KS: Well, history and life is full of transitions. In fact, when I started my political career, in this very house where you are, way back in 1949, 20th of June, I remember the date, my father appointed me regent of Jammu and Kashmir. He had to live abroad for a few years. So I was regent from 1949 to 1952. Then came the Constituent Assembly and the new democratic set up; a post of Sadarya Riyasat was created for the first time.

So, I was head of state as a regent, then I was head of state as Sadare Riyasat for 13 years, and then I was head of state as governor. So, I had all these three nomenclatures, although the job was the same. So, that was, as you said, a moment of great transition. The feudal structure was disappearing and a new structure was beginning to emerge. And it was  a very exciting time for me as a young man to be participating in the process of transition. I mean, you could read about a transition, you can see it on film, but to be part of it itself, I think is important.

That is what excites us when we talk to you, that you have been part of that transition and here in this room in your presence, we can feel history doesn’t look like it’s something remote. It looks so intense.

KS: Yes, very much so. My role has been to spearhead the transition from feudalism to democracy. I started off as a Yuvraj, regent, then Sadre Riyasat, then I joined Mrs. Gandhi’s cabinet. So this is a clear cut progression from a feudal system to a fully democratic system.

GKTV: How do you make sense of that now? Because in that transition, we had nation states emerging from colonial background. And then we had transnational institutions like UN also coming up, drawing those rules for human rights, global governance. But now, all of it seems to be falling apart; If it comes to such a pass that global leaders tell each other that you evacuate such and such city……

KS: It’s absolutely astounding. I lived through the Second World War. I was at school but I lived through it. I remember it well. And after that we thought that with the creation of nation states everybody would be peaceful. Not so at all. Throughout the world there have been transitions and turmoil. But this time it is more dramatic than ever before. I mean, you have the Ukraine-Russia war going on, which is quite an extraordinary thing because they are the same religion, the same race, more or less the same language, and yet they are fighting. And thousands of Russians, thousands of Ukrainians have been killed.

Ukrainian cities have been blown up one by one. So, it’s been a terrible attrition and it is still going on. West Asia, what they used to call the Middle East. First of all, the Hamas massacre. I mean, the Hamas people did a very foolish act by attacking Israelis. But the response has been much more than commensurate. As many as 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, men, women, and children. So, that is a terrible thing that is happening. And now Israel has attacked Iran and Iran is hitting back. Both are saying evacuate Tel Aviv or evacuate Tehran and the war is continuing. It is absolutely astounding even for me who has lived through a lot of changes.

I remember the breakup of Yugoslavia. General Tito was a friend of mine. That balkanization of that was a very violent thing. But that was limited to a certain part of Europe.

GKTV: You invoked this breakup of the Yugoslavia. You were in the company of great leaders, your own mentor, your own role model, as you say, is Nehru; who brought you into this democracy. Do you think, right now, there is an absence of global leaders of such stature who could manage the weight of the situation?

Well, I think so. Because you know, I remember when the Non-Aligned Movement was there. I remember meeting Jawaharlal, the main person, meeting President Nasser of Egypt, President Sukarno of Indonesia, Archbishop Makarios from Cyprus. I mean, these and all the people who were there. Each one was a giant in his own field. Now we have leaders, but I’m not sure whether they have that intellectual capacity that the earlier leaders had. They are much more political in the sense that, you know, they’re not interested in ideology and history, they’re just looking at their own thing. So we are in a very dangerous situation.

GKTV: You are a scholar in your own right, who has read faiths, who has read history, politics, everything. What do you attribute it to? This absence of standards now, absence of values, absence of great political…

I think what has happened is that, as you stressed, at one stage we thought we were moving towards the global society. I remember at the end of the last century, I was going around the world preaching the benefits of globalization. I thought that, look, the European Union was a unique phenomenon. I mean, different religions, different currencies, different languages, they all gelled into one. I said if that could be the model, then SAARC could be a model, ASEAN could be a model. You could first of all move on to regional groupings and then come together. Unfortunately, that has not happened. In the 21st century, there’s been a violent backlash against globalization. I mean, Trump quite clearly says I don’t accept globalization. I want America first. So what has happened? The militant nationalism has caused this turmoil.

GKTV: Do you attribute this to the failure of the liberal secular leadership more than the rise of the conservative right? 

Well, yes, liberalization, I’m afraid, has now taken a backseat. There was a very strong period when everything was being liberalized. You know, old taboos were being shed, whether they were sexual taboos or whether they were behavioral taboos. Everything was being shed. We were moving into a much more open society. That is now closing in again, which I think is a great tragedy.

GKTV: You have a background in philosophy and mysticism, I just want to understand your own opinion on this. Because in this entire crisis, which is happening for decades now, one term is again and again being invoked, that is Islamophobia. What is your understanding of Islam as a faith?

One of the areas I’ve been active in is the Interfaith Movement, which is an international movement which strives to bring together people of different religious faiths in a creative dialogue. Not to decide which one is better, but to try and understand. As far as I’ve been able to understand, every religion ultimately preaches brotherhood.

If you interpret religion in liberal terms, you get one answer. But if you interpret religion in fundamentalist terms, you get a different answer. I think the thing with Islam is that Islam is losing that Sufi touch, which I think was the greatest achievement of Islam. I think perhaps after the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi would be the person I would really respect because they brought the best out of love and understanding and peace. And the fundamentalist structures of Islam are being put up and they have led to a number of violent incidents around the world which has fed into this Islamophobia.

GKTV: As you put it, all faiths actually teach brotherhood and harmony and it depends on how do you understand and how do you apply religion in your lives. Islam besides being a religion is a lived experience. Do you think that somewhere the construct of Islamophobia, whatever it is, became a handy tool for military-industrial complex and those who are actually interested in war, to make it as a dominant image of the Muslim society?

Quite possible. You see, but remember that India was also partitioned on the basis of religion. Don’t forget that. Whether we like it or not, religion was the basis of the partition of India. So that was a traumatic event, the partition. As you know, lakhs of people died and it was a terrible thing. But that came through a certain commitment to a Muslim homeland which left more Muslims in India than in Pakistan, by the way. So that has also gone into our psyche. We cannot forget that, because one of the arguments is that as a result of Islam, our country was partitioned. So that is at the back of everybody’s mind. Even so, we’ve got to move towards better relations between the various religions, otherwise it will destroy our society again.

GKTV: Do you need to say that psychologically people have not reconciled with what actually happened during the partition and if it happened in the name of the religion, so it still rings in their minds.

You see, what also has happened at the same time is, don’t forget that India was ruled for 700 years by the Muslims. Now, there were great achievements, for example, the Mughals, the great forts, the great buildings that they have done. It is a marvel, the gardens in Kashmir, Shalimar, the great beautiful pond in Verinag. But, there were also unhappy incidents, there were also killings, there were also forcible conversions. So, 700 years of Muslim history is now being reinterpreted. There is a narrative now that it doesn’t start from 1947, it starts from Babur and the people who, the freebooters and all, Ghazni and Ghori and all, who were looters and they were freebooters, not like the Mughals who settled. So, that is all now being brought out. I am trying to explain the Hindu psyche. The Hindu psyche when they learn about all these earlier events, that is why it is being manipulated in this way.

