Unmetered consumers to get succour

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 23: The State Government has decided to move an application before the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) with the plea to extend the deadline for metering of about 4.5 lakh electricity connections across the State so that such a large number of consumers don’t get deprived of power supply beyond April 28, 2012, which as per the J&K Electricity Act, 2010 is the last date for ensuring power supply through installation of correct energy meters.
Official sources said that following news-report in this paper that 4.5 lakh non-metered consumers would not be entitled for power supply beyond April 28, 2012 as per the provisions of J&K Electricity Act, 2010, the senior officers of the Power Development Department started deeply examining the relevant provisions of the Act.
“Even some officers of the Power Development Department unofficially contacted the State Electricity Regulatory Commission Members to discuss the legal position and finally it emerged that Department can also adopt the recourse of moving an application before the SERC seeking extension in the deadline for metering of non-metered connections”, they said.
However, for this the Department has to chalk out comprehensive metering plan for all the un-metered connections across the State and further time-table required to accomplish the task, which are vital steps before pleading the case before the Commission, sources said, adding while seeking extension in the deadline, the Power Development Department would have to justify before the Commission the delay behind meeting the earlier deadlines and elaborate how it would accomplish this vital task within the newly proposed time-frame.
In response to a question, they said, “the Commission can consider the application of the PDD and extend the deadline by way of notification”, adding “since the Commission has itself passed strictures against the PDD, the latter would have to bring clarity in its plans to complete metering exercise, which is essential for preparation of appropriate loss reduction strategies and schemes”.
When contacted, Principal Secretary, Power Development Department, Sudhanshu Pandey said, “I have directed the Development Commissioner Power (DCP) to analyze the situation and formally come up with the exact time-frame required to meter all the left-over non-metered connections”, adding “we have worked out comprehensive metering plan, which is imperative to approach the SERC with plea to extend deadline beyond April 28, 2012”.
In response to a question, he said, “DCP will come up with the time frame within a day or two following which further steps would be initiated in order to ensure that non-metered consumers continue to get electricity even beyond April 28, 2012”.
Among the 4.5 lakh non-metered electricity connections, 3,99,697 are domestic, 43,339 non-domestic/ commercial, 3,022 agriculture, 249 public street lighting and 598 LT public water works. These un-metered connections are consuming connected load of 344.86 Mega Watts (MW).
It is pertinent to mention here that SERC has been laying stress on the 100 per cent consumer metering since 2007-08 financial year when it issued first Tariff Order as the metering is a major step towards energy accounting and reduction of power losses.

PIL against land grabbing at behest of high-ups

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 23: In the much publicized Public Interest Litigation (PIL) highlighting land grabbing at the behest of high-ups and in league with land mafia, Division Bench of State High Court comprising Acting Chief Justice Virender Singh and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar today granted two weeks time to the petitioner to respond to the fresh status report filed by the Divisional Commissioner in response to earlier order of the Court.
The two weeks time was granted after Advocates Virender Bhat and Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed appearing for the PIL filed by Prof S K Bhalla submitted that they have received the copy of the fresh status report filed by the Divisional Commissioner this morning.
According to the status report, Satish Kumar, son of Madan Lal had applied for 41 kanals of State land falling under Khasra No. 424 min in village Lalyal for grant of ownership rights under J&K State Lands (Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants) Act 2001 popularly known as Roshini Scheme but the same has been rejected by the authorities.
The girdawari entries over State land measuring 50 kanals falling under Khasra No 1 (25 kanals) and Khasra No 127/1 Min (25 kanals) situated in village Suray Chak, which was in the name of one Vijay Kumar alias Babbi, have been expunged, the report said.
According to the report, Yaseer Nifar Wattali, son of Ahmed Shah Wattali is having 29 kanal and 10 marla of land in Khasra Nos 2438 and 2440 at Amb and whole land has been sold by the vendor. Similarly, Jahwas Ahmad Wattali, son of Haji Ghulam Nabi Shah Watali is having land in Khasra No 2442 & 2449 measuring 49 kanal and 10 marlas situated at Amb and the whole of the land has been sold by the vendor.
