MONDAY, MAY 29, 2017 DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU daily Excelsior Changing colours of Kashmir & dying Insaniyat! Established 1965 K B Jandial the site of operation and throw stones on the on very first day May, a group of 7 sons of and militants' call for stone pelting marches were taken out to express solidar- Founder Editor S.D. Rohmetra security forces engaged in the operation to the soil, 5 serving in the JKP and 2 guards appeared in Army's JCOs' and other ranks ity with his family. arely nine days after the Defence facilitate besieged militants escape. Sabzar of J&K Bank, were gunned down by mili- national competition at Pattan and JKLI Those of the people who claim to the Minister Arun Jaitely claimed that had successfully escaped last time when he tants when they stopped their bank van near centre Srinagar. In all, 1315 youth had torchbearers of the 'Azadi movement' on the Bthe situation in Kashmir is much bet- was surrounded by the security forces in his Pombai village in Kulgam district and fired applied for this test. For them, Lt. Ummer plank of secularism and kashmiriyat should Power self sufficiency unrealistic ter than what the media has been project- hometown Rathsuna, Tral but this time it indiscriminately and later decamped with is the icon and not Burhan Wani and Sabzar. hold their head in shame for accepting such ing, another cycle of violence erupted in didn'twork. rifles of martyred policemen. There was no Lt. Ummer's killing has not reversed this inhuman acts. Lt Ummer Fayaz did not t one point of time, power experts and some parts of Kashmir following killing of The student protest is the latest barom- cash in the van that was emptied at earlier trend. This is another facet of Kashmir. deserve this treatment from his own people Hizbul Mujahedeen 'chief' Sabzar Bhat in eter of Kashmir unrest. In a way previous locations. Why did militants kill their own An unintended fall out of militants' gory in his motherland. Unlike the privileged authorities believed that planning mega an encounter at Tral in wee hours of Satur- unrest had declined as student unrest people? Are not they worried on possible acts could have been the voices against wards of the separatists who managed to power projects should be replaced by giving day. restricted to a handful educational institu- backlash? these 'jihadis' by the outraged local villagers grab important Govt jobs; the latest addi- A What made Jaitely to say so at Srinagar tions. If out of 15000 odd institutions, trou- Nine days later, a promising young for shedding the blood of sons of the soil as tion in the list is the grandson of Geelani more importance to smaller projects because big without fear of contradiction?Admittedly, ble in 4 to 5 educational institutions cannot Kashmiri army officer, Lt Ummer Fayaz happened in Punjab but unfortunately it who was quietly inducted in the semi-Govt, projects take a long time to be completed during at that point of time there was semblance of be called "widespread unrest" as is being was abducted from a marriage function of wasn't to be so except some concerns SKICC for a hefty salary, Ummer Fayaz, peace in the summer capital of the State.It made out by the media. This was a much his cousin and killed in cold blood in Kul- expressed on social media. Why are Kash- son of a small time fruit trader, had com- which there is cost escalation unbearable for the is not that Jaitely does not know that Kash- needed relief to the Govt. And less gam. What was his fault? He was not post- miris becoming meek before these 'jihadis' peted at national level competition and Power Development Department. Then the shift mir is volatile. Kashmir's undercurrents reportage of violence in media has brought ed in Kashmir and had not been part of any whose acts are against the tenants of Islam? rightfully earned the entry into the presti- have never been positive but it is also was made to smaller projects and various small another hopeful development- presence of anti-militancy operations. Was working for Social media which continued to func- gious Indian Army. Had misguided youth known for changing colours and vacillating some tourists; many of them are reported- the Indian State his fault? But then, lakhs tion despite official ban in Kashmir through not cut his bright future Ummer would have projects were identified across the State. No fewer people's mood. Today's mood of a sizable ly Muslims. But Kashmir has again taken a of people of Kashmir including wards of VPH (Virtual Private Network technology risen to a position of honour for every Kash- than nine projects including two smaller projects for part of population is linked with the killing full turn and much awaited tourists' season that allows users to access any site by set- miri. of youthful and iconic armed militant. After has been spiked even before it could take STRAIGHT TALK ting up proxy internet connections) and the If Ummer's dastardly killing has failed Ladakh region name Dah and Hanu were prioritized Burhan Wani, the killing of his successor off.Kashmir tourism is almost doomed. order quietly allowed to lapse after one to stoke the conscience