PIL against land grabbing by politicians, bureaucrats

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 5: In the much publicized Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against organized land grabbing by certain politicians, police officers and bureaucrats Division Bench of State High Court comprising Justice JP Singh and Justice Hasnain Massodi permitted the respondents particularly Divisional Commissioner, Jammu to place the amended status report on records.
After hearing Advocates Virender Bhat and Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed for the PIL and AAG AH Qazi for the State, the DB observed that respondents may supply copy of the amended status report to the petitioner Prof SK Bhalla for his response and directed the Registry to list PIL after vacations.
In the amended status report, which is based on the fresh communication of Deputy Commissioner Jammu bearing No DCJ/SQ/Encroachment/2012-13/521 dated May 12, 2012, it has been submitted that Tehsildar Akhnoor vide his letter No OQ/81 dated April 24, 2012 has reported that due to clerical mistake the details of private land owned by Madan Lal Sharma and Sham Lal Sharma, sons of Gushu Ram of village Plattan, Akhnoor requires amendment in terms of area and also inclusion of Khasra Nos.
It was clarified that earlier it was wrongly mentioned that Sham Lal Sharma owns 104 Kanals of land in Village Plattan and 24 Kanals 18 Marlas in village Palwan of Tehsil Akhnoor. Actually, Sham Lal Sharma owns 9 Kanals 2 Marlas in village Plattan, 30 Kanals 2 marlas in Pallanwala, 24 Kanals 18 Marlas in Palwan and rest of the land belongs to other co-sharers.
Similarly, Madan Lal Sharma owns 9 Kanals 2 Marlas of land in village Plattan and 71 Kanals 10 Marlas in village Pallanwala instead of 89 Kanals 04 Marlas mentioned in the earlier status report.
In third amended status report, it has been further stated that whole matter has been examined by AC (R) Jammu Tehsildar Jammu, Tehsildar (S) Jammu and Tehsildar Akhnoor and have intimated that none of these persons was in the possession of State land. In the status report it has again been reiterated that Satish Kumar, son of Madan Lal had applied for grant of ownership rights of 41 Kanals of State Land falling under Khasra No 424 Min situated in village Lalyal but his appalication was rejected.

Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, June 5: The people hailing from Rajouri town held protest demonstration on main road near Rajouri airfield against the R&B authorities.
A large number of locals led by Tazeem Dar and Mushtaq Bhat assembled at Khibra near airfield and blocked road. The protesters disrupted movement of traffic for about two hours. They were shouting slogans against R&B department for poor condition of the road from Airfield to District hospital.
These people alleged that despite several representations to the district administration, the condition of the road was not improved. They condemned the attitude of neglect of the concerned authorities and demanded that road be improved immediately.
The locals including Beopar Mandal also protested against the BSNL authorities for the poor land line and mobile phone service in entire Rajouri district.

