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Panchayats grope for their role in democracy as govt fails to devolve powers on them

4/21/2012 12:08:28 AM

Bharat Bhushan Jammu, Apr 20: Despite the oft-repeated Government assurances that it was committed to devolve powers upon the elected panchs and sarpanchs, they continue to be "powerless". Their role in the State's development process is yet not defined by the Government. According to a senior block officer, panchayat members have been interfering in their almost every work, saying it is part of their duty. "This can lead to a problem, or even a clash if the officials refuse to cooperate with them," he said. He felt that the Government ought to come true to its commitment by ensuring devolution of powers to panchayats. "Once their role is defined, they will confine themselves to it...

To please their Mybaaps, tiny-tots were made to line-up on roadside for hours to "salute" Azad

4/21/2012 12:08:10 AM

Early Times Report Jammu, Apr 20: Were the tiny tots studying in Government schools forced to line up in long queues for hours on Dayalachack-Billawar road to "welcome" Congress stalwart and Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday noon? Answer is simply yes. While Deputy Commissioner, Kathua, Zahida Khan in a precise reply, "denied to have any knowledge of the said road show and maintained that at least she has not given any such permission to allow school students to leave their studies and stand on the roadside," the concerned Chief Education Officer, Kathua as well as Zonal Education Officer (ZEO), Tehsil Billawar were not available for comments desp...

Tit-bits on reducing expenses on bi-annual Durbar move

4/21/2012 12:07:47 AM

Early Times Report Jammu, Apr 20: Is the century old Durbar move practice in Jammu and Kashmir a "waste"?Yes it is so if the latest tweet from Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah,is to be any guide. In terms of monetary expenses the Government has to spend about Rs. 40 crores on the annual Durbar move and another Rs. 10 crores on the transportation of the office records. But in terms of political importance the Durbar move practice cannot be given up. The State is already faced with the problem of regionalism and regional discrimination and if any State Government attempts at tampering with the century old practice it would simply invite trouble for it.This is what happened in 1987 when the th...

CM dil se sirf sochta hai lekin practically nahi

'Omar failed to differentiate between 'practical and mere saying'

4/21/2012 12:07:27 AM

Early Times Report Jammu, Apr 20: Reacting over the Chief Minister Omar Abdullaha's remarks over Darbar Move saying it 'futile exercise and wastage of money' Ashok Bhan, a senior Congress leader today said that that young CM uses heart more then mind instead of becoming practical to day today things. Congress leader Ashok Bhan from New Delhi told over phone that although the remarks put Omar in limelight but these were not practical but could be termed as only a 'tweet.' He said that mere being a statement uploaded on Micro blog 'tweeter' by Chief Minister (Omar) the centuries old tradition could not be changed. "He (Omar) needs not think practically instead of being charged emotionally, ...

Government not honouring Governor's commitment

4/21/2012 12:06:29 AM

Early Times Report Jammu, Apr 20: The Government had not even honoured the words of Governor by not holding elections of urban local bodies even two-months after the announcement in this regard was made by the Governor, NN Vohra. Addressing joint session of Legislatures, on Feb 23, Governor had said that after holding elections of Panchayat's, elections to ULB would be held soon and process would be completed by April. It would be no less than a miracle, if these elections are announced, conducted and results are announced in another 10-days. The Governor had made this statement while reading out the Govenor's address which is prepared and documented by the Government to highlight ...

Migrant employees have lost faith in Apex Committee: Raina

4/21/2012 12:06:06 AM

ET Report JAMMU, Apr 20: Migrant employees in general and displaced employees of Education Department in particular have lambasted the Apex Committee members for their failure in raising the issue of displaced employees during the recently held Apex Committee meeting chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah here. Though the displaced employees had pleaded before the Apex Committee members to raise various issues confronted the migrant employees in the meeting to draw the Government's attention to wards the same but they failed to take up the issue during the meeting, said Ramesh Raina president of Migrant Teachers Welfare Association (MTWA). He said the members of Apex Committee whom they...