of Kashmiris who and formally announced. The story of these two Sabzar Bhat in an operation has put Kash- The continuing armed militancy has separatists are working for the Govt. and month, has debated the killing of five preferred to maintain silence, the Army and mir again on boil. This is Kashmir! undisputedly cast its ugly shadow on Kash- many of them are excelling too. More than policemen and Lt Ummer Fayaz. Several Govt of India have made it an issue to dis- small power projects in the cold desert of Ladakh is No one is willing to hazard a guess mir's otherwise beautiful landscape. If the 500 youth of South Kashmir are in Indian Kashmiri users have criticized the killing of pense justice to his family by tracking down a sordid example of inefficiency, incompetence and about situation returning to reasonably Govt. suspends anti militancy operations as Army (much more than the youth joining a young local army officer after being the killers, three of them stood identified. peaceful to which Jaitely referred to a week happened before Lok Sabha by-poll for militancy) and many more are keen to make abducted by militants. This is the second They would not escape retribution (justice) slackness of concerned authorities. In order to tap ago. Even the Kashmir watchers who have Anantnag seat, the militants managed to get it their career. time in the current month that social media for long. They are bound the meet their fate hydro power potential available in Leh district, the seen many colours of Kashmir in the past dominance and the area become unsafe for These two incidents of targeting sons of has debated the rationale of killing of an sooner than later. nearly three decades would not risk of their all those who either don't subscribe to the soil reflect a new type of terrorism that unarmed local youth who had not done any Separatists, their sympathizers, Human then Government decided to construct two projects- credibility to predicting future situation, armed struggle or work for the Govt. espe- was not seen after early 90s.Old hands harm to his own people. He was posted at Right activists and anti-Delhi politicians --one each of 9 MW on tributaries of Indus River given many factors involved in it. cially the police and security forces. And recall a few such incidents of abduction and Akhnoor, away from the killing fields of his are over busy in raising hue and cry over Pakistan is not lowering its involvement when militants are eliminated in operations, killing of locals in security forces in the ini- native place. Many raised questions over army Major's action in tying a stone- pelter and accordingly on October 14, 2011 the then Chief and infiltration bids are increasing even every causality is being exploited to spread tial days of terrorism. Ironically, the killing the way the unarmed Fayaz was abducted on the bonnet of the jeep to ensure safe pas- Minister Omar Abdullah laid foundation of these though security forces are getting success- disturbances and make life almost stand- of Lt Ummer Fayaz and 7 J&K Police and and killed. sage of poll staff and ITBT men who were es. Anti-militancy operations have begun in still. J&K Bank guards comes at a time when "I do not think it was a right decision to on poll duty on 9th April and were besieged projects named as Dah and Hanu. It was officially South Kashmir and met with some success- After establishing their writ in South youth of Kashmir have been thronging the kill an army officer, who was unarmed, and by a violent crowd at a polling station, but announced at that time that both the projects would es. Every prized catch or elimination like of Kashmir, militants had committed gory acts recruitment centres of the army and Para- had come home to attend a marriage func- are maintaining criminal silence on killing Sabzar Bhat & Burhan Wani is fraught with be completed within a period of 4 years at the cost against their own local people. The current military forces which obviously cannot be tion. He was not a combatant. He was not of Ummer, five JKP jawans and two bank negative fallout that is more wide spread month of May witnessedthe abduction and to the liking of militants and separatists and fighting a war, neither he had done anything guards. It appears the human right is the of Rs 43.61 crore and Rs 41.67 crore respectively law and order problems that the encounter subsequent killing of a promising Kashmiri their mentors across the border. These which was against the people's cause," exclusive domain of terrorists and anti- by the Jammu and Kashmir State Power itself. In this phase militancy security forces army officer, selective attack on local killings could be as a watershed event in wrote one Wasim Khalid on Facebook. India elements while the Govt personnel successes are negated by anti-India forces police, increasing terror strike on army, Kashmir situation. The militants have instilled their fear so have no such luxury. Development Corporation to meet the electricity and Pak sympathizers by organising stone- police and security forces petrol/convoys, These terror attacks appeared to instill strongly in the minds of the people that the These