Flagged PROJECTS
Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Friday said that major projects under implementation in the sectors of tourism, communication and beautification of cities of Srinagar and Jammu have been flagged as priority works and focused attention is on their timeline completion.
Speaking to a deputation of Chambers of Commerce and Industries (CCI), Jammu led by its President Y V Sharma, the Chief Minister said that projects like artificial lake, multi-tier car parking, Mubarak Mandi Ropeway and other tourism and communication related projects are being pushed forward on accelerated pace.
The Chief Minister said trade and tourism activities are receiving equal attention to rope in tourists in a large numbers and catapult economy. He said development of industries is also a priority concern and various measures have been put in place in this direction.
The deputation extended gratitude to the Chief Minister for introduction of the Government Bill in the Legislative Assembly today titled J&K Civil Laws (Special Provision) Bill-2014, the LA Bill No.5 of 2014 aimed at formulating policy to deal with the unauthorised construction at Jammu, Srinagar and Katra.
The deputation also discussed matters pertaining to the growth and development of industries in the State. It also raised the issues pertaining to the creation of tourist infrastructure including hotels in various areas.
The Chief Minister said that the government is studying a proposal under which common sewerage treatment facility would be provided to the hotels as a cluster approach in the congested and high populated areas like Srinagar, Jammu, Katra, etc. so that waste disposal management is properly addressed to protect the environment.
Himalayan PROTEST
Scores of Kashmiri students pursuing their studies in Himalayan Group of Professional Institute Himachal Pradesh staged a massive protest inside College premises demanding immediate rustication of those students allegedly involved in misbehaving with Kashmiri female students.
The Kashmiri students alleged that scores of students from Himachal and Haryana beat them up and misbehaved with female students while college authorities did not take any action against them.
Few Kashmiri students told Srinagar based news agency on phone that it has become a common sight for us that students from Haryana and Himachal tease and harass Kashmiri female students. They said that a day before when some of the Kashmiri students resisted and resented their action, they in league with other outside state students beat them mercilessly.
“We all Kashmir students about 250 in number boycotted our classes and the boycott will continue till action is not taken against the ‘goons”, the students said.
When contacted, Chairman, Himaliyan Group of Professional Institute Himachal Pradesh, Rajesh Bhansal said that the College authorities expelled at least four students who were found responsible for the mess. “It is not a serious issue. During a sports meet, a Kashmir and a student from Haryana came to blows with each other and the other students joined the fray. We have settled the issue and four students have been rusticated,” he said.
Bhansal termed the allegations baseless that in his college any female student is being harassed or teased.
Poster FACES
Army and Police have jointly sped their efforts to nab the ‘most dreaded militants’ allegedly operating in South Kashmir and for this purpose government forces have pasted scores of posters at different places in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, portraying the active militants of Lashkar, Jaish, and Hizb as dacoits and murderers asking people to inform police about their whereabouts.
The posters read: “Anyone who help police in tracing these thieves and dacoits would be given a government job and cash reward.” These posters appeared in different parts of Pulwama town including Chakoora and Litter.
The five ‘dreaded militants’ whose names have been mentioned in the posters include Showkat Ahmed Tak, Irshad Ahmed Ganaie, Bilal Molvi, Sajad Bhat and a foreigner Qasim Bhai.
Director General of Police Ashok Prasad told a local news gathering agency that few militants including Qasim Bhai are involved in different militancy related activities and police is on job to track and crack them down. “Once we neutralize Qasim, we believe that militancy would almost come to an end in South Kashmir,” Prasad said.
A police official said that Qasim Bhai and others are active in South Kashmir: “Once we neutralize them especially Qasim, the violence graph will come down considerably.”
“Qasim Bhai is the master mind of several attacks that militants carried out on security forces. Hyderpora deadly attack was his brain child and on his instructions, militants attack a Road Opening Party of CRPF near Pohru chowk in Nowgam killing two jawans including an Assistant Sub-Inspector,” he said.
It has been confirmed that one militant Irshad Ganaie whose name figures in the posters participated in Hyderpora attack in which 9 Army men were killed while 13 were injured.
