WHICH "SINGH" WILL BE THE KING!!!

SHEIKH NASIR HUSSAIN

KISHTWAR: Four Singhs are due to struggle to become the "King" during the upcoming LOk Sabha elections in the Doda-Udhampur Parliamentary Constituency number 5. The Parliamentary polls, due to begin this month, will see a straight battle of wits between these four Singhs.
The four main candidates, who will test the political waters this time, are Lal Singh of Congress, the sitting Member Parliament and former State Health Minister; Professor Nirmal Singh, former president of state BJP; Professor Bhim Singh, an old horse, and supremo of the National Panthers Party (NPP); and last, but certainly not the least, PDP’s Balbir Singh.
The first name in question, that of Lal Singh, needs no introduction, because of the way he won his last Parliamentary elections and went on to become an MP, riding on youth power. He won the last Parliamentary elections by defeating his nearest rival BJP’s Professor Chaman Lal Gupta, the three-time MP from the constituency, with a margin of 47,175 votes.
After Lal Singh won the last LS polls, he went on to join the Parliament in the national capital and his contact with the people of his own constituency was limited to occasional visits. As a result, he distanced himself from the voters and had to pay the price during the recently-held Assembly elections, which he lost in his home ground.
Moreover, his partial role during last year’s Amarnath Yatra agitation might also cost him votes among the Muslim voters of the constituency, who allege that he should have stayed neutral in face of the religious issue.
Although, the going might not be so easy for him this time but he has the full support of the ruling coalition in the state – Congress and National Conference.
Next comes Professor Nirmal Singh, the former Udhampur-Doda MP Chaman Lal Gupta’s party colleague. Nirmal Singh’s political run has so far not been very smooth in the state politics. Apart from combating the political rivals in other parties, he has had to keep himself safe from the detractors within the party as well. The result of this intra-party rift within the State BJP was evident during the bye-elections to the Lok Sabha, held in 2002.
However, situation might just turn in his favour this time because of last year’s Amarnath agitation, which was launched apparently at the behest of BJP and helped the party take its seat share in the Assembly from just 1 to 11.
Just like other candidates of his party, fighting for their political fortune in other parts of the state, Nirmal Singh, will surely be hoping to reap the benefits of the Amarnath Yatra agitation, expecting polarization of votes in favour of the BJP. Another aspect that might work in favour of Nirmal Singh is that the local BJP vote has traditionally been committed, so there is less chance of the voters shifting their party loyalties to some other candidate.
By far, Professor Bhim Singh, seems to be the most interesting candidate among the four Singhs, since he has been fighting elections since ages but the lady luck is yet to smile on him. The NPP supreme has been at the forefront of his party ever since its inception about 26 years back.
No political issue of the state escapes his attention and the manner in which he organizes press conferences at the drop of the hat, is, in a way, the essence of the kind of hardcore politician Bhim Singh is.
Well, it remains to be seen whether his hard core as a politician will help him reach Delhi through this constituency.
Last, but definitely not the least, comes Balbir Singh, the young leader of PDP, which was part of the ruling coalition with the Congress in the previous State Assembly. Balbir Singh is expected to garner a good number of votes for himself because of the change in the ruling coalition. Since the NC has gone ahead and struck a coalition with the Congress, with which, it was at loggerheads till before the last Assembly elections, this has irked the traditional NC voters, who are expected to support PDP’s Balbir Singh this time.
However, all said and done, politics is a strange ballgame, where there is nothing certain or uncertain. As a result, it will be upto the voters to decide, which of the four Singhs turns out to be the King eventually.

