SYED ALI SAFVI SRINAGAR, May 28: Incessant heavy rains have not only made life miserable for people here, but they have also exposed the underbelly of successive governments' claims for developing Srinagar city on modern lines. With inadequate draining system, choked flood and outfall channels, the historic Srinagar city is on the verge of getting completely submerged in flood water. According to official sources, Kashmir awaits a major flood catastrophe and government machinery has nothing in place to save Srinagar city and a major portion of the southern and northern part of the valley from being submerged. They said that Kashmir has witnessed major floods after every 50-55 years. Last time, the valley had faced major flood in 1959. Instead of dealing with the situation and make fool-proof arrangements for the safety of public, the sources said, the successive state governments have only made the matters worse by allowing colonies to be built on flood basins and active flood channels, thereby compounding the problem. The successive governments on one hand allowed Nowgam, Hyderpora, Bemina, Mehjoor Nagar colonies to be built on flood basins, and on the other hand stopped regular desilting of flood channels that only made the matters worse, the sources said. “The problem is that the existing flood channels and outfall channels have almost got choked,” they said. “27-km long outfall channels need urgent desilting otherwise the looming danger can prove devastating.” The sources added that state government had asked the centre to provide Rs 500 crore for cleaning outfall and flood channels. “The state government has received Rs 100 crore out of Rs 500 crore, sanctioned by the central government,” they said, adding that it will take almost four years to complete the desilting operation. Talking to Kashmir Times, minister for PHE, irrigation and flood control, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, said that 32 years of neglect could not be put right within a year. “Our engineers are mostly responsible for not keeping central government updated about the looming danger,” he said. “I have kept my fingers crossed. I pray to God to give me some time to set things right.” Admitting that situation had worsened after colonies were built on flood basins and flood channels, he said that the months of July, August and September were very crucial for the entire valley. “God forbid, if floods come, entire left part of Srinagar city and whole of Awantipora will be submerged,” he said. “Kashmir valley will be cut off from rest of the world as even the airport road will be flooded with several feet of water.” He said that he can not stop floods from coming, but he would try to minimize the damage. “Normally, a major flood remains for 20-25 days,” he said. “We have to get our act together to save human lives.” The minister, however, said that the present rains did not pose any danger. “Ending July, entire month of August and starting September are very crucial for the valley,” he said. “Presently, the heavy to moderate rains have been triggered by western disturbance.” Pertinently, throwing all norms to the wind, the National Conference (NC)-led government had in late 1990s constructed a shopping complex on active flood basin at Batamaloo. “Construction of complex at Batamaloo has had a huge impact on Hoker Sar, which has got filled up causing serious threat,” the official sources said. Not learning lessons from the past mistakes, the Congress-led government constructed state of the art Hajj House on flood basin, and now the present NC-Congress coalition government is hell-bent on developing a colony at Rakh Arath, which again is a flood basin.
SYED ALI SAFVI
SRINAGAR, May 27: In a major setback to state government’s plans for development of a ‘model’ colony for Dal dwellers at Rakh Arath, Congress president and UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, has cancelled her Srinagar visit following reports that the Congress president had expressed displeasure over the state government’s decision to rehabilitate Dal dwellers at Rakh Arath Bemina. Sonia was expected to arrive here on May 29 to lay foundation stone of the colony at Rakh Arath. However, she will keep her date with the people of Jammu. Sonia had also expressed desire to see the condition of Dal lake, the pollution level of which had her worried during her last visit to the Valley in October 2009. After Kashmir Times exposed the state government’s blunder to build a colony for Dal dwellers on a wetland on May 24, Sonia had sent minister of state in the Prime Minister's office and Congress in-charge for J&K, Prithviraj Chavan, on May 25 to undertake a spot inspection of the colony at Rakh Arath. According to J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) insiders, Chavan had visited Rakh Arath along with JKPCC president, Saif-ud-Din Soz and deputy chief minister, Tara Chand on the evening of May 25. “After inspecting the site, as directed by Soniaji, Chavan expressed discontent over government decision to rehabilitate Dal dwellers at Rakh Arath,” they said. “Almost all the plots were inundated with flood water.” They said after flying back to New Delhi, Chavan had briefed Sonia about the situation. “Madam ji got annoyed and decided against inaugurating the colony,” they added. According to sources close to the party, the internal bickering in JKPCC has also infuriated Sonia. They said that deputy chief minister, Tara Chand, had not taken JKPCC president, Saif-ud-Din Soz on board before deciding to invite the Congress president. “Since Sonia has ignored the invitation of Tara Chand, it has sent out a strong message to those elements who want to weaken the leadership of JKPCC,” they said. The party sources asserted that the deputy chief minister should have taken Soz into confidence before sending invitation to the party president. They said the partymen had prepared buntings, banners and flags, for Sonia’s visit. Senior JKPCC leader, Ghulam Nabi Monga said, “We were very excited and enthusiastic about her visit, but now the enthusiasm has all of a sudden died down.” Monga said that However, Sonia will keep her date with people of Jammu where she is expected to inaugurate a tribal cultural centre. According to sources, she is expected to have lunch at Ritz hotel with JKPCC president and other party leaders. Same day she will return back to Delhi. She is also expected to hold deliberations with JKPCC leaders to end the intensifying feud within the party. Recently, the JKPCC has been in news for wrong reasons only. JKPCC camp is split into two factions – Azad’s loyalists and Soz’s loyalists - and with each passing day the divide grows deeper and wider. Of late, Soz’s decision of accepting Kuka Parray’s son into the party fold had annoyed Azad’s loyalists. The verbal attacks did not remain confined to the Congress camp only. A series of verbal fights had ensued between senior NC and Congress leaders on different platforms in the recent past. It had all started when union minister and president NC, Farooq Abdullah, had, at a function, targeted bete-noire People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for attacking NC and not Congress over the issue of Indus Water Treaty (IWT). Farooq’s statement had not gone down well with Congress leaders, who were annoyed with senior Abdullah’s “unacceptable” statement. In wake of all these developments, Sonia’s visit holds much significance. Talking to a local news agency, Tara Chand said that he had not been personally informed about the decision, but he had come to know that Sonia had cancelled her Kashmir visit owing to her personal engagements. “She would be visiting Kashmir in near future,” he said. Pertinently, the colony (at Rakh Arath) inauguration by Sonia Gandhi had run into rough weather following reports that any type of construction was not feasible at Rakh Arath since it is basically a wetland. Experts believe that Rakh Arath project would prove to be a disaster. They are of the opinion that construction of concrete structures is not technically viable at Rath Arath, covering thousands of kanals of wet land.