Sasba Begum, wife of Jahwas Ahmed Shah Watali is having land in Khasra Nos 2442 & 2449 measuring 20 kanal at Amb. Jawas Jahoos Shah Wattali, son of Jahwas Shah Wattali is having land in Khasra Nos 2442 & 2449 measuring 30 kanal and 10 marla at Amb and the whole of the land has been sold by the vendor. Zanib Shamas Wattali, wife of Shokat Wattali is having land in Khasra No 5291 measuring 9 kanal and 2 marla at Bhalwal and owner is in possession.
The report said that Madan Lal Sharma, son of Gushu Ram is having 15 marlas of land each at Paloura and Muthi. He is also in possession of ancestral land acquired through sale deeds and measuring 9 kanal and 2 marla and 80 kanal and 2 marla at Plattan, Pallanwala.
Sham Lal Sharma, brother of Madan Lal Sharma is owner in possession of measuring 8 marlas of land at Paloura under Khasra No 152 Min. He is also owner in possession of 33 kanal of land at Kot under Khasra Nos, 956, 957, 958, 960, 961, 1240 and 1230. He is also stated to have acquired the ancestral land through sale deeds measuring 104 and 24 kanal and 18 marla at Plattan, Pallanwala but Khasra numbers are not mentioned. He is also in possession of land measuring 5 kanal and 15 marla at Muthi and out of this land one kanal and 8.5 marla has been sold by the vendor.
According to the fresh status report, Ankush Sharma, son of Sham Lal Sharma is owner in possession of land measuring 10 kanal under Khasra Nos 956 and 1240 at Kot. He is also having land measuring one kanal at Muthi and 7 marla has been sold by the vendor.
The report said that land measuring 7 kanal and 7 marla situated at Manda, Akhnoor belonging to Sanjay Sharma alias Sanju, who has been declared as proclaimed offender, has been attached by the order of Principal Sessions Judge, Jammu.

NEW DELHI, Apr 23:
The Government today said any doctor going to the US for higher medical studies would have to sign a bond with it before leaving and honour the document by returning to India after finishing the study period.
“From this year onwards, any student going for further medical education to the US will have to give us a bond that he will come back after finishing the studies. In the last three years, 3000 doctors went abroad for studies and did not return. Now if a student does not come back from the US, he won’t be allowed to practice there,” Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said.
He said the US from this year onwards is insisting on a government NOC to every student enrolling with an American institute for studies.
“No other country except the US is asking for this NOC. Those who apply to go to the US for studies from 2012, will have to give us a bond saying they would come back after finishing the studies. If they don’t fulfill the bond obligation, we can write to the US to deny the student permission to practice,” Azad told reporters here.
The minister also expressed the hope that the MCI will give its approval to the proposed three-year Bachelor of Rural Health Care course, which seeks to create a separate cadre of public health professionals in the country to serve in rural areas. He said the doctors’ organisations were not interested in the course.
“Doctors’ organisations are opposing the course. I have no hesitation in saying that they have a vested interest to increase their practice,” Azad said.
Azad said there was a paucity of doctors in primary health centres as doctors only wanted to stay in urban areas.
“The rural health care course was ready two years ago. The curriculum is also ready. States are free to implement the course, as Assam is doing, but we wanted the MCI’s recognition to ensure uniform standards for the course across India. We hope the MCI will move fast on it,” he said.
The course, Azad said, would create professionals above the level of paramedics and below the level of MBBS doctors.
The move is aimed at not just taming the quacks, who have a field day in rural areas in the absence of adequate medical facilities there, but also provide good medical aid to the rural population at their doorstep.
