Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 15: Political Advisor to the Chief Minister Devender Singh Rana today said that National Conference has always played a pivotal role for better Indo-Pak relations and continue to do so in the future as well in the interest of the two countries and the welfare of the people of Jammu & Kashmir.
He said healthy Indo-Pak relations are pertinent for peace not only in the state but in entire south-asian region and it should be the effort of all right thinking people to facilitate the process of cordiality between the two neighboring countries.
He said those living on the border are testimony to the sufferings they had to face every time Indo-Pak relations touched their northern point. He said it is the endeavour of the National Conference to work for harmony between the two nations to ensure lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
Rana, who was addressing a public meeting at Badyal Brahmana in Suchetgarh Assembly constituency, said that the political forces which have no ideology and agenda for the welfare of the people of the state indulge in communal politics and damage the society as a whole which has far reaching wider ramifications for the generations to come and such communal politics and parties need to be rejected out rightly.
He said National Conference right from its inception has laid the foundation of secularism, brotherhood and communal harmony in Jammu and Kashmir and is committed to strengthen the state’s pluralistic ethos by strengthening the bonds of amity between various sections of the society.
The Political Advisor said that under the leadership of Omar Abdullah, the state coalition Government is pursuing the agenda of equitable development and harmony in the state. He said achievements registered and measures taken during the last three years on socio-economic and political fronts to accelerate development and bring in peace and stability speak for themselves.
He said that Coalition Government led by Omar Abdullah is committed to a robust Three Tier Panchyati Raj where the process of planning will start from the village level so that the benefits of the Government’s politics reach the last mile. He urged the Panchs and Sarpanchs to keep a close eye on the delivery mechanism at the grass root level and make it accountable and sustainable.
Addressing the gathering, Provincial President National Conference, Jammu province Rattan Lal Gupta said that National Conference is committed to fulfill the commitments made in the election manifesto and will come to the expectations of the people of the state who have reposed full faith and confidence in the dynamic leadership of Omar Abdullah.
Among others who addressed the gathering on the occasion included Taranjeet Singh Tony, Balwinder Singh Sarpanch, Raj Kumar Sarpanch, Tarsem Lal Sharma, Sarpanch, Capt. Om Parkash Sarpanch, Kulwinder Singh Sarpanch, Jogindro Devi Niab Sarpanch, Rakesh Sharma, Choudhary Yashpal, Dhan Raj, Behari Lal, Jagdish Lal, Janak Singh, Sudershan Choudhary, Master Amarnath, Sultan Mirza, Lovely Singh, Raj Kumar and Kala Ram Khullar.
NC for better Indo-Pak relations : Rana
Mehbooba takes stock of Gujjar Nagar people’s problems
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 15: People Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti today said the grievance of the people of Gujjar Nagar will be redressed in the coming time.
Mehbooba Mufti said this while addressing a gathering at Gujjar Nagar, here this morning.
She said that the plights of the people, which they brought into her notice, would be redressed in the best possible time. She said that the Coalition Government has failed to resolve the problems of the people and now people have lost faith on them.
Highlighting the problems, people of Gujjar Nagar said that the road and drains of their area were in dilapidated condition, but the government and the concerned development authorities are not taking all this seriously.
They said that the drains almost all the time remains blocked and the condition of the road is also dilapidated, but no one from the government or the concerned authorities are paying any heed towards these issues.
Earlier, Rafiq Malik, senior leader, welcomed the PDP President Mehbooba Mufti and other senior leaders including District President RK Bali, Rashid Malik, besides many others.
Speaking on the occasion, Rafiq Malik, said that people of the State are fed up with anti people policies of the Coalition Government which has totally failed to redress the grievances of the people in all aspects including development. He said that PDP is the only party, who can mitigate the problems of the people.
Govt committed to equip rural belts with required infrastructure: DyCM
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 15: Reiterating resolve of the Government to develop rural belts of the State, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand said work on the road map to equip far-flung areas with all required infrastructure is apace and with active support from the central Government mega infrastructural projects have been launched all across the State.
He said Coalition Government is committed to develop the State on most modern lines and all out efforts have been launched to take the development revolution to all nooks and corners of the State.
Mr. Tara Chand said this while addressing a public rally at Dori-Dager today.