GKTV: There is a way of understanding history in a very scholarly way and making a sense of the nuance underlined in any historical phenomenon. But, do you think that nowadays, for some political ends, we have turned history into hysteria? 

Unfortunately, that is happening. Because, you know, history is there whether you like it or not. Certain events have taken place. You can interpret them one way or the other. But, we have got to move on. I mean, if you get stuck in history, then that paralyzes our faculties, our compassion, our understanding and bogs us down in a very negative psychology. So, what we have to do now – say okay; this is what happened, fair enough. Because, partition ho gaya, so ho gaya, ab aage chalo.

GKTV: What would you suggest as someone who has been a part of politics right through that if India or the subcontinent or the world at large, have to heal these wounds, what should be that stroke of leadership and what should be the narrative, so that we have a beautiful world?

I think the sort of narrative that Jawaharlal Nehru had laid down. It has to be a liberal narrative. But, as I said, unfortunately, that liberal narrative is being overtaken now by a right-wing narrative, which rejects all possibilities of rapprochement, of understanding. So, those of us who are still involved in the interfaith movement should become more active, that’s all I can say.

GKTV: With this I come to  your association or the impact of this personality called Nehru on you. He is getting shuffled out of the Indian frame. One, what sense at an intellectual level you make, second, how do you feel personally when this thing happens?

I feel very pained because he was my mentor, my guru in a way, for 13 years, from 49 to 64. For 15 years he was guiding me and quite apart from my own personal thing, Nehru played a major role in the freedom movement, after freedom. You can’t cut him out now. It’s very unfortunate and very unfair that an attempt is being made to denigrate Nehru. Sardar Patel and Nehru were the two people who held this nation together after partition.

Not just Nehru, even Gandhi is being now questioned; something we could not have imagined some years back.

I think it’s very unfortunate.

GKTV: You have the memories of Nehru. Are there any memories of any interaction with Sardar Patel?

Yes, yes, very much so.

GKTV: Can you share that with us?

Sardar Patel, I knew very well. He happened to come. I had this trouble with my hip. I was in a wheelchair. When Gandhi ji came, I was also in the wheelchair when I met him. So, Sardar came home to Jammu. And he said, why is this boy on a wheelchair? My father said, we have been doing this for six months. He said, Maharaja sahib, arrange for him to be sent to America right now. Otherwise, he will be on a wheelchair all his life. So, thanks to him, I was sent to America, where I was there in hospital for one year. But after my operation was over, I was able to walk again. I was able to play some tennis, I was able to play some golf. So, I owe a great debt to Sardar Patel. And then, in the end, when I became regent, he invited me to stay as his guest in the Dehradun. He was also very kind to me.

GKTV: How do you describe the two – Nehru and Patel?

Well, let’s put it this way. One was the left wing of the Congress, the other was the right wing of the Congress. They were both in the Congress. They were within the parameters of the Congress and Gandhiji. But within that, as you know, in every great party, there is one wing or the other wing. So, Jawaharlal ji was leader of the more liberal wing. And Sardar was a great organization man. He had full control over the organization. So, their roles were different.

But it’s no use projecting one and getting down the other. With Jawaharlal Nehru, India became a global power. He was known throughout the world. He was respected.

GKTV: How would you compare Nehru and Modi?

Very interesting comparison. Very interesting comparison. Both of them won three elections. Both of them – very, very popular figures. Both overshadow their parties.  Nobody knows, nobody bothers who is the President of the BJP because he ( Modi) is the boss. Same thing with Jawaharlal Nehru. So, they had a lot in common. The difference, of course, is in ideology. One, again, was left wing, the other was right wing.

GKTV: Do you have any memories of Gandhi meeting your father?

Well, I was sitting through the conversation. I must admit, I wasn’t able to follow it. He spoke in a low, low voice and Gujarati accent. I didn’t understand. But what I understand is that what he said to my father was – talk to your people. Find out what they want. More or less, I think that’s what Gandhi said.

GKTV: You father arrested Nehru, how do you feel about it now?

Very upset. Even at the time, I was very upset. Although Ramchandra Kak came in and proudly announced to my father, hum nai bandh kar diya ji usko. Maine kaha, gaye. The moment I said, that is the end of this state and of this administration.

GKTV: And what was the response of your father to it?

Nothing. He didn’t say anything. But the point is that it shows how out of touch we were with the vast historic trends that were emerging. You see, the difficulty or tragedy of my father was. he was a very intelligent man, he was a very progressive ruler for the first 25 years. He was, you know, he ended begar, he started women’s education. The only thing is, he was not really aware of the historical trend. What were the rising forces? Congress. What dis we do? We put the leader in jail. Then British, who were the only ones who could have done something, he disliked them because he was a patriot. And Sheikh Abdullah, the unparalleled leader at that time of the Kashmiri people, was in jail.

GKTV: Coming to now, the current times. Congress was a force, Congress was an ecosystem. But now it has been reduced to some seats. It was only in last elections, parliament elections, that they got a significant number of seats. What would you suggest to the present Congress leadership, if this party has to be revived, if all those values have to be reclaimed?

Well, I don’t know whether I should suggest anything to them because they don’t seem to want my opinion. After my parliament term finished in 2018, In 2019 they dropped me from the Working Committee. I don’t want to say anything about Karra. He’s okay, fine, as a local leader. But you know, after that, I’ve also withdrawn, they’ve also not bothered about it. So why should I give them any advice?

GKTV: But the liberal democratic space…

That is very important. You must keep that alive. You know, we must prevent it from totally disappearing.

GKTV: Hand on your heart, what was your intuitive response when August 5, 2019 happened? What was you first response to that announcement?

It was a very interesting response. Of course, there was some regret. In any case my father’s state had disappeared. It wasn’t there any longer. However, there were some positive elements; for example lacs of disenfranchised people who came from Sialkot, they were not allowed to vote. They could vote for me ( if I contested for) parliament. But they couldn’t vote for assembly. They couldn’t get a job. Because they were not State Subjects. So they got enfranchised. The thing about women, that if you marry a non-Kashmiri you lose your property; that was also unfair.

So there were some good elements, and then there is some nostalgia, that there was once such a big state… But what has not been appreciated is the demotion to a UT. First they would say it is the crown of India, and now we are even junior to Haryana and Himachal.

GKTV: Your personal dream should be that you should see the restoration of the statehood.

I would like to see it, but I’m not overly sentimental about it. The old state is no longer there, and there is no use pretending that the old state is there.

GKTV: What can be the political journey onwards. it might be a political nostalgia that once upon a time it used to be a great state, but in terms of political rights, human dignity and economic chances..

….those ( things) we must get  back

GKTV: What can be the contours of a political struggle for that, for a party like National Conference or for the people of Jammu. Can the two – Kashmir and Jammu – come together to fight for it?

