SVC proving a toothless tiger to fight against corruption in J&K

Manpower shortage hits functioning

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, July 04: Despite giving much publicity to State Vigilance Commission (SVC) by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that a anti-corruption body will rid the state of corruption, government has failed to fill up key positions in the SVC as the commission sans men power besides infrastructure and other required facilities to deal with the cases.

Sources disclosed that the staff strength in the commission was to be amplified by re-employing the blotless senior bureaucrats and officials from government administration department who were to unblemished soon but the process of saturating SVC still hangs in balance as most of the key posts lying vacant hampering the functioning of the commission.

Out of two positions sanctioned for Vigilance Commissioner (VC), R K Jerath is appointed in one position whereas the other post is still lying vacant.

Sources said the government is also failed to provide them any technical staff which include superintending Engineers, Chief Technical Officers, Revenue, Forest, R&B and Civil Engineers besides other staff.

Out of three sanctioned posts for Additional Secretary in the commission two positions are unoccupied. Likewise, there are twelve approved posts for law officer in which eleven are lying vacant. Whereas there no deputy secretaries in the commission and all the four sanctioned position are empty.

Whereas as far as other infrastructures are concerned the building for the office of commission is also under renovation and at present the commission is working from the lawns of Old Assembly Complex in the summer capital of the state.

It is pertinent to mention here that the SVC has received 362 cases of corruption against the government officials in a short span of just four months out of which 154 are directly and 208 from the State Accountability Commission (SAC).

Even after more than two years of the passing of the Act by the Legislature for setting up the SVC and four months of constitution of the commission, the government hasn’t framed its ruled so far.

Despite repeating attempts Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) Kuldeep Khoda could not be contacted for his version.

Under Sham Lal’s rule encroachment on canal bank continue unabated

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, July 04: After Sham Lal Sharma takeover the charge of Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control his first slogan was to remove the illegal encroachment on the irrigation land by the people.

But after the passage of time this slogan get vanished from the mind of the minister and his officers as at many places the irrigation land is being encroached by the people for their personal use.

One such case came forward in village Pachel under tehsil Bishnah where about 15 to 20 people has illegally encroaches the one side of the land along with the canal Distributry-14 running about one kilometer in the said village.

Official further said that the people constructed shed for their cattle and small bridges to cross the canal individually besides use it cultivation purposes.

Official maintained that due to the construction of these small bridges at every 15 meters the employees of irrigation department faces difficulties while cleaning the canal.

Sources said that the official in irrigation department is involved in this practice due to which they are not taking any step against them.

This is not only the case of canals of the city but the famous river Tawi is also illegally occupied by the people as the construction near Circular Road, Gujjar Nagar and Old City area on the banks of the Tawi shows the same picture.

Wherein people have illegally constructed buildings on the sides of Tawi but the department showing negligent attitude towards it.

Talking to TNI, Executive Engineer Irrigation Division II, Kuldeep Kumar Mangotra said “I will look into the matter the direct the concern Assistant Executive Engineer of the area to do the needful at the earliest.

Mangotra further said the department is on work to remove all the illegal encroachment on the irrigation.

JU faces crunch of non-teaching staff; stakeholders suffer

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, July 03: Nearly 318 non-teaching positions in Jammu University are lying vacant in University of Jammu (JU) for quite some time which has affected the functioning of the university aiming to become one of the leading institution in northern India.

Most of the vacant posts deal with the day today functioning of the university and no serious efforts are being made to fill the posts, despite required funds at the disposal of the varsity administration.

According to sources, out of 1,324 sanctioned non-teaching positions there were around 318 posts lying vacant. Sources revealed that in the various positions of Officers, Junior Assistant and Semi-professional Assistant there were 76, 41 and 17 posts respectively lying vacant.

Similarly, the posts of Section Officer, Head Assistant, Personal Assistant, Senior Personal Assistant, Head Groundsman and Ward Boy were also lying vacant. “Among the technical positions 25 posts are lying vacant out of the total sanctioned strength of 92 ranging across different class. Further, 18 positions of head gardener and gardener out of total sanctioned strength of 64 posts were also lying unfilled” said a source.

Moreover, in class four category the number of sanctioned positions was 700, out of which 80 were still unfilled. “Recently, the strike by the non gazetted employee union in favor of their demand to regularization and enhancement in daily wages shows that the JU administration failed to handle the issue properly,” said a official.

Ironically, neither the Chancellor nor the Vice Chancellor has been able to lead the path in this direction. Sources disclosed that Vice Chancellor was not able to take decision pertaining to recruitment process, which was mainly responsible for shortage of workforce.

When contacted, Registrar Prof Manoj Dhar said University was looking into the issue of staff shortage and making arrangement to run the system efficiently. He added that process of new recruitment for the vital positions will also be taken up and completed within the shortest possible time.

Violation of Ban on Tobacco rampant in City; authorities in deep slumber

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, July 02: In the absence of effective implementation of the ban on tobacco in Jammu, the sale of tobacco products is on full swing defying governments order at large.

Pertinent to mention here that the government in its order in the month of March has put a blanket ban on all the chewable tobacco’s production and its manufacturing besides transportation and stocking aiming to prevent the people from various diseases due to the use of these products.

In its order under notification HD/Drug/58/2012, the then commissioner has prohibited distribution of Gutkha by whatever name and pan masala or zarda containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients by any name.

The notification further read that SRO-68, regulation, 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on sales) Regulations, 2011 made by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 92 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (Central Act 34 of 2006) prohibits articles of food, in which tobacco or nicotine are used as ingredients.

Sources maintained that the different brands of tobacco products are available in the market and are being purchased by the user openly

“There are number of tobacco products available in the market in pouches of rupees 2, 5, 10 and 20” said a tobacco user preferring anonymity.

