Billing LIQUOR
The bill to prohibit the manufacture, sale and purchase, consumption, import and export of liquor is likely to get introduced in the coming Assembly session of JK scheduled to be held on September 30th.
The PDP leader and MLA from Lolab constituency Advocate Abdul Haq Khan while submitting the bill in the legislative assembly said that the consumption of liquor is the most dreadful trend in the society and to eradicate the menace should be the prime concern of every citizen. Commenting on the bill, the PDP legislator said that the deadly substance not only imperils person’s health but also undermines the ethical and the moral values of the society.
The speaker of the JK Legislative assembly Mubarak Gul while confirming that the Bill was submitted in the assembly by the PDP legislator said that if the bill is submitted under rules and regulations, it could be discussed on the floor of the house.
Sources said that the bill submitted by the PDP legislator stresses the need to impose ban on the sale and purchase, consumption, import and export of liquor. The bill further mentions that the advertisements encouraging the liquor consumption should be stopped at the earliest. The bill has further stressed that any such person/organization that directly or indirectly encourages the Alcohol consumption among the masses should be brought to the book and imprisoned for 3 years or a fine of Rs 50,000 be imposed on him or both.
The bill advocates the need that the Registered Medical Practioner may after due medical examination, Prescribe Alchol to any person only for the purpose of improving patient’s health.
According to Sources, the bill demands the 6 months imprisonment and the fine of Rs 50, 000 to the medical Practioner, if found involved in the issuance of false prescription.
The bill demands that no court other than the court of Judicial Magistrate 1st class shall take the cognizance of, any try, any offence under this act. The bill demands further that no court shall take cognizance of any offensive under this act except on a report in writing of a police officer not below the rank of sub Inspector with respect to the offence.
Investing STATE
An apex industry body The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) Tuesday said that Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has recorded second highest rate of investment implementation amid industrialized states across India as of March 2013 with over 81 per cent of total investment projects under implementation.
“Though, J&K has attracted investments worth just over Rs 1.22 lakh crore from various public and private sources as of March 2013, investment projects worth over Rs one lakh crore are under implementation in the state while rest of the projects with about 19 per cent investments remained a non-starter,” the statement reads quoting an investment analysis conducted by ASSOCHAM.
“Though, the private investments in the state grew at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 56 per cent during the decadal period of March 2003-March 2013, the private sector share was just 22.5 per cent of the total investments attracted by J&K, which is worrisome as such the state should provide more sops, tax concessions and other such subsidies to lure private investors in large numbers,” said Mr D.S. Rawat, national secretary general of ASSOCHAM while releasing the chamber’s analysis.
“While the per-capita investment in J&K grew at a CAGR of about 20 per cent during the last decade i.e. from over Rs 16,200 in March 2003 to over Rs 97,950 as of March 2013,” said Mr Rawat.
However, it says, in J&K, while over 18 per cent investments were in the announcement stage as of March 2013, there is no information of the remaining projects and there is no project that has been stalled highlighted the ASSOCHAM analysis.
“The prevailing unstable external and internal economic conditions, high inflation, credit availability and its cost along with a host of local problems like delays owing to land acquisition have been affecting the investment scenario in India,” said Mr Rawat. “Only states that try to address genuine concerns of investors to possible extent see higher implementation rates.”
Inadequate addressal of project induced displacement, failure of implementation of Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) policies, environmental clearances, bureaucratic delays, lack of clear cut policies and others have been contributing to lower implementation rates of investment projects in India, further highlighted the ASSOCHAM analysis.
Gujarat has recorded lowest investment implementation rate as just about 46 per cent of the total investment projects in the Western state are under the stage of implementation while the rest remained non-starter as of March 2013.
Another CASE
A day after local court granted bail to incarcerated Muslim League Chairman Masrat Alam Bhat, Police on Tuesday registered another case against him and shifted him to Baramulla jail.
“Police Station Bandipora on Tuesday implicated Alam in a case masarat alam bhat FIR No. 220-13ULA/ 2009 (Unlawful Activities Act) and was produced before a local court at afternoon where from he was sent to Sub district jail Baramulla for judicial remand till September 30,” Muslim League General Secretary Abdul Ahad Parra told a news gathering agency.
“After Supreme Court directions to State not to slap PSA on Masrat on similar grounds, the State is now framing him in false cases and illegally detaining him in different Police Stations by ensuring that he does not receive bail in any case framed against him,” Parra added.
Meanwhile, activists from Muslim League on Tuesday morning staged a peaceful protest in Press Enclave here in Srinagar demanding immediate release of its Chairman Masrat Alam who is continuously languishing in different jails since 2010.