Underscoring the need to tap tourism potential of the area, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the area has vast potential for pilgrim tourism and the same needs to be exploited to its fullest. Dori-Dager has been declared tourist village and work is apace to develop facilities for the visiting tourists, he added.
He said Baba Mai Mal Devsthal is one of the famous religious places of the region and people from far off places come during the annual congregation.
Mr. Tara Chand called upon youth to derive maximum benefits from various employment and skill up gradation schemes launched by the Government for capacity building and skill development. He said that the Government is passing various benefits to those interested in starting their own enterprises, adding that under SKEWPY Government is giving active support to skill augmentation and liberal financial support is being extended to promote entrepreneurship.
Taking note of the problem of potable water projected at the rally, the Deputy Chief Minister directed the PHE authorities to formulate comprehensive plan for augmenting distribution and supply of water in the area. He said liberal funding is being provided to upgrade facilities in far-off areas and it is the duty of the executing agencies to create durable public assets.
He said health sector is also getting focused attention of the Government and efforts have been initiated to provide required medical support to the people of the area. Work on Public Health Centre, Dori-Dager is apace and soon the same would be dedicated to the people of the area, he added.
On way to Dori Dager Tara Chand met various delegations and listened to the demands put forth by the people. He instructed the PDD authorities to immediately provide alternative arrangement to people of the area who have been suffering for the last three days due to non-availability of electricity. He assured the delegations for early redressal of their genuine demands.
Interlocutors too put weight behind proposals to repeal, amend AFSPA
Judicial Commission on unmarked graves recommended
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 14: After the Jeevan Reddy Commission, Prime Minister’s Working Group and the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Dileep Padgaonkar-led panel of interlocutors has also put weight behind the proposals to repeal or amend the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and suggested that Defence Ministry should respond positively to the issue rather than negatively. The panel has also recommended the framing of a Judicial Commission for identification of all the bodies in the unmarked graves in the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Prime Minister’s Working Group on Confidence Building Measures had recommended reviewing the Disturbed Areas Act and AFSPA and lifting the former and revoking the latter if possible.
Similarly, Jeevan Reddy Commission had proposed repeal of AFSPA and incorporation of some of its provisions into a new national law, to be called the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Moreover, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had also recommended several amendments to the AFSPA to bring it in line with the Criminal Procedure Code while allowing protections for the armed forces that exist in every democratic country.
While making reference of all these recommendations in their report, the interlocutors have observed, “AFSPA is more the symbol of a problem than its cause. But symbols are important for peace processes thus the Defence Ministry must consider how to respond positively rather than negatively to the proposals for repeal of and amendments to the AFSPA”, the report said, adding “these proposals should be viewed by MoD and a decision taken at the earliest”.
“The goal is to arrive at a situation in which troops will be deployed only at the borders. A step-by-step process would begin with the Army remaining in barracks and transferring any civilian policing duties to the paramilitary, with their onward transfer to the Jammu and Kashmir Police”, the report said, adding “this step has already been taken in most urban areas but could be consolidated in rural areas”.
About reviewing the military deployments to see whether security installations can be rationalized through reducing their spread to a few strategic locations and creating mobile units for rapid response, the report said, “the desire for redeployment of military or security forces and installations, created as part of counter-insurgency operations, and not prior cantonments, from the rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir is a heartfelt desire that unites the regional political parties and dissident groups”, adding “given the large reduction in militancy-related violence, some thinning or strategic concentration of installations is worth considering”.
Pointing to the absence of a formal commitment to ceasefire or disbandment as one of the obstacles to redeployment, the report said, “such a commitment would have made security reforms much easier to implement”.
“The Prime Minister’s Working Group on CBMs had suggested that an unconditional dialogue with armed groups be initiated and some steps were taken during the Quiet Diplomacy of 2008-09. However, since then the issue has not come up again, and it needs to be put back on the agenda”.
“Even in the absence of commitments from armed groups to ceasefire, disarm and demobilize, such reforms still need to be considered”, the report said, adding “all the delegations which met the interlocutors were explicit in their view that troops should be concentrated on the borders and LoC to prevent infiltration and phased withdrawal of troops from residential and agricultural areas should be considered”.
Referring to large number of gross human rights violations by a variety of groups, including murder and torture, the report said, “the issue gained prominence with the investigation into unmarked graves, many of which contain bodies of militants killed in counter-insurgency and some of which are alleged to be of missing persons”.
