Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Aug 5: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said he would take up the issue of ceasefire violations from across the Line of Control (LoC) with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s visit to the State later this month.
“We have taken up the matter (ceasefire violations) with the Centre. Prime Minister is paying a visit to Kargil and Leh this month and if I get a chance, I will discuss the issue with him,” Omar told reporters here.
The Chief Minister said it was the endeavour of the State Government to make sure such violations do not have much impact on the people living near the LoC.
“Ceasefire violations happen every now and then. Our endeavour is to try to make sure that it does not have much impact on the general public,” he said.
Omar said no youth from Kashmir has joined Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). “No one from Kashmir has gone to join ISIS till yet, according to the information I have. We have heard that a Kashmiri youth has gone from Australia to get recruited, but there is no such news of any youth having gone from here to Syria, Iraq or ISIS,” he said.
Meanwhile, Omar today inaugurated various major projects completed in the State under the holistic and comprehensive development programme launched by the Government to give fillip to the construction of basic infrastructure and help economic welfare of the people.
The Chief Minister in the morning inaugurated Rs. 147.75 crore Lift Irrigation Scheme Tral, Stage I and II to benefit 25 villages of Partapora Check, Panchpora, Dadoo, Hari-Arigam, Batpora, Buchhoo, Saimoh, Rathsona, Pinglish, Laribal, Haffoo, Hayena, Reshipora, Chewa, Mandura, Shaldraman, Chan-Kitar, Khasipora, Panzoo, Luraw, Lurgam, Hundura, Wagad, Chhatrigam and Nahir.
The scheme will feed cultivable command area of 4000 hectares in three stages while the completion of first two stages will bring greenery to about 3000 hectares parched land.
The commissioning of this scheme will help farmers to cultivate vegetables, potato, pulses, maize and lucerne in the Kharief season and oil seeds, wheat and peas in the Rabi season.
Minister for PHE and Irrigation, Sham Lal Sharma and Minister of State for Irrigation and PHE, Nazir Ahmad Gurezi were also present on the occasion among others.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated Sub-District Hospital Beerwah which has been constructed at a cost of Rs. 523 lakh. The work on the project was started in the year 2008-09 and its Executing Agency is JKPHC.
This facility would enhance the availability of health care in the area and provide better and modern treatment to the patients. Upgradation and improvement of health facilities particularly in rural areas has received added attention during the present Government’s tenure and coming up of Sub-District Hospital at Beerwah is a part of the gigantic infrastructure development programme started in the State by the Omar Abdullah led Government.
Minister for Health and Medical Education, Taj Mohi-ud-Din was accompanying the Chief Minister.
In the afternoon, the Chief Minister inaugurated the two prestigious Rehabilitation Complexes at Rambagh and Jahangir Chowk Srinagar constructed for shopkeepers who have been displaced due to the construction of Rs. 256 crore-Jahangir Chowk-Rambagh Express Corridor Flyover launched by the State Government under Asian Development Bank funding.
The Rehabilitation Complex at Rambagh has been completed at a cost of Rs. 98.93 crore. Its floor area is 105000 sft. It is housing 152 shops and there is parking space for 70 vehicles. The Rehabilitation Complex at Jahangir Chowk has been completed at a cost of Rs. 50 crore and its floor area is 142000 sft. It also houses 152 shops and has parking space for 100 cars.
During the interaction with the people while inaugurating the projects at Tral, Beerwah, Srinagar, Omar Abdullah said that his Government concentrated on consolidation and expansion of development schemes holistically and equitably to reach out all the areas in the development process. He said while various new projects were launched and completed during the last over five and a half years, the number of ongoing projects were put to fast track and completed to ensure benefits to the people.
The Chief Minister said that before launch of prestigious Jahangir Chowk Flyover, the Government ensured that the rehabilitation of displaced shopkeepers is well placed and they feel no difficulty in the process of earning their livelihood.
Minister for Planning and Development, Ajay Sadhotra, Minister for R&B, Abdul Majid Wani, Legislators Nasir Aslam Wani and Irfan Ahmad Shah were present on the occasion besides officers and general people.