Atrocities on Shias in Gilgit-Baltistan fail to move Kashmiri leaders

Sectarian Approach -- I

4/21/2012 12:05:51 AM

Rustam Jammu, Apr 20: The already rather volatile Gilgit-Baltistan region in the Pakistan-occupied-Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) has been witnessing sectarian clashes between the Shiite and Sunni Muslims for quite sometime now. According to reports from across the border, during the last 20 days alone, about 400 innocent Shiite Muslims have been targeted and murdered in cold blood. The Shiite Muslims are in majority in the Gilgit-Baltistan region and they have been denied even normal civil and political rights by the Government of Pakistan. They have been struggling since decades for a dispensation that empowers them to exercise all those rights which are available to people in democratic count...

'Azad came to Jammu to strengthen CM's hands'

4/21/2012 12:05:28 AM

Early Times Report Jammu, Apr 20: Union Health Minister and former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad would visit Billawar and Jammu on April 18 and say this and that to strengthen the Congress party in the State. Azad would visit Jammu and discuss ways and means designed to end the mistrust between the Congress Ministers and party workers. He would visit Jammu and activate the party workers so that the party was able to restore the ground it had lost over the period owing to its alliance with the National Conference whose single-point agenda had been, and continues to be, to expand its own support-base at the cost of the Congress party. This was the impression the Azad's supporters ...

NPP continues to create only 'illusions' on one or the other pretext

Darbar Move Debate

4/21/2012 12:05:01 AM

Early Times Report Jammu, Apr 20: Harsh Dev Singh NPP MLA and its working Chairman though has expressed grave concern over the wasteful expenditure incurred on the annual 'Durbar Move' and has suggested creation of separate Directorates on regional basis including bifurcation of J&K Board of School Education but any same can not swallow the Harsh's pill as he has never suggested the same when he was holding minister's chair Like party chairman prof Bhim Singh who always demanded dissolving of Upper House but when he got his own refuge in Upper House he forget the same especially after getting a 'red beacon' vehicle besides political rejuvenation through print and electronic media. The part...

Expelled BJP MLAs' assertion: we are real face of party

'Speaker must disqualify Khajuria, others'

4/21/2012 12:03:26 AM

Early Times Report Jammu, Apr 20 : Expelled seven BJP legislators Friday triggered yet another debate claiming for the first time that they were the 'real' representatives of the party and had written to Jammu and Kashmir assembly speaker to disqualify the four remaining MLAs for conspiring against the party. Addressing a joint press conference one of the MLA Jagdish Raj Sapolia told reproters here, "Assembly speaker Mohd Akbar Lone said on the floor of the House that all seven members belong to BJP and cannot be treated as 'expelled' or 'disqualified'. He also announced senior leader Chaman Lal Gupta as legislative party leader in the House,".We are the real BJP, he added claiming that t...

With removal of CRPF bunker, ASI gunned down in Srinagar

Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, JKIF claim responsibility of the broad daylight cop killing

4/21/2012 12:03:03 AM

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz SRINAGAR, Apr 20: Even as Omar Abdullah government was busy in removing a 20-year-old CRPF bunker at Lalchowk and celebrating the "victory", unidentified gunmen shot dead an Assistant Sub Inspector of Police (ASI) in broad daylight near Safakadal in the capital city today. With many in the town expecting mainstream politicians to lay the blame on security forces, two militant outfits---Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen and J&K Islamic Front (JKIF)--- claimed responsibility of the ASI's killing. Superintendent of Police, North, in Srinagar city, Shaukat Sarwar, told Early times that an unidentified gunman, widely believed to be a Kashmiri militant, fired four pistol shots in point bl...

Spurious Claim Is NC really a secular formation?

