Jammu Master Plan still being violated, JMC helpless in view of court order

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, June 30: Despite claims made by the government that it has taken action against people who are converting their residential spaces into commercial one, in violation of Jammu Master Plan, the claims are falling flat on ground.

 In most of the cases no action has been taken again the people involved violating the norms as hundreds of shops and offices are still functioning in areas of Gandhi Nagar, Shastri Nagar, Trikuta Nagar and Karan Nagar.

 Sources said that there are about six hundred shops and commercial establishments who converted residential plots into commercial institutions.

 In year 2002, notices for disconnection of electricity issued by Power Development Department under the directions of the court were stayed and in-trim stays continue with respect to 53 shops.

 Few months ago the High Court (HC) has also given direction to Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) to seal all the commercial activities being run the Gandhi Nagar but nothing has been done so far in this regard.

 The establishments included all the showrooms, education institutes, shops, garments stores in these areas.

 But the municipal corporation has been a silent spectator to all this reasons best known to authorities of course now lawful reasons.

 Sources said that the government employees were allotted these plots only for residential purposes. However, entire Gandhi Nagar area and other nearby areas have become an open shop in violation to Municipal Laws.

The Municipal corporation has been a silent spectator to all this for reasons best known to authorities, of course not lawful reasons. It has been seen these showrooms are inaugurated by local legislators.

Now the question arises will JMC implements the order and take some strict action against them or not and if so, what will be the reaction of the people running these business.

Whereas the other localities of the city also experience a heavy rush of new restaurants and hotels without the permission of any authority but still the influential people get on with their work knowing that it is illegal.

When contacted Commissioner JMC K L Khajuria said that because of the High Court has stayed in favor of all owners of commercial establishments so the corporation is unable to take any action against them.

“We are helpless as the matter is now before the court and till there is stay we cannot take action” said Khajuria.

3000 fake PRC cases pending for disposal

Govt. not cooperating with commission to take action against non-state subjects living in J&K

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, June 29: Despite tall claims made by government for checking the settlement of non-state subjects in Jammu and Kashmir, who are using fake Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) to settle in the state, government itself is not cooperating with the commission constituted to look into the issue.

Sources said that nearly 3000 cases of fake PRC are pending for action with the commission as the government is not providing required data. Sources claimed that as most of them are big businessman and possible vote bank for many politicians, the process of identification is being slowed down deliberately.

Sources said that in the absence of required cooperation and assistance from the official machinery during the past several years, the Commission, which was constituted by the then State Government headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah after the fake PRCs issue figured in the Legislative Assembly, is finding it difficult to meet the objectives with which it was set-up.

The intention of the government can be gauged by the fact that the commission does not have required staff and infrastructure and it is not being given required help by various departments, thus turning it into a toothless tiger.

The non-cooperation from the Government to the Commission doesn't stop at manpower only as respective Deputy Commissioners, who are the Permanent Resident Certificates issuance authority, are not strictly following the directives about providing whatever information the Commission requires in order to dispose of the cases challenging the PRCs, sources disclosed.

 "Even those cases wherein the Commission reached to the final conclusion and made necessary recommendations like seizure of the property, could not reach logical conclusion because the recommendations of the Commission got challenged in the courts of law and nobody from the Government dared to vigorously pursue the same", sources said.

Revenue losses to J&K

Why PDD failed to recover Rs 1000 crore from Govt. departments

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, June 28: While the Power Development Department (PDD)claims that pending electricity bills is leading to revenue losses in Jammu and Kashmir, but the department has failed to recover nearly Rs 1000 from various government departments and politicians in the state.

Sources said that despite tall claims by the government and even Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather from time to time that a special drive has been launched to recover the dues, but so far very few departments have cleared their bills, which runs into crores of rupees.

Even recently government has also submitted a detailed data about the government officers, MLAs, and Ministers who are major defaulters in the state.

According to the official records, PHE Department has an pending amount of Rs 362 crore while Medical Education Department is a defaulter of Rs 23 crore. Likewise Jammu and Kashmir Police and Education Department Rs 6 crore to PDD whereas Forest Department Rs 2 crore, Director General Prisons Rs 2 crore, Technical Education Rs 2 crore, Department of Tourism Rs 20 crore and Roads & Buildings Department Rs 30 crore.

Records elaborates that the minister and bureaucrats of the state included. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, has outstanding of Rs 83000 while Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand has Rs 5.65 lakh. Minister for Tourism, Rigzin Jora with Rs 10.16 lakh and Chief Secretary with Rs 9 lakh comes in the defaulter list.

Moreover, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly has an outstanding of Rs 51,000 while Former Chief Minister, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed has Rs 3 lakh, Minister for Social Welfare Sakina Itoo Rs 8 lakh.

In recent past the electricity situation in Jammu and worsened and the state of affairs is that in the 100 per cent metered areas are not better than the non-metered areas as PDD has been resorting to power curtailments after every hour despite the fact that areas having all the connections metered are entitled for round-the-clock electricity supply.