It is being opposed by doctors’ lobby as patients from rural areas rush to private practitioners in urban areas, even as doctors’ organisations feel the creation of a new set of professionals would confuse the population and lead to devaluing the doctors, official sources said. (PTI)

Currency, communication link on agenda
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 23: Ahead of Indo-Pak Home Secretaries’ meeting in Islamabad next month in which besides security concerns, the issue of cross-LoC trade was expected to figures as part of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) between the two neighbouring countries, Union Home Secretary R K Singh would shortly undertake a two days visit of the State during which he would assess more facilities required at Uri-Muzafarrabad and Poonch-Rawlakote routes to give a boost to the trade.
“Initially, Mr Singh was scheduled to visit Uri in Baramulla district of Kashmir and Chakan-Da-Bagh in Poonch district of Jammu on April 24 and 25 or April 26 and 27. However, the dates clashed with the visit of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who would be undertaking an extensive tour of twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch for four days from April 24 to 27, the visit of the Union Home Secretary was likely to be re-scheduled’’, official sources said, adding that the visit was expected to be matured shortly as the Home Secretary level talks between India and Pakistan were expected to take place in Islamabad next month.
The fresh dates being considered for the visit of Mr Singh included April 25 for Chakan-Da-Bagh and Jammu and April 26 for Uri and Kashmir.
State Home Secretary B R Sharma told the Excelsior that the State was yet to get exact dates of the visit of Mr Singh but said the visit was on the cards as he had to travel to Uri and Chakan-Da-Bagh to take assessment of facilities for cross-LoC trade and more facilities required for the businessmen to boost the trade.
Chief Secretary Madhav Lal, Home Secretary B R Sharma, Director General of Police (DGP) Kuldeep Khoda and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister B B Vyas had recently called on the Union Home Secretary in New Delhi and discussed the schedule of his visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
Mr Sharma said the Union Home Secretary would tour both cross-LoC points of Uri and Chakan-Da-Bagh shortly for on spot review of the situation.
As per the provisional schedule, Mr Singh besides visiting two cross-LoC points would also hold a security review meeting in Srinagar before flying back to New Delhi.
As per the latest schedule, Mr Singh was scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir on April 25 and 26 confining his visit to Chakan-Da-Bagh and Uri besides an official meeting at Srinagar. Sources said the administration in Poonch had taken up the issue with the administration for getting the visit postponed as Omar Abdullah would be touring Poonch on April 26 and 27.
A formal message from the New Delhi was awaited, sources said, adding even if the visit of the Home Secretary was postponed for the time being, it would mature in the next few days.
Official sources said the Union Government wanted to take up the issue of converting cross-LoC trade from barter system to currency based. The ways and means for switching over to new system would first be discussed with civil and police administration besides Intelligence and other agencies engaged with conducting cross-LoC trade followed by representatives of the State Government before the Home Secretary took up the issue with his counterpart of Pakistan next month.
In the present barter system of trade, the businessmen had been facing a lot of problems to maintain their accounts and currency of both the countries keep on fluctuating.
The lack of communication system between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) was another issue, which was being discussed by the Union Government on the request of the State Government. It may be mentioned here that ISD link from J&K to any part of Pakistan besides PoK has been barred for past quite a long time as a security reason following apprehensions by security agencies that the militants could misuse the communication facility.
Sources said upgradation of infrastructure at Trade Facilitation Centres at Poonch and Uri including installation of full truck scanners and providing other facilities to the businessmen was also under consideration of the Centre Government. Increase in number of items from present list of 21 for trade between two parts of the divided State was also on agenda of the Union Government.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had recently said in the Legislative Assembly that the Union Government should open the banking system for the trade instead of present barter system and facilitate communication channels to boost the trade.
Sources said representatives of the State Government, civil and police administration and other agencies connected with the trade besides the businessmen dealing with cross-LoC trade would take up the demand for increasing number of 21 items to 50 for the trade besides facilitation of banking system and opening up communication channels.
