State
NSA Doval says its ‘purpose served’
New Delhi, Jun 14: With just a day or two left for the unilateral ceasefire, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Thursday said that the purpose of Ramadhan ceasefire has been achieved as “people in Kashmir are happy”.
“We wanted to give respite to the common man in the Valley during Ramadhan, so they can observe the holy month peacefully. And during Ramadhan we stuck to our stance. The people there are happy and the purpose is served,” Doval was quoted as having said by NDTV.
With just a day or two left for the unilateral cessation of anti-militancy military operations in Kashmir, New Delhi is likely to decide today whether to extend it beyond Ramadhan or not.
In this connection, official sources say a high level meeting is likely to be chaired by home minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi which will be attended by chief secretary B B Vyas and the police chief Shesh Paul Vaid.
The meeting is a follow up to a security review made by Singh during his two-day visit to the state on June 7, his first after the unilateral ‘ceasefire’ was announced by him over twitter just before the fasting month began on May 16.
The state’s security officials had told Singh they were satisfied over the gains made in Kashmir after the military halted its anti-militancy military operations.
Singh himself too had expressed ‘satisfaction over improvement’ in the Kashmir situation since the halt.
The state government is in favour of extending the ‘ceasefire’, and Indian army chief Bipin Rawat too gave an indication to the same effect recently saying in an interview, “let’s give peace a chance”.
Jammu Jan 15: Chief Secretary, B. V. R. Subrahmanyam Tuesday chaired the 16th meeting of the Steering Committee of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) to consider the Annual Plan of Operations (APOs) of Forest and Wildlife Departments for the Year 2019-20.
After due deliberations, the Steering Committee approved the APOs for the year 2019-20 for Forest and allied Departments in terms of which afforestation will be undertaken in 6000 Hectare area and around 43 Lakh saplings will be planted in 2019-20. The Committee also approved the APOs of Wildlife Protection Department.
Earlier, the Committee was informed that against 13,000 hectares diverted under Jammu and Kashmir Forest Conservation Act for development works since inception, more than 41,000 hectares degraded forest area has been afforested.
Against each tree felled under the Act for development works, more than 20 new plants have been planted to compensate for the loss of environmental goods and services.
The Committee was informed that new Rules which have been notified on December 24th 2018 provide that more than 80% of the total outlay is to be spent on Forest and Wildlife Management Activities and less than 20% of the outlay on Infrastructure and Capacity building Activities.
The Committee was also informed that a Monitoring Group headed by CCF (Project and Planning) has been entrusted with the task of evolving independent system for concurrent monitoring and evaluations of CAMPA works.
Chief Secretary desired that utility of expenditure on fencing works should be reviewed by the Department for more effective utilization of funds.
It was informed that the coordinates and maps of the works executed under CAMPA are being placed on the website of e-green watch portal of Ministry of Environment and Forest.
While underscoring the importance of conservation and protection of flora, fauna and forest wealth, Chief Secretary urged the officers of the Forest Department to redouble their efforts so that afforestation and compensatory plantation is undertaken in a mission mode for restoring the ecological balance in the State. He also directed the Forest Department to put the details of works undertaken under CAMPA in public domain. The Department was also directed to work out a comprehensive proposal for conservation of wetlands in the State, particularly Gharana, Mansar and Hokersar, in consultation with the line Departments viz; Agriculture and Revenue and thereafter submit the same for consideration of the Government within two months.
Commissioner/Secretary, Forest advocated earmarking higher allocations to promote cultivation and marketing of medicinal plants so as to serve as a means of livelihood for the local population.
The Wildlife Department was directed to carry out habitat improvement, human animal conflict management and research studies and other conservation works under CAMPA. The Department was further directed to expedite updating of Forest Demarcation records and installation of boundary pillars in order to prevent encroachment of forest lands.