killings brazenly violate the requirement of Leh district. While presenting Power pelters at site of the operation, shut down in looting J&K Banks cash and rifles, attacks fear in the minds of the enthusiastic youth mourning came to be restricted to the affect- very spirit of Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat and the cities and call for marches to encounter on political leaders, frequent display of Pak who in total defiance of separatists are ed families and their relatives. Whatever lit- jamhooriyat which are buzzwords in Budget for the Financial Year 2016-17 in the site (Tral chalo). flags in protests, now playing of Pak nation- flocking at the recruitment rallies of the tle kashmiriyat was left in Kashmir too has Kashmir and are being pushed by some Legislative Assembly in May 2016 at Srinagar, the The youth has become the main plank al anthem by youth and a JKP jawan army and Para-military forces. On the very died. While most of the intellectuals, peaceniks as basis for dialogue with sep- of belligerent militancy. Using mobile, decamping with 4 rifles and joining a ter- next day of Sabzar's killing amidst a visi- columnists and doyens of civil society con- aratists. Are these killings part of Kash- Finance Minister had announced that major compo- internet and mosque loudspeakers youth are ror outfit are matter of concern for every- ble surcharged atmosphere and curfew in veniently maintained silence, Jammu, New mir's new concept of Insaniyat or Kash- nents of 9 MW Dah and 9 MW Hanu projects were called upon, either by the cornered militants one. the capital, as many as 1292 Kashmiri Delhi and many other parts of India miriyat? themselves or their sympathizers to rush to completed during 2015-16 financial year and both The militants were so emboldened that youth defied Hurriyat's call for shutdown mourned Ummer's killing and candle [email protected] the projects would be commissioned by ending Financial Year 2016-17. This time frame has not been kept and contrary to ground situation, the Afghan - India friendship dam Power Development Corporation claims that much K S Jamwal various organizations of Govt. of dictable Taliban insurgencies fre- and later on, evacuated by the a multipurpose dam, mainly to some local hunters with guns on of the work has been completed and the plants India and State Government. I am quently. More than 200 Indian helicopters. In view of this, Min- irrigate about 75,000 hecters of our way, masked on their faces would be commissioned by November or onstruction and commis- very fortunate that WAPCOS workers were engaged to con- istry Of External Affairs, Govt. land and also to produce 42 mw which made us scared but later on sioning of Afghan -India December this year. designated me Top Level Expert struct this project and fortunate- Of India, arranged helicopter power. came to know, that they act so to Cfriendship dam success- (TLE) in the field of geology for ly none of us became victim of services for Indian workers from Working in Afghanistan, deceive the animals for hunting. The question is that PDC has been trying to sell fully, has made India proud and Afghan India friendship Dam Taliban form 2006 to 2016. Indi- Herat to project site at Chist-e- especially for a hydroelectric Local hunter with mask in the idea that smaller power projects are advisable this will always feature as a land- and provided me opportunity to an campus was very tightly pro- sharif. But Transportation of project in the interior areas of Interior area of dam because of low cost and comparatively shorter peri- mark symbol of the historical ties know minutely the people and tected with surrounding high equipments, parts of machinery, Herat province is adventurous, The traditional Afghani-roti between our two countries and od of time needed to make these functional. A culture of Afghanistan. The dam wall, mounted with barbed wire construction material like cement full of challenges, threates and is very big in size and one such the people who have helped has been constructed on river and security forces, patrolling power project that produces just 9 MWs of power is and steel from Iran to site via Her- subversive activities by Taliban. roti is enough for full lunch in the shape this iconic infrastructure Hari-Rud ( AHindu name ) flow- round the clock. Exhibit I at became very difficult and In the initial years of 2006 and field a very small enterprise though of course of great project. I got opportunity to work ing from east to west towards Indian camp at Afghan- risky. Many a time the material 2007, we all were scared of fre- Lunch in field with Afghani utility of the people for whom it has been envi- for this historical project as geo- Iran. Hindu nomenclature for vil- India friendship dam from trucks was Looted by the quent encounters of Taliban with roti logical advisor on deputation sioned. But if the PDC is not able to build the small lages is also common; if Salma It is about 162 km east of Her- Taliban enroute. In spite of such the security forces, but gradual- Finally, the time came to from my parent department, Geo- village (Muslim name) is located at city (An ancient seat of