Gopal Sharma

JAMMU, Aug 5: The Government today said that all the private nursing homes/ hospitals,  diagnostic centers and clinical laboratories operating illegally, without valid license from State Health authorities will be sealed.
Minister for Health and Medical Education, Taj Mohi-ud-Din told the Excelsior that fresh directions have been passed on to both the Directors of Health Services Kashmir and Jammu besides CMOs of all districts in the State including Ladakh to act swiftly and take serious note of the matter. The process has begun and the result would be before public shortly, he added.
When asked why the CMOs and even the concerned Block Medical Officers were sleeping over the matter and not acting in the interest of general public, the Health Minister said, “It is also part of their duty. Such instructions are already with them. It is their job to act and now fresh instructions have been issued to the Directors of both the regions to closely monitor the functioning of such establishments and take action. There may be some of the units which are close to the process of getting their establishments registered or get their license renewed, such people may get some relief,” the Minister added.
Mr Taj said the process has begun today from Mendhar town of Poonch and in coming days such action would also be visible in Srinagar, Jammu and all other districts of the State. He said there was need to keep check on the mushrooming growth of such establishments as they are dealing with the human life. They should have to be made accountable for any wrong doing. The Government would certainly act, Mr Taj maintained.
Meanwhile, taking cognizance of the report appearing in the `Excelsior’ on Tuesday regarding operation of nearly 40 illegal nursing homes and clinical labs in Rajouri and Poonch, the Health authorities and local administration  in Mendhar launched operation today and sealed six illegally operating units.
Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Mendhar, Romesh Kumar and BMO Dr Parvez, assisted by police today launched operation and sealed six illegally operating clinical labs and diagnostic centers in the town.
Chief Medical Officer Poonch, Dr Mumtaz Bhatti told the `Excelsior’ that out of the total nine such units functional in Mendhar, six were sealed today. Three of them had the valid license. These six units are M/s Mughal X-Ray Clinic, M/s S R Pathcare Clinical Lab, M/s Irfan Dental Clinic, M/s Star Dental Clinic, M/s Aftab Dental Clinic  and M/s Friends Clinical Lab, Mendhar.
The CMO said that process has been started following directions from the top and teams are on the job in Surankote, Poonch and Mandi as well. He said some of them have submitted their documents to the directorate and they are in process of getting the license renewed. In Mendhar,  the licenses of two establishments had expired and they had not obtained/ renewed their license. At least they should apply before the expiry of such license but most of them do this after the expiry of  license. They must understand the necessity of getting the license renewed in time. Dr Bhatti said the validity of the license is one year and if the license of any such unit has expired it falls in the category of `illegal’.
Meanwhile, the promoters of Dr Nissar Surgical Hospital Rajouri and V- Care Clinical establishment Rajouri claimed that their units are registered but they are in the process of getting the license renewed.

Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Aug 5: Pakistan troops resorted to major ceasefire violation on the Line of Control (LoC) targeting forward posts of the Indian Army at Shahpur sub sector, about 25 kilometers from Poonch this morning, prompting an effective response from the Indian side. The ceasefire violation by Pakistan broke about 10 days lull on the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri sectors.
Official sources said Pakistan Army started heavy firing on half a dozen forward Indian posts in Shahpur sub sector at 11.30 am using semi automatic and automatic weapons without any provocation. The Indian side retaliated effectively. Exchange of firing between the two sides continued for about half an hour.
Army spokesman Col Manish Mehta said there were no casualties or damage on Indian side in unprovoked firing by the Pakistani troops. He added that the Indian side gave befitting reply to Pakistan firing using similar caliber of weapons.
Sources said effective retaliation by the Indian side brought Pakistan firing to a halt.
“The Pakistan firing was completely unprovoked,’’ they added.
According to sources, there was no infiltration attempt by the militants during ceasefire violation by Pakistan Army. Generally, Pakistan Army resorts to firing in violation of ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan to give cover to the infiltrators.
The ceasefire violation from Pakistan side broke about 10 days long lull on the LoC during which no infiltration attempt was reported on the LoC in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
Meanwhile, troops of Rashtriya Rifles and police today busted a hideout of the militants and recovered a large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives including a cylindrical shaped eight kilograms Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and another 2.5 kg IED from Chhechha forests in Kishtwar district today.