Universalizing education: Scam worth crores surfaced in education department

SHEIKH NASIR HUSSAIN
Doda: A scam of Rs 1.38 crores has allegedly surfaced in the education department of erstwhile Doda district, where the authorities say they have no whereabouts of the funds released by the government for the disbursement among the Education Volunteers (EVs) engaged under centrally sponsored Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan scheme.
While the Education Volunteers are without any salary from 2006 to 2007, authorities say that the funds have been released for the disbursement. A major portion of funds released by the government has not reached to the ends and the EVs are now wondering as where the money has vanished.
With an effort to universalise elementary education by community-ownership of the school system the government launched Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. But the scheme which was in fact a response to the demand for quality basic education all over the country seems to have only added to the luxuries of Babus in the government department.
If sources are to be believed honorarium to more than one thousand workers have not been paid w.e.f August 2006 to March 2007 forcing the volunteers to run from pillar to post.
As per the official record 1412 volunteers were engaged in the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan scheme out of which 641 were in Doda district, 300 in Ramban and 471 in Kishtwar.
Official record further reveals that at present there is total liability of Rs 13842300.00 in all the three district of Chenab valley. District Doda which is comprised of 10 education zones Assar, Bhaderwah, Bhagwah, Bhaila, Bhaleesa, Bhatyas, Doda, Ghat, Gundna and Thathri has total liability of R 5147600.00, whereas Kishtwar having 7 education zones Drabshalla, Inderwal, Kishtwar, Marwah, Nagseni, Padder, Warwan has total liability Rs 6222200.00 and In Ramban Distt for 5 education zones Banihal, Batote, Khari, Ramban, and Ukhral total liability is Rs. 2472500.00.
Doda and Bhaderwah zone have been shown in the records as having the zero liability whereas Bhatyas is with highest liability of Rs 1525000.00.
In Ramban district education zone Ramban is having maximum liability of Rs. 711000.00, whereas in Kishtwar district Inderwal zone with 1644000.00 and Drabshalla with 1319000.00 are the zones with maximum liabilities.
The education volunteers who were being paid a meager amount of Rs 1000 per month as honorarium and in return they were performing their duties in tough conditions and inaccessible areas are now running from pillar to post to get the honorarium.
Most of the volunteers alleged that the funds released under the head of their honorarium have been diverted in construction or purchase head. They even approached the State Project Director who vide his letter no Edu/SPD/SSA/98831/09 dated 3-3-2009 has asked few zonal education officer to come with relevant records to the office for cross checking the allotment and utilization.

NREGS lies in lurch in Kishtwar, 10.38 cores misused

SHEIKH NASIR HUSSAIN
Kishtwar: Even three years after the ambitious National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) was launched in the state, the authorities are yet to complete the selection of daily labourers. As a result, NREGS has joined the long list of various centrally sponsored schemes, which start with very high hopes but meet defeat somewhere down the line.
This scheme, NREG, was meant to uplift the poor and downtrodden section of the society by providing them an assured chance of livelihood. However, because of the general apathy of the government officials, as well as the high-handedness of the influential and non-deserving people, the actual intended beneficiaries of this scheme have been left in the lurch.
Besides not selecting the desired number of daily workers, the district authorities have also not been able to finish the distribution of job cards and allocation of projects to different villages.
The NREGS Act provides that the government should allocate each household an opportunity to do unskilled manual work for at least 100 days during a financial year. If the scheme is not able to provide that allotted days of work to the household, the said household is given daily unemployment allowance. The Central government has released Rs 10.52 crore to the district under this scheme last year.
However, the money, as expected, is being spent with gross violation of norms. Sources within the government department inform that the financial assistance meant for the poor is being disbursed to those who either are studying in schools or having their own business. In IAY assistance is being given to those who own their houses. People have even been given money to raise another storey of their house, under this scheme.
In fact, it is alleged that most of the bills drawn in the name of this scheme were actually never executed by the department.
It is also pertinent to mention here that the time limit to complete the model village at Huller also expired this month but the model village still remains a dream for the villagers.

Best Teacher

Sheikh Noor Husain, of Lanyal Kishtwar (J&K)

Receipent of National Award for his meritorius services in the field of education.