SYED ALI SAFVI SRINAGAR, May 26: The preparations of government machinery viz INC president and UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi’s scheduled visit to Kashmir valley seem to have gone cold following last minute changes in her programme. According to reliable sources close to J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), Sonia has dropped the proposal of state government to lay foundation stone of a colony for Dal dwellers at Rakh Arath Bemina. Moreover, if sources are to be believed she will not be inaugurating Sangarmal shopping complex. “Sonia Ji’s programme will be finalized in Delhi,” said a senior Congress leader. The UPA chairperson is expected to arrive here on Saturday afternoon, May 29, 2010 after inaugurating Gujjar centre in Jammu. She is also expected to address a function organised by the Gujjar community. Earlier, Sonia was scheduled to lay foundation stone at Rakh Arath Bemina and address a public meeting there. According to sources, in wake of Sonia Gandhi’s visit, J&KPCC had prepared over 2000 vehicles to ferry people to the venue for the public rally. However, after the change in Sonia’s programme, all preparations seem to have gone cold. After inaugurating the tribal centre in J&K’s winter capital, Sonia will fly to Srinagar in the afternoon. Sources said after landing in Srinagar, the UPA chairperson will straight away drive to Sher-e Kashmir International Convocation Centre (SKICC) here, where she is expected to hold deliberations with chief minister, Omar Abdullah, on development scenario in the state. She will also review the progress of preparations for Prime Minister’s scheduled visit to the state next month. Moreover, at SKICC, Sonia will also hold talks with J&KPCC leaders to end the intensifying feuds within the party. Sources said that Dal lake will be the main focus of Sonia’s visit. She will see for herself the condition of Dal lake, pollution level of which had her worried during her last visit to the Valley in October 2009. New Delhi has been quite liberal in Dal cleaning project. The state government has so far received Rs 365 crore for the project on the intervention of Sonia Gandhi and PM Manmohan Singh. The Congress president, sources said, will not be visiting Rakh Arath; instead, she will hand over papers of the plots (at Rakh Arath) to Dal dwellers at a function at SKICC. The colony inauguration by Sonia Gandhi had run into rough weather following reports that any type of construction was not feasible at Rakh Arath since it is basically a wetland. The government machinery is facing severe hardships in completing the colony at Rakh Arath. Power Development department (PDD), Roads and Building (R&B) department, and Public Health Engineering (PHE) department have been working simultaneously day in and day out for the last two weeks to make the colony ready before May 29. The plots, which are supposed to be handed over to Dal dwellers, are inundated by flood waters, enough to cause embarrassment for the government before UPA chairperson. Pertinently, if that was not enough, the problems of state government compounded after a majority of Dal dwellers refused to accept the plots being given to them at Rakh Arath Bemina. Talking to Kashmir Times, a delegation of Dal dwellers said, “We don’t want to be rehabilitated at a place where we can not build houses. It is like we are being evacuated from one Dal and pushed into another.”
Experts believe that Rakh Arath project would prove to be a disaster. They are of the opinion that construction of concrete structures is not technically viable at Rath Arath, covering thousands of kanals of wet land. However, government has not paid any heed to their pleas and has gone ahead with the project.
SYED ALI SAFVI SRINAGAR, May 25: Despite facing tremendous financial problems, the government of Jammu and Kashmir is virtually throwing money of ‘Aam Aadmi’ down the drain, only to please Congress president and UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, whose party ironically boasts of the slogan “Congress ka haath, Aam aadmi ke saath”. The government is spending crores of rupees to make the colony at Rakh Aarth Bemina ready for UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, to lay its foundation stone on May 29. However, bulk of the money spent on the project so far has been wasted. The government machinery is facing severe hardships in completing Rakh Arath project. Power Development department (PDD), Roads and Building R&B) department, and Public Health Engineering (PHE) department are working simultaneously day in and day out to make the colony ready. However, it seems highly unlikely that the project will be completed in time. The plots, which are supposed to be handed over to Dal dwellers, are inundated by flood waters. R&B department had spent Rs 40 lakh on black topping of inner roads at Rakh Arath. Only two days after the black topping, the roads have developed cracks and some of them have got completely sunk. Now, the roads are again being earth filled. Thousands of tippers have been engaged to sand fill the plots. Temporarily it is a good move, but it can not work in the long run as the plots can get submerged in flood water of Hokersar, which is not far away from Rakh Arath. Pertinently, the water of Hokersar wetland, which also acts as flood reservoir, goes into the Rakh Arath. A top government official, seeking anonymity, told this newspaper that the Rakh Arath project was “complete flop show”. “The fact of the matter is that the state government is very concerned about Dal lake, but it is not concerned about Dal dwellers,” he said. “Temporarily Dal dwellers will be shifted to Rakh Arath in the name of rehabilitation, but in the long run government will repent for its illogical decision.” 
Stating that state government was wasting the money, a former minister told Kashmir Times on condition of anonymity that Rakh Arath was a flood zone and any type of construction was not feasible in the area. “Ten or 15 years down the line, the government will have to think again about the rehabilitation of Dal dwellers,” he said, alleging embezzlement and misappropriation of funds meant for development activities. In wake of Sonia Gandhi’s schedule visit, the pace of work has been accelerated. There are still hundreds of kanals of land submerged into water. PDD department has installed over 20 sub-stations and hundreds of electric poles in the area, in a rather haphazard manner. Pertinently, adding to sate government’s woes, Dal dwellers yesterday refused to accept the plots at Rakh Arath. Talking to Kashmir Times, a delegation of Dal dwellers said, “We don’t want to be rehabilitated at a place where we can not build houses. It is like we are being evacuated from one Dal and pushed into another.” Experts believe that Rakh Arath project would prove to be a disaster. They are of the opinion that construction of concrete structures is not technically viable at Rath Arath, covering thousands of kanals of wet land. However, government has not paid any heed to their pleas and has gone ahead with the project. “The wet lands we have in Kashmir have been chocked courtesy state government,” said a Municipal corporator. “Kashmir is a failed state. It is only sustaining on funds from India and then they go in the coffers of our so called leaders.”
LAWDA plans to develop 18,000 plots for rehabilitation of 10,600 Dal dwellers at a cost of Rs 402 crore over an available area of 7,625 kanals of land. In the first phase 3,000 kanals of land is being developed. Traditionally, Rakh Arath, which has now been filled with earth, used to act as flood reservoir. The earth filling of Rakh Arath has posed a grave risk to Bemina and adjoining villages of being submerged in flood waters.