Recommending setting up of a Judicial Commission to establish the best procedures for identification of the bodies in the unmarked graves, the report said, “the commission would see whether any of the bodies match the DNA of the families of the disappeared persons. The final step would be to try to identify all the bodies in the unmarked graves, and this would depend on cooperation from Pakistan”.
“The exercise will be a massive and time-consuming one, and all concerned should be prepared to face the fact that they might not, in the end, have the full closure that they need”, it added
About the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) proposed by Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, the report said, “even if justice cannot be provided for all victims of violence, if some of those guilty of human rights abuses, including militants, were to ask forgiveness from the families of their victims, it would provide closure for many”.
A TRC, it said, would also have a large impact in Pakistan, altering the “Kashmir narrative” in fundamental ways.
On the military-to-military CBMs agreed between the Governments of India and Pakistan, such as hotlines between commanders of Border Security Forces, the report said their implementation needed to be reviewed and any remaining gaps filled up.
India, Pak to have new visa regime
NEW DELHI, Apr 14:
India and Pakistan are likely to announce formally a new business visa regime to boost bilateral commerce at the next Secretary level talks.
Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and his Pakistani counterpart Makhdoom Mohammad Amin Fahim, during their meeting yesterday, expressed “joint wish” that business visa regime needs to be liberalised at the earliest.
“It was noted that a formal decision on this is expected at the forthcoming meeting of the Home Secretary of India and the Secretary of the Ministry of Interior of Pakistan,” a joint statement released today said.
Although India has sought the date for the meeting after May 22, the schedule is yet to be finalised.
Giving impetus to people-to-people contact and trade ties with Pakistan, India yesterday opened a modern Integrated Check Post (ICP), equipped with a dedicated passenger terminal and sprawling cargo facility, built at cost of Rs 150 crore, at Attari.
As per the statement, Pakistan side stated that through a Cabinet decision in 2009, the flow of items is linked to provision of adequate infrastructure at the check post.
“…It (Pakistan) would take the case to the Cabinet on the basis of the additional capacity created through the new ICP,” the statement said adding Pakistan will take necessary steps to remove extant restriction on items permitted through the land route.
The objective of ICP is to permit all items not in the ‘negative list’ to be traded across the land border at Attari-Wagah. The two ministers also expressed their wish that discussions may continue at the official level for possibilities of opening more land customs stations.
Except 1,209 items in the ‘Negative List’, Pakistan now allows import of all other Indian goods even as only 137 items are allowed through land route. (PTI)
Bashir new Pak envoy to India
ISLAMABAD, Apr 14:
Pakistan’s former Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, who has been part of the post-26/11 Indo-Pak dialogue process, is the country’s new High Commissioner to India.
60-year-old Bashir has been appointed as the new envoy to India in place of Shahid Malik, Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Ahmed Khan announced today.
Bashir had served as Foreign Secretary from 2008 to March this year, when Jalil Abbas Jillani took over from him.
The former Pakistan Foreign Secretary has been part of the Indo-Pak dialogue process following the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
He also served as the Ambassador to Denmark, Lithuania, China and Mongolia and did a stint at Pakistan’s Mission to the United Nations in Geneva.
Bashir had travelled to New Delhi when President Asif Ali Zardari made a day-long private visit to India on April 8.
During the visit, Zardari had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over lunch and offered prayers at the Sufi shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer. (PTI)
Protest against distt admn, Health Deptt; people block NH for 2 hrs
Excelsior Correspondent
RAMBAN, Apr 14: Hundreds of people today blocked Jammu-Srinagar National Highway for nearly two hours near here in protest against alleged inadequate steps by the district administration in rescuing the accident victims from the river Chenab while as a group of people held demonstration against the Health Department over the harassment meted out to a pregnant woman in the District Hospital.
Around 400 people gathered at the site from where a Tata Sumo rolled down into river Chenab yesterday evening and blocked the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in protest against alleged inadequate steps taken by the district administration in rescuing the occupants of the ill-fated vehicle.
“It was due to inadequate steps by the administration that neither lives of those traveling in the Tata Sumo could be saved nor their bodies recovered”, they alleged, adding “had there been proper coordination between different Government agencies situation could have been different”.