4/20/2012 12:48:07 AM

Rustam JAMMU, Apr 19: Is National Conference (NC) really a secular formation? Yes, says Kamal, who is additional general secretary of the NC and brother of NC president Farooq Abdullah and uncle of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. To substantiate his assertion he says had the NC been not secular, his father Sheikh Abdullah would not have inducted Kashyap Bandhu, Sham Lal Saraf, Jia Lal Kilm and Sardar Budh Singh in his Council of Ministers and Shiv Narayan Fotedar would not have been made Chairman Legislative Council. He says so while referring to the first inning of Sheikh Abdullah. To make his point he further says that when his father again took over as State Chief Minister in 1975 he in...

Run for Fun: A police initiative to find "ears and eyes" in public, promote good health

4/20/2012 12:47:39 AM

Bharat Bhushan JAMMU, Apr 19: A J&K police initiative to connect more with people notwithstanding the occasional incidents of custodial deaths and tortures in lock-ups would be on display on the roads here on April 24 when several people, including senior citizens and kids, would run for fun.The J&K Sports Council has also been involved to ensure larger participation. The Council Secretary Kiran Watal has, in turn, issued a circular, asking sports organisations to take part in the event. Hectic efforts were being made to ensure maximum participation on the day, a police officer said.The event was expected to be of great importance for police as through it, they were likely to find at leas...

Desperate NC Crossing All lines Army protecting national interest by making supreme sacrifices

4/20/2012 12:47:22 AM

Neha JAMMU, Apr 19: Something is fundamentally wrong with those in New Delhi charged with the responsibility of internal and external security. They are ignoring what certain NC leaders are saying day in and day out against the Army which has been playing a splendid role in the State since 1947 and defeating the Pakistani evil designs making supreme sacrifices. Thousands and thousands of our soldiers have laid down their invaluable lives defending the territorial integrity of India during all these 65 years of the State's accession to India. Their splendid contribution and sacrifices should have been recognized and appreciated by the authorities in the State and at the Centre, but it has ...

DPC clears 16 IPS officers for rank promotion Elevation of 2 officers withheld for inquiry; 4 get Time Scale

4/20/2012 12:47:01 AM

Early Times Report JAMMU, Apr 19: Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) of the state Home Department today cleared 16 IPS officers for rank promotion but two more failed to get clearance due to separate inquiries against them. Four IPS officers have also been cleared for Time Scale. Authoritative sources revealed to Early Times that the much awaited DPC meeting happened today with Chief Secretary Madhav Lal presiding over it. Principal Secretary Home, B R Sharma, and Director General of Police (DGP), Kuldeep Khoda, who are other members of the DPC, also participated in it. Sources said that promotion of two IPS officers was not cleared for the fact that separate departmental inquiries we...

No one gave 'mandate' to self proclaimed leaders to talk to Hurriyat: KPs

4/20/2012 12:46:16 AM

Early Times Report JAMMU, Apr 19: Kashmiri Pandits are up in arms against those community members who had met separatist Hurriyat leaders at Srinagar recently. Taking a serious exception to it, the leaders of various socio-religious organizations of Pandits said that the community had not given any mandate to any oraganisation or individual to talk with the separatists or agents of Pakistan Talking to reporters here today, ON Chrungoo president All Kashmiri Pandit Solidarity Conference (AKPSC), MK Kaul a social activist, Raj Nath Raina, president Magam Bangil Sabha, PL Dhar president TRT Nagrota and Sheela Handoo ex Corporator said the community had not given any one mandate to talk to...

Hurriyat-K Hindus Meet Are fifth columnists operating for separatist?

4/20/2012 12:45:56 AM

Early Times Report JAMMU, Apr 19: The visit of a group of Hindus to meet Hurriyat leaders has started inviting unprecedented outrage from within the community of displaced Kashmiri Hindus. Kashmiri Hindus thronging temples and Ashrams, which they built in exile, are talking more about the "betrayal and humiliation the act has brought upon them". A group of such Hindus meeting in a park near old Janipur today told this correspondent that "at a time when India seems to be seeking almost a unilateral peace with Pakistan through concessions in the State talks with Hurriyat leaders have only strengthened separatist cause". This opinion emanates for all corners: "Living in a new Muslim order whi...