The Half-Widow of Kishtwar Still Awaits Justice

Abdul Latif Sheikh , missing Teacher

Their husbands have simply disappeared. But with no proof that the men are dead, the government says it can’t do much. Eff Ahmed writes about another case in the twilight zone of Jammu and Kashmir’s half-widows.
Her son want to become a doctor and one of the two daughters want to join the field of education, as that of her deceased father. But tired and frail Shada Begum, in her mid fourtees, is not sure if she can fulfill the dream of her children.
Shada is a strange case. She is married, but without a husband. Neither divorced, nor a widow, she is one of many ‘half-widows’ – women whose husbands have gone missing, and no one knows where they are. In essence, the married Shada has become a single parent – and there is little she can do to change her fortune. She is the only support for her children and a son like figure for her aged father-in-law.
Shada can neither re-marry nor claim any compensation, for no one is sure if her husband is dead. She is living in a twilight zone, waiting for the moment her husband, Abdul Latif son of Raja-ulah sheikh of Cherhar, Kishtwar, a government teacher, comes walking back in through the door. Yet with every passing day, her hope of seeing Mehraj fades a little more. In the surreal world that exists in the Jammu and Kashmir, she lives on without looking back. For here she is one of many.
A resident of Cherahar, just few kilometers away from Kishtwar, Latief was picked up by the army from his house about eight years back and he never returned back. This followed several commissions and enquiries and some of them even recommended compensation to the victim family. However, like many other cases government is unmoved forcing the family to run from pillar to post to get the pensionery benefits of the deceased.
Recalling the fateful evening January 7, 1999, Shada says, “At about 11:30 PM a group of men in uniform entered our house and forcibly lifted my husband on the assurances that he would be sent back in the morning”.
“However, the next day army categorically refused to have lifted my husband to my utter surprise”, she said adding, “This followed protest demonstrations forcing the authorities to hold and enquiry”.
District magistrate Doda authorized Shalinder Kumar, the then SDM Bhaderwah vide order no. 1272-73/DM/Doda/99 to hold enquiry into the causes and circumstances, which led to the disappearance of Abdul Latif
After examining about seventeen witnesses, the enquiry commission concluded that the Latief was “lifted by some security men in a security vehicle on the fateful day located in this district/area and none else”
Based on the enquiry report the wife of the disappeared government teacher approached Jammu and Kashmir Human Right Commission and filed a complaint on 13-06-2003.
The commission observed, I have considered the compliant and the report of the concerned authorities and come to the conclusion that the missing person (teacher) was neither himself a militant nor had any link with any militant outfit”.
“Whereabouts of the missing person are not known for the last 5 yeatrs and the police has also closed the investigation of the case as untraced in view of these circumstances it is presumed that the missing person is no more existing and in provision of govt. order no 723 of GR (GAD) of 1990 dt 10-7-1990 read with govt order no. 1073-GR of 1990 missing person are entitled to get ex gratia relief as well as benefit under the provisions of SRO 43. I disposed of this case with the recommendations that two lacs instead of one lac may be sanctioned besides eligible member of family may be given employment in govt services under SRO 43”. Despite finding and recommendations, this half widow of Kishtwar is still awaiting justice at the hand of the government authorities. “I do not known when they (authorities) will wake up from their deep slumber and mitigate our sufferings”, Shada says, with hope clearly visible in her eyes.

Chatroo encounter; now police says the duo was killed in crossfire

Army continue to uphold claim, approaches families of deceased for negotiation
Sheikh Nasir Hussain

Kishtwar: Contrary to the claims of the Army that two Hizb militants were gunned down by it in Chatroo on Friday last, Police FIR with regard to the incident has mentioned the deceased as civilians, who were killed in the cross firing between militants and security forces.
Police FIR No 20/07 lodged in Chatroo police station under section 7/27 Arms Act and 302, 307 RPC dated July 6, 2007 mentions that two persons Muhammad Ashraf son of Muhammad Ramzan of Rahalthal and Muhammad Sultan son of Abdul Gafoor of Udail Chatroo were killed in cross firing.
It was reliably learnt that the army and police was under tremendous pressure since the day of incident as people came on the road and staged protest demonstrations against the security forces alleging that the two persons killed in the encounter were civilians.
Though the army claims that the duo was Hizbul Mujahideen militants, police makes a contrary stand. A police officer at the time of incident had clarified that there was no record of the deceased persons regarding their involvement in militancy related activities.
Well informed sources told Bold Voice that police refused to buy the claim of the army regarding the killing and it registered the case as per its own inputs. The FIR, copy of which was available with Bold Voice, reads that army on specific information launched a search operation near Chatroo area during which militants fired upon the troops.
“The fire was returned and in the encounter between militants and security forces two persons Muhammad Ashraf son of Muhammad Ramzan of Rahalthal and Muhammad Sultan son of Abdul Gafoor of Udail Chatroo were killed”, the FIR reads further.
Sources said that a team of senior army officials today visited Chatroo and held a closed door meeting with the family members of the deceased and some prominent citizens. The family was asked to change its statement and they would be compensated for the killings, added the sources.
“We were told that army would pay rupees fifty thousands at the initial stage to each family, while Rs 1.50 lakh would be paid at the later stage if the family admits that the deceased were involved in militancy related incidents”, Muhammad Ismail, member Panchayat committee, who was present in the meeting, said.
Expressing shock, Former MLA of the constituency Qazi Jalal-ud-Din said that one of the deceased persons was a student and the duo was returning back home after fishing when they were shot dead by the security forces. He demanded independent probe into the gruesome killings.
However, defence spokesman Col Goswami when contacted said that army stood by its stand that the slain persons were HM militants. He said, “Some arms and ammunition were also recovered from their possession which strengthens our stand”.
When his attention was drawn towards the police FIR, the spokesman said, “We are not concerned what FIR police has registered”. He also denied that any negotiation was going on between army and family of slain militants

