Riyaz ul Khaliq
SRINAGAR
Jammu and Kashmir Government on Saturday informed the Lower House of J&K Legislature that the orders passed by Director Geology and Mining on 12-05-2016 under SRO 105 have been cancelled with immediate effect.
Pronouncing the statement in the house, Industries Minister Chandra Prakash Ganga said that no land in J&K will be leased out to non-state subjects for mining.
The Lower House had been witnessing ruckus from Opposition and ruling BJP members on the issue for many days now and a committee was constituted to look in to it.
After government’s response, the Opposition Lawmakers asked government to initiate action against the officers who “were behind such an unconstitutional act”.
“This house was disgraced when even directions of speaker were not followed,” the Opposition members said.
Communist Lawmaker M Y Tarigami told the house that the statement given by Minister was “factually incorrect”.
“Revocation is a good step,” he said, “but Minister has been misled by his officers.”
On the issue of halting of vote counting process in South Kashmir’s Islamabad segment, Congress alleged that Ashajipora voting machine not sealed. “When one candidate raised this issue, he was threatened of PSA,” Congress’ Nawang Rigzin Jora told the Speaker.
“This is death of democracy in J&K,” he alleged, “we know Ms Mehbooba Mufti is winning but why are you doing this.”
Counting of votes is in process in Islamabad which went to polls on June 22. Fate of CM Ms Mehbooba Mufti will be decided today who fought by-polls from the seat. The Islamabad assembly seat fell vacant with the demise of former CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 07, 2016.
Minister Ab Haq Khan said that the Election Commission of India “was the strongest body of world”.
During zero hour, NC’s A M Sagar asked government as what happened to three “missing men of Kupwara”.
“You remember when Machil fake encounter happened,” Sagar told the Treasury benches. “So, this may be told what happened to three missing men of Kupwara.”
Notably, a man from Territorial Army was arrested on December 09, 2015 for his alleged involvement in the disappearance of the three villagers in Kupwara. The families of the men say they suspect the men have been killed in a fake encounter.
Manzoor Ahmad Khawja, a rifleman working with 160 Territorial Army battalion, had allegedly lured the three men to a border area with the promise of jobs in the army. He was arrested following a court order.
In their complaint to the police, the families of Ghulam Jeelani, Mir Hussain and Ali Mohmmad have said Manzoor Ahmad Khawja had taken the three men to Keran sector on November 17. Since then, the men had been missing, the families claim.
Langate Lawmaker Engineer Rasheed asked government to appoint Director SKIMS immediately. “This is taking toll on patient care,” he said.
More so, Deputy Speaker Nazir Ahmad Khan applauded Health Ministry for “cleanliness of SKIMS”.
PDP’s MLA Batamaloo, Sheikh Noor Mohammad asked government to resolve the water crisis in his constituency. He said that SD Colony, Bemina, Barthana, Gund Hassi Bhat, Umerabad, Mustafabad, Sozaith were facing severe water crisis.
However, he asked PHE Ministry to be aware because “people use drinking water for washing their cars, irrigating their parks and vegetable fields”.
NC’s MLA Pahalgam, Altaf Ahmad Wani alias Kaloo told the house that around 2000 people are protesting in Pahalgam because “they have not been allowed to work during Amarnath Yatra”. “Don’t let law and order problems be created,” he told the government, “resolve it soon.”
NC’s Habbakadal Lawmaker, Ms Shameema Firdous asked Speaker to initiate action against Srinagar Doordarshan. “They don’t give space to our (Opposition Lawmakers) comments in Aksi Parvaaz program.”