"We have failed to understand what improvement PDD has brought by borrowing additional electricity from the Northern Grid", people said, adding "we are still facing the situation which was prevailing prior to the announcement of Chief Minister about according sanction to the PDD for getting more electricity from Northern Grid".

When contacted, Chief Engineer, M&RE Jammu, Shahnaz Goni attributed the frequent power cuts to the warnings from the Northern Region Load Dispatch Centre and State Load Dispatch Centre about keeping loads within stipulated limits especially under low frequency conditions.

State receives Rs 14 crore so far

60,000 women benifitted under JSY in J&K, claims Govt.

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, June 27: The state government has claimed that the scheme Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) launched in 2011 in Jammu and Kashmir has benefitted around 60 thousand women and 15 thousand newly born children.

According to the officials keeping in view the high maternal and infant mortality rate in the country, the centre government launched this scheme about a year ago to provide free services to pregnant women for deliveries and neo-natal care.

The facility is available to all the women both district and sub-district hospitals besides every health centres in the state.

Officials disclosed that the scheme has been launched in view of the difficulty being faced by pregnant women and parents of sick newborns along with high out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them on delivery and treatment besides provided the women an amount of Rs 1400.

“The scheme, drafted after all states approved of it, will provide free services to pregnant women, including normal deliveries and caesarean operations and treatment to sick new borns in government hospitals, community health centres and primary health centres” they added.

The present initiative supplements the cash assistance given to pregnant women under the Janani Suraksha Yojana and is aimed to mitigate the burden of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the families.

When contacted Director National Rural Health Mission, Jammu Dr Yash Pal Shamra till date the centre has approved and sanctioned around 14 crore rupees for the scheme.  Dr Shamra further said that the department has an increase of 85 percent patients within a year.

Despite tall claims of Government about improvement in the health sector, Jammu and Kashmir has Neo Natal Mortality Rate (NMR) of 37 per cent, much higher than the national average of 34 per cent.

Official data saya that the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in the state is 43 per cent much higher than the neighboring states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. While studying the IMR level of 2010 with the previous year, it comes to fore that at the country level, it fell 3 points, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab recorded a fall of IMR by 5 and 4 points respectively between 2009-10 while the Jammu and Kashmir recorded a decrease of only 2 points during the reference period.

Surprisingly Jammu and Kashmir has so far not conducted Material Mortality Ratio survey, an important indicator of the pregnant women. Though the government has said that a survey is being conducted by Directorate of Economics and Statistics, but so far it has not been submitted to the government.

Two qualification criteria's for jobs: JKBOSE style

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, June 25: In a confusing situation the Jammu and Kashmir State Board of School Education issued two notices having separate qualification criteria for candidates applying for jobs.

According to the sources the BOSE has issued two separate notifications for the post of junior assistant but in both the notifications they have asking for different qualification for the same post. They said that this might be done to benefit their blue eyes people.

Sources disclosed that in the previous notification issued on 01.01.2010 in which the concerned department asked for graduate in any as per the Service Selection Board (SSRB) but in the advertisement published on June 14 in some local dailies the department has violating the norms SSRB notified some specific qualification which only include bachelor in arts, science and commence recently.

“With this in previous notification the department haven’t publicize any post for ex-serviceman while on this notification they kept reserved 5 posts from them in which two posts from the previous one” said source.

When contacted Secretary JKBOSE, M S Baloria refused to comment and pass to the other official.

However, Joint Secretary Admin Javed Ahmed Khatib said that the higher officials have publicized the advertised so I don’t have any knowledge about the criteria fixed by them, so it is more appropriate to ask the concern official.

Khatib further said that for the reserved seats of ex serviceman and ST category the department didn’t notified anything in previous notification as that time the department we don’t have any vacancy for the said category.

850 highly polluting units still functional in J&K, PCB sleeping

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, June 22: Pollution Control Board (PCB) has put nearly 850 running industries units in Jammu and Kashmir under Red and Orange category adding pollution in the atmosphere every second. 

According to the sources 390 industries units under Red category and about 450 under Orange are functioning across the state without adequate pollution preventing devices as fixed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines. 

Sources disclosed that only few units have installed such devices while the remaining industries violating the guidelines and run their units without it. 

It is pertinent to mention here that under the CPCB guidelines industrial units are categorized under Red, Orange and Green as per the level of pollution they emit in air, water and on ground. As per the guidelines units falling under Red and Orange category have to install special anti-pollution devices and set up treatment plants before disposing off their effluents from their industries. 

Under the central guidelines before granting consent by the government to Orange and Red category industries include installation of required pollution control devices and measures to ensure the discharge of effluents emissions of water, air under permissible limits as prescribed by the Ministry of Environment and Forest under Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981 and Environment Protection Act 1986. 

According to the scientists monitoring the pollution level in Jammu daily, The SPM whose normal limit should be 100 micrograms is between 110-114 micrograms at almost all places while the RSPM (normal limit around 200 micrograms) is a around 220 to 230 micrograms, making the air at most places around the industrial units unsuitable for breathing. 

However, Regional Director PCD, Jammu Showkat Ahmed Choudhary avoided to comment on the said issue.