Disfigured Gulnaz recalls gory tale of male chauvinism

Acid attack victim running pillar to post to get justice

Kishtwar: Suffering from male-chauvinism syndrome, he made her life an unending saga of miseries by disfiguring her face with acid, a face that could give many beautiful women a run for the charm she possessed. A religious teacher by ‘profession,’ he committed this inhuman crime because the victim objected to his immoral advances. It was in the month of November when every one was shivering with cold, twenty six year old Gulnaz was burning in hell. Three youth threw highly concentrated Sulphuric acid towards her melting away the skin and flesh of her beautiful countenance, besides damaging right eye. Still wondering for the reasons, the mother of two daughters has not only lost her youthfulness in the attack but also the trust and faith on the law enforcing agencies which has forced her to run from pillar to post to seek justice. She suspects that the main persons, a religious teacher, responsible for her present condition did this out of vengeance because she had once rebuffed him for making sexual advances. A resident of Kishtwar, about 270 kilometers from here, Gulnaz Banoo is married to Irshad Ahmed Waza and mother of two minor daughters. Belonging to a poor family, the couple was running a grocery shop, which was the only source of survival for the family. Once possessing a charm which every girl will dream about, the woman is completely disfigured today with one damaged eye. “Some times I feel I should die but I have to live for my children”. “It was like burning in hell," she says while recalling the fateful evening of November 16, 2006 when three youth poured acid on her face. “It went all of a sudden and I was not even aware that anything of that sort is in their mind”. Unlike most of the cases, this victim knows the suspect and has revealed their name to the police. However, ironically the police FIR speak contrary to the claims of the victim. “I have categorically named Sajad Hussain, a teacher, Liyaqat Malla son of Mustafa Malla and Masood Ahmed Akhoon son of Muhammad Irfan Molvi all residents of Muhalla Kamgar, Kishtwar to the police but the copy of FIR given to me has a different story to tell”, she says. “It was these three youth who poured the acid on my face in front of my eyes but even after six months the culprits are at large and police investigation does not speak even a single word about them”. The victim claims that she had gone to purchase fish in a nearby shop when the accused attacked her, while the police FIR claim that she had gone to make a call from a local phone booth. Gulnaz has the answer, “The police is hand in glove with the accused and has pressurized me on several occasions to enter into compromise with them”. She claimed that she has approached State Human Rights Commission and Sub Divisional Magistrate and was awaiting their response in this connection. “I have been running from pillar to post to get justice”, she says. However, she has not lost her hopes. “I will continue to fight till the culprits are punished”, the confident Gulnaz says. She was now planning to approach National Commission for Women and State Accountability Commission for taking the guilty to task. “My grievance is not only against those who have made my life a living hell but against all those police officers who are shielding the guilty for their vested interests”.

