Excelsiordaily

REGD.NO.JK-71/15-17RNI No. 28547/65Vol No. 53 No. 44 JAMMU, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017 14 Pages `̀ 4.00

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 13: TheCabinet which met here todayunder the chairmanship ofChief Minister, MehboobaMufti ordered transfers andpostings in civil and policeadministration.

Bipul Pathak, PrincipalSecretary to the Government,Transport Department has beentransferred and posted asCommissioner of Enquiries.

Vineeta Gupta, TransportCommissioner, J&K, was trans-ferred and posted as DirectorGeneral, IMPA relieving LokeshDutt Jha, FinancialCommissioner, Revenue of theadditional charge.

Sanjeev Verma,Commissioner/ Secretary to theGovernment, PHE, Irrigationand Flood Control Department,has been transferred and postedas Commissioner/Secretary toGovernment, Tribal AffairsDepartment vice Saurab Bhagat.He will also hold the additionalcharge of Technical Educationand Information Technology

Department relieving R.KGoyal, Principal Secretary toGovernment, Home Departmentof the additional charge

Nirmal Sharma,Commissioner of Enquiries,J&K, has been transferred andposted asCommissioner/Secretary to theGovernment, CooperativeDepartment.

Saurbah Bhagat, Secretary tothe Government, Tribal AffairsDepartment, has been trans-ferred and posted as Secretary tothe Government, PHE, Irrigationand Flood Control Department.

Hemant Kumar Sharma,Secretary to the Government,Cooperative Department, wastransferred and posted asSecretary to the Government,Transport Department.

Mohammad Javed Khan,Custodian General, J&K, wastransferred and posted as ExciseCommissioner, J&K. He shalltake over the charge of the postupon retirement on superannua-tion of Tsering Angchok, on28.02.2017.

Arun Kumar Sharma, Joint

Financial Commissioner,Agrarian Reforms in the officeof Financial Commissioner,Revenue, has been transferredand posted as Director, UrbanLocal Bodies, Jammu, viceSoujanya Kumar Sharma, whoshall report in the GeneralAdministration Department forfurther posting.

Pradeep Kumar, Director,Rural Development Department,Jammu, has been transferred andposted as Secretary, J&K StateInformation Commission,against an available vacancy.

Ravinder Kumar Bhat,Director, Panchayati RajInstitutions, J&K, shall holdthe additional charge of thepost of Director, RuralDevelopment Department,Jammu.

Reyaz Ahmad Wani,Additional DeputyCommissioner, Srinagar, wastransferred and posted asDirector, Urban Local Bodies,Kashmir, vice Tufail Matoo,who shall report in the GeneralAdministration Department for

Cabinet orders majorreshuffle in civil, police admn

* Several IPS, IFS officers promotedExcelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 13: TheCabinet in its meeting chairedby Chief Minister, MehboobaMufti today accorded sanctionto the creation of TourismDevelopment Authority, TosaMaidan.

Tosa Maidan is one of thelargest meadows in Kashmirvalley and is surrounded bydense forests with the potentialof developing into a world classtourism destination.

The Chief Minister had dur-ing her visit to the area in Maylast year announced creation of aseparate Tourism DevelopmentAuthority for the developmentof tourism infrastructure in TosaMaidan.

Apart from the normal tour& picnics, Tosa Maidan has ahuge potential in terms ofadventure including wintersports, hiking, mountaineering,horse riding, para gliding, rockclimbing, trekking etc.

In another significant deci-sion, the Cabinet accordedsanction to the creation ofTourism Development

Authority, Shopian-Dobjun-Peer-Ki-Gali & TourismDevelopment Authority Bani-Basohli along-with creation of21 posts of various categoriesfor each Tourism Authority.

The Cabinet accorded sanc-tion to the promulgation of theOrdinance to amend the Jammuand Kashmir Panchayati RajAct, 1989.

The elections to the HalqaPanchayats were held in the year2011 and the tenure of 5 yearshas expired in July, 2016. Forconducting fresh elections of theHalqa Panchayats, the processhas been initiated; hence theneed had arisen for promulga-tion of an Ordinance, so far as itrelated to elections toPanchayats and delimitation ofHalqa Panchayats.