SYED ALI SAFVI SRINAGAR, May 23: The countdown has begun. Days before UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi’s scheduled visit to the valley, the government machinery has started making preparations to make her visit a grand success. Sonia is expected to arrive here on May 29 to lay foundation stone of a colony for Dal dwellers at Rakh Arath Bemina. She is also expected to inaugurate Sangarmal shopping complex. However, the foundation stone laying ceremony for Dal dwellers may run into rough weather, as the incessant heavy rains have exposed the underbelly of the much-hyped-about project. Environmentalists and ecologists believe that Rakh Arath project would prove to be a disaster. They have been claiming ad infinitum that construction of concrete structures was not technically feasible and economically reasonable at Rath Arath, covering thousands of kanals of wet land. Without paying heed to the incessant pleas of environmentalists, the government has gone ahead with the project. About 7526 kanals of land at Rakh Arath Bemina was transferred to Lakes and Water Development Authority (LAWDA) to establish ‘model colony’ based on 14000 plots for rehabilitation of 80000 Dal dwellers. The project soon ran into controversy after some revenue officials were found involved in tempering with land records. The records of Rakh and Farms department are still lying with State Vigilance Organisation (SVO). Pertinently, the “model colony” has been partially submerged due to the incessant rains, which have exposed the underbelly of the project. If the heavy rains continue to lash the valley for next few days, the colony may get completely flooded enough to cause embarrassment for the government before UPA chairperson. Spread over five kilometers along 30 feet wide canal, Bemina is a highly flood-prone village. Traditionally, Rakh Arath, which has now been filled with earth, used to act as flood reservoir. The earth filling of Rakh Arath has posed a grave risk to inhabitants of old Bemina who find themselves sandwiched “between devil and the deep sea”. Earlier, according to reliable sources, the government had decided to construct the houses and allot them to the Dal dwellers, but the idea was shelved at the insistence of engineers who believed that the houses may develop cracks and collapse due to the nature of land. “It (Rakh Arath) is basically a marshy and muddy land,” said a geologist. “Houses can be constructed, but they will not last long.” Repeated demands by land owners to the concerned departments for drawing up line to demarcate Rakh Arath fell on deaf ears. The local farmers demanded that demarcation line be drawn so that their privately-owned land is separated from Rakh Arath. Earlier, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir had framed and directed the committee, headed by then Naib Tehsildar LAWDA, to visit the site and draw the demarcation line separating Rakh Arath and propriety land of the farmers. Pertinently, minister for animal husbandry, Aga Syed Ruhullah and minister of state for urban development, Nasir Aslam Wani had visited Rakh Arath on July 25, 2009. They had set August 5, 2009 deadline to draw the demarcation line along Rath Arath’s 7600 kanals of land. The land at Rakh Arath was actually owned by Rakh and Farms unit of Agriculture department, and had been under possession of farmers - most of them landless - for over fifty years. The farmers alleged that Rakh Arath staff had wrongly included their private land in the Rakh land. “I have official documents wherein it is clearly written that this land is my private property,” said Mohammad Ishaq of Shareefabad, while pointing towards a patch of land. The farmers also demand adequate compensation. A paltry sum of Rs 40,000 per kanal has been sanctioned by the government to be paid as compensation, while the market value of per kanal land is more than Rs 10 lakh. However, majority of land owners have not been paid any compensation yet. Irked by the “step motherly treatment”, a senior citizen of the area, Mohammad Ashraf Bhat, said: “The government, on one hand, has granted ownership rights to people who had forcibly and illegally occupied Sri Sarkar (government land), and on the other hand it is dispossessing the people from the land (Rakh Arath) which has been in their lawful possession over 50 years,” he said. Dal dwellers, on the other hand, also do not seem very optimistic. According to reports, they are selling off the plots allotted to them. Pertinently, chief minister, Omar Abdullah, while taking stock of centrally-sponsored Dal and Nageen Lake Development Projects at SKICC, along with Union Minister of State for Environment and Forest, Jairam Ramesh, last year had said that rehabilitation and resettlement of Dal dwellers should form the part of the overall Dal project. "Dal is not only a lake but a social and eco-system which has direct impact on large chunk of population and the survival of Srinagar city itself,” he had said. However, Omar’s assertion has proven to be a hoax. “I fail to understand why Dal dwellers are treated as second-class citizens. No doubt, preserving Dal lake must be government’s prime concern, but that does not mean Dal dwellers be damned,” said a local resident, adding that Dal dwellers were being evacuated from one Dal and pushed into another. The UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, is expected to reach here on May 29, 2010. She has expressed desire to see the condition of the Dal lake, the pollution level of which had her worried during her last visit to the Valley in October 2009. According to Congress insiders, Sonia would be undertaking the visit on the invitation of Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, who also holds portfolios of housing and urban development, which oversees the work of cleaning of Dal lake, since her last visit. Central government has been quite liberal in funding the Dal cleaning project. On the intervention of Sonia and PM Manmohan Singh, the state government has so far received Rs 356 crore for the project. Sonia Gandhi is also expected to inaugurate state of art Sangarmal Shopping Complex in Srinagar.
SYED ALI SAFVI SRINAGAR, May 21: Even as chief minister, Omar Abdullah, yesterday himself intervened to put an end to series of verbal spats between Congress and National Conference (NC) leaders, senior Congress leader and MLC, Abdul Gani Vakil, continued to spit venom at some elements trying to weaken the coalition government. Lashing out at those leaders who were making statements viz NC-Congress coalition government, Vakil, while speaking at a function at Nagrota to commemorate the 19th death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi, said that only Congress president and UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, were eligible to speak about fate of ongoing Congress-NC alliance. Without naming his beta noire and J&K Pradesh Congress Committee chief, Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz, Vakil said that Congress was a democratic party and no Tom, Dick and Harry had any right to comment on its future. Pertinently, Soz, while obliquely referring to NC party symbol, had recently stated that ‘hand’ (Congress symbol) was vital for ploughing. Brushing aside reports of friction between two coalition partners, Soz had asserted that “all is well” with the coalition government. The war of words between senior NC and Congress leaders has been hogging the headlines for quite a long time now. Talking to Kashmir Times, Vakil said that some leaders from both sides were trying to weaken the alliance. “The alliance will complete its full term and there are possibilities that NC and Congress may even contest the next assembly elections together,” he said. The rivalry between Soz and Vakil is not something new. Vakil has often been at loggerheads with Soz on different issues. When Soz was catapulted into helm of affairs of J&K-PCC, Vakil was not happy with the decision, and on more than one occasion he also publicly showed his displeasure. JKPCC camp is split into two factions – pro Soz and pro-Azad - and with each passing day the divide is growing deeper and wider. When senior Congress leader and union minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, had visited the state in April, he did not meet Soz. The two leaders had come face to face with each other at Royal Springs Golf Course, but they had not even exchanged a single word. Pertinently, Vakil is believed to be very close to Azad. The decision of Soz to accept Kuka Parray’s son into the party fold had annoyed Azad’s loyalists so much so that they publicly castigated Soz’s decisions, and blamed him for the internal strife within the Congress camp. At today’s function, Vakil said that Congress high command had repeatedly talked of strengthening NC-Congress alliance and it was the responsibility of every Congressman to abide by these directives. “NC-Congress coalition would last its full term and even may contest the next assembly elections together,” he said. “Two nationalist forces have no reason to part ways. We have been together in the past and in the present changed scenario, we have no option but to stick together.” He also asked the chief minister to set up an independent commission to probe into assets of both present and former ministers, MLAs, MLCs and MPs. “I volunteer myself. Let my assets, I have made during my entire career, be scrutinised first,” he told Kashmir Times. “Corrupt leaders should be strictly dealt with.” He had recently said that a number of ministers in Omar Abdullah’s cabinet, MPs, MLCs and MLAs besides a former Union Cabinet Minister and some former state ministers, were “neck deep in corruption.” Paying homage to Rajiv Gandhi, Vakil said: “Rajivjee always wanted to see Jammu and Kashmir prosper. He had made Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and his mother Shrimati Indira Gandhi as his role model and followed their footstep as prime minister of the country.” Vakil said that Rajiv Gandhi increased government support for science and technology and associated industries, and reduced import quotas, taxes and tariffs on technology-based industries, especially computers, airlines, defence and telecommunications. Vakil said that Rajiv Gandhi introduced measures significantly reducing Licence Raj, allowing businesses and individuals to purchase capital, consumer goods and import without bureaucratic restrictions besides announcing a National Policy on Education to modernize and expand higher education programs across India in 1986. Others who paid homage to Rajiv Gandhi included Minister of State for cooperatives Dr. Manohar Lal, Chief Jammu and Kashmir Seva Dal, Balvinder Singh Sambhyal and ex-minister, Gharu Ram.