A true love story; he wins love but lost his child

Sheikh Nasir Hussain


Kishtwar: The love stories do not only figure in Bollywood movies but in real life also. A twenty-three year old youth hailing from a far flung area of Kishtwar district won his sweet-heart back after facing long ordeals and spending more than eighteen days in police custody, but not before the cruel hands of enemies of love snatched his child who was yet to see the world. The torments faced by the boy, Daljeet Sharma son of Prem Nath, during his struggle for a happy reunion with his legally wedded wife also depicts how police functions in trouble torn state of Jammu and Kashmir. A case of rape and kidnapping was registered against the youth almost a year after the couple tied the matrimonial knot and registered it with Registrar Hindu Marriages. The boy, however, won the battle today when the girl, Rekha Devi daughter of Sain Dass appeared in the court and stated that she is a major by age and has married to Daljeet out of her own sweet will. Making shocking disclosure Rekha further told court that she had given the same statement to the police, which under the influence of her family members registered a false and baseless case against her husband and also facilitated abortion of her three month pregnancy. The court after recording the statement ordered re-union of the girl with her husband while directing the police to provide security to the couple, sources told News Agency of Kashmir. A resident of village Amandhara, Galhar in Kishtwar district, twenty-three year old Daljeet fell in love with his neighbour Rekha Devi and the duo tied nuptial knot in the month of June 2006 but against the wishes of the girl’s family. The marriage was registered with Registrar Hindu Marriages at Kishtwar on July 15, 2006 and the duo started living as husband wife in the same village. However, on April 8, 2007 allegedly under the influence of girl’s family incharge police post Dool called the duo to the post and later shifted them to Police station Kishtwar. The boy moved a bail application before the local court, which asked the police to submit detail report. Sources told News Agency of Kashmir that the police filed its report on April 11, 2007 and stated that no FIR was registered against the boy and the duo has been called for questioning. It was further mentioned that Rekha in her statement has categorically said that she has married Daljeet out of her own will. However, contrary to its own stand, on the same evening police registered an FIR (54/07) against the boy for alleged rape and kidnapping and handed over the girl to her mother. The boy again moved to the court seeking bail, which was granted to him after eighteen days of custody. After coming out of police custody, Daljeet filed an application before the court under section 100 CRPC alleging that his wife has been illegally detained by her family members. Sources said that the police constable who executed the warrants of the court reported that the girl is pregnant and has been taken to Jammu for checkup. The girl was produced before the court, today, and finally the love birds re-united after facing all odds. However, the girl stated in the court that she was forced to abort pregnancy by the family. “I will not spare all those who have snatched the dream of having the child from me”, Daljeet told . He said that he will prosecute the police officers and girl’s family for committing the crime