I don’t think we need to fight. the govt of India has committed that it is going to give back statehood. They committed it to the supreme court. They committed it to the people. I don’t think we need any agitation, we simply need to keep pressing politically.

GKTV: May be fight in that sense, through political instruments, insisting on this.

I don’t think it is a conflictual struggle, it is a quiet, political struggle.

GKTV: As in the last election, and also before that, Jammu voted for one political party and Kashmir for another. Do you think there is any possibility in future that we can have a political party that can reconcile the two aspirations?

For that matter Mufti Sahab tried, but it didn’t work. You see, Jammu, and Kashmir, psychologically and in many other ways are very different. So they will have different political parties. I am afraid, we cannot avoid that. But this time the polirisation was very clear. But as far as statehood is concerned, they are very common.

GKTV: What would you suggest to a person like Omar Abdullah, how he should take the case of statehood to the relevant spaces and create an argument in favour of it.

I think Omar is behaving with great maturity.  I have not met him, he has not come to see me. But from his speeches and all, he is being very moderate and sensible.

GKTV: But some people would argue that it is too much of moderation, because he is not asserting himself. Do you buy that argument?

He is in a very difficult position. The power in the state is bifurcated between the governor and the chief minister (the division of power in the UT of J&K between LG and CM). The result of it is that the administration tends to get paralysed.

GKTV: You worked in a space where Sheikh Sahab worked. He was an adversary when you take it back to pre 1947. How was it like working with him, personally.

Well, he was an adversary to my father. Personally I had no problems working with him. Personally, he was alright with me.  But it was difficult because he was representing certain thought process and I was put in there, in a way, as the last representative of the Dogras. But I had to be very very cautious; it was a very tightrope walk.

GKTV: Yards away we have the residence of  Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah. Do you some times feel like meeting them?

Farooq sai to merai badai acchai taulluqat rahain hain. ( I have had good relations with Farooq). He got me back to Parliament, I owe a debt to him. Bohat Mast Aadmi Hain.

GKTV: Before we wrap up, one man remains – Mufti Muhammed Syed. How do you assess him as a politicians?

He was a shrewd politicians.  India ka Home Minister Rehna Koi Choti Baat Nahi Hai ..( Being the Home Minister of India, is not a small matter.)

GKTV: Thanks Dr Karan Singh for this long and revealing conversation.

I have enjoyed talking with you.

The post ‘Omar behaving with great maturity’, says Dr. Karan Singh in conversation with GKTV appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

Almost all residential areas, and business spaces were filled with water, inflicting immense damage to the economy. The streets and roads turned into waterways.

The people were cut off from each other, the government was clueless, and it was a battle for existence at the level of an individual and the family, with no means to connect to the outer world for any rescue.

That was the time when a man came forward and did something extraordinary to restore the devastated. Justice M M Kumar (Retd), then Chief Justice of J&K, passed unprecedented orders that went a long way in helping businesses and households to compensate for the loss.

D A Rashid and Wahid Bukhari of Greater Kashmir bring alive the memories of the event by interacting with the man himself, Justice M M Kumar (Retd). 

Q: How did your journey begin in the legal profession?

Justice Kumar: Well, my journey is long. Right from my middle classes, my father was very keen that I should join the legal profession. Even at that stage, he asked me to pursue Urdu classes to have familiarisation with the language because most of the documents in Punjab used to be in Urdu.

After doing my LLB from Punjabi University Patiala, I started my practice in the trial court in district Sangrur and for two years I practiced there. As the dream of my father was to see me very high in the profession, he planned my career abroad. My brother, Dr J M Kumar, was a neurosurgeon in England and he organised my Masters degree there.

In 1979, I went to the UK for higher studies. In 1981, I came back and joined the chamber of a very eminent lawyer at that time, Mr Kuldip Singh who later became the judge of the Supreme Court directly from the Bar, a rare distinction for a lawyer.

In 1984 I was offered a guest faculty job at the University of Punjab, Department of Law and I started there as a part-time teacher. For six years, I taught there and practiced along. So I picked very good practice and became vice president of the Bar Association in 1991. In 1995 I was appointed as additional advocate general of Punjab and then the journey continued. In 2001, I was elevated as judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court and in 2012, I was recommended to be the chief justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court and took oath as Chief Justice on 8th of June 2012.

Q: In 2014, a devastating flood ravaged Kashmir and you were J&K’s Chief Justice. Can you share your experience of the time, and the event?

Justice Kumar: Well, the experiences during the flood time were full of surprises. There was a big challenge because on early morning of September 8, 2014, the flood engulfed the whole Srinagar and there was hue and cry everywhere. Everyone was taken by surprise as to how it happened. So people were taking shelter on the top of the roofs and it was a very dreadful situation; everyone apprehended that many people would die, but with the grace of God the loss of life was very little, almost negligible.

The High Court was under water to about 8-9 ft. The record was damaged. The Chief Justice’s house was also under water to 7-8ft. I cannot forget the early morning of the 7th of September. Jhelum was overflowing. But nobody imagined that the flood could be of such a magnitude that the houses like Chief Justice’s House will come under water up to 7-8ft and it was just short of touching the roof. And early morning, it was around 2 am when debate was going on between the officials of the High Court and the local administration whether I should shift to Hari Niwas or I should continue to stay in the house. Mr Akhoon, who was my personal secretary at that time, ultimately suggested that there was no harm in going to Hari Niwas. So we decided to pack, and by that time the flood had reached Badami Bagh, very close to the Chief Justice’s house.

In Sonawar Chowk, one could see flood waters flowing. By the morning the Chief Justice house was under 6-ft water and by evening it was 7-8ft. Our four employees were also trapped there and they took shelter on top of the wall adjoining the mosque and by great effort they were rescued and brought to Hari Niwas. The then Governor Mr N N Vohra played a vital role in rescuing the workers and later saving my belongings from the Chief Justice’s House.

After coming to Hari Niwas, there was no clear picture emerging as to what was going to happen next and for how long the situation was going to be like that. So the next question was what to do in this situation. I drafted letter, hand-written by my daughter Dr Nisha, and it was sent to the Governor House which was adjacent to Hari Niwas. So the letter reached Mr Vohra and he in a message said kindly come over.

And we in the evening went to his house and discussed the entire situation and then I requested him that a building may be provided for running the Court. My request through a letter was forwarded to the administration and the Chief Minister held a cabinet meeting in Hari Niwas, and they did not find any solution to my problem and they eventually showed their helplessness.

And ultimately the Governor conveyed to me that they were finding it difficult to find a place. Since I was determined, I told my Registrar General, and after discussion, we found that M-6 Gupkar house was allotted to one Judge who had not occupied it. So I took the tentative decision and took it to the Full Court and all the Hon’ble Judges agreed that let the High Court work from M-6 Gupkar Road.