SYED ALI SAFVI
SRINAGAR, May 21: They say time heals all wound. But some wounds never heal! Same is true with National Conference (NC) leadership. Senior NC leader and minister for rural development, Ali Mohammad Sagar, today paid rich tributes to late Mirwaiz Moulvi Mohammad Farooq on his 20th death anniversary, but forgot to utter a word about People’s Conference founder and slain separatist leader, Abdul Ghani Lone, whose death anniversary was also observed today. It seems the NC leadership has not forgotten the anti-NC role Lone played during his stint as member of legislative assembly. Did Sagar forget to mention Lone, or was it a part of political vendetta, NC style! Lone, was a bitter rival of NC founder, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, and as a legislator, he would always raise his voice against NC’s policies. He gave a tough time to Sheikh from the day of signing of the 1975 Indira-Sheikh accord, which brought Sheikh back to power in the state. Owing to his aggressive political nature, he was always disliked by NC top brass. Lone would often engage in verbal dual with NC leaders in the legislative assembly and sometimes he was marshaled out of the assembly hall. In 1977 polls, when NC managed almost a clean sweep in J&K, Lone won his seat comfortably. He was a face of north Kashmir and his People’s Conference had strong pockets of influence in Kupwara, the home district of the slain separatist leader. After winning 1977 election, Lone emerged as a strong opponent of NC’s policies and programmes. He dared to challenge the tallest leader of Kashmir, Sheikh Abdullah, in the legislative assembly and outside it. A courageous person by nature, Lone once had a verbal fight with Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Shah on the floor of the House. It seems the wounds he inflicted on NC have not yet fully healed. That’s perhaps the reason that NC leaders, while paying tribute to Moulvi Farooq on his death anniversary, preferred not to utter a word about Lone. Paying tributes to late Moulvi Farooq, Sagar said throughout his life the late Farooq fought tirelessly for the rights of people. He said the Mirwaiz family had played pivotal role in the spread of religious and moral education in Srinagar city. Addressing a function here today, he said Moulvi Farooq’s monumental role in burying the Sher-Bakra divide could never be forgotten. He said the late Mirwaiz always people’s interests close to his heart and that Sheikh Abdullah had great regard for him. Later, the meeting prayed for solace to his soul.
Good old days!
CM intervenes, seeks to strengthen alliance
SYED ALI SAFVI
SRINAGAR, May 20: Following series of verbal spats between Congress and National Conference (NC) leaders, chief minister, Omar Abdullah, today himself intervened and urged NC activists to strengthen the bond of NC-Congress coalition at grass root level. The chief minister’s statement comes in the back drop of a series of arguments and counter-arguments between senior NC and Congress leaders on different platforms in the recent past.
It all started when union minister and president NC, Farooq Abdullah, had at a function, targeted beta-noire People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for attacking NC and not Congress over the issue of Indus Water Treaty (IWT). “Why does not Mufti Mohammad Sayeed or PDP point fingers towards Congress. It was PDP leadership which backed Nehruji to sign the treaty while Sheikh Sahib was put behind the bars,” Farooq had said during Gram Sabha rally on Mar 13, 2010.
Farooq’s statement had not gone down well with Congress leaders, who were annoyed with senior Abdullah’s “unacceptable” statement.
If Farooq’s statement was not enough to upset the NC-Congress bonhomie, soon his brother and MLA Hazratbal, Dr Mustafa Kamal, and NC MP, Mehboob Beg, jumped on the band wagon, only to make the matters worse. Lashing out at Congress leadership, Kamal had said that it was NC that resurrected Congress in Kashmir.
“The present coalition is the best of a bad bargain,” he had told a vernacular daily. “The fact of matter is that Congress is hanging on to us. NC is a veteran party of Kashmir. Congress only won three seats from Kashmir.” Kamal had also said that the coalition was floating on “uneasy waters”.
After situation seemed to be slipping out of control, it was left to Farooq to do much needed damage control exercise.
Farooq asserted that the two leaders were not eligible to issue statements on behalf of the party. Brushing aside reports of cracks in the coalition, Farooq said that the coalition government in the state was working in close harmony and there were no differences between the partners.
Miffed over NC leadership’s assault on Congress, senior Congress leader and former minister, Abdul Gani Vakil, known for his PDP bashing, cautioned the chief minister against the activities of some elements trying to weaken the coalition government.
Terming the statements of Kamal and Beg “unfortunate”, Vakil said, “Such utterances are against the spirit with which UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi handed over the reigns of power in Jammu and Kashmir to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.”
“I am unable to understand the compulsions of these leaders which are forcing them to issue such statements,” he asserted. “NC leaders must take a lesson from Congress on how to respect the sentiments of a coalition government.”
In wake of all these developments, the chief minister today asked NC district leaders and party activists to strengthen the bonds of NC-Congress coalition at grassroots, making the people aware of the gigantic development programme the state has embarked upon under present dispensation for fast track and holistic development of all the regions of the state and its people.
Omar was addressing NC office holders of Kupwara district here.
He told the party activists to blunt the propaganda of opponents by apprising the people about the facts and developments of the past and taking place presently.
“Your opponents are misleading people on various issues and try to led astray young generation by playing politics of falsehood besmearing the historical facts,” he said and urged upon NC activists to present factual scenario of events before the people and apprise the young generation about the sacrifices made and hardships tolerated by National Conference and its leadership time and again to uphold the public cause and the interests of J&K state.
Omar asked the NC activists and office bearers to “girdle their loins” and work hard to realize the goal of Naya Kashmir.
“You have to rejuvenate the enthusiasm and determination in people at grass roots and involve them in the stupendous task of nation building,” he said, adding that close rapport between young and experienced is imperative in this regard.
The chief minister reminded them of the glorious past of NC and the sacrifices made by its leadership to salvage the people and safeguard their rights.
“Sher-i-Kashmir and his colleagues have passed on a rich legacy of selfless public service to us to inherit and impressed upon NC office bearers to propagate and disseminate the high principles of public commitment,” he said.
He said that NC had witnessed many vicissitudes but the party and its activists held the ground firmly and came out victorious always.
“We have to carry forward our legacy and mannerism and reach all sections of the society for redressal of grievances and socio-economic betterment,” he said, adding that the coalition government is working in tandem to seek equitable development of all areas of the state.
Advisors to Chief Minister, Mubarak Gul and Devender Singh Rana, Minister of State for Housing and PHE, Nasir Aslam Wani, Parliament Member, Sharief-ud-Din Shariq, legislators, district president NC Kupwara, Ch Mohammad Ramzan, Mir Saif ullah, Kafil-ur-Rehman former legislator Jamshed Lone also spoke on the occasion.
SYED ALI SAFVI SRINAGAR, May 18: The visiting two-member Amnesty International (AI) team, comprising Indian nationals BJ Batra and Gopala Krishnan, has asked the separatist and mainstream politicians not to pre-judge their visit. "We are here as Amnesty International representatives and not as citizens of any country," Batra told media persons outside Mirwaiz’s Nigeen residence here today. He said that they want all stakeholders, including Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, to cooperate with them.
“We are here to talk to all stakeholders with open mind,” Batra said.
The team today called upon chairman Hurriyat Conference (M), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman JKLF, Mohammad Yasin Malik, chairman JKLF (R) Farooq Ahmad Dar aka Bitta Karate, chairperson APDP, Parveena Ahangar, and Dr Hameeda Nayeem, wife of imprisoned senior separatist leader, Nayeem Akhtar. The delegation called on chairman Hurriyat Conference (M), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq at the latter’s Nigeen residence at around 12:00 PM. During the two-hour long interaction, Mirwaiz apprised the delegation about human rights violations, custodial killings, draconian laws like AFSPA, PSA, enforced disappearances, and Kashmiri people’s struggle for right to self determination.
Mirwaiz told the delegation that senior separatist leaders - Shabir Ahmad Shah and Nayeem Khan, and number of people who were detained under public safety act (PSA) were unlawfully and unconstitutionally kept under continuous detention. He told the team that despite court orders the government has not released the incarcerated leaders.