learn- depart from our Afghani engi- power plant, it explodes the very concept of giving difficulties and hurdles, the proj- ly, it became a routine and with logical Survey Of India and after just upstream of this dam, there ing), 2 Km downstream of Salma ect was successfully completed the cooperation of locals and con- neers, locals and friends after the preference to smaller projects over the bigger ones. my superannuation, as Top Lev- is Sanjay Tak village (Hindu village and 9 Km upstream of and commissioned in 2016. This stant encouragement by Govt. of completion of this project. We In practice, be it a small project or a big project, the el Expert (TLE) for Water And name ) in the downstream of Chist-e-Sharif, a pilgrim town. is the free gift to Govt. Of Afghanistan and Ministry Of had a tearful farewell and wished Power Consultancy, Services Ltd dam. The river Hari-Rud flows PDC is essentially unable to meet the time frame. Herat is the last Airport and after Afghanistan by Govt. Of India External Affairs of Govt. of to work again together for future (WAPCOS), A Govt. of India through village of Mohammad that the project is approachable projects in Afghanistan, the sec- There is something inherently defective in the sys- and our Prime Minister Narendra India, we became impervious to Undertaking. Gori, (Muslim king) in the by 162 Km long unmetalled and modi personally handed over this danger and worked day and night ond home for all of us where we tem and that has to be identified and rectified. We WAPCOS is a '' Mini Ratna'' upstream of the dam and is now very rough road with large pits. project to President of fearlessly on all front of the proj- spent about 10 years, celebrated under submergence.The pre- would like to remind the Power Development and a premier international con- Thus, it takes about 8 hours to Afghanistan in June 2016. ect site. People are simple, meek, together festivals like Holi, sultancy organization which was construction activity for this reach project site from Herat. The project site forms part of gentle, hardworking and tough. Deepawali, Afghani day 21 Corporation that it should have taken the geograph- incorporated as a company in project was started in 1976 but Moreover, road has continuous the inter - mountain kettle depres- They are softer than flowers March, and Idd. We returned ical condition of Ladakh region into account when 1969 and now it has been provid- due to war / hostilities in mud houses on both sides, dom- sion of tectonic origin. The rocks where kindness is concerned but with vivid & colorful memories ing service to various domestic Afghanistan, the construction these two projects were decided. The region where inated by Taliban. The journey have been classified as belonging stronger than Thunder when prin- of loving people of Afghanistan. and overseas clients for more work was abandoned in 1983. It seems as if it was a dream till the projects would be set up is a backward region became very risky along with to Protozoic age (500-2000 mil- ciples are at stake. During my than 40 countries including Thus, the excavation work for yesterday to work in Afghanistan and remains connected to the mainland for only six security vehicles, being soft tar- lion years) and are represented by field work for 25 Km long reser- Afghanistan . It is now recog- dam had already been taken up to get for Taliban to blow them up and today it has become a mile- months in a year owing to its geographical location nized amongst the top ranking achieve the designed grade of metamorphic para and ortho voir, locals and security forces stone. by the embedded grenades in the gneisses. The river flows through accompanied me on bikes in the and cold winter. As such, prioritizing the two proj- consultancy organizations of the foundation. The work was re- road, with remote control in their Good bye to Afghan- India world. It is a techno commercial started after a gap of about 23 a reasonably narrow gorge at the interior areas, Exhibit-29 friendship dam ects was a good decision. But it is the execution hands. Sometime we were dam site. The dam is earth and Reservoir area of dam with organization under the aegis of years in 2006 and it took 10 years (The author is former Dy Director trapped in cross firing between rock fill of about 107 m high from security part where the PDC has performed dismally. Five Ministry of Water Resources and to complete the project under General Geological Survey of India) our security people and Taliban, river bed level at El 1547m. It is Many a time we intercepted years are a long time for a 9 MW project to come utilizes, the talent of experts from very tense conditions and unpre- [email protected] up. There was no paucity of funds and there was no Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat sional bio stimulants to fill in the shortage of technical manpower. Above all there gaps. Researches done in recent was no dearth of labour force to work on these proj- have been witnessing every years has shown that use of pes- year dozens of seminars , Introducing organic fertilizer ects. Why then did not the projects meet the time ticides and chemical fertilizers