Nearly two hour long protest demonstration came to an end only after the civil and police administration conveyed to the agitating people that Deputy Commissioner, Ramban, has approached the Power Development Corporation (PDC) authorities to stop flow of water from Baglihar dam.
Soon after the flow of water from Baglihar was stopped, the rescue operation was resumed under the supervision of Additional Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner Revenue. After hectic efforts, the chassis of ill-fated Tata Sumo and dead body of one Razwana Bano, daughter of Mohd Ashraf of Tatarsoo were recovered.
For tracing out the remaining three dead bodies search operation on both the banks of river from Ramban to Dharamkund was launched but to no avail. The district administration Ramban has also alerted the Reasi and Jammu administration to check the dead bodies if any noticed in the river Chenab in their areas.
Meanwhile, report said that a pregnant woman namely Nusrat Begum, wife of Sajjad Ahmed of Chanderkote was brought to the District Hospital on April 12 after she started experiencing labour pains. However, the doctors sent her back to home after administering some injections on the ground that delivery would take more time.
Yesterday evening, the woman was again brought to the hospital after she found it difficult to bear the labour pain. However, her attendants were advised by the doctor on duty to shift her to Jammu on the ground that she was facing some complications.
However, the attendants objected to this advise of the doctor and sought to know why pregnancy complications cannot be handled in the District Hospital, which according to the tall claims of the Health Department, was fully equipped to handle all sorts of cases.
While the attendants of the woman and the doctor were busy in arguments, Nusrat Begum delivered baby in the corridors of the hospital following which she was immediately taken to Labour Room. Later, both the woman and the baby were shifted to the ward hale and hearty.
As the doctor’s words about complications proved wrong with the normal delivery, the relatives and family members of woman held protest demonstration against the hospital authorities and even smashed window panes of the hospital. However, the situation was brought under control with the intervention of Chief Medical Officer (CMO).
Authorities devise roadmap for summer, yatra, militancy
Army to man heights of Baba Amarnath shrine
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 14: Authorities today devised a roadmap to ensure a peaceful summer, Amarnath yatra and Durbar Move this year in the Kashmir valley. They also finalized a strategy to ensure zero level of infiltration on the Line of Control (LoC), which has been maintained during first quarter of the current year.
The strategy was formulated at a high level three hour long security review meeting held in Srinagar, which was attended by top brass of police, Army, para-military forces and Intelligence agencies.
The meeting among others was attended by Director General of Police (DGP) Kuldeep Khoda, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 15 Corps, Lt Gen S A Hasnain, all Commanders of the Army Divisions operating in the Kashmir valley, Additional DGP (Law and Order) K Rajendera, IGP Kashmir SM Sahai, IG CID Dr B Srinivas and top officials of CRPF, BSF, IB and other agencies.
The meeting was follow up of the security review undertaken by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in Jammu on April 10.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the high level meeting devised a roadmap to maintain peaceful summer and ensure fool proof security of tourist spots to keep summer abuzz in the Kashmir valley and prevent any repeat of 2010 like situation when over 100 persons were killed in the protests.
However, 2011 summer had been completely peaceful in the Valley.
Sources said the meeting decided to take care of “trigger points”, who could provoke the youth to street protests.
‘‘Various formulas have been worked out to deal with separatists, militants, youths and other provocative forces”, sources said, adding all security and police agencies would keep the youth engaged in different activities.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has already announced withdrawal of cases against about 5000 youth, mostly stone pelters of 2010 summer. Sources said police have decided to expedite the process of withdrawal of cases as a Confidence Building Measure (CBM) among the youth. The process of withdrawal of cases would be completed within a month’s time, they added.
The authorities have decided to beef up security of all tourist spots across the Valley in view of heavy rush of tourists expected in the months of May-July. Intelligence agencies had reports that the militants could target tourists to spoil peak tourist season in summer. However, authorities said, there was nothing to worry for the tourists as fool-proof security arrangements were being made for their visits.
Amarnath yatra security also came under a high level review during the meeting, sources said, adding it was decided that Army would man heights of Baltal and Pahalgam, the twin tracks leading to holy cave shrine of Shri Amarnath ji in South Kashmir Himalayas.
Para-military forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police would dominate rest of the areas including parts of tracks, base camps of Baltal and Nunwan (Pahalgam), Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu and two National Highways of Jammu-Pathankot and Jammu-Srinagar, sources said.