We informed the Governor that the transit High Court would be M-6 Gupkar road and consulted the members and the president of the High Court Bar Association, and they agreed happily. As the situation was chaotic, I thought a number of petitions would be filed seeking relief and exactly the same thing happened. There was no telephone working and the governor sent me a satellite phone and arranged various types of facilities like temporary washrooms, sitting rooms and tents for lawyers in the lawns of the M-6 Gupkar Road and within two days it was made functional. Interestingly, the Supreme Court had laid down the principle that all the admissions to MBBS, engineering colleges etc.,

should be completed by the end of September. So I had to constitute a special bench to finish those cases as otherwise students could lose their career dream of entering MBBS, MD, engineering colleges or any other profession. I constituted a special bench so that all cases concerning admission were taken care of.

Then a very interesting petition related to insurance claims came and I was informed that people were suffering. Subsequently, thirty more petitions were filed, if I remember correctly. Somebody had insured a house, someone commercial enterprise or shops for fifty lakh, one crore, two crores etc. The insurance companies were right in arguing that unless there was a survey conducted and a report by surveyor submitted, they would not be able to assess the loss and they would not be able to pay. Since the cases were many, they thought it would take two years to settle the claims.

So I told them that the purpose of necessity of having insurance would be defeated. I had the reports that people from Polo View, Lal Chowk and other areas were in deep problems and the Division Bench decided that during pendency of the petition and pendency of report by surveyors, 50% of the insured amount be disbursed. If a commercial establishment was insured for Rs 1 crore, the establishment was directed to be paid Rs fifty lakh immediately so that some relief was given to it.

I had reports that a chemist had thrown all the medicine on the road, likewise cloth merchants; provision store owners were dumping every item on the road. So, when the judgment was delivered, naturally there was some criticism because it was deviating from well settled law that unless there was report from surveyor certifying the loss, no insurance amount could be disbursed. I said extraordinary situation needs extra extraordinary remedy, and therefore I granted this.

Q: Was it difficult to ensure insurance companies comply with the order? Was this a big challenge?

Justice Kumar: This was an extra-ordinary order and there was no doubt about it, and the insurance companies did not keep quite. The then Attorney General of India, Mr Rohatgi appeared and interestingly, the then Chief Justice of India Mr H L Dattu had visited the Kashmir Valley himself.

He had seen the makeshift court. He had seen district court at Lal Chowk in 18-ft water. So he had seen everything, the deluge, the type of sludge which was there in the High court. When the matter was listed before the Supreme Court and the Attorney General argued on the basis of the law, the Chief Justice said that see the house of the Chief Justice of J&K, the plight of the people there, and dismissed the appeal.

After the dismissal, there was no doubt left that the order had to be implemented and with the teeth of contempt, the insurance companies could not have violated the directions. So I issued directions, giving them a week or ten days. So the cheques started pouring in and I could see relief on the faces of people when they were given the cheques.

Even many lawyers whose houses were under water, got the cheques. So I felt very happy that at least they had some interim relief and could be rehabilitated. And shops and commercial establishments could be refurbished. For example, a shop at Lal Chowk had 4-5 floors and at least five people working there and in this way 25 individuals were dependent on one shop. So, look at the type of relief they got. It was a slightly technical way of granting the relief and it was extraordinary to meet the requirement of justice, I think the order was required and it served very well.

Secondly, when you look at the data, if earlier in J&K there were ten people going for insurance, now it is ten times because people now have confidence and now they believe the High Court is there to give them their money. The system has proven right that your insurance is not going to be wasted.

Q: Was the order regarding 50% of payment release an instantaneous thought, or there was any precedence?

Justice Kumar: There was no precedent and there was one policy for small shopkeepers that if an establishment was insured for Rs 10 lakh, Rs 5 lakh had to be paid during the times of flood or fire. So I picked up that policy and expanded it. The Supreme Court was happy to accept this theory which I devised and later on this judgment was followed by other High Courts where floods occurred to enable immediate relief. This is the beauty of the whole thing. The revenue has not suffered but it has gained as the number of insurance cover has increased; more people are opting for it.

Q: How was this directive seen by people, especially the business community?

Justice Kumar: Well, some office bearers of confederation of industry had initially approached me and they approached me later also in the month of November, December and in January 2015. I had to demit office, so I told them that judges do not accept any award, or anything.

The people were very happy and feeling very good and relieved. A number of businessmen wanted to meet me. Then in 2018, I met a few of them and recently they welcomed and hosted me and all this data on manifold increase in insurance cover in Kashmir valley was given to me by Confederation.

Q: Does it all give satisfaction, some pleasure to know that people are happy?

Justice Kumar: I had the satisfaction of doing the job to rescue the people from crises. Another aspect, when I and my wife and daughter were rescued from Chief Justice’s House, they were with me and we came to know about the plight of the people in various camps. My wife is running an NGO and she thought we can disburse some cash but people refused to take cash because people said that they cannot buy anything.

They wanted food, clothes etc., and she gave a call to all the NGOs in Punjab and they got trucks of food, clothes and many other items of day to day use. So the satisfaction. Even the High Court staff disbursed the food and pulses so that people don’t sleep empty stomach. Every effort was made on humanitarian grounds that the people were served to the extent we could. When the Supreme Court upheld my order, it was a great satisfaction that something which I had done was liked by the Apex Court, although it was not strictly in accordance with the law. But the Supreme Court thought it was befitting order in the circumstances to meet ends of justice and equity.

The insurance companies had to shell out hundreds of crores but they got it back and it must be manifold than what they disbursed at that time. That is the beauty of the system and the system has run fully. This is what I liked about it.

Q: You could have worked from Jammu till the flood threat was over?

Justice Kumar: Had I stayed in Jammu, all these things, meeting the Governor, informing him about day to day problems and his conveying it to the Chief Minister and Chief Minister taking the decision could not have happened. Then my meeting the members of the Bar and talking to Judges that the transit court was the need of the hour and everybody agreeing and cooperating would also not have happened.

Given the response filed by authorities to the PIL regarding the post flood scenario, do you see differences then and now, especially in disaster management?

Well, I came recently to Srinagar and on the way, I saw Jhelum. I could see the earth and it means the Jhelum is full of sand and the water intake capacity of Jhelum continues to be the same. It has not improved. I do not know why some measures about de-silting are not taken. It is an expert’s job and it has to be done in an expert manner. It has to be done in a manner that the whole Jhelum is completely de-silted.

It is not the first time that Valley is facing this type of problem, and like world over these problems have been there. Dredging, and de-silting process has to be carried.

Q: Every time it rains for a few days, there is a threat of floods. What is to be done in such a situation?

Justice Kumar: I think somebody has to take a call on emergent basis. You can see what is happening in New Delhi due to heavy rains, completely ravaged, and the water in buildings is 6-ft, with basements completely filled with water. Offices working from basements devastated. So with these management techniques, drainage has to be kept clean. Responsibility has to be fixed and the public has to have civic sense. This is lacking in our country.

Q: When you were Chief Justice of J&K High Court, several PILs had been filed. Your views over implementation of orders?