Casting aspersion on the role of judiciary in the state, which he claimed to be “partial”, Mirwaiz alleged that the judges “keep national interest in consideration instead of human rights violations”.
He claimed that the judiciary had never taken strong notice of human rights violations in the state.
Mirwaiz told the delegation that the human rights violations had taken alarming proportions in the state, adding that there was no freedom even for offering prayers.
Talking to a local news agency, Mirwaiz said that he had asked the AI team that it should take serious steps in identifying the cases of custodial disappearance, and for revocation of draconian laws in the state.
The team assured Mirwaiz that it would investigate incidents of human rights violations in toto.
According to a spokesman of Hurriyat Conference (M), Mirwaiz told the delegation that India was suppressing and subjugating innocent Kashmiris to strengthen its “illegal occupation”.
“Mirwaiz told the delegation that during 20 years of Kashmir conflict over one lakh innocent Kashmiris were killed, thousands were maimed for life, thousands of women were widowed, thousands of innocent denizens of the valley were killed in custody, and numbers of Kashmiri women were molested by security forces in the valley,” the spokesman said.
Mirwaiz expressed optimism that the Amnesty International would play an impartial and significant role and would stress upon India to put an end to unabated human rights violations in the state.
Senior Hurriyat Conference (M) leader, Shahid-ul Islam, was also present on the occasion. Later, the two-member AI team also met chairman Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Mohammad Yasin Malik, at Maqbool Manzil here.
Malik briefed the delegation about the plight of those women whose husbands disappeared in army and police custody.
“Those women are in a dilemma to call themselves married or widowed,” he told the delegation. “Their children have lost the parental care, but they can not be referred to as orphans as no body knows the whereabouts of their fathers.”
Malik told the delegation that if the chief of Indian Army staff and other leaders claim that there are only a few hundred militants present in Jammu and Kashmir then what is the justification of the presence of lakhs of troops in the state.
Referring to AFSPA, PSA and other draconian laws, Malik told the delegation that there was no moral justification of these laws in democratic setup. He urged upon the delegation for influencing New Delhi to revoke AFSPA in the state.
Malik also apprised the members about his Safar-e-Azadi campaign.
Earlier, the team drove to the office of breakaway JKLF (R) group, headed by Farooq Ahmad Dar aka Bita Karate, at Barbarshah here.
JKLF (R) senior vice chairman, Javed Ahmad Mir, senior leaders Rasikh Khursheed Dar, Wajahat Qureshi, Shafat Jan Shangloo, and Mohammad Rafiq Bhat were present on the occasion.
The JKLF (R) leaders briefed the team about unabated human rights violations in Kashmir. The team was told that Kashmir imbroglio was the only reason for HR violations committed by Indian security forces in the state.
The Amnesty team also met APDP chairperson Parveena Ahangar in her office, where the latter detailed them about the fate of the cases of disappeared persons and talked at length about the sufferings of the families. She informed that even approaching the courts had brought no justice and maintained that her organization, comprising of victims, was solely fighting for one issue.
“We only want to know the truth about our missing sons. Where did they vanish in custody of security forces? We want to know what happened to them,” she is reported to have told the AI team.
Later in the day, the AI team also met Dr Hameeda Nayeem, wife of incarcerated separatist leader Nayeem Ahmad Khan, at a local hotel here.
Hameeda said that the main focus of the team was on preventive detention.
“I told the delegation that Nayeem Sahab has been served PSA thrice in one year and three months,” Hameeda told Kashmir Times. “I also briefed them about his deteriorating health.” Stating that Nayeem has been put on drugs for life long, Nayeema told Kashmir Times that PSA has been used as instrument of torture and vendetta against her husband, Nayeem.
“Every time he (Nayeem) is arrested he is taken to Kathua jail. It seems as if Kathua jail has been specially made for him,” she said.
She said that the AI team had assured her that it will take up the issue with the government. According to reports, the team also met People's League leader Farooq Ahmad.
Investigate PSA cases, HR violations
SYED ALI SAFVI
SRINAGAR, May 17: To assess the human rights situation first-hand, two-member Amnesty International (AI) team, headed by Ramesh Gopal Krishna, arrived here in late afternoon today on a six-day visit. It is for the first time in 22 years of conflict that an international human rights agency has been allowed to visit the valley to asses the ground situation, viz human rights. Despite repeated pleas by human rights groups, government of India (GoI) had not allowed any international human rights organisation to visit the strife torn and conflict ridden valley of Kashmir. Although the doors of Kashmir have been thrown open for the Amnesty International- a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all - but it has not been allowed to open its office at New Delhi.
The team intends to investigate the cases of public safety act (PSA) and other draconian laws. The team will also collect gather information about the incidents of human rights violations committed over 22 years of conflict in Kashmir.
After arriving in Srinagar, the AI team, accompanied by convener of International People's Tribunal on Human Rights, Parvez Imroz, drove straight to the house of detained separatist leader and chairman Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Shabir Ahmad Shah.
In its two-hour stay in Shah’s house, the team inquired about the health of Shah from his family members and the party leaders.
Shah’s wife, Dr Bilkees, acting chairman of DFP, Maulana Mohammad Abdullah Tari and the party’s executive members, informed the team about Shah’s detention, his health, and the healthcare facilities provided to him in the jail. Talking to a local news agency, Dr Bilkees said that she had informed the AI team about her hardships which she has to face owing to the continuous detention of her husband. The AI was told that Shah was booked seven times under PSA during last two years. The team collected all the relevant details from the family in this connection.
Amnesty International has, in the past, condemned the use of “India’s brutal oppression” in Kashmir. The group had called upon US president, Barack Hussain Obama, to raise the issue with Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, in Washington.
"The Indian side of Kashmir is an area where the security forces commit mass human rights abuses with impunity...facilitated by the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and other similar laws," it had written to Obama.
When the issue of unidentified mass graves came to fore, the AI had urged Indian government to launch urgent investigations into the mass graves, “which are thought to contain the remains of victims of human rights abuses in the context of the armed conflict that has raged in the region since 1989”.
The team is slated to meet Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, JKLF chairman, Mohammad Yaseen Malik, and other separatist leaders tomorrow. On Wednesday, May 17, 2010 the team will interact with top government functionaries. The team is also likely to meet chief minister, Omar Abdullah, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, DGP, Kuldeep Khuda.
According to sources, the separatist leaders, during their interaction with the AI team, would apprise it of growing human rights violations, Shopian double murder and rape case, and the killings of three innocent students in Rainawari, Nishat and Lal Chowk this year.
Pertinently, even as mainstream and separatist leaders, including Hurriyat (M) chairman, have welcomed the visit of IA team, Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Geelani has described the visit of AI team as “hoax”, and has advised people not to expect much from the visit.
SYED ALI SAFVI
SRINAGAR, May 16: To tackle the growing incidents of stone pelting in the conflict ridden valley of Kashmir, J&K police, under special initiative, has decided to appoint stone pelters as special police officials (SPOs), and entrust them with responsibility of taking on their former stone-pelter partners.