Deployment of security at Shri Amarnath Bhawan and the tracks would start with clearance of snowfall, sources said and added that the Union Home Ministry has already agreed to give additional companies of para-military forces for deployment of pilgrims’ security.
Pilgrimage to holy cave shrine of Amarnath ji is starting on June 25 and would culminate on August 2 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
The meeting expressed satisfaction over the level of militancy related incidents, which have considerably gone down across the State.
Mr Khoda said as against 2000 active militants in the State in 2006, there were just 175 militants left now including 145 in the Kashmir valley and 30 in Jammu.
“There has been zero infiltration at the Line of Control (LoC) this year. Army was determined to maintain this tempo on the LoC in the coming days as well especially when snow would start melting in next few days”, sources said, adding that Army was maintaining a high alert on the LoC to thwart intrusion bid.
The meeting noted that as against 25 militancy related incidents across the State so far, 55 incidents had been reported during corresponding period last year while only five civilians have been killed this year as against 14 last year.
Twenty-nine militants have been killed as against 27 last year while there had been no losses of security forces as against five fatalities suffered last year during the same period. The militancy related incidents so far were 50 per cent down from 2011 and 47 per cent from 2010, sources said, adding that such a downward trend in the militancy has never been witnessed.
The authorities also reviewed security for shifting of the Civil Secretariat, the seat of the Government, which would shift to Srinagar, the summer capital of the State from May 7 from Jammu for next six months.
142 GOs among 333 officials booked by SVO in graft cases
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 14: Nearly 333 public servants including 142 Gazetted and two IAS and some Directors were booked by the State Vigilance Organization in last three years and 443 cases were challaned in the court of law in last seven years in the State.
Authoritative sources told the Excelsior that from January 2009 to ending December 2011, a total 187 cases were registered against 333 public servants including 142 Gazetted officers and high ranking officers by the Vigilance Organisation. The percentage of the proved cases which was 65% in 2005 has increased to 90% in 2011. Not only this, in 23 cases convictions were awarded during this period by the courts of Special Judge Anti-Corruption, Jammu/ Srinagar against 25 persons including 7 Gazetted officers.
Records compiled from the Home department revealed that Vigilance case against the then Dy Commissioner Kupwara Sayed Shah Lateefe has been transferred to Anti-Corruption court Jammu from Srinagar, while the cases against the then Chief Engineer R&B Shamas Din Koka, the Chief Engineer R&B Nazir Ahmed Shah, the then Chief Engineer I&FC Ghulam Hasan Shah, the then Director Social Welfare Ghulam Nabi Boda, retired IAS officer H L Kadalbhuju, Gulam Ahmed Dar, Director Horticulture, Dr M K Bhutyal the then Director Health Services Jammu, Dr M P Gupta the then Director Health Services Jammu, Dr Abdul Majid the then CMO Jammu, Dr B B Sharma then BMO Bishnah, Ghulam Mohiuddin Rather the then ACR (the then Collector Pahalgam), Masooda Yasin the then Director Technical Education, Abdul Majid the then General Manager Govt Press Srinagar were in the evidence/ charge stage.
The case of ARTO Anantnag Ali Mohd Wani, Dr G A Mir, the then BMO Ganderbal, Ranjeet Kour, the then Principal Govt AMT School Srinagar, Ghulam Ahmed Dhobi, the then BMO Hajan, Abdul Rashid Allaqaband the then tehsildar Tral, Abdul Rashid the then SHO Awantipura, Gulam Mohd the then Nazar DC Office Anantnag, Mohd Ashraf Bhat the then BDO Sopore, Dr Mohd Ismail the then Distt Health Officer Baramulla, Abdul Qayoom Bhat the then Chief Accounts Officer Kupwara, Mehmood Ahmed Bhat the then AO PDC Bemina, Subhan Shah the then AO PDD Basant Bagh, Ahmed Ullah Shah, the then ZEO Nishat, Dr Ghulam Nabi the then director Health Kashmir, were also in the Evidence stage.