Justice Kumar: As far as my period is concerned, a large number of PILs came to be filed and orders passed thereon were implemented. There was a chairman of BOPEE against whom one PIL came to be filed, and this matter was taken to logical end, ending up in his sentencing. It was an eye-opener.

The students who were scoring 80%, 90% were not securing admission in the MBBS colleges. The students with lesser marks were admitted and when they failed in their first semester, the people realised what was happening. So Chairman BOPEE, on the directions of the High Court, was arrested and it was a very successful PIL.

I also mention that senior advocate B A Bashir, who was appointed as amicus curiae, did a good job and with Justice Attar, who was my bench partner, we were able to steer through. Then other PIL during my time was hotels discharging waste directly into water bodies; I gave a deadline to hotels to have STPs and refuse must be treated. I realised nobody was taking these directions seriously and I ordered sealing of hotels across the state—Katra, Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam etc., for not installing STPs; hotels were releasing refuse directly into water bodies and there was likelihood of people falling sick. It was also a successful PIL.

Q: There is a general perception, a PIL is misused. How can this menace be stopped?

Justice Kumar: There is an inbuilt mechanism and there is a committee constituted by the Chief Justice to scan and scrutinise it. Yes, a PIL is also being misused and that misuse has to be stopped. I have no hesitation in saying that even some lawyers misuse the platform to advance the interests of private persons, and the Supreme Court has come down heavily on such practices. There is a duty cast on the high court that if the government fails to do governmental function, like no road connectivity to some village despite the government having knowledge, the High Court’s intervention is must.

The post On this day, exactly a decade before… appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

“I love the people of my homeland. I am hopeful that my achievements will send a powerful message that the youth of J&K are not mere participants but leaders in the global conversation on social and political change,” Arhan told Greater Kashmir in an exclusive interview.

Founder of Kashmir’s Yumberzal Applied Research Institute (KYARI), Arhan is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University. He had also received acceptance letters from some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, including Columbia and Stanford. However, he chose to pursue his Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. As getting admission to Harvard and Stanford involves a rigorous selection process, Arhan’s achievement was a proud moment for J&K.

“I am confident that my education will equip me with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate complex policy challenges and advocate for meaningful change, ultimately making a positive impact on the lives of the people, especially the youth in Kashmir,” he said.

Earlier this year in May, Arhan was appointed an official for the Indian contingent at the ongoing KOBE 2024 World Para Athletics Championship in Japan. He had also been nominated as a Member of the Ceremonial and Medal Ceremony Committees of the World Shooting Para Sports (WSPS) World Cup held in New Delhi. Arhan was the world’s youngest and India’s first Deputy Chef de Mission of the Indian Paralympic Contingent at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.

Arhan did his schooling at The Shri Ram School in Delhi-NCR. He attended Pomona College in Los Angeles, one of the world’s top liberal arts institutions, for a Bachelor of Arts in Politics (Specialisation in Comparative Politics) and Asian Studies (Concentration on India). He did his thesis on Article 370. He was also selected for a six-month study abroad programme at Cambridge University in England, where he studied Political Theory, Law, Modern Art, Creative Writing, and more.

“I have written on a host of different topics for multiple national news platforms such as The Quint and First Post. I was recently made the Vice President of the Organising Committee of the 61st National Open Athletics Championship hosted by the Karnataka Athletics Association.”

Tracing his journey to become India’s first and youngest Deputy Chef de Mission for the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020, Arhan attended the ‘Sports for Development’ run in Delhi, which aimed at creating awareness about the Paralympic Movement in India. “I had the attendance of Milkha Singh – my idol at the time, as I was a national level track athlete myself, in school. That made me aware of the existence of the Paralympic Movement and made me want to strive to create awareness amongst my generation and our general populace, as I found it unfair that our Paralympic athletes were not given their due credit,” Arhan said.

Arhan started working with the Paralympic Committee of India, after which he was appointed as their Awareness and Impact Ambassador. “I then created an application InRio, after giving presentations to and getting sponsorship from top companies in India, such as Boeing India, Nike India, Audi India, Educomp Solutions, etc. Through this application, I then also sponsored two athletes, Mariyappan Thangavelu and Varun Singh Bhati, who went on to win the Gold Medal and Bronze Medal in High Jump, respectively, for India at the Rio Paralympic Games in 2016.”

In 2015, he developed the ‘In Rio’ app, which was instrumental in helping para-athletes during the 2016 Rio Games with online access to various queries, including preparation, diet, and fitness. “I will try to create such applications for every Paralympic Games – at least up until it becomes redundant, since technology is evolving at an extremely fast pace with ever-increasing accessibility, especially at Paralympic Villages as I witnessed firsthand at the Tokyo Paralympic Games Village, with autonomous vehicles and more,” he said.

Through his Kashmir’s Yumberzal Applied Research Institute, he has been conducting applied research on a broad spectrum of topics that impact civic and social issues in Jammu and Kashmir. Arhan said that the objective behind KYARI is to conduct effective on-ground research over a host of different developmental issues within Jammu & Kashmir. He said KYARI also aims to promote Kashmir in various spheres so that the region is highlighted and promoted for all its positive reasons.

“KYARI is powered by the belief that academic research paves the way for debates, discussions, and ultimately, decision-making in matters of public policy. Our focus is to conduct applied research on a broad spectrum of topics that impact civic and social issues in J&K,” he said.

“We hope to identify developmental issues in the region and subsequently provide effective, efficient, and economical solutions for the same,” he added. Arhan said that based on his study and research, he aims to develop policy papers on various issues like education, sanitation, electricity, tourism, conservation, economic empowerment of women, and others affecting the J&K region.

“Our mission is to focus on the developmental issues hindering the economic and social growth of the Union Territory. We will conduct deep dives into district-wise issues, creating papers that we aim to publish in internationally acclaimed journals, while simultaneously striving to achieve tangible change in society,” he said.

Under Arhan’s leadership, KYARI has conducted extensive research on rural tourism, waste management, climate change, horticulture/agriculture, tribal communities (Bakerwals) and their lifestyle.

In his message to the youth, Arhan said, “J&K offers a trove of potential to utilise the skills that one has learned. It’s just a matter of implementing and executing them. One needs to find their purpose and follow through. It’s a collective effort that needs to be made and is a gradual process requiring patience as well. However, once the first, hard step is made, it will probably only get easier.

The post Arhan Bagati: Pioneering change from Kashmir to the world stage appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

In an exclusive interview with ‘Greater Kashmir’, CEO, however, points out that the nature of challenges actually varies from constituency to constituency, hence every phase has (had) its peculiar issues to address.

According to him, in the case of Jammu region, at least, in the case of phase-I, which is over and phase-II, for which polling is scheduled on April 26, 2024, there have not been so many challenges.

“Comparatively Kashmir parliamentary constituencies will be more challenging but we’re well prepared to ensure peaceful polling in a transparent manner,” he asserts.

Pole affirms that the Election department, in perfect synergy with the security agencies, has made all the desired arrangements to address any kind of challenge, be it related to security, terrain or vagaries of weather.