For the purpose of holdinggeneral election under this Actin the year 2017, the superinten-dence, direction and control ofthe preparation of the electoralrolls and conduct of, all electionin accordance with this Act shallvest in the Chief ElectoralOfficer. The power to determineand delimit Halqa Panchayats in

accordance with this Act shallvest in the Chief ElectoralOfficer.

The Cabinet approvedapproved the Jammu MasterPlan - 2032.

The Jammu Master Plan-2021 currently in vogue wasprepared in the year 2004, for anestimated population of 19.29lacs covering an area of 305Sqkm. To take care of the futuredevelopment requirements ofJammu City upto 2032, therevised Master Plan for the cityhas been formulated, keeping inview that the physical growth ofJammu City, has spread up toBishnah and Samba.

The Jammu Local PlanningArea under the revised JammuMaster Plan-2032 will be spreadover an area of 652.33 Sqkmincluding whole MunicipalCorporation of Jammu,Municipal Committees ofGhomanhasan, Bishnah M.C,Bari Brahmana M.C andVijaypur. The total villagesincluded in the revised JMP willbe 324 including the 103 vil-lages of extended local area of

Jammu Master Plan -2032 approvedCabinet approves 4 new TDAs,

extends amnesty for power consumers* Nod to PR (amendment) Ordinance

FIR lodged against rumour mongersCurfew like restrictions in

parts of KashmirFayaz Bukhari

SRINAGAR, Feb 13:Normal life was affected inKashmir today due to a shut-down called by the separatistsagainst the killing of two civil-ians and four militants in anencounter in Kulgam districtof South Kashmir while cur-few like restrictions wereimposed in parts of SouthKashmir.

Shops and commercialestablishments remained closedin Srinagar and Public transportwas mostly off the roads.However, some vehicles wereplying.

Authorities made heavydeployment of police and para-military forces across Srinagarto prevent any violence.However, there was no restric-tion on movement of people.

Restrictions were imposed inSouth Kashmir's Kulgam districtand Shopian town where twocivilians were killed yesterday.However, the movement of peo-ple was allowed on the Srinagar-Jammu highway passingthrough south Kashmir.

A police official said thatthere is no restriction on the

movement of people anywhereelse in the Valley but securityforces have been deployed insensitive areas to keep a tightvigil on anti-social elements.

Police said situation acrossthe South Kashmir remainednormal and it was under control.He said there was no curfew, butSection 144 was placed in someareas.

A police spokesman said thatthe reports circulated on socialnetwork sites about the death ofan injured person in Kulgam, isfalse and baseless.

DIG South Kashmir S P Panisaid, that some people are givingfalse information and spreadingrumors on WhatsApp groupsand on the Facebook pagesregarding death of some injuredperson.

"In this regard, it is clarifiedthat all injured persons are stableand seven injured have been dis-charged today from district hos-pital, there is no report of anyinjured person succumbing. Theupdate is misleading and is assuch refuted."

Reports from all the districtheadquarters of the Valley saidthat all shops and business

Advance teams may leave for shrine in April-MayHeavy snowfall at

cave, tracks set to makeclearance operations tough

Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Feb 13: Thoughthere has been heavy snowfallthis year in the entire Kashmirvalley including holy cave ofShri Amarnath Ji, located at aheight of 12,756 feet from sealevel in Anantnag district ofSouth Kashmir Himalayasand twin tracks ofChandanwari and Baltal, theauthorities were set to startsnow clearance operations fol-lowed by repair and wideningof tracks ahead of the scheduleto ensure that the annual pil-grimage proceeds well in time.

Official sources told theExcelsior that since major spellsof snowfall generally ends inMarch, the PahalgamDevelopment Authority (PDA)would start snow clearanceoperations in the month of Aprilwhile Public Works Department(PWD) would undertake similartask along Baltal route.

"The snowfall this year hasbeen unprecedented especiallyalong Shri Amarnath ji cave areaand the twin tracks, leading tothe holy cave shrine, fromChandanwari in Pahalgam,Anantnag and Baltal inGanderbal district. The snowclearance operations are likelyto require massive efforts, whichwould be launched well ahead ofthe schedule to start pilgrimageon scheduled date on June 29,''sources said.

When approached for com-ments, Additional ChiefExecutive Officer (ACEO), ShriAmarnath Ji Shrine Board,Jatinder Singh, said as soon asthe twin tracks are accessible,the concerned authorities wouldstart snow clearance operations.