Sources said Army and police had developed specific information about a dump of arms, ammunition and explosives lying in Chhechha forest and launched a massive search operation there. The success was achieved this afternoon when the troops of Rashtriya Rifles and local police made the recoveries and destroyed hideout of the militants.
Recoveries included one AK-47 rifle with one magazine and 148 rounds, one 7.62mm Chinese pistol with three magazines, one eight kg cylindrical shaped IED filled with explosive material, one 2.5 kg IED fitted in a metal box, four Chinese grenades, one RPG rocket, seven UBGL grenades, 15 rounds of .303 rifle ammunition, one Motorola radio set, one 9 volt battery, one electric detonator, one binocular, one combat pattern jacket and letter pads of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit.
The LeT letter pads recovered from the hideout indicated that consignment of arms, ammunition and explosives belonged to Lashkar outfit.
“The recovery is a major blow to LeT outfit,’’ sources said, adding the plot of Lashkar outfit to revive militancy in Kishtwar district has been foiled with busting of the hideout.
After effecting recoveries, Army and police personnel conducted searches in Chhechha forests and surrounding villages but no arrests were made from the spot.
Police party in the operation was supervised by SSP Kishtwar Sanjay Kotwal.

Avtar Bhat

JAMMU, Aug 5: With no signs of holding the elections to Municipal Corporations (MCs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in sight in near future, J&K has been deprived of huge amount of Central funds to be granted under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes including Jawahar Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
According to sources, all funds from the Centre under various schemes including JNNURM have been blocked due to failure of State Government in holding the elections to Municipal Corporations and Urban Local Bodies for over last four years.
Sources said unlike other parts of country, J&K has failed to restore the democratic character of Municipal Corporations and Urban Local Bodies in the State by constantly delaying the implementation of 74th amendment in the State and holding the elections after expiry of their term.
Sources said that the elections to Municipal Corporations and Urban Local Bodies which were dissolved on March 5, 2010 after expiry of five year term have become over due but the State Government has failed to take any initiative of conducting these elections in time and repeated the past practice with the result it failed to get the Central funds for development for urban areas under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
Sources said with the implementation of Constitutional 74th  amendment in the State the ULBs and Municipal Corporations will get ample powers and all line departments including PHE, Power, UEED, Health, Public Works will be under its control. Moreover, implementation of 74th amendment will make them self reliant and they will not be dependent on Government support as under the 74th amendment there is a provision of imposing property and other taxes by Municipal Corporations.
Sources said in vibrant Municipal Corporations of the country, all the line departments are functioning under one umbrella and there is lot of transparency in their functioning also. In comparison to that the J&K Government for obvious reasons has failed to restore the democratic character of the ULBs and Municipal Corporations by delaying elections every time, sources added.
Sources said previously when the Corporation elections were held in 2005 and a process was started to make the civic bodies self reliant, the authorities of JMC had calculated that civic body will generate  Rs 100 crore per year with the imposition of property tax only. However, this plan fell through due to lack of political will, sources added.
Sources said one of the reasons for delaying the implementation of 74th Constitutional amendment in the State is that Government is bound to hold the elections after the expiry of every five years in which it is not interested and the past practice is a testimony to the fact.
Admitting this, former three time Mayor JMC, Kavinder Gupta said that a solid waste management project with public private partnership was framed for the JMC. Under this project entire profit was to be given to JMC but this project could not take off for reasons best known to the Government, he added.
He said likewise under Jammu Urban Renewal Mission, JMC had framed many projects for which funds had to be given by the Centre and they too were not taken up in hand as elections were delayed by many years now.
The sources said there is no headway in this regard and elections to the basic institutions of the democracy which were to be held in March 2010 are likely to be delayed further as the process on the Government level has been totally delayed.
It may be recalled that elections to the Municipal Corporations were held in 2005 by then Congress –PDP coalition Government led by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and their term ended in March 2010. The next Government was supposed to hold fresh elections to these basic institutions of democracy within six months which was not done for the reasons best known to it, sources added.
Constituted in 1954-55, the Municipal Corporations in the State were first named as Municipal Council and later on in 1980 they were christened as Municipal Committees,  said Sat Pal Grover a three time Corporator and a staunch political activist of Jammu.