KISHTWAR ZEERA FORM: 25 Kg produced in 35 years

Govt spends crores; income worth thousands
Sheikh Nasir Hussain
Paddar (Kishtwar); Zeera Farm situated in Paddar area of district Kishtwar is a testimony of government functioning in itself. With a total expenditure running in crores, the thirty-five years old farm has produced only 25 kgs Zeera till date. The official record, copy of which are with News Agency of Kashmir, reveals that the government is spending more than rupees four lakh per year on the salary of the employees posted in the farm, while the income generated from it has never been more than Rs 25,00. The world famous Kala Zeera is still being derived from wild sources of Paddar area. It was reliably learnt that trails were undertaken in late 80’s to cultivate this Zeera outside Paddar but it proved a failure. Well informed sources said that the government Agriculture department took up Zeera cultivation at Atholi Farm Paddar for an area of 4 kanals in the year 1973. The forest land, falling under Compartment No 29, was handed over to the department for the purpose and soon the farm was expanded at an area of ten kanals and seven marlas, sources added. The department has appointed one development officer, one Research Assistant, one Field Inspector and two gardeners to ensure quality Zeera production from the farm. The total expenditure on the salary of these employees is more than rupees four lakh per year, sources said. Official sources said that till 1990 the total production from the farm was only in grams and it never reached even one kg per year. Though the production has now slightly improved, the farm is producing Zeera not more than rupees 2500 per year. As per the produce deposited by Saffron Development Officer, Kishtwar the farm has produced Zeera weighing 2 Kgs in 2004-05 and 2.140 Kgs during 2005-06 worth Rs 2000 and Rs 2140 respectively. On the other hand the total expenditure on the farm in the two years remained Rs 5.86 lakh and Rs 4.17 lakh per year, respectively. The record revealed that the farm has produced 500 grms of Zeera with an expenditure of Rs 1.90 lakh in the year 1993, 900 grams with an expenditure of Rs 1.84 lakh in the year 1994-95, 2 kgs with total expenditure of Rs .96 lakh in the year 1995-96, 2 kgs with total expenditure of Rs .83 lakh in the year 1996-97, 2 kgs with total expenditure of Rs .73 lakh in the year 1997-98, 2 kgs with total expenditure of Rs 1.75 lakh in the year 1998-99, 1.9990 Kgs with total expenditure of Rs 1.27 lakh in the year 1999-2000, 1.800 Kgs with total expenditure of Rs 2.21 lakh in the year 2000-2001, 2.500 Kgs with total expenditure of Rs 2.29 lakh in the year 2001-2002, 2.500 Kgs with total expenditure of Rs 2.61 lakh in the year 2002-2003 and 3 Kgs with total expenditure of Rs 4.02 lakh in the year 2003-2004. On the other hand local residents alleged that the farm is a complete failure and it has never produced Zeera. “The officials are purchasing Zeera from the local residents and than depositing it in the head office showing it as the production from the farm”, Sarpanch of the area Ram Singh told News Agency of Kashmir. A local resident, Naik Ram said that the Zeera cost rupees one thousand per kilogram in the market and the annual production from the farm and expenditure incurred on it speaks itself about the performance of the department. Experts said that the production Zeera is not an easy task for the officials as it is mostly derived from wild sources of the area. Zeera seed takes about 4 years to develop into a bulb of 2 cm size and the crop is produced after 5th year after sowing, an agriculture expert said.

KISHTWAR, a beautiful place

Illicit timber seized from J P Vehicle

SHEIKH NASIR HUSSAIN
Kishtwar, July 04 : An alert team of forest officials seized fifteen Kale wood doors worth about one and a half lakh manufactured by using illicit timber being smuggled in a Jay Parkash Industries Vehicle at Dool check post.

The Forest department has registered a case against the company under the relevant forest Act.

Reliable sources told News Agency of Kashmir that a team of forest officials posted at Dool Forest Check post intercepted a Tipper owned by Jay Parkash Industries bearing registration Number JK02-A 5018 and seized fifteen wooden doors of illicit timber hidden beneath ply wood sheets.

The driver of the vehicle, however, fled from the spot leaving behind the vehicle.
The forest officials seized the vehicle along with the crafted doors.

Sources said that the doors manufactured by Kale wood were being smuggled to Jammu without any legal permeation.

The Jay Parkash Industries which executed the prestigious Dool Hasti Power Project is widening its setup from the area after handing over the project to NHPC in the month of April this year.

Giving details, Divisional Forest Officer Kishtwar Bashir Ahmed Shah told NAK that the department has registered a case against the JP Industries under the relevant forest Act after taking the passion of the Vehicle and the illicit wood material. He said the illicit wood material was seized last evening by a team of forest officials posted at Dool Check post. Meanwhile, Company Liaison officer has filed an application for release of Vehicle in the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, sources added.

Students disrupt traffic on Chatroo- Kishtwar road

Kishtwar, July 04 : Hundreds of students today gathered near Dedpath on Chatroo –
Kishtwar road and disrupted the traffic movement to protest lack of adequate transport facility to the area.

The protesting students blocked the road and raised slogans against the administration for its failure to make available adequate public transport to Chatroo area.

“The area, inhabiting about fifty thousand population has only one SRTC Bus and a few private passenger Vehicles on the name public transport” said a local resident adding that the commuters, particularly students are facing great hardship in the absence of passenger buses to reach their place of works and schools.

The situation has further aggravated, after government has put a strict check on passenger vehicles to avoid mishaps due to overloading, but failed to provide the additional vehicles to cater to the needs of the commuters traveling on the route, he added. “Since having only Higher Secondary school at Chatroo , students from far off areas are forced to walk dozens of miles on foot to attend the school’, a teacher told News Agency of Kashmir. He said they are even forced to stay back at home in the event of inclement weather taking a heavy toll of their studies.