"There has been heavysnowfall this year and it contin-ues till March. The clearanceoperations would start and the

tracks would be made fit formovement of the pilgrims,''Singh said, adding all arrange-ments would be made for theyatris.

Forty-day long pilgrimagethis year is scheduled to starton June 29 and would con-clude on August 7 coincidingwith Shravan Purnima andRaksha Bandhan.

According to sources, bothChandanwari and Baltal trackshad been widened at someplaces post-Amarnath yatra lastyear especially in the months ofSeptember and October. Theysaid tracks at some more places,wherever possible, will bewidened during snow clearanceoperations, which are undertak-en by the PahalgamDevelopment Authority along45-kilometres Nunwan-Chandanwari-Holy Cave trackand Public Works Department at13-kilometres long Baltal route.

Sources, however, said thatregistration for Shri Amarnath Jishrine will be opened in 433branches of Jammu and KashmirBank, Punjab National Bank andYes Bank across the countryfrom March 1 this year with15,000 pilgrims to be registeredper day-7500 each for Nunwanand Baltal tracks.

"The on-line registration hasbeen done away with but GroupRegistration will be done at thebank branches. Under the GroupRegistration, only one personfrom the Group can do registra-tion of all Group members, sub-ject to completion of formali-ties,'' sources said.

A maximum of six lakh pil-grims can be registered thisyear for annual pilgrimage ofShri Amarnath ji shrine fromboth the tracks as the yatrahas been confined to 40 days.However, the people undertak-

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 13: ChiefMinister, Mehbooba Muftitoday asked for inclusion ofnon migrant Kashmiri Panditsin the welfare endeavor of theGovernment. She also directedprovision of all basic facilitiesof healthcare and education atthe transit accommodationcentres in the Kashmir valleywhere members of the com-munity are presently puttingup.

Chairing a high level meet-ing of Rehabilitation, Relief &Disaster ManagementDepartments here today, theChief Minister said the membersof the Pandit community whodid not leave their homes in theKashmir valley also need atten-

tion as many of them are livingin very poor conditions. She saidmembers of all migrant commu-nities like Muslims, Sikhs etcshould be given space in anytransit accommodation facilitiesbeing built there, thus, respect-ing the pluralistic ethos of theplace.

Mehbooba enquired aboutthe supply of ration to Pandit

families, particularly at Jagti andstressed on making the distribu-tion process simple and hasslefree. She suggested opening ofsome Fair Price Shops in themigrant camps and Pandit habi-tations to ease out the problemsof the inhabitants.

The meeting was informed

that a 40 bedded hospital hasbeen readied at Jagti Townshipwhich is being operationalisedsoon.

The meeting was alsoinformed about other meas-ures being taken by theGovernment for the welfare ofPandit migrant community.They included health insur-ance cover to the migrantcommunity, providing cashassistance through bankaccounts to put check on pil-ferage, restoration of RBA sta-tus in case of persons whocome from such areas andshuffling of overstaying staffat camps to provide a muchmore transparent relief systemto the beneficiaries.

The meeting was alsoinformed that the documentation

process for relief distributionamong the beneficiaries of PoKDisplaced Persons has been sim-plified and now only three docu-ments are needed instead of 11as prescribed earlier. It was alsoinformed that camps would beheld at various tehsils and loca-tions to reach out to the genuinebeneficiaries and settle downtheir cases.

It may be mentioned herethat the State Government hasstarted disbursement of reliefpackage in respect of DisplacedPersons from PoK and so far 96such families have been paid thecash relief with Rs. 5.50 lakh perfamily.

Several deputations duringlast few months had met theChief Minister and requested

Relief distribution to PoK refugees simplifiedCM for inclusion of non-migrantKPs in Govt’s welfare schemes

Excelsior Correspondent

KATHUA, Feb 13: Fouremployees of J&K Bank werekilled in a tragic road accidenton Jammu -PathankotNational Highway at Palli inKathua district this morningwhen a car, in which they weretravelling, collided head onwith a bus.

“The incident took placewhen the car bearing registration

number JK02BL4097 en routeto Pathankot from Jammu, firsthit the divider and then crossedit and collided with the superfast bus bearing registrationnumber JK02AN 6981 whichwas on its way to Jammu fromKathua near Sodhi Resort inPalli area of Kathua," a policeofficial here said.