Wetlands facing threat of extinction, Govt. showing its helplessness

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, June 19: At the time when all the wetlands of the state in degradation stage government has failed to take necessary steps to save them.

There are total of 16 Wetlands in the state managing by the wild life department but somehow with the one reason or the others these wetlands are losing their existence from the state.

According to the sources the government under the State Plan Scheme Wetland Reserves has sanction an amount of Rs 35 lacs of some of the wetlands of the state included Tsomoriri and Pangong in Ladakh, Surinsar-Mansar and Gharana in Jammu  and Hosersar, Mirgund, Hygam and Shallabugh Lake in Srinagar.

Officials further said that but for the management of these wetlands this fund is very meager, keeping in view problems and management interventions requirement to manage these wetlands.

“The department which resources is managing the wetlands through various activities like construction of buds to regulate water-level, de-weeding, maintenance of water pool and water channels, anti-poaching and anti-grazing with awareness and publicity programmes” they said.

Sources further said that that the concern department has also initiated various steps for the restoration and further development of these wetlands.

Sources discloses that for the project work of Tsomoriri and Surinsar-Mansar Wetlands the Ministry of Environment and Forest has also approved Rs 4.20 and Rs 3 crore in year 2008-09 but nothing has been done so far.

Talking to TNI Wildlife Warden Headquarter Gulam Ahmed Lone said that out of 35 lakh only 24 lakhs has been provided to Tsomoriri Wetland of Ladakh.

“For the rest of Wetlands the funds are still due from the higher authorities” said Lone.

The biggest example of plight of wetlands in the Gharana wetland which is facing the threat of extinction.

Contrary to the 1500-kanal notified land, it is 115 kanals which have been demarcated in revenue records, despite wetland reserve already been updated as Conservation Reserve through a notification issued in 1986.

It is pertinent to mention here that the encroachment in the wetland has reduced the size of the area to about 500 square meters, less than half of its official size.

Discrimination with Jammu

Crores for Dal, Wullar, peanuts for Mansar, Suransar

 Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, June 16: While central government has sanctioned crores of rupees for the development and protecting the Dal  and Wullar lake, but meagre amount has been spent for the safeguarding the Mansar and Suransar lake.

According to the sources the government has approved Rs 1,100 crore, for the Dal Lake and Rs 386 crore for the Wullar Lake whereas only Rs 5 crore each for conservation and development of Suransar lake, and Mansar Lake.

Government seems to have closed its eyes towards the plight of these water bodies which could become one of the major tourist attractions in the state.

Sources also said that the government has turned close eyes towards the tourist resorts of the Jammu region and intentional non-projection of demands with respect to their development.

They added that the matter of development of tourist infrastructure at the Mansar and Surinsar Lakes were also taken up with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and he had written to the state government to have the Mansar and Surinsar Lakes included within the purview of the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority.

“But the state government didn’t comply even with the directions of the Prime Minister and chose to ignore the two lakes from the purview of the said authority” said sources.

When contacted Director Tourism, Jammu R S Mehta said the funds for Mansar and Surinsar Lakes are only for maintenance of the area around the lakes where as in Srinagar the government is providing funds for the conservation and maintenance of the lake as well as area around the lakes.

Mehta further said that there is no such proposal to increase the funds for the Jammu lakes.

26,000 candidates appeared for JUET, result in next few days

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, June 15: About 26000 candidates appeared in the Jammu University Entrance Test 2012 (JUET) conducted by Jammu University (JU) out of which only there are only 2000 seats available in all the departments of JU.

The students are now waiting impatiently for the declaration of the result and which is hopefully will be declared within a period of one week.

According to the officials in the Department of Botany there is total 30 seats available whereas in Department of Buddhist Studies has only 30 seats including category seats.

Likewise Chemistry department is having 137 seats and Department of Commerce has 63 seats available for post graduation course while the department of Computer Science has 30 intake capacity. The Department of Dogri has the availability of 40 seats while Economic has 50 seats available.

Concern officials further said that 120 seats are available with Department of Education and English department has 84 seats available Department of Environmental Science has only 29 and Geography has 40 seats and Geology department has around 40 seats.

Department of Hindi has 55 seats available and history department has 51 whereas home science has 23 and Department of Law has the vacant seats of 69 intake capacity of post graduation course whereas Department of Library & Information science has about 25 seats.

The Department of Mathematics has 42 and Department of Physics & Electronics has 40 and 24 seats respectively. The Department of Political Science is having the intake capacity of 40 candidates and Psychology department is of 18 candidates, Department of Sanskrit has 30 seats and Department of Sociology is 32 seats for the students in post graduation course and Statistics Department is having the capacity of 32 candidates Punjabi department is available with 35 seats and Department of Urdu has 50 available seats. Department of Zoology has the 32 available seats for the post graduation course in their department.

For the Phd entrance test there are only five department which have conducted such entrance test while three departments will take it in the first week of July and remaining department don’t have any vacant seats as they have reserved it for M Phil students. As for as availability of seat is concern it is vary from 4 to 15 depending upon the present candidates in the departments.