According to reports, a special drive is being conducted statewide, in all the police stations to identify the leading stone pelters, who often take to streets and resort to stone pelting. The stone pelters have been divided into three groups. First group comprise of those youths who have mastered the art of stone pelting and do it to earn their living. Second group consists of students, and third group include amateur stone pelters mainly the unemployed youth. Police sources said that 85 youths have been appointed as SPOs and deployed in areas, which are most sensitive and infamous for stone pelting. They said that the incidents of stone pelting have considerably decreased after the deployment of stone pelters-turned-SPOs in the area. According to a senior police official, in order to combat the growing incidents of stone pelting, police decided to rope in stone pelters. “So far the experiment has paid rich dividends and the exercise will continue in future also,” he said. According to the reports, police is also contemplating to provide computer education to all “misguided” unemployed youth who have taken to stone for pecuniary gains.
As many as 3100 youths have been asked to report at their respective police stations in order to impart computer and vocational training to them so that they are able to earn their livelihood. Reports further said that 1800 students, who were found involved in stone pelting, were sent for all-India tour, where they went through counseling sessions and screening. “After going through counseling sessions, number of youths have vowed that they will never resort to stone pelting again,” said a police official. The state police believes that militant outfits based in Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK) particularly Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba have prepared dozens of groups who are paid to instigate stone pelting in the valley. The police claimed that these groups are paid between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 8 lakh, and a portion of this money is supposed to be paid to the stone pelters who pelt stones at police and paramilitary troopers. 'Kani jung' or stone pelting has been Kashmir's distinctive way of expressing pent up resentment about religious, social, political and administrative issues. The practice gained popularity in the 1960s -- when supporters of National Conference called sher (lions) and of the Awami Action Committee called bakra (goats) -- would indulge in clashes that were known as sher-bakra battles. Of late incidents of stone pelting have become a source of concern for both police and civil administration in the valley. Even slapping of public safety act (PSA) on more than 100 youth could not stop them from resorting to stone pelting. Not too long ago, the issue of stone pelting had also divided the separatist camp after a senior separatist leader had issued fatwa against it. "Stone pelting cannot be justified. Islam is about discipline and if the leaders are asking people to refrain from stone pelting then they should adhere to these directions. Prophet Muhammad too has asked us to refrain from it," Jamiat-e-Ahli-Hadees president Maulana Showkat Ahmed Shah has said. Castigating Maulana Showkat, chairman of Hurriyat Confeerence (G) Syed Ali Geelani had said that incidents of stone pelting were taking place in retaliation to the “tyranny of gun wielding troops”. "If troops allow us to hold innocuous and peaceful protests, why would we take to stone pelting," he says. Referring to the protest march on June 23, 2008, during the infamous Amarnath land row,” Geelani had said, "It was a peaceful protest, but they (troops) fired dozens of tear gas shells to disperse the protestors. How could an unarmed youth hold his nerve when he is provoked by the occupational forces?” Obliquely referring to Moulana Showkat's statement, another senior separatist leader, Shakeel Bakshi had said that those who were issuing fatwas against stone pelting in Kashmir were organising seminars in support of Palestinian youth and children resorting to the same method.
Over 150 villages plunge into darkness SYED ALI SAFVI SONPAH, May 14: Over 150 villages of Beerwah Tehsil in Budgam district plunged into darkness in the late evening yesterday as a mob of angry youth from Chewdara, Machom, Drunger and Wangun set ablaze Receiving Station here after a PDD daily wager, a local resident, died of electrocution while repairing a high tension wire at a nearby village. Massive protests were held against police and civil administration here today. Alleging that only daily wagers were being asked to repair transmission lines, the protesters said that the daily wager, Riyaz Ahmad Lone son of Ghulam Rasool of Machama Beerwah, was killed due to the negligence of PDD employees present in the receiving station, who had turned on the main switch at the station while Firoz was still repairing the lie . Officials said that as many as six feeders, including Beerwah, Arizal, Chewdara, Gondipora, Arwah and Najin, besides 250 sub stations have been affected. “Nine computers, old and new records, including fresh surveys conducted by the department, have turned into ashes," they added. A PDD official, pleading anonymity, told this paper that the incident happened due to the negligence of police and civil administration. “I fail to understand why the administration could not extinguish the fire in eight hours,” he said, adding that it smacks of a sinister conspiracy. A daily wage lineman of PDD department, Riyaz, was repairing a high tension wire at Chewdara village, 2 kilometers away from the receiving station yesterday evening between 6:00 to 6:15 pm, when he came in contact with a live wire, while performing duty, resulting in his on-the-spot- death. The protestors alleged that the main switch at the Receiving Station was switched on while Riyaz was still repairing the line. Two PDD employees, who were present in the receiving station, are missing since the incident. The residents of Sonpah village alleged that police and Tehsildar Beerwah, Abdul Hamid Zargar, could have saved the receiving station from being completely damaged, but they watched as mute spectators and allowed fire to spread, “We tried to rush towards the burning receiving station to douse the flames, but the police stopped us from reaching there,” said the irate Sonpah residents, who had gathered today on the lawn of gutted receiving station building. Castigating the role of police and civil administration, the residents alleged that police did not allow fire tender vehicle to reach the spot. “No official of district administration has bothered to pay a visit here to take stock of the situation,” they said, adding that even the concerned MLA, Dr Mohammad Shafi, had not turned up to assess the situation. Talking to Kashmir Times, Senior Engineer PDD Budgam said that the transmission cable has been completely damaged, adding that possibly electricity would be restored in a week’s time. “Outdoor equipments seem to be okay, but indoor equipments have been completely damaged,” he said, adding that nine computers and a printer were also completely damaged in the fire. “There were three persons present in the receiving station and all of them are very experienced,” he said. “Riyaz was also an experienced person. There must have been some miscommunication, which has led to the incident.” He said that emotional sentiments were misused by some miscreants who intentionally set the records on fire. Talking to Kashmir Times, SHO Beerwah refuted the allegation of people and said that people did not allow the fire tender vehicle to reach the spot. “They (protestors) pelted stones on the fire tender vehicle and it could not reach the spot,” he said. “We have limited man power in police stations,” he said. “Our primary concern was to avoid further casualty. We did our best to save other buildings from catching fire.” He said that police had identified the persons who were involved in the killing of the PDD daily wager. “Both of them are PDD employees. They will be arrested soon,” he said.
SYED ALI SAFVI DODPATHRI, May 13: Nestling amidst lush pine trees at an altitude of 3200 meters above sea level, Dodpathri, one of the largest meadows in Kashmir valley, is an exotic place with breathtaking landscape. However, the picturesque Dodpathri is virtually cut off from rest of the valley as result of dilapidated road network. The government is planning to officially throw open Dodpathri by the end of this month for foreign and domestic tourists. However, owing to slow pace of work on Bugroo-Khansahib-Dodpathri road, it is highly unlikely that the tourist spot can be opened in time.
Dodpathri is just 50 kilometers away from Srinagar city, but the rundown road makes it a perilous journey. The 12 kilometers stretch from Khansahib to Dodpathri is in dilapidated condition. If you are traveling to Dodpathri make sure you exercise utmost caution.
The state government has reiterated its commitment off and on that Dodpathri will be developed as a model tourist spot. However, lack of field staff coupled by untidy handling of project by R&B, PDD and PHE departments have become an impediment to the development of Dodpathri.
On October 12, 2009, minister for tourism, Nwang Rigzin Jora, had, in a project review meeting, directed the concerned executing agencies to start allotted works within a week, but the minister’s directions fell on deaf ears.
Funds to the tune of Rs 22.5 crore were allotted to R&B department for construction of 20 kilometers Bogru-Khansahib-Dodpathri road, but the department has failed to meet the deadline.