“The posters that we have pasted on walls, poles and at other places have started showing positive signs and we are hopeful that people would cooperate in getting these militants arrested,” a police official, said adding that at least this strategy will restrict the movement of militants.
Tainted PERSONNEL
Two black sheep in Police Department were apprehended by Kothbagh police for robbing two outside State employees of Rs 37,000.
As reported earlier that two employees from a telecom company, Ram Prasad and Sourab Gupta residing in New Delhi and Rajhastan were abducted and robbed by two men in uniform on gun point near Regal Chowk Srinagar on Friday.
Soon after receiving the complaint, police had swung into action and the registration number of white Santro car (JK02AF-1396) that was used for crime was distributed among cops.
A police official said that Kotibagh police personnel in plain clothes spotted the said Santro car near Polo view and the person who was driving it was apprehended.
“The apprehended person identified as Altaf Ahmed Khan son of Bashir Ahmed resident of Uri (Belt number 809), attached with 11th Battalion of Armed Police confessed his crime and on his submission police arrested his associate Mushtaq Ahmed Khan son of Muhammad Yousuf resident of Uri,” a police official told Srinagar based news agency adding that Mushtaq at present is attached with Security Wing Kashmir.
Police also recovered the weapon used by the culprits for abduction and loot. “We also recovered the money that was looted by these accused from the duo near Regal Chowk,” the police said.
Reports said that police raided their government accommodation at Dalgate and not only recovered the looted money but also dozens bottles of liquor. Police is trying to ascertain whether culprits are involved in other such incidents or not.
“Police is for the protection of people and service to people is its motto. But some black sheeps sometimes try to bring disrepute to our institution,” a police official said that case vide FIR number 14/2014 under section 392 has been registered against the culprits.
Synergizing SEPARATISM
While reacting on the creation of new administrative units and the situation arising out of it, chairman, Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Geelani said that although the administrative changes are a routine and normal practice but he added that this is a plan to change the discourse.
Militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahudin Wednesday appealed to different separatist groups having same political ideology to get united in the interest of Kashmir ‘freedom struggle against India’.
In a statement issued to Srinagar based news agency, Hizb spokesperson, Salim Hashmi said that Syed Salahudin while addressing the Hizb Command Council said, “Unity is the need of the hour and all the groups having same political ideology should get united in the interest of those martyrs who laid down their lives to get rid from Indian occupation.”
Syed Salahudin said that time has come that ‘black sheep’ present in different separatist groups should be exposed and shown door. “People have sacrificed their precious lives for this sacred freedom movement while more than seven lakh Army troopers failed to suppress this movement and quell the sentiments of people,” he said.
Appealing people of Kashmir to boycott the upcoming Parliament and Assembly elections, he said, “India is using election card to defame the ongoing freedom movement in Kashmir.”
Amnesty PLAN
Stating that there is no general amnesty plan for the people involved in militancy or crime, the state government on Wednesday said that 1733 cases have been registered against over 9000 youths since it took over the reins of power in the state. The government also said that it is in touch with the government of India for phased revocation of AFSPA in the state.
In its written response to the two separate questions posed by Mehbooba Mufti and Yousuf Tarigami, the government said that from 2009 to January 2014, the police registered 1733 cases in different police stations against 9166 youths.
The CPI (M) leader Yousuf Tarigami asked about the circumstances under which Disturbed Areas Act (DAA) and Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) were made operative with the date of operation thereof in the state.
In its written response, the state government stated that The Jammu and Kashmir Disturbed Areas Act 1990 (DDA) and the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act 1990 (AFSPA) were enacted to tackle the unprecedented security situation prevailing in the state after eruption of militancy in 1989. It stated further that while the Jammu and Kashmir Disturbed Areas Act 1990 came into force w.e.f 3rd July 1990 and Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Power Act 1990 came into force w.e.f July 5, 1990.
The state government in its response stated that the security and law &order situation has improved considerably in the state over the past few years. With the improvement in the overall security and law & order situation, the state government has been advocating the gradual removal of AFSPA in the state beginning from the areas where no militancy incident has been reported for quite some time now. The state government has been raising the issue of phase-wise removal of AFSPA in different forums of Government of India from time to time, for required action.