Mr Grover who was for the first time elected to Corporation in 1955, later became its member in 1972, 1980 and 2005 also said that since 1972 only four times elections were held to local bodies in the State and this basic democratic institute was never allowed to flourish by the successive State Governments.
However, sources said, the elections to Municipal Corporations were held in 2005 after a gap of about 23 long years and it was expected that the old practice will not be repeated now and the elections to these basic institutes of democracy will be held in time in future as well.
Now over four years have elapsed and the Government has failed to hold these elections, sources said. Terming it a deliberate move not to allow the powers to percolate downwards so that the basic institutions of democracy are strengthened in the State, sources said that the Government even failed to empower the civic bodies by implementing the Constitutional 73rd and 74th amendments.
Sources said the elections to the Municipal Corporations and Local Bodies were obviously delayed on political reasons by the ruling alliance and this has dampened the basic spirit of constituting these institutions of democracy.
Sources said instead of empowering them as the institutions of self Government by giving them powers over schools, transport, health sector etc, the Government has not allowed these institutions to flourish in the State fully. With the prevailing role and attitude of the Government towards these democratic institutions their fate is hanging in balance, sources added.
Highly placed official sources said that Housing and Urban Development Department had initiated exercise last year to hold elections to civic bodies and Municipal Corporations. In this connection general electoral rolls were also furnished by the Department to Government in September 2013 but the final decision regarding holding of elections to the Municipal Corporations and Urban Local Bodies will be taken by the State Cabinet, sources said, adding the final nod from Government in this regard is awaited.
Sources said what to speak of holding the elections to Urban Local Bodies the Government unlike other States of the country has even failed to implement the Constitutional 74th amendment which empowers these bodies so that they can fully become the institutes of self governance thereby making a mockery of democratic process in the State.
Sources said with the Assembly elections due by ending this year, there is every likelihood that the elections to Urban Local Bodies including Municipal Corporations will not be held during this year and the decision regarding the same will be taken by the next Government.
Sources said the delaying tactics in holding the timely elections to Urban Local Bodies and Municipal Corporations has generated public resentment in the State with people saying that the successive Governments were never interested in flourishing these institutions. Had it been so, then elections to these institutions would not have been held only four times after their constitution in 1954 rather it should have been held for 12 times since then, sources added.

Fayaz Bukhari

Srinagar, Aug 5: An Army recruitment rally attended by over 3000 aspirants just to fill up 12 vacancies of constables in Territorial Army in North Kashmir’s border town of Tangdhar turned violent leaving 34 persons injured in police firing and clashes.
Over 3000 aspirants had gathered for Territorial Army recruitment for filling of 12 posts of constables in TA at Chamkote Army camp in Tangdhar this morning. The aspirants turned violent after Army changed minimum qualification required for the posts.
Deputy Commissioner Kupwara, Itrat Hussain, told Excelsior that 13 persons were injured in clashes that broke out after an Army recruitment rally turned violent at Chomkote in border town of Tangdhar  this morning. He said that police had to open fire to control the mob in which two persons suffered bullet injuries.
Hussain said that out of 13 injured persons, 2 who were hit by bullets have been shifted to Srinagar for treatment and 11 others were admitted to Sub-District Hospital Tangdhar.
The DC said that large number of aspirants gathered for the Army recruitment rally at Chomkote this morning and Army allowed only those candidates who had minimum qualification of Matric with 45 percent marks and didn’t allow others who had lesser qualification.
Hussain said that those with lower qualification and less percentage of marks turned violent and police was called who charged batons and opened fire to restore order in the area.
Reports said that the aspirants turned violent against Army’s decision to disallow the middle pass and Matric with below 45 percent marks to take part in the rally. They damaged the gate of the Army camp and set ablaze its fence. Army tried to control the mob but called police to restore the order.
Witnesses said that police charged batons, fired tear smoke shells and opened fire on the protesters. Two persons, Arshad Suliaman son of Suliaman Sheikh of Kandi and Sajjad Ahmad son of Abdul Qayoom of Bag Bail were injured in police firing. They were removed to Srinagar where they are under treatment at Bone and Joints Hospital, Barzulla.