The senior officers against whom the cases were in the charge stage are- Muzaffar Ahmed Lal, the then Branch Managar State Cooperative Bank Kangan, Gulam H Shah Chief Engineer Kashmir, Sodagar Singh the then Project Officer DRDA Pulwama, Altaf Hussain Pandit, the then Xen RDD, Gulam Ahmed Gir the then SDM Kishtwar, Abdul Khaliq Malla the then Xen R&B Division Chadoora, Abdul Rashid Kema the then General Manager SFC, Haleem Parveen the then Distt Social Welfare Officer Budgam, Abdul Rashid Haji the then Xen Mech, Hakeem Muktiar Ahmed the then RO Rajwara, Fayaz Ahmed Mir, the then Assistant Commissioner Development Srinagar and Habib Ullah Mir, the then Tehsildar Pulwama.
The other senior officers against whom the Vigilance cases were pending in the courts or booked by the agency in the last five to seven years are- the then Divisional Manager SICOP Mohd Anwar, the then Assistant Director CAPD Sgr Tariq Ahmed Qadiri, Khursheed Ahmed Nath the then AEE R&B Magam, Dr Khursheed Alam the then Prof General Surgery SKIMS Sgr, Nazir Ahmed Chisti the then ZEO Kangan, Aga Sayed Jamal the then TSWO Beerwah, Abdul Samad Nazar the then TSWO Bandipora, Teerth Singh the then CMO Baramulla, Mehmooda Hakim the then TSWO Tangmarg, Saleema Azad the then TSWO Pattan, Farooq Ahmed Khooru the then AEE PHE Sumbal, Dr Saifuddin Khan the then CMO Baramulla, Ghulam Mohiddin the then AEE in BDO Office Shopian, Ghulam Hyder Mir the then Tehsildar Pulwama, Mohd Shafi Chikan the then Xen R&B Qazigund, Haleem Mufti the then DEO Pulwama, Kounsar Naqashbandi the then TSWO Tangmarg, Abdul Majid Nhat the then CMO Pulwama, Dr Bashir Ahmed Khan the then BMO Sallar, Mohd Shafi Dar the then Asstt Registrar Cooperative Society Humama, Rifat Qureshi the then CDPO Taral, Hamid Ullah the then Xen LAWDA, Sgr, Mohd Afzal the then CDPO Hajan, Mohd Ashraf the then Sports Officer, Sports Council Sgr, Baldev Singh the then Sports Officer, Dr Surinder Singh the then Distt Sheep Husbandry Officer Baramulla, Wali Mohd the then CEO Kupwara, Mohd Ramzan Nadaf the then Xen Housing Board Sgr, Abdul Ramid Mir Inspector JKAP 6th Bn, Abdul Majid the then CEO Pulwama, Ghulam Rasool Sheikh the then Xen Flood Control Div Baramulla, Sajjad Ali Bhat the then AEE SPCB Sgr, Ghulam Ahmed Nazar the then DyGM SFC, Habib Ullah Mir the then Tehsildar, Ghulam Hyder Bhat the then Director Agriculture Kashmir, Sami Ullah the then AEE REW, Zubeda Jhan the then Building Inspector SMC, G M Bhat the then AO SRTC, Nazir Ahmed Shah the then Xen R&B Sopore, Altaf Hussain Pandit the then Xen RDD, Bilal Ahmed cashier in ARTO office Pulwama, Wali Mohd Bhat the then Panchayat Officer Kupwara, Ghulam Qadiri the then ZEO Ganderbal, Mohd Shaban the then AAO in R&B Circle Anantnag, Sayed Gulam Nabi Geelani the then Principal Hr Sc School D H Pora, Mohd Akram Khan the then Tehsildar Chaddora, Noor Mohd Bhat the then Dy Director FPF, Beerwa, Ghulam Nabi Sheikh the then IPO DIC Sgr, Imtiaz Ahmed the then SO Hospitality and Protocol department, Muzaffar Iqbal the then Dy Director SWD Kashmir, Mir Naseem Ahmed then Chief Town Planner Kashmir, Mohd Afzal the then Xen Project Constt Circle –I Sgr, Abdul Hamid Shawl the then Xen PDD Bijbehara, Abdul Rashid the then PO ACD office Kupwara, Parvez Ahmed Naqash the then Xen Gulmarg Development Authority, Mohd Tariq the then Dy Dir SWD, Krishan Dass the then BDO Kalakote, Sham Lal the then Executive Officer NAC Katra, Inder Singh the then Director IPP Jammu, Bodh Raj Malagar the then Tehsildar / Chairman NAC Akhnoor, Mohd Aslam Qureshi the then VC JDA, Rajesah Pandoah the then Estates Manager SICOP, Udhampur, V P Malhotra the then Project Manager SICOP, Jammu, Mohd Anwar the then Project Engineer SICOP, O N Raina the then Jt Director Poultry Jammu, Ajit Kumar the then Commissioner Secretary Education, Janak Singh the then FA to Addl Chief Secretary, Education, Jatinder Kumar Gupta the then AO, Mohd Yousuf Gilkar the then Dy Custodian Poonch, Shaheen Akhtar the then ZEO Rajouri, Firdous Hussain the then Manager JK Bank Doda, Tarloki Nath the then BDO Lohai Malhar, Rajinder