Following are the excerpts from the interview wherein CEO Pole gives a detailed account of vigorous efforts of the Election department and other agencies to ensure ongoing parliamentary elections as a seamless, credible, transparent democratic exercise for all the stakeholders, particularly for the electorate:

GK: How will you describe the first phase of the parliamentary polls which has been successfully completed on April 19, 2024?

CEO: Election process for first phase has been completed peacefully as per norms of Election Commission. In the first phase of polling for Udhampur parliamentary constituency, around 16.23 lakh electors had enrolled and 2637 polling booths were established in five districts.

GK: During the General Elections 2024, many ‘firsts’ have been introduced. So how is this election different from the previous elections?

CEO: Yes, that is true. But this is not the first time. This has always been an endeavour on the part of the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the years and they bring new interventions in every election. With a vision to improve and augment the process, they (ECI) minutely and persistently scrutinise electoral exercise and take notice of scope for improvement. So wherever in the past electoral exercises, it notices some discrepancies or finds a room for improvement, it does everything possible to make it a seamless exercise and enhances experience in the next election. Thus, every election vis-a-vis the past elections is different, on many accounts.

Following the same exercise (to adopt improved rather best, up-to-date, innovative practices), in 2024 elections, some novel additions have been made or new practices have been introduced e.g., National Level Master Trainings; State Level Master Trainings. Difference is that this has been made an institutionalised training. Earlier, trainers used to be trained only when the electoral exercise would begin. Process (Training) would end with the culmination of the election process. But now as they have attained the status of institutionalised persons, they will keep themselves abreast with the changes. They will be almost like permanent institutions.

GK: Will this training go on throughout the year?

CEO: See, like they may not be doing (or imparting) training in Jammu and Kashmir but somewhere else, there may be elections – assembly, Councils etc. They will participate in the training. They will do the training there also. They are National Level Master Trainers.

Secondly, with regard to new interventions, this time, many new (advanced) technologies are being used. Like earlier, there would be only C-Vigil where citizens could lodge their grievances. But now, even the candidates and political parties too don’t need to visit government offices to seek permissions. They apply on “Suvidha” app and procure permissions.

Then, the specially-abled persons, if they have to enquire about the facilities available in the polling stations for them or if they have to get their disability marked in the (electoral) rolls, they can easily do so by using “Saksham” app.

In addition, there is a Voter Turnout app to facilitate media persons. Like earlier they (media persons) had to visit offices to get updates on voter turnout but now every two-hourly voter turnout, assembly-wise, would be available on this app on a real-time basis. Similarly, there’s a voter helpline app. So, the Commission has started using a number of apps, portals and technology for updating the entire electoral process; enhancing the experience and facilitating all stakeholders.

GK: What have been your major challenges while making poll related arrangements so far, in terms of security or otherwise? Particularly, when Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region too have witnessed an uptick in terror related incidents in the recent past.

CEO: Basically, in the case of Jammu division, prevalence of militancy is not much there, in comparative terms. Especially, at least, in the case of phase-I and phase-II (areas), there have not been so many challenges here, until now. Still, from our side, all desired preparations have been made.

If you talk of challenges, their nature varies from place to place and phase to phase. There are varied challenges we encounter at different places.

In the case of Kashmir, you don’t have terrain-related challenges. You don’t have connectivity issues there. But in the case of Udhampur-Kathua-Doda parliamentary constituency, which went to polls in phase-I on April 19, there were many terrain-related issues e.g., treacherous hilly terrains, narrow roads, new roads (being constructed under PMGSY). In several areas, our (polling) parties had to trek several kilometers to reach designated polling stations. In Kishtwar district, in areas like Marwah, Warwan and Dachchan, we had to airlift polling teams.

But we tried to address all these challenges in a proper manner.

In terms of security-related challenges, the concerned (security) agencies make all the desired arrangements.

Everything I cannot divulge regarding preparations, related to security. Yet with regard to the ensuing phases, in the case of Kashmir, I’ll say that sufficient arrangements have been made. Adequate deployment (of security forces) will be made.

In any case, deployment of security forces varies from (parliamentary) constituency to constituency; area to area. As we proceed from first phase to second phase and then the next, deployment is made (phase-wise), as per the requirement of that very particular constituency, keeping in view its (security-related) requirements.

GK: As per its requisition, has J&K been provided with security forces for adequate deployment in sensitive areas, in terms of security?

CEO: That aspect is mainly taken care of by the Police department.

GK: There was a direction that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will distribute voter (information) slips, five to six days before the polling date to facilitate them (voters) in tracking their polling station and serial numbers in the lists. But in the first phase, there had been complaints that these slips were not issued in time. Many voters did not get it.

CEO: See, there may be little confusion in understanding the perspective. Voter Information slip is not in lieu of the EPIC (Elector’s Photo Identity Card). Slip is just to inform the voter about the polling station, timing of polling and (voter’s) serial number in the voter list. For voting, the voters have to carry either a voter-card (EPIC) or one of alternate twelve documents specified (which have a photograph of the voter). Since voter information slip does not have a photograph, it does not verify the identity of the voter.

GK: There were few complaints related to the first-time voters as their names were not there in the voter lists, they were not allowed to vote.

CEO: As CEO, I may not be in a position to comment on a particular case without knowing the facts. However, if it pertained to the first-time voters, who would have turned 18 on April 1, 2024, they would not get their EPIC immediately. It will take some time to get EPIC. But that does not mean that they are prevented from voting. They can show any of the remaining twelve documents including Aadhaar card; PAN card; driving licence; school/colleges’ Identity Card and they can cast votes provided their names figure in the voter list.

If their names are not there in the voter list it means they would not have turned 18 on April 1, 2024.

As per new provisions, now one can apply for a voter card in advance. Suppose if I’m going to turn 18 on September 29, 2024, I can apply in advance, even right now. My application (for EPIC) will become eligible on October 1, 2024. There are quarterly eligibility dates.

GK: In your perspective as in-charge of the poll process in J&K, which is going to be the most challenging phase?

CEO: Definitely, the valley’s parliamentary constituencies have more security related issues.

GK: Are all three (Kashmir) valley constituencies equally challenging?

CEO: I cannot exactly tell this as I don’t have a yardstick to measure that. But the valley, definitely, comparatively would be more challenging than Jammu. But we’re well prepared to tackle all challenges.

GK: In the first phase, capricious weather had been a major challenge. It may be a challenge in upcoming phases as well, so, how you are handling vagaries of weather to ensure that they don’t impact seamless electoral exercise.

CEO: Yes, that’s true. Weather was pretty bad in the first phase at several places. We get hourly weather inputs which we pass on to the ground level (polling teams at the ground level) to tweak the arrangements accordingly to ensure that electoral exercise remains a seamless affair.

GK: Did weather impact first phase polling?

CEO: Not that much. But definitely, it does cause inconvenience but as far as poll percentage is concerned, no major impact has been there.