The injured Arshad told Excelsior that they were first called for the recruitment rally by the Army and later they said only those having minimum qualification of Matric with 45 percent marks can take part in the rally.
Arshad said that the aspirants turned violent and Army used mild force to disperse them and later called police. He said that SHO arrived with a police party who ordered firing on the protesters.
Srinagar based Defence spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel N N Joshi told reporters that some aspirants who failed in physical tests started trouble when they set fencing ablaze, pelted stones attaining threatening posture. “The Army personnel, sensing danger to life and property, fired few blank rounds which do not cause any injuries. The injuries have been caused by stone pelting,” he added.
The SDM, Karnah Zahoor Ahmad Mir and Superintendent of Police Kupwara who reached the spot are trying to resolve the issue. The Karnah area observed strike against the firing on the protesters.
The politicians of the area are now holding meeting with the Army to resolve the issue. Tension still prevailed  in the area but the situation has been brought under control.

Mohinder Verma

JAMMU, Aug 5: In blatant violation of its own transfer policy, the Government has ordered transfers of several Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Services (KAS) officers prematurely. In this regard, the Government has conveyed it loud and clear that it is not going to mend its ways despite receiving severe criticism from various quarters for throwing to winds the calendar for the transfers.
As per the State Cabinet Decision No.156/12 dated July 27, 2010, the General Administration Department Vide Order No. 861 dated July 28, 2010 issued transfer policy and made it clear to all the departments that they shall make transfers of Government employees strictly in conformity with the policy.
While fixing calendar for the transfers, the General Administration Department said, “transfers shall ordinarily be ordered in the first month of the financial year—April every year”, adding “the minimum tenure of a Government employee on a post shall be two years and a maximum of three years”.
According to the transfer policy, a Government employee may be transferred even before the completion of minimum tenure if the performance of the employee is found to be below job requirement; if there are grounds for initiating enquiry or disciplinary proceedings against him/her and it is not in public interest or in the interest of administration to allow the employee to continue on a post for a full tenure. While ordering premature transfers, the Government, as per the transfer policy, is required to record the reasons for the same.
“But none of these provisions of the transfer policy were adhered to while ordering transfers and postings of KAS officers vide order No.834-GAD of 2014 dated August 4, 2014”, sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “by mentioning ‘in the interest of the administration’ even those officers, who were otherwise doing justice with their postings, were transferred prematurely thereby putting a question mark on the tall claims of the Government about encouraging honest and dedicated officers”.
Quoting some instances, sources said that KAS officer Hassan Khan, who was yesterday transferred and posted as Project Director, DRDA Leh, was posted as Additional DC Leh in the month of February this year vide Government Order No.190-GAD of 2014 dated February 17, 2014. Within a period of five months, he has been transferred in blatant violation of the transfer policy.
Similarly, Rajesh Kumar Shavan, Regional Director, Survey and Land Records (ex-officio Settlement Officer), Jammu, who was yesterday posted as Deputy Labour Commissioner (Central), has been shifted within a period of 11 months. He was posted as Regional Director, Survey and Land Records vide Government Order No.1402-GAD dated September 30, 2013.
It is pertinent to mention here that Mr Shavan played key role in getting huge chunk of Jammu Development Authority (JDA) land retrieved from the encroachers on the directions of Division Bench of State High Court besides accelerating settlement operation in different parts of Jammu. For doing justice with his posting, he has been transferred prematurely for the obvious reasons.
Nasir Ahmad Naqash, who was yesterday transferred and posted as Special Secretary to Government, Higher Education Department, has been shifted within a period of five months. He was posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner Baramulla vide Government Order No.190-GAD dated February 17, 2014. Even his earlier posting as Regional Director, Survey and Land Records Baramulla was ordered prematurely vide Government Order No.1402 dated September 30, 2013.
Mohammad Harun Malik, who was yesterday posted as Regional Director, Survey and Land Records, Srinagar, vide Government Order No.1402-GAD of September 30, 2013 was posted as Regional Director, Land Records, Anantnag before being relinquished of the post and directed to report to General Administration Department for further posting by another order. As such, he has been shifted thrice within a period of less than one year.