The department has paid Rs 20 lakh as land compensation to forest department against acquisition of forest land. The work, however, is going on at snail’s pace. So far, R&B department has failed to complete the road even up to Raiyar.
“We were expecting large number of tourists this season,” said an official of Dodpathri Development Authority (DDA). “We have lost all hope thanks to the non-serious attitude of R&B department which failed to build the road despite getting funds for the same.”
Jora had directed PHE department to provide basic facility of drinking water to the area out of its own funding, but the department failed to do so.
A DPR regarding the provision of drinking water supply at Dodpathri had been submitted by DDA to secretary to tourism department under state sector 2009-2010 vide no CEO/DDA/342 dated September 4, 2009. The project cost of the scheme was estimated to be Rs 242 lakh. The project never started.
Now, according to a revised DPR the estimated cost has gone up to Rs 304 lakh.
District Development Commissioner (DDC) Budgam, Mohammad Rafi, while chairing a review meeting on April 20, 2010 had directed the PHE department to explore means of funding the scheme on its own out of various schemes available with the department. However, not a single pipe has been laid for the purpose of providing drinking water to the area.
The department was also directed to provide water supply to the uncovered areas out of 24 villages/hamlets coming under the jurisdiction of DDA.
Similarly, Power Development Department (PDD) was directed to set up a receiving station at Khansahib Budgam having 6.3 MVA capacity for a length of 11.4 kilometers upto Parihas. The department was also directed to set up two sub stations between Parihas and Dodhpathri. Moreover, the PDD was asked to connect adjoining villages of Dodpathri through same feeding lines. For the purpose the department was directed to conduct a survey of the adjoining villages in coordination with DDA so that the status of connectivity of the adjoining villages could be ascertained for covering the area under government schemes.
SYED ALI SAFVI SRINAGAR, Apr 28: Next time you are handed over an appointment letter make sure you are not being duped. Budgam police has busted a well-organised gang of fraudsters, including a defeated candidate of Budgam assembly segment, who were involved in duping unemployed youth by issuing them bogus appointment orders in different government departments, and in the process had managed to amass over Rs one crore, collected from many a gullible unemployed youth of the valley. The scam is a first of its kind in Kashmir. The gang was using fake rubber stamps of chief conservator forests (CCF) Kashmir, and of revenue officials for making fraudulent revenue papers. The team had also managed to acquire copies of daily wagers, casual labourer, helper list of forest department engaged in 1987. “After getting information about the scam, police swung into action and conducted raids to nab the culprits,” SSP Budgam, Aftab Ahmad Kakroo told the Kashmir Times. He said that police had so far arrested nine members of the gang, including the kingpin Mohammad Ashraf Ahangar, son of Mohammad Akbar Ahangar of Arth Budgam. Kakroo said that more arrests were expected. Ashraf, the kingpin, had unsuccessfully contested 2008 assembly election from Budgam assembly segment on Jammu and Kashmir Labour Party ticket. “Ashraf had set up offices of wallpaper business at Hyderpora and Tengpora, and had also opened another office of National Security Network Private Ltd at Hyderpora,” Kakroo said. “He was acting as a self-styled managing director, and had collected Rs four lakh from the unemployed youth for providing them jobs of security guards in hospitals and private establishments.” Another member of the gang, Farooq Ahmad Sheikh, son of Abdul Salaam of Gulshan Pora Tral, who acted as self-styled assistant executive officer (AEE) of urban environment engineering department (UEED) had issued fraudulent appointment orders to the employed youth and had taken them to some fake sites for joining. Other members of the gang, who were arrested by the police, included Farooq Ahmad, son of Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh of Dafpora Nasrullapora Budgam and Abdul Qayoom Sheikh, son of Abdul Rehman of Bagwanpora Noorbagh. The former acted as a self-styled PA to AEE, and the latter as a supervisor. Kakroo told Kashmir Times that the police had seized 10 fake appointment orders of UEED, eight rubber stamps including stamp of chief conservator forests Kashmir, butter paper for making fake seals, fake revenue documents, photocopy of daily wagers, casual labourer, helper list of forest department engaged in 1987, original photocopies of qualification and date of birth (DoB) certificates and photographs of candidates from various parts of the valley. Police also seized various passbooks and other bank related transaction papers of different banks amounting to Rs 50 lakh, three cheques of Rs 2,30,000 in favour of account number 14449/SB and 904/SB of J&K bank Awantipora and Hyderpora branch respectively, he said. “We have seized the bank accounts and have intensified the investigation,” Kakroo said. The police had filed a case under FIR number 129/2010 under section 120, 170, 468, 471, 474/ 120B RPC at police station Budgam.
KT NEWS SERVICE SRINAGAR, Apr 24: In less than a month, the increasingly deadly Bemina-Mirgund road was again painted red when a loaded truck, bearing registration number JK05-4179, crushed to death a 16-year old boy this evening at Khomeini Chowk Bemina. According to eyewitnesses, the boy - Arshid Hussain Bhat, son of Mohammad Sadiq Bhat of Hakermulla Bemina - was on his way to home when a speedy truck hit him near Safvi Abad Bemina. The boy was rushed to SKIMS Bemina where he succumbed to his injuries. Meanwhile, driver of the truck, Mohammad Shafi Bhat of Bijbehara Anantnag, who had fled from the scene, later surrendered to police this evening. Massive Protests Massive protests rocked Bemina and adjoining areas against the killing of the boy. The irate people, shouting slogans, smashed window panes of the truck. The protestors took to streets and restricted vehicular traffic. When police reached the spot, the protestors - who were trying to torch the truck - pelted stones on them. Violent clashes between police and protestors were going on when last reports came. The protestors were demanding a ban on the movement of heavy vehicles in the area. The protestors accused the district administration of failing to keep a check on the movement of heavy vehicles in the area. Not learning from past mistakes It seems authorities have not learnt from the past mistakes. The district administration Budgam had decided to construct speed breakers at important installations, but the idea has remained on paper. There is hardly a speed breaker on the road, which makes it more vulnerable. The authorities have not deemed it necessary to construct a speed-breaker even near schools. Over 1500 tippers ply on Bemina-Mirgund road round the clock. Given the traffic flow and width of the road, this five kilometer stretch is considered accident prone. The road has claimed several precious lives and half a dozen have been maimed for life, but no substantial measure has been taken by the concerned authorities to save human lives. Restrictions: All areas falling within the Municipality limit have been declared ‘no entry’ zones for heavy loaded tippers and trucks during day hours. The order, unfortunately, is partly implemented. Superintendent of police Budgam, Aftab Ahmad Kakroo, had told this news paper on March 17, 2010 that he had directed SHO Parimpora and DSP Traffic to ensure that tippers and trucks are not parked on roadside during restriction hours. However, the order is being observed in breach. There are number of tippers and trucks parked on the roadside during restriction hours. Kakroo had also told this paper that nakas would be set up at Mirgund, Sepden, Khumeini Chowk and Bemina Bypass to restrict the movement of tippers during restriction hours. “I have directed DSP Traffic to ensure there is no tipper parked on Bemina-Budgam road during restriction hours. He will also ensure that tippers are driven at modest speed and strictly deal with those drivers who try to overtake,” he had said. However, one would hardly come across a policeman deputed on vital areas like Mirgund chowk, Sepden chowk and Khomeini chowk, to keep a check on speed of vehicles after the restriction hours. Fatal mishaps: On March 17, 2010 a nine-year old boy – on his way to Madrasa (religious school) – was killed when a rashly driven tipper, bearing registration number JK01F/0904, ran over him. The boy was shifted to SKIMS Soura where he succumbed to his injuries. On March 28, 1010 a tipper, bearing registration number JK04-7922 driven by Shabir Ahmad Bhat son of Farooq Ahmad resident of Hakermulla Budgam had killed a mother daughter duo of Daniwara Chattabalnear Abu Turrab Chowk Sepdan in Budgam district.