He said that all the deceasedwere employees of the J&KBank and were posted in

Pathankot. They were on theirway to the Bank when the acci-dent took place.

The deceased were identi-fied as Bank Manager, MohanSingh, S/o Sher Singh of TrikutaNagar, Jammu, Rakesh SinghCharak, S/o Sukhdev Singh

Charak of Birpur Ratno Chack,Ajay Koul S/o Makhan Lal Koulof Talab Tillo, Jammu and Anil

Kumar Gupta, S/o Lal ChandGupta of Shastri Nagar Jammu.

They were shifted to DistrictHospital Kathua by local people.However, two employees had

died on spot while two suc-cumbed to their injuries on theirway to Hospital, police said.

Panic gripped entire areaafter the news spread in Palliand villages surrounding it.After receiving the messageAdditional DC Kathua, BharatBushan and DySP, Ajay Kumarand other civil and police offi-cers rushed to the spot.

The driver of the bus howev-er, fled away after the accidentand was at large till last reportscame in. The Kathua Police hasregistered a case under FIRnumber 46 under Section 304.

Soon after hearing the news,the family members of the Bankemployees as well as JK Bankstaff members and officersrushed to DH Kathua in panic.Later the bodies were handedover to their respective familiesfor cremation. They were cre-mated later in the afternoon.

The funeral of the deceasedwas also attended by Bank

4 Bank officials killed in Highway tragedy

Mohinder Verma

JAMMU, Feb 13: Jammuand Kashmir State VigilanceCommission is all set tobecome defunct as ChiefVigilance Commissioner andone Vigilance Commissionerare completing term withinnext eight days and anotherVigilance Commissioner'stenure will come to an end onMarch 31, 2017 but the PDP-BJP Coalition Governmenthas yet not initiated any exer-cise to identify the new incum-bents for this vitalCommission.

The Jammu and KashmirState Vigilance Commission

was created vide SRO-59 datedFebruary 15, 2011 issued by theGeneral AdministrationDepartment in exercise of thepowers conferred under Sub-Section-1 of Section 3 of theJammu and Kashmir StateVigilance Commission Act,2011, which received the assentof the Governor N N Vohra onJanuary 19, 2011.

The Act provides for the con-stitution of State VigilanceCommission to inquire or causeinquiries to be conducted intooffences alleged to have beencommitted under the Preventionof Corruption Act, 2006 by thepublic servants, corporationsestablished in the State by or

under any Act of the Parliamentor the Act of State Legislature,Government companies, soci-eties and local authorities ownedor controlled by theGovernment.

However, for two yearsState Vigilance Commissioncould not be made functionalbecause of dilly-dallyingapproach of the thenGovernment regardingappointment of first everChief Vigilance Commissioner(CVC) and two VigilanceCommissioners.

Vide SRO-48 and SRO-49dated February 11, 2013,Governor N N Vohra appointedKuldeep Khoda, former Director

General of Police J&K and R KJerath, former IAS officer asfirst ever Chief VigilanceCommissioner and VigilanceCommissioner respectively.Gous-ul-Nisa Jeelani, formerPrincipal District and SessionsJudge, was appointed as secondVigilance Commissioner videSRO-353 dated August 1, 2013.

Like the State InformationCommission (SIC), the J&KState Vigilance Commission isalso going to become defunctas Chief VigilanceCommissioner KuldeepKhoda and one VigilanceCommissioner R K Jerath arecompleting their tenure on

Khoda, Jerath retiring on Feb 21, Gous-ul-Nisa by ending MarchJ&K Vigilance Commission

all set to become defunct*Govt yet to begin exercise for new incumbents

INSIDE WEATHERChina politicizes terrorPahalgam medical deficit ....Page 6Mehbooba directs mainstreaming of disaster preparedness by all deptts ....Page 3Priya reviews Maha Shivratriarrangements ....Page 3AoA key to political stability ...Page 5Hold polls under Panchayat Election Commission:Monga ...Page 7Bowlers turn on heat as India beat Bangladeshby 208 runs ...Page 12

JAMMU : Mainly clear

TEMPERATUREMax: 23.1 Degree C Min: 8.4 Degree C

RELATIVE HUMIDITYRH-I (Morning): 81.0 per centRH-II (Evening): 47.0 per centSunset on Tuesday: 06.16 p.m.Sunrise on Wednesday: 07.15 a.m.