The Home Secretaries of India and Pakistan were scheduled to meet at Islamabad in May to discuss a host of issues including security related matters and cross-LoC trade.
Terming cross-LoC trade as a major confidence-building measure between India and Pakistan, sources said there was a need to further ease it so that its benefits trickle down to the trading partners.
“There is a need for restoration of telephonic links between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and putting in place a proper institutional arrangement by replacing the current barter system of trade which will also address the security concerns,” they said.
They said the Union Government was required to take up the matter with the Ministries concerned so that the trade can flourish in real terms.
The cross-LoC trade on Uri-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote had recently been increased from twice a week (Tuesday and Wednesday) to four days (Tuesday to Friday). However, in the absence of increase in number of items and use of currency, the trade had not been picking up, sources said.
It may be mentioned here that the trade between India and Pakistan through the land route has soared by 44 per cent in 2011-12 to Rs 2,341 crore from Attari-Wagah route.
Though the balance of trade is still in India’s favour, the import from Pakistan through land route rose by over 100 per cent to Rs 965 crore in 2011-12 against Rs 453 crore in the previous fiscal.
The exports from India to Pakistan grew by 18 per cent to Rs 1,376 crore against Rs 1,170 crore in 2010-11.
In 2009-10 and 2010-11, the bilateral trade between India and Pakistan via Attari-Wagah land route stood at Rs 1,194 crore and Rs 1,170 crore, respectively.
The volume of trade in terms of trucks also grew manifold with the number of trucks crossing over to Pakistan increased from 32,000 in 2010-11 to 39,000 trucks in 2011-12.
In 2009-10, the number of trucks which exported items to Pakistan was just 17,000.
The number of trucks coming to India through land route rose from 3,600 in 2010-11 to whopping 17,000.
Before Pakistan, last month, allowed 137 items to be imported from India through land route, India was exporting vegetables, frozen meat, soybean extraction and cotton yarn to the neighbouring country.
Over 70 per cent of total export to Pakistan constitutes soybean extraction and it mainly comes from Madhya Pradesh, while fresh vegetables like tomatoes come from Nasik, Delhi, Kanpur and Rajasthan.
India mainly imports dry fruit (from Afghanistan), gypsum and cement.
India and Pakistan had started cross border movement of trucks in October 2007 after a gap of sixty years from Attari Check post at Amritsar in India to Wagah Border in Pakistan with an intention of boosting bilateral trade.
The Integrated Check Post (ICP) recently opened by India at Attari-Wagah border is expected to further push up the trade between the two countries through the land route.
The ICP set up at an estimated cost of R 150 crore was inaugurated by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on April 13.
Spread over an area of 118 acres, the ICP boasts of dedicated terminals for passengers and cargo, customs and immigration facilities, health and quarantine facility, banks and import and export warehouses.
Punjab-based exporters has said they expect the ICP to push up bilateral trade between both countries through land route by at least 10 times.

NEW DELHI, Apr 23: Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar’s remarks favouring a person with “not too much” of a political mind for the President’s post has stirred the pot with parties, including the Congress, chanting the mantra of a consensus candidate in the upcoming Presidential Polls.
Former President A P J Abdul Kalam’s name cropped up in the discussions today with Samajwadi Party saying it was “not averse” to his candidature while others remained ambivalent.
Pawar, leader of the NCP and one of the important constituents of the UPA, clarified this morning that he had only talked about an “agreed” candidate and not a non- political person for the post.
“I have not said this. I have spoken about agreed candidate,” Pawar told reporters when asked to comment on his yesterday’s reported remarks of a “non-political” candidate for the post of the President.
He insisted that neither the UPA nor the NDA has the numbers and, therefore, a process of consultation was necessary.
“I am sure leadership concerned will start the process. We need to think about agreed candidature at this moment,” he said.