KT NEWS SERVICE
SRINAGAR, Apr 24: District hospital Budgam has often been in news for the wrong reasons. In the absence of a specialist sonologist, the hospital’s ultrasonography section is running at the mercy of a few assistant surgeons, who are not certified to conduct sonography. A delegation from Budgam told the Kashmir Times that their repeated pleas to the authorities have fallen on deaf ears. “There are two-three doctors who conduct ultrasonography, but none of them is specialist in sonology,” the delegation said. “We are compelled to take our patients to private clinics for conducting untrasound diagnosis.” The delegation alleged that the concerned authorities are not taken the hospital seriously. “We had brought the matter to the notice of health minister, but he did not bother to pay heed to us,” the delegation said. “Even the district administration has left it at the mercy of God.” They said that nine out of ten patients, who receive ultrasound, are diagnosed as having cysts. “When one of such patients was operated for diagnosed hydatid cyst, the doctors operating on him found that he had no cyst,” they said. The delegation added that the graveness of the situation can be gauged from the fact that a stone medicine worth Rs 30000 was prescribed by doctors to patients in a single week. When contacted, medical superintendent of district hospital Budgam, Dr Nazir Ahmad Qanoongo, refuted the allegations. “These are baseless allegations. Our hospital has already three sonologists, who are well qualified,” he told Kashmir Times.
SYED ALI SAFVI
BUDGAM, Apr 22: Chief Information Commissioner of government of India, Wajahat Habibullah, has appealed to Jammu and Kashmir government to set up state information commission to bring transparency and accountability in the administration.
“It is imperative for the state government to set up State Information Commission. The state government has already implemented the RTI act, but the onus is on the government and the people of the state to take it forward and further strengthen it,” said Habibullah who had wished to join J&K state information commission as its chief.
“Dreams sometimes cannot be fulfilled,” he told media persons on the sidelines of a day-long awareness programme cum workshop, organized by J&K RTI movement in collaboration with commonwealth human rights initiative (CHRI) and district administration Budgam at Sheikh-ul-Alam Hall here.
Habibullah was the chief guest on the occasion. Stating that complaints on human rights violations can also be sought under right to information (RTI) act, Habibullah said that so far his office had only received one application regarding human rights violation.
“Complaints about custodial killings, disappearance or complain against BSF, CRPF or CSF can be filed before the commission,” he said. J&K has its own laws, and I believe RTI would be more successful in J&K than in any other state, he said.
Underlying the role of Panchayats in strengthening RTI act, Habibullah said that Panchayat elections should be held in the state and subsequently Panchayats should be empowered so that they act as a medium between government and masses.
“Panchayats’ role is very vital in spreading awareness about RTI and for its successful implementation,” he said. He said that RTI law in India had become so popular that several countries had adopted it to bring transparency in the governance. He said Nepal, Bangladesh and Indonesia had already implemented the law.
“In Bangladesh, even private sector has also been brought under the ambit of RTI act,” he said, adding that recently World Bank has also adopted the act. Habibullah said that Delhi high court should be complimented for its repeated verdict to induce transparency as desired under RTI act.
Stating that the government of India was not doing its best to spread awareness about RTI act, he said the onus was on the people to spread awareness among those who do not have any idea about the act. He said that when people realize that their grievances are not mitigated and they are not being heard, they resort to stone pelting.
He said that the official records in government offices should be digitized so that people do not have to go to offices to seek information.“In other parts of the country, people get information on their cell phones,” he said. Referring to a study conducted in 11 states by one of his friends, Habibullah said that 40 per cent of the people who had availed of RTI act were illiterate.
“Thanks to RTI act, a common man has been empowered,” he said. “People can even seek information about the material used in the construction of roads.”
In her address, Carin Joda Fisher, a German-America working on rural development in remote areas of Kashmir, said that she envisioned an environment disaster on horizon in Kashmir. “I have been all over India, but I have never seen anything like this,” she said.
Fisher counsels timber smugglers and wants to create alternative livelihood arrangements for them. Fisher said that her focus was on environment and she had come to know that the environmental catastrophe in the valley was the direct result of poverty.
“I don’t believe in arresting people who cut trees. They do this because they have no option. Timber smugglers should be provided alternative livelihood if government wants to save forests,” she said, adding that she had worked for two years with timber smugglers of 60 villages in Baramulla district.
“I try to look at horticulture, agriculture to create an alternative livelihood arrangement for timber smugglers,” Fisher said.
She said that there was lot of money flown from the centre into Kashmir, but unfortunately in remote areas there was no evidence of money reaching to the needy. Fisher said there was a political interference in the distribution of money, and the officials had no fault as they had no choice.
“RTI is a wonderful tool for people to have the information about the funding they are entitled to,” she said. Speaking on the occasion, district development commissioner Budgam, Mohammad Rafi, asked the district administration to look at it (RTI act) as instrument of support.
“People have every right to know about the ongoing development works in the district,” he told his officers. “District administration is liable to give information to the applicant under RTI act.”
He said that RTI would empower a common man and transform electoral democracy into participatory democracy.
“I assure you all who are present here and the activists of RTI movement, on behalf of the district administration, that officials of the district will extend their support and cooperation to the applicant who seeks information under RTI act,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, convener J&K RTI movement, Dr Raja Muzaffar, said that the RTI act would transform electoral democracy into participatory democracy.
“If a bill is passed in the assembly, the legislators do not consult members of the civil society or the people they are representing,” he said.
He said that MLAs should consult people of their respective constituencies before passing any law in the assembly. He said that government departments need to digitise their official record so that it is easily available on net to those who seek information. Additional district development commissioner Budgam, and a few activists of J&K RTI movement also spoke on the occasion. Later, a question-answer session was also held. Commotion at workshop
The workshop proceeding took an ugly turn when deputy commissioner, Budgam Mohammd Rafi objected to spate of accusations against the district administration hurled by vice chairman J&K RTI movement, Dr Sheikh Ghulam Rasool, in his address.
Rasool was pinpointing loopholes in the functioning of some departments of district administration when the deputy commissioner got up from his seat and asked Rasool to stop “hurling accusations after accusations against my district officials”.
Following a verbal dual between Rafi and Rassol, Rafi’s guards whisked away Rasool. Soon the RTI activists present in the hall objected and while raising slogans they left the hall.
"We are public servants by conviction, not by compulsion,” said Rafi. “We are answerable to God for all our actions”. He appreciated the youths associated with RTI movement and lauded their work, but asked them not to hurl accusations in the name of RTI without any evidence.
“The idea should not be to hurl accusations of all kind as if the officer is in the dock,” he said. “This is against the very idea of holding such sessions.”
He asked Rasool, who is also assistant surgeon in directorate of health services department, to “make a decision today”.
“He should take a position today. He has not got the mandate to hurl accusations after accusation against government officials without given them the opportunity to defend themselves,” he said. He appealed the RTI activists, who had left the hall, to come back so that the programme could be resumed without any He said that RTI is a medium to bring transparency and accountability in the governance, not to spread aggression.