Excelsior Correspondent
KALAKOTE, June 4: A computer course for school teachers commenced today in Rashtriya Rifles Battalion at Kalakote for the teachers of the schools in the region.
This unique concept of training the teachers was started by the Army in collaboration with the civil administration to fully utilize the computers distributed to various schools under “Op Sadbhavana” projects. The cadre aims at empowering the teachers, who in turn will teach computer education to the children of schools in remote areas.
A total number of 10 teachers nominated by the District Education Officer are attending the cadre from today to June 23.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 4: A meeting of the inhabitants of W No 2, (Jullaka Mohalla) was held under the presidentship of Mrs. Susheela Jamwal, PDP, district president, Jammu. The meeting was organized by ward president Mrs Veena Sangra.
In the meeting people of the area highlighted their day today problems, major of which included Power crisis, scarcity of water and insanitation. While addressing the meeting Mrs Jamwal said that the present Coalition Government led by Omar Abdullah has failed on all fronts to solve the basic problems of the common man. Even the essential commodities are not being supplied regularly, frequent power cuts are taking place making the life of people miserable and the people of the area are clamoring for drinking water in this scorching heat.
Mrs. Jamwal further said that the present State Government is only making tall and false claim in papers and practically nobody in the Government is bothering to pay heed to the main problems of the inhabitants of the area.
She further urged the PDD, PHE & MCJ authorities to immediately sort out the problems of the regular power supply and drinking water of the people of the area on emergent basis and also launch a cleanliness drive.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 5: Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravishankar today said there was no pressure on the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board on deciding the duration of the Amarnath yatra, which was shortened keeping in view the safety of the pilgrims.
“I would like to clarify to the Shiva Bhaktas who are eager to undertake the yatra that we sincerely wanted to keep the yatra from Jyeshta Purnima onwards. There was no pressure from any individual or organisation on us. It was purely a logistical challenge to ensure the safety of the yatris,” the spiritual leader said in a statement.
The yatra calendar this year was fixed by the SASB on the recommendations of a sub-committee headed by Ravishankar.
“We (members of the committee) had a detailed discussion in which the State Government and the Army presented the weather conditions and the time it takes to clear the path.
“Only after taking serious consideration of the logistics, weather conditions and the preparedness to host thousands of yatris was it decided to commence the yatra towards the end of June, this year,” he said.
“We cannot risk the lives of thousands of people without any infrastructure. We want the yatra to be safe and comfortable for people,” he added.
The spiritual leader appealed to the State Government to make an all-weather road in Baltal so that in the coming years the yatra can be undertaken with greater safety and security.
“I know that due to the past history there is suspicion, but I would like to ensure the people that there is no pressure and that myself and other saints would have stepped down from the Amarnath Shrine Board a long time ago if it were the case,” he said.
The SASB and the State Government have come under fire from various quarters over the curtailment of the two-month long Amarnath yatra to 39 days this year.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 5: Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) has decided to hold conventions in all the districts in Kashmir in coming days.
In a meeting of the PCC held here today under the chairmanship of its president, Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz, senior functionaries and other members of the PCC unanimously decided to hold party conventions in all the districts of Kashmir province. It said that similar conventions shall also be held in Jammu province as well. The PCC leaders also discussed other party related issues during the meeting.
Prominent among others present in the meting included Mohd Muzaffar Parray, senior vice president, Gulam Nabi Monga, Bashir Ahmed Magray, Abdul Majid Padder, vice presidents, Mohd Anwar Bhat, general secretary, Abdul Ghani and others.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 4: The president of the National Mazdoor Conference, (NMC) Subash Shastri has appealed the Prime Minister and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission to include special package of Rs 5 thousand crore in the year State annual plan for 2012-13.
Shastri said it would enable the J&K Government to disperse the long outstanding arrears of Sixth Pay Commission of J&K employees and pensioners, which the Central Government has already paid to its employees and pensioners since long.
He also urged Prime Minster to enhance the Income Tax exemption limit upto Rs 4 lakh to provide relief to the salaried class in view of steep price of essential commodities. He said Income Tax exemption limit envisaged in the budget would not provide any relief to the fixed income group.
He also put forth some other demands of the National Mazdoor Conference.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 5:- J&K State Pensioners Association (JKSPA) has sought immediate intervention of Divisional Commissioner Jammu to impress upon the concerned authorities both treasury officers and the bank managers from where the pensioners are drawing pension to record their personnel verification annually.
Krishan Singh president, JKSPA expressed serious concern over the Government Order No 283-F of 2011 dated 13-12-2011 followed by another letter bearing No DGAT/ES/DR/217 dated 24-03-2012 issued by Director General Accounts and Treasuries directing all state pensioners to present before treasury officers once a year for recording personnel verifications.
He said this kind of situation has caused undue harassment and humiliation for the pensioners of the state. He said for this the pensioners have to collect PPOs from Bank, fill up and then go to Treasury Officer where he is asked to wait for their turn or come next day for recording personnel verification on PPOs which are again to be deposited in the bank.
He said most of the pensioners are either illiterate or semi literate as such they can’t fill up their forms.
He said this provision was well suited when the pensioners used to get pension from treasuries and now when the Government has transferred this task to J&K Bank the Bank managers may also be authorized to record the personnel verifications of pensioners every year in order to save pensioners from unavoidable exercise and humiliation. He also demanded the period may be extended as the exercise of personnel verification can’t be completed within the period stipulated by the Director General Accounts and Treasuries for this year.