Principal Secretary, Finance, Principal Secretary, Planning, Development and Monitoring, Commissioner/Secretary, Forest, Ecology and Environment, Director, Soil & Water Conservation, Director, SFRI, Director, Social Forestry Department, Chief Conservator Forests, Jammu, Chief Conservator Forests (Eco Tourism), Chief Conservator of Forests (Planning & Project), CCF(FCA) and representative of MoEF&CC, Regional Office Chandigarh participated in the meeting. NGO members Nazir-B-Nazir and Dr.Gurmit Singh also attended the meeting as special invitees.
Sarvesh Rai, APCCF(CAMPA) made a detailed presentation on the functioning of CAMPA and APOs of the financial year 2019-20.
Srinagar, Jan 15: Hurriyat Conference (G) convened a meeting of its Majlis-e-Shoora, which was presided over by its chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, at his Hyderpora residence.
The meeting took stock of the current Kashmir situation.
According to a statement issued to the media, the meeting was attended by representatives of the amalgam including Bilal Siqiqui, Mohammad Yousf Naqash, Khawaja Firdous, Hameed Elahi, Molvi Bashir Irfani, Syed Mohammad Shafi, Yasmeen Raja, Arshid Aziz, Gh. Mohammad Nagoo, Shaheen Iqbal, Devinder Singh Behal, Masooda Ji, Mohammad Maqbool Magami and Mubashir Iqbal.
The statement read that during the meeting it was termed Kashmir issue as a long pending political and humanitarian issue to be settled by exercising free and fair plebiscite.
Hailing the statement of British Parliamentarian to help solve the Kashmir issue if voted to power, participants said that this once again vindicates our stand and proves beyond doubt the disputed nature of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which India shamelessly continues to denial for the last 7 decades.
In his presidential address, Hurriyat Chairman termed Kashmir issue a globally accepted dispute where in the people’s right to self-determination is not only acknowledged but confirmed by more than a dozen resolutions, but persistent denial of our basic rights has turned this beautiful piece of land in a hell where every day killings, crackdowns, arrests, nocturnal raids and bulldozing residences has became a routine. People have been forced to live a harassed and threatened life, with continuous psychological stress, he said.
He further said that people are left at the mercy of forces, with vast and widespread intelligence network, who continuously peep into their private affairs without any moral or ethical ground.
Hurriyat (G) chairman said that common people especially pro-freedom political workers are slapped with numberless PSA and even the release orders from their own judicial houses are not honoured.
Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman said that many countries have economic interests in India is which is the reason that despite knowing and confirming the barbaric and brute face of India they keep mum, which encourages its meanness and beastliness.
He stressed upon the nation in general and youth in particular to strengthen our bond with our faith and seek guidance from Allah Almighty, be united and steadfast on achieving our goal and we will In Shah Allah get rid of this unnatural and forced occupation.
Reiterating his appeal for boycott, Hurriyat (G) chairman said that those elected by our votes, in the name of basic needs like Sadak, Bijli and Pani, act as local faces of the brutality and inhumanness of rulers.
Srinagar, Jan 15: Reacting on tagging and filing yet another plea in Supreme Court (SC) against the Article 370, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Chairman, Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai Tuesday said anti-Kashmir think tank are hell-bent to change the demography of the Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement issued here Sehrai said, “It’s a well-thought-out ploy to tamper with the special status and Muslim majority character of Jammu and Kashmir.”
“These forces are working hard to sabotage the future referendum process in Jammu and Kashmir and hatching conspiracies to achieve desired results to influence the process of referendum,” he said.
He said such moves were hatched to change the “disputed nature of J&K and its Muslim majority character too”. “The extremist elements had since 1947 always tried to push the Kashmir issue on the back burner and dilute its historical status and disputed character which they continue to do till this date. From Srinagar to New Delhi, efforts are being made to shift focus from Kashmir issue by portraying it away from its historical and ethical background,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sehrai expressed sorrow over the demise of Haji Ghulam Nabi Mir, member of Jamat-e-Islami Kulgam, President of JK Electrical Employees Union Mir Abdul Salaam Rajpori and cousin brother of General Secretary (TeH) Hamzah Shah.
Sehrai extended his condolences and sympathy to the bereaved families and prayed for the deceased souls.