Mohammad Shafiq Chak, who was yesterday transferred from the post of Regional Director, Survey and Land Records Srinagar and posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, has been shifted within a period of 11 months. He was posted as Regional Director in the month of September 2013.
Reyaz Ahmad Wani, who was yesterday posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, was Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Development Authority Pahalgam when he was attached in General Administration Department vide Government Order No.647 of June 17, 2014. He was posted as CEO Tourism Development Authority Pahalgam in September 2013. In this way, he has been shifted thrice within a period of 11 months.
According to the sources, some of the aggrieved officers may go on protest leave as by ordering their premature transfer the Government has demoralized them.

Mir Farhat

Pahalgam constituency is mostly hilly and is famous due to tourist place of Pahalgam where lakhs of people with large number of tourists visit every year and it is also traditional route for Shri Amarnath Yatra.
The constituency represented by Rafi Ahmad Mir of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has abundant water resources but majority of the population craves for pure drinking water.
The constituency has about 115 villages including small hamlets and about 80,000 voters. The inhabitants said they have erratic power supply.
Inhabitants in Sallar, Siligam, Aru, Mandlana, Fraslana, Laripora, Rangwad, Brenward, Hapatnar, Salia, Badigam and other dozen villagers said they face unscheduled power cuts.
“Transmission lines run over rotten, damaged electric poles. And electric bulbs in our houses glow after weeks,” said Mohammad Assadullah of Dirhama village.
Ishfaq Ahmad Padder, of Chrarigam village said their village is in complete darkness for past six months as they have been deprived of electricity. “We went to every official, from Power Development Department to Chief Minister, but nobody paid any heed to our demand,” he said.
Chrarigam village in Pahalgam constituency inhabits about 150 households. They said that Sarpanch of the neighbouring village has objected to laying poles for an HT line over his property that led to the power crisis in the village. They alleged that the Sarpanch has held whole village as hostage on power front.
People across the constituency are angry with their MLA for not addressing their grievances despite having him elected thrice to the Assembly.
Except the main road that connects Pahalgam to district headquarter Anantnag, all the inner link roads are damaged with potholes, giving the commuters back-aches during the bumpy drive.
“Our road has been macadamized 8 years ago. As authorities did not care to repair it, huge potholes and ditches developed have developed in it. It needs immediate repairs,” said Showkat Ahmad, a resident Sallar.
The condition of lanes and by-lanes within these villages and hamlets is dilapidated, as hardly any concrete lane is found.
“Instead of making these lanes and by-lanes concrete, the administrators have focused on their own people and spend the money meant for every one of us on their individual requirements,” said a resident of Srigufwara.
Villagers in Ainoo and Vafoora said the legislator has failed to sanction a bridge over Gred canal to connect the two villages. The residents said they travel 6 kms around the canal to reach the other side which is otherwise at stone’s throw.
With the constituency having a population of lakhs scattered across the hill range, health facilities are few and the health centers are deficient in staff and poor in medical equipment.
The whole area has four Primary Health Centres in Sallar, Pahalgam, Ashimuqam and Srigufwara which are manned by few doctors and paramedical staff who cannot cater the huge rush of patients visiting them.
Villagers said due to vastness of the area, more health centers are need of the hour. “Ashimuqam is the central point of about 48 villages, it needs a sub-hospital to take care of the health needs of thousands of residents,” said Mohammad Altaf Kaloo, former MLC of National Conference.
Kaloo said the incumbent legislator has not even sanctioned a sub health center for any of the remote, hilly villages in the constituency.
The NC leader said a Sub-district Hospital at Seer Hamdan was sanctioned in 1998, constructed in 2002 and has not been made properly functional so far.
Far-off villages and hamlets like Aru, Laripora have limited access to health facilities. A sub centre in Aru is manned by a compounder. Residents demand that few doctors be posted there for providing them better healthcare.
Education facilities and schools are not “enough” in the area, as most of the schools are without fence and a lot of primary school children have no toilet and wash room facilities in their respective schools.
“We defecate in open, behind rocks and trees. We are so much embarrassed if any passerby spots us,” said children at a school in Laripora.