But I definitely want to express my gratitude to the voters of the first parliamentary constituency as they came forward despite inclement weather and exercised their right to vote in such a large percentage.

Also, I express my gratitude to the polling staff as they performed their duties diligently in more than 2600 polling stations despite hostile weather conditions.

GK: Major concern of all political parties and politicians, mainly those belonging to the opposition, has been with regard to the level-playing field. ECI and even you, as J&K CEO have reiterated commitment to ensure it (level-playing field). What are the specific measures taken by you to ensure it? How many grievances have you received on this account?

CEO: See the first and foremost measure on this account is to give them (candidates) different permissions.  So, we are giving permissions on a ‘First come, first serve’ basis. Further to facilitate them, they have to give online applications on Suvidha (portal) app.

Whenever a candidate files an application, it (app) displays the exact time (of filing an application). Therefore, none can say the administration has not allowed his or her application to give precedence to someone else.

For example, there is some ground and two or more candidates want to hold an election rally there on a particular date. So, permission will be granted to the person, who applies first on ‘Suvidha’, irrespective of the fact that the candidate is from a national party or a state party or for that matter an independent. This is the first thing (measure).

Secondly, all candidates have been provided with the security. They may be independent or the nominees of state or national parties.

Third thing (measure) is – all the rules and regulations like under MCC (Model Code of Conduct) and others are applied equally.

Even during phase-I, we have issued notices to the candidates (or parties) who have violated it (rules). We have not seen whether the party is a national party or state party or the candidate is independently contesting.

GK: How many complaints or grievances have you received?

CEO: More than 75 grievances, we have received on c-Vigil app related to MCC violations. Notices are issued by the concerned Deputy Commissioners (DEOs).

GK: During these elections, flag or route marches, being conducted by the police along with other security forces, are being seen as a noteworthy step. What is the significance of this measure? How is it crucial to the election process?

CEO: See, these are part of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) taken by the police (law enforcement). CBMs are of varied nature. Like, a senior police officer holds a public meeting to listen to their (people’s) security related grievances and tries to address them. So, a police-public meeting is one of the ways of Confidence Building Measures.

Second way is flag marches. These generate confidence among people that the forces are nearby. They are visible. Whenever the need arises, they will be there; they will reach in time.

Thirdly, they (police and other security forces) take many preventive actions like the past offenders are bound down under 107/109 provisions of CrPC.

In the rarest of rare cases, preventive detentions are made. They all come under preventive measures. Similarly, if there are local arms licences, they are asked to deposit to prevent their misuse (during election process.

Police do undertake various measures for building confidence among the public and one of these measures is flag marches.

The post Poll phases in Kashmir to be challenging yet adequate arrangements in place: CEO Pole appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

GK: The results of the J&K Administrative Service exam were recently announced. As has been a trend in the recent past, a relatively lesser number of candidates have made it to the service from Kashmir division in comparison to Jammu. How genuine are the concerns regarding this skewed representation? 

Khurshid Ahmed Ganai: Well, the ideal situation in these matters is, if all geographical areas and sections of society are uniformly represented. But that is a rarity. It would have been a happier situation if more candidates from Kashmir division figured in the merit list. I am told only 37 out of 187 successful candidates are from Kashmir division which is just about 20 percent which is decidedly low. The benefit of reservation is available to Kashmir based candidates also except in respect of SCs because of negligible SC population in Kashmir division. It means that the success rate of Kashmir candidates is lower not only from the general category but also from the reserved categories. So the problem of success rate in Kashmir division has to be addressed for both types, general as well as reserved categories. Of course, there is also the issue of a lesser number of candidates from the Kashmir division taking the civil services examination. 

Can you elaborate how equitable representation is important in this coveted service?

Equitable representation is always desirable but difficult  to achieve in practice. The advantage of equitable representation is that the public perhaps feel a greater sense of comfort when they see local officers and officials serving them because they feel they can access them for redress, more easily. Elected officials are of course the best option but when that is not an option, the next best thing is officials belonging to the local community and local area.

Do you agree with this assertion that the low level of participation rather than the low success ratio of Kashmiri candidates is the root cause of this low representation?

Low level of participation in the examination from Kashmir division is reportedly true. And true for both, the general category as well as the reserved categories. This is a major reason for lower share of successful candidates from Kashmir division. But in my view lower success rate is a more important issue which needs to be addressed. Lower success rate indicates poorer preparation or less hard work on the part of candidates which also points to less than desirable seriousness among Kashmir students for a career in civil services. Therefore, the colleges and coaching  institutes in Kashmir have work cut out for them. They need to measure up to the task and work for a higher success rate of their students taking the civil services examination. 

While we see Kashmiri girls performing well in other fields do you think they are not encouraged enough to attempt the J-KAS exam?

Girls outshining boys in the university and board examinations is a trend seen all over the country. This has now spilled to the competitive examinations also. There is absolutely no harm if more girls are motivated to sit for the civil services examination. Hopefully, the success rate among the candidates from Kashmir division will improve if more girls take the examination.

Kashmiris continue to be more interested in Medical and Engineering careers. Do you think it’s one of the major reasons for low numbers in the JKAS exam?

Kashmir students opting for medical and engineering is a good thing, nothing new and nothing wrong with this.  Traditionally, there has been greater preference for these careers in Kashmir at the plus two level. However, I don’t see such preference and higher success rate in civil services mutually exclusive. The candidates for civil services will come from humanities and non- science  streams including commerce and a large majority of science students who don’t succeed in getting admission in medical and engineering colleges.Then there is no restriction on medical and engineering graduates taking the civil services examination. So, we still have a large pool of potential  candidates available for taking the civil services examination. That is why I don’t see the preference for medical and engineering careers and success rate in civil services examination as mutually exclusive. We can have both. We can have the best of both worlds.

The general disillusionment of youth with the system is also considered to be an inhibiting factor. How do you see it?

I do not agree that there is a general disillusionment with the system. The system of examination is transparent and absolutely fair. This has been repeatedly proved by candidates from poorer backgrounds and far flung areas succeeding in the civil services examination even without reservation. And then there is no reason for young students feeling disillusioned with the system even before trying the examination and entering the system.

Do you think the students are not getting a conducive atmosphere for studies or do you think it’s the lack of ambition or hardworking attitude among our youth that is holding them back?

I don’t think that is the case now. It may have been there about two to three years back when Kashmir division witnessed some uneven law and order with prolonged shut downs including internet shut down. That situation may have also impacted the competitiveness of Kashmir based candidates and success rate. It is time for Kashmir students to put all that behind them and work hard. In fact they need to work harder to make up for the lost time and opportunity.

How much is the parental discretion involved in the career choices?

