenue authorities, got the mutation entered in the mutation register in favour of Sita Devi on April 16, 2008 though only part payment of Rs 54 lacs had been made and Sita Devi was already dead, thereby conferring ownership rights on a dead person as the proprietor of the land.
In the Jamabandi register, deceased Sita Devi was entered as owner and the land was shown in her personal possession. Strange enough on the same date Naib Tehsildar, after entering deceased Sita Devi as the owner of the land showing the land in her personal possession, mutated the same land of deceased Sita Devi in the name of Shamsher Singh on the basis of a will deed which is under scrutiny. As per the complaint the land has further been handed over by Shamsher Singh to Mohammad Younus son of Ghulam Ali Dar of Nowshera Srinagar and Hakim Zaffar Ali son of Hakim Shair Ali of Nishat under agreement to sell for a consideration of Rs 15 crores and a Commercial Hotel has also been established on the land in question.
Holding that these facts prima-facie disclose commission of a cognizable offence by the Revenue officials in connivance with said Shamsher Singh and others, the State Vigilance Commission directed the Director, Vigilance Organization to register a case against the concerned officials for thorough investigation. This apart, a reference has also been sent to the Chief Secretary of the State with the recommendation to take administrative action against delinquent officers and restore the disputed land as per law.

LEH/NEW DELHI, July 16:

Chinese troops have reportedly made two incursion attempts in the last three days in Demchok and Chumar areas of Ladakh sector in Jammu and Kashmir but were pushed back into their territory by Indian security personnel.
The incursion bids by the Chinese People’s Liberation (PLA) came even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised on the need to find a solution to the Boundary Question during their meeting in Fortaleza in Brazil yesterday on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.
The latest incident occured in Charding Nilu Nullah Junction (CNNJ) in Demchok sector yesterday when PLA personnel entered the area on their vehicles in the wee hours claiming it to be Chinese territory, official sources said today.
The PLA soldiers who wanted to have a round of the area were stopped by the Indian Army and personnel of Indo Tibetan Border Police(ITBP), a force which guards the India-China border.
After a 30-minute long stand-off followed by a banner drill where armies of both the countries warned each other against moving a step forward, the Chinese PLA returned to their side, the sources said.
The Chinese troops, riding on horses, had earlier entered through Chumar area on July 13 only to be confronted by Indian soldiers and after the usual banner drill between the two sides, the PLA patrol returned to their territory.
The incident took place at Patrol Point number 62, the sources said.
Located 300 km east of Leh, Chumar has been an epicentre of heightened activities of the PLA who had been making increased attempts to enter through this region as India has a dominance in this sector.
Chumar, a remote village on Ladakh-Himachal Pradesh border, has been an issue for Chinese which claim it to be its own territory and have been frequenting it with helicopter incursions almost every year. In 2011, it dropped some of the soldiers of PLA in this region and dismantled the makeshift storage tents of the Army and ITBP.
This area is not accessible from the Chinese side whereas the Indian side have a road almost to the last point on which the Army can carry a load upto nine tonnes.
Chumar had become a flash point during the fortnight long stand-off last year in Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) last year as the Chinese side had objected to overhead bunkers erected by the Indian side.
As part of an agreement reached at the flag meeting to end the stand-off from April-May 2013 at DBO, India had to dismantle some overhead bunkers in Chumar.
Again, Chumar witnessed Chinese troops walking away with an Army surveillance camera on June 17 last year which was meant for keeping an eye on the PLA troops patrolling there. The same camera was returned after a few days. (PTI)

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, July 16: A soldier of Territorial Army (TA) was killed by militants in South Kashmir district of Kulgam today.
Police said Gowhar Ahmad Mattoo, a soldier of TA and a former surrendered militant, was shot at and critically wounded when some gunmen fired upon him at Khudwani.
Mattoo was immediately rushed to hospital where he was declared brought dead.
Senior police and Army officers rushed to the spot and searches have been launched to nab the gunmen responsible for the killing.
In the meantime, a senior People’s Democratic Party leader Ghulam Mohiudin Wachi today escaped unhurt in an attack at Batpora in South Kashmir district of Pulwama.
Sources said unidentified person hurled an unknown explosive device at Wachi’s vehicle at Batpora, when they were on way to Pulwama from Srinagar.
The explosive device exploded on the roof of the vehicle, they said, adding due to low intensity of the blast no one was hurt.
Unidentified persons pelted stones and later hurled a petrol bomb at PDP candidate from Noorabad constituency Abdul Majid Padroo’s vehicle at Koimoh, Kulgam, when he was coming back from Srinagar yesterday.
Padoor escaped unhurt. However, one of his security guard was injured in the incident.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, July 16: The newly-introduced direct train from New Delhi to Katra, the base camp of Vaishno Devi shrine, was stuck in a tunnel for about two and half hours this morning due to suspected wheel slip caused by heavy rains when it was about six to seven kilometers short of Katra railway station.
Official sources said fully air conditioned ‘Shri Shakti Express’, which was only on its second trip from New Delhi to Katra after being introduced as maiden long distance train to the holy town on July 14, was stalled inside 900 meters long Tunnel No. 27, about six to seven kilometers short of Katra railway station at 4.35 am today.
The train got stalled in the tunnel, which had full ventilation and lighting and there were no safety issues, sources said. Moreover, they added, the train was fully air conditioned and there was no scope of the passengers feeling suffocated.
Sources said preliminary reports said the cause seems to be wheel slip as there were reports of very heavy rains in the area.
“A relief banker engine was sent from Udhampur which pushed the train up to Katra, observing all precautions. The train got delayed by about two and a half hours,’’ sources said, adding it was scheduled to reach Katra at 5.10 am but it reached the railway station around 7.30 am.
Earlier, Railway authorities suspected that the train was stuck due to “engine failure”.
The fully air-conditioned super fast train Shri Shakti Express from New Delhi to Katra was on its second run when the incident took place about six to seven kilometers before the station.
The train was launched a day earlier from New Delhi.
Meanwhile, Northern Railway has ordered an inquiry into the incident.
“Since Katra is a new station from where train services were launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 4 only, another engine was rushed from Udhampur to take to train safely to Katra,’’ sources said.
“There was no problem in the tunnel or the line. Another engine was pressed into service to carry forward the journey,” sources said.