Parsad Manhas the then SDAO Doda, Daleep Singh the then AEO Marmat, Prithvi Raj the then ADAO Ramban, Muneer Hussain Astt Suptd Distt Jail Jammu, Mohd Hafiz the then ACR Poonch, Gh Rasool the then Tehsildar Surankote, Ashok Kumar Gupta the then Tehsildar Kathua, Diwan Singh the then Naib Tehsildar, K K Arora the then CE PWD, Parshotam Kumar Samnotra, the then Xen R&B, Satpal Pandoh the then Xen R&B, Mohinder Lal the then Forester/ Incharge RO IWDP Thandapani, Mohd Zaman the then Distt Officer KVIB Rajouri, Janak Singh the then Tehsildar recovery, Dr Naginder Sharma the then VC SKUAST, Ashok Kumar the then Registar SKUAST, Jammu, Iqbal Singh and Vijay Kumar (SKUAST),Narinder Singh the then I/C Asstt Director CAPD, Baldev Singh the then Inspector CAPD Jammu, Thakur Dass the then CEO Poonch and AO Jatinder Kumar Gupta in Education department, Jammu.
Hoteliers, residents of Pahalgam fail to appear before AG
Issue of ban on constructions
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 14: On one hand the Hoteliers and residents of Pahalgam area are raising hue and cry over the ban by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on constructions and repairs of residential houses and hotels and government’s failure to find a way out, while on the other hand they failed to come forward to find out a workable solution to the issue with the Government.
A Government spokesman said here that in order to find a way out for repairs of residential houses and hotels a meeting between the counsels of Hoteliers and local residents and Advocate General Mohammad Ishaq Qadri was scheduled in Advocate General’s chamber on April 12.
The spokesman said that neither the counsel of the residents nor the counsel of the hoteliers attended the meeting to find a solution to the problems faced by residents and hoteliers.
The meeting was scheduled for April 12 after residents and hoteliers of Pahalgam had a meeting with the Tourism Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Director Tourism Farooq Ahmad Shah, MLA Pahalgam Rafi Ahmad Mir and Chief Executive Officer of Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) to discuss the issue.
The Minister told the hoteliers and the residents of the area that they have not imposed any ban on constructions and were ready to help them out. The Minister assured them that a way out would be found to the issue legally.
It was resolved that the meeting to discuss the legality of the issue will be held on Monday in which the lawyers of the hoteliers and residents failed to appear.
It is worth mentioning here that in 2010, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court banned the constructions and repairs of hotels in order to save the fragile ecology of the tourist resort.
Last year not a single house or hotel was allowed to carry out repairs under the court orders and even necessary painting was not allowed.
However, after a plea made by the counsels of residents and hoteliers, the High Court recently allowed repairs of the legal residential houses and hotels without masonry work. But it was found that majority of the hotels and houses in Pahalgam have come up illegally without any proper permission from the Government.
It has been learnt that the five-member Enquiry Committee headed by Chief Executive Officer PDA had before the court that out of 177 constructions raised before the existing master plan (2005-25), 174 constructions have been raised without permission while as only three structures are with proper permission.
“Out of 174 structures raised without permission, only 41 were raised before 1980 while as thereafter 40 to 50 structures were raised during every 10 years,” the enquiry report with court revealed.
Out of these 174 structures without permission, 122 are residential, 45 commercial, six are commercial cum residential and one has been mentioned as other.
The court allowed the necessary repairs following plea by the residents and hoteliers that massive damage was caused to the buildings in Pahalgam due to heavy snowfall and last month’s windstorm.