“The state government should close all the manufacturing companies of tobacco products in the city and should take strict actions against them after that the production will be stop” said Jagat Singh a local.

“Various times the department has seized the loaded trucks of these products, but this practice is still going on widely” said an official.

Despite repeating attempts Controller, Drug & Food Organization J&K, Satish Gupta could not be contacted for his version.

J&K still not able to secure PCI recognition for Nursing Colleges

Para-medical institutes continue to violate norms

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, June 28: Denial of recognition to the Nursing Colleges of Jammu and Kashmir by the Pharma Council of India (PCI) has restricted the job opportunities for the trainees of these institutions as barring Jammu and Kashmir, the degrees and diplomas issued by these colleges are not valid anywhere in the country.

The paramedical institutions in the state have just become a money minting machines, violating the norms created by State Medical Faculty (SMF), Jammu.
Further many private paramedical institutions are still admitting students more than the sanctioned seats by concern department in total disregard of norms set by the government.

At the moment there are 66 government and private para medical institutes in the state with intake capacity of 13,646 students, but most of these, particularly the private institutions are running in rented buildings and without proper infrastructure.

Sources further said due to chaos prevailing in Medical Education Department, those paramedicos who have completed their courses from various institutions are not getting their degrees.

As per norms paramedical institutions should have 8 kanal land for infrastructure, including conference room, staff room, proper museum, body parts and separate bends. But some of these institutes are functioning in just 3 to 4 rooms which are against the norms.

“This fault of institutions is costing to the students as their exams are being delayed in each session resulting to the delay in completion of course and the course which is supposed to complete in one and half year is taking four years to complete," sources said.

Sources informed that SMF has planning to derecognize those private paramedical institutes who are not fulfilling the norms of SMF.

Despite repeating attempts Director Health Service Jammu, Dr B D Gupta who is also president of SMF could not be contacted for his version.

Private Auxiliary Medical Training Institutes (AMTIs) as they are called have been floating the guidelines with impunity. Last year Government has constituted regularity committee recommending for streamlining the recognition and affiliation procedure besides to keep a check on the violation of norms and guidelines by the management of these institutes.

1st Day Amarnath Yatra

12,717 pilgrims will move towards holy shrine

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, June 27: 12,717 yatris have registration for the first day of annual Amarnath yatra which is going to start from June 28.

Out of those 3157 devotees from different party of the India starting their journey from Jammu Yatri Niwas, Bhagwati Nagar today morning at 5 am. 


Official said 6567 pilgrims have registered to travel by the Baltal route will have the darshan of Ice Lingam by tomorrow only whereas and 6150 by the Pahalgam route will have darshan after two days.

The first batch of the yatri from Jammu was flagged off by Minister of Tourism, Ghulam Ahmad Mir. The minister was accompanied by Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Pardeep Gupta and Deputy Commissioner, Jammu A K Sahu besides higher officials of police department and bureaucrats. 


Official disclosed that for this year’s yatra the Shrine Board has fixed a ceiling of 7500 Yatris per day per route. This excludes pilgrims who travel by the Heli services upto Panjtarni, 6 kms short of the Shrine, whose number may normally vary between 1000-1400, depending upon the number of sorties which are undertaken during the day, which would be based on the weather conditions. 


From Jammu the 3157 yatris included 2466 males, 563 females, 37 children and 91 sadhus in 75 buses and 21 Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) moved towards base camp Srinagar. The pilgrims shouting slogans ‘Bum Bum Bole’, singing bhajans and dancing. 


This yatra would conclude on the day of Shrawan Purnima one day before Raksha Bandhan. Last year 6.21 lakh pilgrims had performed darshan at holy cave. 


“As per the SHPC recommendation which has been endorsed by the Supreme Court’s decision, the District Administration is bound to stop all those Yatris who attempt to undertake the yatra without valid registration” said a official. 


“In view of the inclement weather in entire state during last 24 hours, the Chief Executive Officer and the Divisional and District Administrations are closely monitoring the situation and, if needed suitable advisories will be issued at the appropriate time” official added. 


In is pertinent to mention here that the Shrine Board had opened 422 Registration Counters across the country, against 174 last year and, further, this year Registration was commenced three months in advance of the Yatra to ensure that every intending pilgrim could timely go through the registration.

Resentment among Super Specialty Safai Karamcharies

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, June 26: Safari Karamcharis engaged as contractual worker in Super Speciality Hospital Jammu went on strike after the Medical Superintendent (MS) misbehaved with a lady safai karamchari this morning.

According to sources there was some issue in between MS and safai karamchari after which all workers went on strike and started protesting against hospital administration in front of hospital. Later the issue was resolved and they call off the strike and went back to their work.

Supervisor Manish Kumar said there are 15 safai karamcharis who were engaged in November 2012 on a monthly salary of 3300, but the administration haven’t paid them from the last seven months.

“Our contractor Ram Kumar Dubey is paying the salaries of all the karamcharis on his own but the government is not taking and heed to them neither they pay the contractor” he said.

He demanded that their salary should be increased to Rs 4500 per month as other safai karamcharis and there will be a fixed time to pay the salary.

For the smooth functioning of the hospital the administration need Rs 60 crore annually including the salaries and other expenses of the hospital, but in February, Rs 2 crore was sanctioned, which lapsed due to administrative apathy,” said a insider.

Lack of medical and para medical staff in the hospital is another issue from which the patient care is suffering. Several times the government has advertised posts for the GMC Jammu and associated hospitals through Public Service Commission (PSC) and Services Recruitment Board (SRB), but didn’t get any response.