Iworkshops organised by has damaged the soil health. line? Government and Non Govern- ticulture and even Flouriculture Agriculture or Horticulture different landfill sites wherefrom critical if we need a healthy agri- in J&K have not been able to even department. Experts say out of 25 it emits terrible smell and creates cultural produce. They do the The vegetables and fruits ment Organisations on the issue grown with chemical fertilizers produce a quintal of organic fer- metric tons of organic waste lot of inconvenience. We are work of creating excellent soil of protection of environment , cause severe kidney and liver ail- Super Cop is no more tilizer. All the thrust of these Govt around 10 to 15 quintals of organ- destroying our wealth by not pro- structure, making nutrients avail- organic farming and issues relat- ments. Experts say that the departments including our Agri- ic fertilizer can easily be pro- cessing it. Imagine if we have two able to plants and even protecting e express shock over the demise of the ed to this. Government authori- increased instances of cancer are ties who are invited in these pro- culture Universities is focused on duced by processing these rotten organic fertilizer units estab- plants from predators. There are Indian Super Cop, KPS Gill whose death also linked to excessive use of grammes , come and speak about chemical fertilizers and pesti- fruits and vegetables in compost lished at Parimpora and Narwal special bacteria that take nitrogen pesticides and chemical fertiliz- Whappened in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in the importance of organic farm- cides which is destroying soil units, mechanical composters mandis in Srinagar / Jammu out of the air and convert it into a ers. Agriculture and Horticulture New Delhi where he was admitted for treatment of ing. They admit that pesticides and crops across our State on con- etc. Similarly in Jammu's Narw- respectively , how much waste substance plants can use. There departments must without any stant basis. are special fungi that can get kidney problem. The super cop will be remem- are damaging our soil , environ- delay draft a policy on organic ment, and human health but these Setting up Organic Fertiliz- phosphorus out of the soil and farming so that the same is intro- bered in the contemporary history of India as a pio- utterances are restricted to these er units : bring it to plants, something duced among the farmers of J&K. neering police officer who daringly met the chal- seminars and workshops only. At Several scientific studies plants have a difficult time get- Sher e Kashmir Agriculture Uni- show that without a diverse solid ting themselves. In return, the lenge of an armed revolt in Punjab called Khalistan Government level there is no con- versity Srinagar and Jammu crete policy towards introducing food web our gardens and agri- plants send a huge amount of car- should also come forward with movement in which a neighbouring adversary organic farming. Authorities are culture fields gravitate toward bohydrates produced during pho- some innovative models that will country played clandestine role. As chief of Punjab not ready to change their style of being a desert. The soil food-web tosynthesis down into the soil to help develop organic fertilizers Police, he dealt the insurgency with an iron hand working and thrust is not at all refers to the organisms living in feed these beneficial microorgan- for the apple growers, paddy and given towards creating organic and on the soil. While this isms. We definitely need these vegetable farmers across state . and succeeded in uprooting the menace lock, fertilizer centres and factories. includes plants and animals, organisms in our vegetable gar- Small organic fertilizer units stock and barrel. In this way he distinguished him- The Department of Agriculture especially the microorganism. dens, apple orchards and paddy should be set up in smaller fruit self as a bold and forthright expert in handling celebrates world soil health day The chemical fertilizers directly fields. This effect on soil is one and vegetable mandis across insurgencies in the country. That was the reason on Dec 5th every year. But we attacks these micro organisms. important reason we want to state. The Entrepreneur Develop- know that soil health is destroyed Why cannot we create such cen- avoid chemicals in our agricul- ment Institute (EDI) , Khadi Vil- why his services were requisitioned by the by chemical fertilizers which the tres where we can produce large al more than 30 metric tons of we will convert into wealth ? I ture fields. Farmers need a lage Industries Board (KVIB) , Governments of Chhatisgarh and Gujarat to deal department has been recom- quantity of organic fertilizer or organic waste gets accumulated have brought this matter into the healthy soil food web in order to Horticulture and Agriculture with armed insurgency and uprisings. Even the mending and licensing since compost ? As already mentioned daily during unloading of fruit notice of Horticulture Minister have a healthy agriculture pro- departments must encourage in one of my previous columns , and vegetable trucks. Instead