Pawar’s remarks triggered instant reaction with two senior Ministers Kapil Sibal and Ghulam Nabi Azad saying that they were working towards a consensus.
Azad, a member of the GoM on Media, told reporters that the office of President is big and no political party has a majority to get its candidate elected. “If the President is elected, it will be through consensus. In a democracy, every group has a right to express its opinion about an individual or a leader,” he said.
Asked about Pawar’s remarks, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, also a member of the GoM, said “We have been working towards a consensus.”
On questions about second term for Kalam, Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury refused to go into issue, merely saying Kalam is a respected personality.
“We respect him…It was nice to have had Kalam (as President). I don’t have the authority to say anything more than this,” she said.
Former MP and SP leader Shahid Siddiqui said if there is a consensus his party was not averse to Kalam’s name. He recalled that it was his party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav who proposed Kalam’s name for Presidency in 2002.
He said his party was also talking to other parties and considering some other names.
JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said there has been no discussion either in his party or within the NDA about the Presidential elections. The UPA has also not initiated any moves, he said.
DMK spokesperson T K S Elangovan said the President’s post needs some political knowledge and legal expertise. “That does not mean that he should be too political,” he said.
CPI(M) MP Sitaram Yechury said there have been non- political persons who have occupied the office as well as political personalities.
He said anybody who becomes President should have political knowledge. (PTI)

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 23: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is starting a four days extensive tour of twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch from tomorrow.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Omar would visit Rajouri district on April 24 and 25 and Poonch district on April 26 and 27.
He would start his tour from Nowshera tomorrow morning by addressing a public meeting, inaugurating the degree college and meeting deputations. He would then proceed to Kalakote where too he would address a public meeting, inaugurate the degree college and meet deputations.
He would reach Rajouri at 3 pm and address a meeting at Dak Bungalow followed by review of development programmes and security scenario with the district officers.
Omar would have a night halt at Rajouri and meet deputations in the town on April 25. He would visit Shahdara Sharief in the afternoon and address a public meeting at Darhal before returning to Jammu.
Mr Abdullah during his two days tour of Poonch would address public meetings at Poonch, Chandak, Mandi and Surankote, meet deputations at all places and review development programmes with the district officers in Poonch.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 23: Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy and National Conference president, Dr Farooq Abdullah was today discharged from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi after eight days of hospitalization.
Dr Abdullah had been suffering from pneumonic and chest infections.
Doctors attending on the Union Minister examined his condition twice today and finally declared him fit for discharge. He left the AIIMS at 7.30 pm.
Farooq was admitted in the AIIMS last Monday after complaints of pneumonic and chest infections.

NEW DELHI, Apr 23:
The Supreme Court today reserved its verdict on whether Army personnel allegedly involved in killing 7 persons in a staged shootout at Pathribal in J&K 12 years ago could be prosecuted without prior sanction from the Government.
While concluding their arguments, Additional Solicitor General Harin Raval and senior counsel Ashok Bhan, appearing for the CBI, reiterated that Army personnel in the alleged fake encounter have no immunity from prosecution.
The CBI earlier had told the special bench of justices B S Chauhan and Swatanter Kumar that it was a case of “cold-blooded murder and the accused officials deserve to be meted out exemplary punishment.”
The CBI had contended that no prior sanction was required for prosecuting the Army officials and the need to ensure “public confidence in the rule of law and dispensation of justice” warranted their prosecution.
“Our investigations have revealed it was a fake encounter and cold-blooded murders. If public confidence in the rule of law and dispensation of justices is to be sustained, the accused officers deserve to be meted out exemplary punishment,” Bhan had told the bench.
Bhan’s submission was contrary to the stand taken by Additional Solicitor General P P Malhotra, who, appearing for the Army officers, said prior sanction was mandatory for prosecuting the officials, who otherwise are innocent.
The Defence Ministry and the CBI have differed on the immunity enjoyed by the Army under the controversial AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) and other regular laws in encounter killings.