Hundreds of students pursing higher studies said they have to travel 65 kilometers from Frislana to Khanabal to attend college. “Our administrator has failed us to get a Degree College,” said Sadia, a female student.
Kaloo blamed the PDP-Congress coalition for ignoring the constituency during allotting colleges in the State.
“PDP-Congress Government during their rule constructed colleges in their own constituencies, and deliberately left off the youth of Pahalgam from higher education,” Kaloo said.
Being the source of the river Jehlum which feeds water to most of Valley, Pahalgam has no drinking water available to 60 per cent of its residents.
The Lidder stream that divides the constituency into Dachnipora and Khoudipora, with each side having 33 and 67 percent of the area, faces the drinking water crisis.
Residents living on the hillside of Khoudipora face water shortage throughout the year. They have been demanding water supply schemes to have access to pure, drinking water. Hilly and remote areas need bore wells for their water needs. But their demands have not been met so far.
Besides their inadequate basic facilities, residents are also angry over the encroachment of the land in Pahalgam valley.
“Prime land in the resort which is source of livelihood for us is being illegally occupied by influential people for their own benefits. Few years from now the whole resort will be a concrete jungle of fortified houses, and hotels,” said Fayaz Ahmad Wani, a pony owner in Pahalgam.
The PDP’s Rafi Ahmad Mir who represents this constituency for past over 5 years, defeated NC candidate Altaf Ahmad Wani by a margin of over 11, 000 votes in 2008 elections. Mir polled 24316 votes while Wani polled 13394 votes.
The MLA Mir admitted that the land is being occupied illegally by influential people in the Valley. “I have informed the Government about the encroachment of the land. Those who level allegations against me for occupying the land should know that I have my ancestral land in here,” he said.
Mir told Excelsior that the whole constituency faces electricity crisis and the infrastructure for transmission of electricity is damaged. “Poles, transmission lines are defunct from so many years. I sanctioned Rs 1 Crore from the Constituency Development Fund to improve electricity, but the amount needed to end the crisis is Rs 10 crore,” said Mir.
On the healthcare facilities the Legislator passed the buck on to the government, saying no new health centre has been built in the constituency.
On water crisis, he said: “Two water supply schemes, one each for Dachnipora and Khoudipora have been sanctioned. Bore wells are being dug in hilly villages like Hamadi, Grengwan, Wal.”

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 5:  Rakesh Kumar Sharma, Inspector General (IG), took over the charge of BSF Frontier Jammu and relieved S S Tomar, IG BSF who is posted to BSF Academy, Tekanpur, Gwalior (MP) as Deputy Director, BSF Academy.
“Rakesh Kumar Sharma is son of the soil and has joined BSF as Assistant Commandant in the year 1984 as a BSF Cadre officer, a BSF spokesperson said while adding, “prior to his posting as IG BSF Jammu Frontier has served on many prestigious assignments in the force in Force HQ Delhi, STC BSF Tekanpur.”
The spokesperson also added that besides these, Mr Sharma also has held important posts at CSWT BSF Indore and National Security Guard beside various field formations at Indo-Pak and Indo- Bangladesh border.”
“Mr Sharma is a renowned officer in the force for his professional acumen and has been awarded with number of Commendation Rolls of Director Generals and President Police Medal for Meritorious service in 2006 during the service,” the spokesperson added.
BSF Jammu Frontier guards over 198-km Indo-Pak International Border from Paharpur, Kathua to Chicken Neck area of Akhnoor in Jammu.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 5:  Prof Dev Anand is likely to be appointed as Incharge Vice-Chancellor of the Central University Jammu as the tenure of incumbent Dr S S Bloeria is expiring on August 7.
A formal order for appointment of Prof Dev Anand as the Incharge VC may be issued tomorrow by the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development, highly placed sources informed the Excelsior.
Prof Dev Anand had joined the Central University last year after his selection as Dean Basic Sciences.  He was earlier serving in the Jammu University where he remained as Head of the Computer Sciences Department and Dean Mathematical Sciences.
The outgoing VC Dr S S Bloeria is completing his three-year tenure on August 7. He was appointed as first VC of the Central University Jammu on August 7 2011 for a period of three years.