Srinagar, Jan 31 : J&K Civil Secretariat Employees Coordination Committee (J&KCSECC) Chairman Ghulam Rasool Mir said that Governor Satya Malik should clarify his statement as regards corruption in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The honourable Governor should specify in clear terms whether corruption is being done by politicians, bureaucrats, employees or erstwhile Governors or those who have ruled the state in the past,” Mir told news agency.

He said that action should be taken in strong terms against those indulging in corruption including at higher levels or at any other level.

“The remarks that corruption prevails in civil secretariat is very unfortunate,” Mir said and threatened to lodge a strong protest against it.

Earlier in the day, Governor Satya Pal Malik said that he was ashamed to see rampant corruption in the state which kept away industrialists and investors and vowed to send corrupt officials to jail.

Addressing an official function here, Malik said: “Corruption is so rampant in Jammu and Kashmir that I am ashamed.

“I spoke to many industrialists and investors in Delhi. They told me while they pay a commission of 3 percent to start units outside J&K, they are asked to pay 10-12 percent commission by bureaucrats to set up units in J&K.

“Some bureaucrats have been continuing in their position in the Secretariat for 15 long years because of the patronage of one or the other political party.

“I plan to hand over cases of such corrupt bureaucrats to the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Even if I have to speak to the Prime Minister for sending such corrupt officials to jail, I will do that.” (GNS)

Srinagar:The Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Thursday ordered creation of WhatsaApp groups of parents in every school to make them aware about the activities taking place there.An order issued by the DSEK named the school heads as admins of these WhatsApp groups and asked them to “share all academic/non-academic activities on these groups so that parents are made well aware about the activities of the school”.The order asked the school heads to “update the parents with day to day activities/performance/ attendance of their wards” on the whatsapp groups for the parents’ “information and prompt intervention wherever required”.The order also asked the school heads to create websites of their schools and upload all the relevant information there.

Srinagar, Jan 31: Hurriyat Conference (G) convened a meeting of its Majlis-e-Shoora, presided over by its chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, at his Hyderpora residence. The overall political situation was thoroughly discussed.

The meeting, according to a statement issued, was attended by the representatives of the amalgam including Gh Nabi Sumji, Molvi Bashir Irfani, Mohammad Rafiq Ganie, Mohammad Yaseen Aataie, Khawaja Firdous Wani, Gh. Mohammad Nagoo, Syed Mohammad Shafi, Mohammad Maqbool Magami, Yasmeen Raja, Masooda Jamaat-e-Islami, Arshid Aziz and Mubashir Iqbal.

Besides other issues, the forum expressed grave concern over the deteriorating condition of Kashmiri prisoners in and outside the state, particularly Tihar jail. “Despite repeated statements and the off and on media reports, there seems no respite from the pathetic and humiliating conditions faced by these poor inmates,” the meeting observed.

The meeting termed Kashmir issue as a long-pending political and humanitarian issue to be settled by exercising free and fair plebiscite.

On the occasion, Hurriyat (G) leaders strongly condemned the “nocturnal raid and brutal attack” by forces on Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) district president Baramulla Mufti Abdul Ahad. “He (Ahad) is a well known social and political leader and such barbaric assault on him is unbearable and unacceptable,” they said.

In his presidential address, Hurriyat (G) chairman termed Kashmir issue as “a globally accepted dispute wherein the people’s right to self-determination is not only acknowledged but confirmed by more than a dozen resolutions”.

He said the “persistent denial of our basic rights has turned this beautiful piece of land in a battlefield where everyday killings, crackdowns, arrests, nocturnal raids and bulldozing residences have become a routine”.

The pro-freedom leader expressed his serious concern over the “pathetic” condition of political prisoners and said that despite being political prisoners, they are denied every right guaranteed in the national or international jail manual.

“Revengeful attitude of the rulers in Delhi has crossed every limit of heartlessness and insensitivity. They wilfully prolong their stay in jails through their judicial victimization,” he said.

He cited the examples of Dr Mohammad Qasim, Maasrat Aalam Bhat, Dr G M Bhat, and Peer Saifullah and appealed to the civil society and media fraternity to highlight the “gross violations” against the political prisoners.

Hurriyat (G) chairman said New Delhi is taking revenge from the pro-freedom people. “Such means and revengeful acts have failed to deter any conscious freedom loving persons from the right path,” he said.

Geelani also urged people to boycott the upcoming assembly elections saying that the participation is tantamount to “treason with the blood of our martyrs”.

“Indian authorities are misleading the world community by portraying people’s participation in elections as a verdict in their favour. It is prerequisite to convey a strong message to the world community that we pursue a cherished mission of freedom and in no way, justify, defend or favour these elections,” Geelani said.

KD Desk

Sopore, Jan 31 : Panic gripped in Warpora area of Sopore this evening after a sentry fired few rounds in air after noticing some suspicious movement, police said.

Senior superintendent of police Sopore Javeed Iqbal confirmed to Kashmir Despatch that the sentry deployed at Police Chowki Warpora fired some shots after observing suspicious movement.

He added that searches have been launched in the area.

Installing pre-paid meters yet another Tuglaki decision of Governor admin: PDP

Srinagar, Jan 31, :  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday has termed the proposal of installing pre-paid meters in Kashmir yet another way of harassing the already perturbed people at large.

In a statement issued here, PDP senior leader and MLC Mohammad Khurshid Alam said the decision to install the pre-paid electric  meters in Kashmir Valley is yet another example of the indifferent attitude of the governor administration towards the people of Kashmir.  He added that by installation of so called Pre-paid meters in Kashmir, the government has invented yet another way of intimidating and harassing the local people who already are bearing the brunt of uncertainty, economic losses and acute paucity of electricity. “The previous regimes sold power projects only to gain personal benefits. The state was plundered of its immense resources by its own people. Now, the newest rabbit out of the governor’s cap has come out in the form of Pre- paid metering,” Alam said. 

He added that amid the present tumultuous times, people of Kashmir are struggling with each passing day to make their both ends meet and they on an average don’t even get 2 to 3 business days to earn livelihood without any hindrance. “Uncertain situation, 2014 floods and the last year’s untimely snowfall has already wrecked havoc on Kashmir’s economy. Instead of mitigating people who are bearing the brunt of repeated turbulences, the government is pushing to the wall further and employing every possible measure to grab money from the people,” said Alam, adding that the government is  already compelling people to reel  under darkness amid the harsh winter and has miserably failed to address the erratic power supplies in the land locked valley.

“Instead of finding its own faults and taking remedial measures so that  people do not face such intense amount of difficulties, the government seems to be on the mission of harassing the people of Kashmir in every possible manner,” Alam said.