The CBI had maintained that the expression used in Section 6 of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which gave immunity to Army personnel for encounters killings was not available to the accused officers in the present case.
Additional Solicitor General P P Malhotra, on behalf of the Centre, had denied the allegations of fake encounter and argued that they enjoyed protection in discharge of their official functions.
The CBI had earlier moved an application for vacating the stay granted by the apex court on the trial relating to the killings of 7 persons by the Army allegedly in retaliation to the killing of 36 civilians by militants at Chattisingpora in 2000.
According to the CBI, though the right of immunity under 197 CrPC was available to the officers, but in the present case it has not been sought by the accused, but by senior Defence Ministry officers, which was contrary to the law. (PTI)

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 23: The Election Department today started the process of revision of electoral rolls for the elections of Urban Local Bodies.
Official sources said the voters excepting those residing within the limits of Jammu and Srinagar Municipal Corporations can file their claims and objections from April 23 to May 3. The claims and objections would be disposed from May 4 to May 8.
Preparation and printing of supplements of addition, deletion and correction of electoral rolls would be taken up from May 9 to May 14 while final electoral rolls would be published on May 16.
Excelsior had exclusively reported that the Election Department was going to start revision of electoral rolls for the Urban Local Bodies.
Sources said revision of electoral rolls for JMC and SMC would be taken up only after the Government took a decision on increase in number of their Wards.

NEW DELHI, April 23:
Embroiled in a CD controversy, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi today resigned as chairman of a Parliamentary Committee and party spokesperson in a damage control exercise ahead of the resumption of the budget session tomorrow.
53- year-old Singhvi, an eminent lawyer and a Rajya Sabha member, sent a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi informing her of his decision ten days after circulation of a CD purportedly involving him.
“I have done this only to prevent even the slightest possible Parliamentary disruption regarding the purported CDs being circulated about me.
“Since I am a disciplined party soldier, I did not think it fit to subject the party to any inconvenience on this account. All allegations are patently baseless and false,” he said in a statement.
Singhvi acquired high profile after the committee headed by him came out with a report on the Lokpal last year on whose recommendation the Government brought a legislation on the issue.
Singhvi, who was taken off the AICC briefing last week, said that “canards and baseless” allegations were being spread about alleged inappropriate conversations in the alleged CD.
“People inimically opposed to me, who have assiduously spent over ten days hearing, seeing, amplifying and distilling the CD found no vestige of any reference, not even remotely, to any illegality, corrupt practice or wrongdoing.
“Specifically, some sections of the print and visual media are spreading a falsehood simply by repetition and hearsay that there is a reference in the CD to the promise of any post. No one has heard any such reference in the CD. There is none simply because it does not exist. It is pure imagination, wishful thinking and sensationalism,” he said.
Singhvi said the canard was spread simply to give the issue a public interest flavour since otherwise the contents of the CD, “assuming them to be true, (which they certainly are not), would disclose only something private and consensual giving a cause of action only to aggrieved family members (who have stood completely by me) and to no one else”.
Singhvi said it was lamentable that such canards were being spread about a CD, which has, in fact, been accepted thrice over to be “fabricated and morphed”.
“The driver’s disclosure statement to the police, his detailed written statement in the High Court and his oral statement recorded on oath physically in the presence of the judge, all explain how and why he created this fabrication.
“A reputed media house, which was co-defendant in the suit also recorded a consent statement based on the statement of the author of the CD i.e. the driver. A permanent final decree of injunction has been passed over five days ago,” he said.
Singhvi said it was noteworthy that the driver’s threatening and blackmailing SMSes sent to his phone had been recorded in the last week of March followed by a detailed four-page police complaint filed as far back as March 29, a full 13 days before the alleged CDs first surfaced in the media.
“As a political or professional class, instead of gleefully watching, promoting or participating in a person’s natural and understandable discomfitures, we must respect privacy issues,” he said. (PTI)