Syed Basharat Bukhari and Sec- duce. educated unemployed youth to Government of Sri Lanka too had requisitioned his decades. At a time when several Agri based companies are shift- Parimpora fruit mandi in Srina- processing this waste , it is retary Horticulture M S Malik Conclusion : set up small organic fertilizer expert services while it was fighting to curb the ing towards organic farming, the gar alone produces 25 metric tons dumped by Srinagar Municipal who both are very much opti- For fertilization it is better to units by providing them neces- LTTE sedition. Department of Agriculture, Hor- of organic waste daily , but not Corporation (SMC) and Jammu mistic about the idea. Having a add organic matter in the form of sary seed capital money. [email protected] KPS Gill was very much in the forefront of anti even 1 % of it is processed by Municipal Corporation (JMC) at healthy, diverse soil food web is compost, cow dung plus the occa- terrorists operations in Punjab. His pain and the pain of all nationalist of any faith was that the mis- Abolish interview process Demonetisation decision guided youth was singing to the tune of external Sir, Sir, elements that are our enemies and not well wish- We ask the Government Sometime back PM Narendra Modi in his monthly radio This has reference to the news item 'Demonetisation was ers. His tragedy was that the Punjab Sikhs, who Sir, address 'Mann Ki Baat' announced that there will be no tough decision' DE May 27. We demand under the Provisions of "The J&K Maintenance and Welfare of Par- had performed heroic deeds in three wars with requirement of interview for Group D,C and B non-gazatted This may have been really a difficult decision to take for ents and Senior Citizens Act-2014" that:- Pakistan and prove their metal, cannot succumb to posts in Central Government. the Government as involved the repurcussion on India's * Why no Maintenance Scheme has not been framed and put into operation for His objective for doing so was to put an end to the men- economy. The decision taken in the interest of the Nation hapless Parents and Senior Citizens in far flung, remote and hilly areas of J&K so the instigations of a foreign country leading to sedi- ace of corruption in non gazetted jobs interview. The effort had almost equal share of bouquets and bricks. With oppo- far? tion against our own nation. is really appreciable because personality or skill assessment sition parties criticising the Government for its ill-conceived * Why no Welfare Scheme has been framed and brought into operation since The job of a police chief is not that simple. It is is not absolutely required for getting a small job. Our State is decision, people had to suffer a lot. However, people appre- enactment of the Act for parents and senior citizens till date like "Health Insurance not an exception to corruption in non gazetted jobs interview. ciated the move, and lauded the Prime Minister for taking Scheme" and other. very difficult and complicated job in which J&K is also suffering from the evil of corruption having the steps against menace of blackmoney in the country. Though * Why "Old Age Homes" have not come up as provided under the Act since 2014? chances of incurring the wrath of the people are dubious distinction of being at the top rank among states in demonetisation did not yield the desired result, it however * Why IAY Scheme could not facilitate construction of Houses for senior citi- very high. KPS had his share of difficulties and corruption index. woke up the citizens to corruption in country. The Govern- zens in rural and remote areas under the Act? So in respect of interview for non gazetted posts, our ment has to take many more hard decisions to eliminate black * Why State Level, Province Level, District Level Councils of Senior Citizens some failures during his career. But what will keep (PDP-BJP) coalition Government need to take efforts to money and corruption in the country. However, it may be have not been framed, till now, as provided under the Act? his memory alive for all times to come will be his specify certain posts which could be exempted from inter- said here that Government alone can't do the job, the citi- * The 3rd World Senior Citizens Annual Day falls due on 01-10-2017 and there unstinted faith in the Indian nation and the Indian views. So that it will curb corruption, ensure more objective zen themselves have to come forward to fight corruption in are still a few months left for your goodself to show performance on and over the selection and ease the problems of the poor and resourceless the country. 2014 Act. State. As such he is a national hero incomparable aspirants. It will require lot of determination, political will and These and many more steps need to be taken up on war footing basis, to help in his courage, determination and handling of his Yours etc... cooperation of people to fight the menace. ailing,aging fragile and weak old persons called as "Senior Citizens'' subordinates. We join those who pay tribute to Hamid Hashmi Yours etc... Yours etc.... The Law School, Rajesh Rasgotra Abdul Rahim Khan him as national hero. University of Jammu Jammu (Rtd KAS)