SRINAGAR:Mainly dry

TEMPERATUREMax: 14.2 Degree C Min: -2.2 Degree C

RELATIVE HUMIDITYRH-I (Morning): 89.0 per centRH-II (Evening): 39.0 per cent

LEH: TEMPERATURE

Max: 1.1 Degree C Min: -16.1 Degree C

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Farooq bats for Indo-Pak talksPANAJI, Feb 13:

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and NationalConference president Dr Farooq Abdullah has said that dialoguewas necessary between India and Pakistan to have permanentpeace in Kashmir.

Speaking at a panel discussion on 'India-Health of the Nation'as part of 'Difficult Dialogues' organised at International CentreGoa here last night, he said, ''How long are we going to continuethe killings? What is the way forward?.

We can't, as Vajpayee (former Prime Minister Atal BehariVajpayee) said friends can change but neighbours can't. ..I contin-uously say do not wait till last gun falls silent. You have to talk to

Top cops among 16 dead in Pak blastLAHORE, Feb 13:

Senior police officers were among 16 people killed today whena Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up targeting them during aprotest rally outside Pakistan's Punjab Assembly here that alsowounded 60 others.

Lahore Traffic Police chief capt (R) Ahmed Mobeen andSenior Superintendent PoliceZahid Gondal were among fivepolice personnel killed in theblast, police officials said.

Lahore police chief Amin Wains confirmed the death ofMobeen. He, however, did not confirm about other casualties. "I

J&K Bank to issue 3.65 cr sharesNEW DELHI, Feb 13:

J&K Bank will issue over 3.65 crore shares on preferentialbasis to the State Government to raise Rs 250 crore.

J&K Bank said the allotment to Government of Jammu &Kashmir, promoter and majority shareholder of the bank, will be atRs 67.39 per share aggregating to over Rs 249.99 crore.

"It is proposed to offer, issue and allot on a preferential basis,equity shares of the Bank for an amount not exceeding Rs 250crore to the J&K Government," J&K Bank said in a regulatory fil-ing.

It said it is raising funds to meet needs of bank's growing busi-ness, including long term capital requirements for pursuing its

Fresh WD to hit J&K on WedSRINAGAR, Feb 13:

A fresh Western Disturbance (WD) is likely to hit Jammu andKashmir on Wednesday, which could result in moderate to heavysnowfall in upper reaches though plains will receive only intermit-tent rains.

However, night remained chilly in the Valley. RegionalMeteorological Department director Sonam Lotus said that a freshWD, originating in Arabian sea and entering the region throughAfghanistan and Pakistan, will hit the State on Wednesday.

However, he said this WD will not have much impact in theplains, which would receive intermittent rain from Thursdayevening though upper reaches will receive moderate to heavy

Army pays tributes to soldiers Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Feb 13: Army today paid homage to two sol-diers, Lance Naik Bhandoriya Gopal Sinh Munimsinh and Sepoy

Raghubeer Singh, who werekilled in a gun battle with mili-tants in Frisal area of Kulgam dis-trict in South Kashmir yesterday.

Major General KK Pant, Chief of Staff Chinar Corps laidwreaths on behalf of the Corps Commander and all ranks of theCorps at Badami Bagh Cantt in Srinagar, said an Army spokesman.

Tributes were also paid by officials from civil administrationand other security agencies that included the Divisional

Pak shells forward posts on LoCExcelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 13: Pakistan army this evening violated ceasefirealong the Line of Control (LoC) in Sunderbani sector of Rajouridistrict, targeting forward Indian posts with small and automaticweapons and mortars.

Official sources said Pakistan army started indiscriminate firingon forward Indian posts at 6.05 pm in Sunderbani sector initiallyusing small and automatic arms and later resorting to mortarshelling.

"The Indian side effectively retaliated, leading to heavyexchanges that continued for some time,'' sources said, adding thatthere were no casualties or damage on the Indian side in Pakistan

The Swift car which was damaged in a road accident at Pallinear Kathua on Monday. -Excelsior/Magotra

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