Pertinently, on Monday a local court granted bail to Alam in a case FIR No. 99-13ULA/ 2008 (Unlawful Activities Act) but he was re-arrested and shifted to Police Station Bandipora.
Other FRONT
Putting speculations to rest ahead of the coming assembly elections scheduled to take place next year, the much anticipated Third Front—a combination of different shades of political opinions took shape Wednesday at a formal meeting in Srinagar.
After hectic deliberations which lasted for over three hours, a spokesman of the Third Front issued a communiqué highlighting many important issues.
According to the Communiqué issued by Third Front, the political uncertainty is at the heart of all problems faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Third Front leaders have said that there is no security solution to the Kashmir issue and the leadership of India and Pakistan need to exhibit statesmanship to find out acceptable solution to all outstanding issues including Kashmir. “India and Pakistan cannot afford to continue with the present hostile atmosphere and for this alternative solutions are to be looked into. It is our firm belief that only a sustained, meaningful dialogue can lead the two countries towards that goal.”
Criticizing what they called dismembering the constitutional and administrative institutions beyond repair, the Front leaders have said that the same has played a considerable role in deteriorating the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
On draconian laws like Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), the Front leaders have stressed the need for revocation of these laws and similarly, there should be a complete review of draconian Public Safety Act (PSA) in their opinion.
The Front has also expressed its dismay over the latest episode of communal clashes in Kishtwar.
“This should not be taken in isolation as some divisive tendencies are increasingly emerging in our society which is not only a disturbing trend but has no place in our pluralistic ethos,” the front maintained.
Dissecting TSD
The chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani Wednesday said that the recent TSD funding ‘Scam’, involving the Former Army Chief and a state Minster clearly reveals that the pro-establishment political parties work as stooge to weaken the ongoing movement and are on pay-role of army.
Geelani said that the statement of the former Army Chief Gen VK Singh has brought to fore the truth and supports our claim that the election drama in past were manipulated and the stage managed by the underhand means .
“We are not surprised and we know that for the legitimization of forced occupation they are regularly being paid for their covert services”. Geelani said.
Geelani said that all the three parties including National Conference, Congress and PDP act as agencies for army and as political renegades. The aged separatist leader further added that India while funding political parties has vitiated all democratic and moral norms and has been using every tactic to weaken the ongoing movement and to enforce its occupation.
Commenting over the demand for the probe in TSD funding Scam by National Conference, Geelani said that scores of secret agencies are active and all including National Conference are hand in glow with the agencies.
Geelani further mentioned in a statement that People of Kashmir never trust these agencies and even do not expect any legal relief or breakthrough by judiciary.
Flaring CHALLAN
Kishtwar police and Special Investigating Team (SIT) probing August 9 and 10 violence at Kishtwar and Padder Wednesday produced challan in two FIRs registered at Police Station Padder and Police Station Kishtwar before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Kishtwar.
The first challan was produce in connection with FIR No: 16 U/S 307/ 325/ 147/ 148/ 336/ 109 RPC, 7/25 Arms Act against 10 persons including four members of Village Defense Committee (2 VDC members and 2 VDC SPO’s).
The case FIR No: 16 is registered in connection with an attack on Kijae village allegedly by the VDC members and other miscreants on August 10, 2013.
In another case FIR No: 151 U/S 3/25 Arms act, 455/ 427/ 315/ 147/149 RPC registered at police station Kishtwar, police produces challan against 11 persons for looting a gun shop situated inside Shan Complex Kishtwar soon after the violence erupt in Kishtwar town on August 9.
Meanwhile Kishtwar police also detained a youth identified by the police sources as Ajay Kumar son of Sewa Ram resident of Begana Kishtwar and whisked him away to some unidentified location for questioning.
Police sources added that the name of Ajay Kumar was surfaced during the investigation of murder case of Bashir Ahmed Moochi.
If sources are to be believed, Ajay Kumar is the 2nd person arrested or detained in connection with murder case of Bashir Ahmed Moochi after Raj Kumar who was arrested by the police last week.
In another development, police has declared a BJP leader from Padder identified as Hari Krishan as absconder. The said BJP leader is said to be involved in instigating the crowd at Gulabgard Padder who later attacked an ambulance carrying people injured in firing involving VDC members, from airlifting to army hospital.
Police is probing his role in murder case of Lassa Khandey who was kidnapped by a mob from local police station and later his dead body was found near Gulabgard helipad next day.
It is pertinent to mention that Kishtwar police and SIT has so far produce 6 challans in connection with August 9 and 10 violence at Padder and Kishtwar and also arrested over 50 people hailing from both communities for rioting, loot and arson.