Parental discretion is not a big factor nowadays. I think parents generally don’t push their children beyond a point. I agree that parents do tend to push their children to trying for medical and engineering colleges at the plus two level but once that stage is crossed, they leave the choice to their children. So there is hardly any parental pressure which tends to keep the candidates away from civil services examination. On the other hand, parents in Kashmir encourage their children to try for civil services even when the chances of success are not very good. The incidence of disappointment at not being able to qualify for civil services is high because of tough competition and fewer vacancies. I have known candidates trying multiple times but not making it and feeling quite disappointed. But there is no need to see failure in civil services examination as ‘end of the road’- Quoting Allama Iqbal’s- ‘Sitaron sey aagey jehan aur bhi hain !’Or Faiz Ahmad Faiz, ‘ Dil naumeed tou nahi, nakam hi tou hai, Lambi hai gham ki shaam, shaam hi tou hai’.

The post “Equitable representation is always desirable but difficult to achieve in practice” appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

Greater Kashmir (GK): How is the security situation across the Kashmir region now?

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP): The situation across the Kashmir region is quite conducive. Police ensure that besides anti-terror activities, civil and criminal cases are taken up on priority. The law-and-order incidents in Kashmir have dropped by nearly 90 per cent in three years since the revocation of the erstwhile state’s special status compared to the preceding three years. We earlier shared data with the Press regarding the magnitude of the security scenario in Kashmir and also figures like from August 5, 2016, to

August 4, 2019, the Valley witnessed 3,686 law and order incidents. However, for the three years from August 5, 2019 – when the Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and bifurcated it into two Union territories – the Valley recorded only 438 such incidents – which is a drop of over 88 to 90 per cent.

Greater Kashmir: But during this time a number of civilian killings also happened.

ADGP: While 124 civilians were killed in law-and-order situations in Kashmir in the three years prior to August 5, 2019, no civilian was killed since then. Not a single civilian got killed. Similarly, six police and security forces personnel lost their lives in such situations from August 5, 2016, to August 4, 2019, but there was no such case since then. Nearly 930 terror incidents were recorded in the three years before August 5, 2019, and this number dropped to 617 in the next three years. Three years before the abrogation of Article 370, 290 security forces personnel were killed in terror incidents in the Valley, and this number dropped to 174.

Greater Kashmir: When you compare the situation with the post-constitutional changes in Jammu and Kashmir. What does it convey?

ADGP: Because there are no hartals now. No stone-pelting incidents were reported. That also saves a lot of youth from getting killed. As far as civilian killings in other incidents such as terrorist attacks are concerned, the number dropped from 191 to 110 in the three years after August 2019.

Greater Kashmir: Can you spell out this year’s achievements of the police in the Kashmir region?

ADGP: In the year 2022 and till now. Nearly 93 encounters took place in which 172 terrorists were killed including 42 foreigners, 130 local (LeT/TRF) 108 of JeM 35, HM 22, AlBadre 4, AGuH 3. Meanwhile, nearly 100 recruitments took place and of this 100-recruitment maximum, 74 joined LeT/TRF outfit) (out of these 100 recruitments, 65 terrorists were killed in the encounter, 17 terrorists were arrested and 18 are still active. We have also so far arrested 17 categorised terrorists, 142 terror associates and 488 OGWs arrested.

Now if you tell me to sketch our achievements on the law-and-order front. No hartal, no internet shutdown, no street violence, and no stone pelting especially at the encounter site observed. There has been no procession during the funeral of terrorists and no glamorization of terrorists observed. No civilian killing in firing by police/SFs while handling law and order problems happened. We have tightened the noose on such activities and carried continuously against Jamaat-e-Islami and Hurriyat. Our achievements on the anti-terrorist front have been many as there is a drastic decline in terror incidents with the total number of terrorists brought to double digit. All top chief, top commanders of terrorists got neutralised except HM’s chief Farooq Nalli of Kulgam and LeT commander Reyaz Sethri of Pulwama. There is a continuous decline in the recruitment of new youths in terror ranks. 85% of newly recruited terrorists got neutralised in encounters within one month only. Now the trend is that the house owners started denying shelter to terrorists and the parents don’t feel proud once their ward terror ranks. Rather they usually cursed terrorists. Appeal their wards to return back and work together with JKP in order to bring them back. We recovered a huge cache of weapons in 2022 and the timely seizure of IEDs and sticky bombs, Grenades averted major terror attacks. We also ensured a terror incident free yatra.

I must reinstate that parents are also showing great trust and cooperation with JKP. More than two dozen teenagers were brought back and they are studying, and working normally. We have also enhanced the tenant verification process in Srinagar city and other districts. This is going on to deny easy harbouring of terrorists. Also, the Police Station, Cyber, beside handling financial fraud cases are providing great assistance in terror crimes.

Greater Kashmir: How many weapons were seized during these encounter sites?

ADGP: Total 360 weapons including (AK47/56/74 nearly 121, SLR:2, M4 carbine: 8, 229 Pistols, were seized in encounters and terror modules.

Greater Kashmir: Talking about the law-and-order situation. How many killings occurred during this period as Police, SIA and NIA massive operations?

ADGP: Nearly 26 law and order-related incidents have happened. The total civilian killed by terrorists in such incidents has figured at 29. Out of these 29 deaths, 21 are locals (Kashmiri Pandits 3, Hindu 3, 15 Muslims and 8 are outsiders (Muslim, 2 Hindu 6). In such incidents, 26 security forces personnel laid down their lives (JKP 14, Army 7 , CRPF 3, RPF 2)

Greater Kashmir: J&K police have launched massive operations against drug trafficking. How grave is the issue?

ADGP: See, the situation is quite a concern for us as a society. For us, as a security force, we also see a lot of angles to it. So far nearly 6 narco-terrorism cases have been registered. Nearly 946 cases of NDPS registered in which 1560 persons have been arrested and huge quantities of contraband including 46 kgs heroin, 200 kgs Charas 11.8 kgs brown sugar etc seized. Besides that, 132 drug peddlers have been booked under PIT Act. Importantly, in 49 terrorism-related cases, properties have been attached. In all our 106 police stations across the Kashmir region, we get diversified complaints including crimes, terrorism and which the police are always at the forefront to resolve on priority.

 Greater Kashmir: While the police force is more concentrated on anti-militancy operations. What about the police’s performance regarding solving criminal cases like theft, murder etc?

ADGP: See, this is very important. We aren’t just a force that is involved in anti-terror activities. There are so many criminal cases that are being addressed on a daily basis. Our team of Investing officers in every case is doing a remarkable job. I have asked my SSPs, and SDPOs to share such events, incidents and details in a systematic way with the press and for the knowledge of the people at large.

Greater Kashmir: What are the areas that are militancy free in Kashmir?

ADGP: The Year 2022 saw a remarkable decline in militancy. There is no local terrorist in Ganderbal, Bandipora and Kupwara, and districts like Baramulla, Budgam, Anantnag and Srinagar have only one local terrorist now.

Greater Kashmir: While the ceasefire is on, how is it helping in the dwindling number of militants across the Kashmir region?

ADGP: The credit for the decline in the militancy graph goes to Jammu and Kashmir Police and other security forces, most importantly the parent, whose wards had shown a sign of joining terrorist outfits. I must say, parents, have shown great trust in the security forces. Parents and Police have jointly brought several misguided young boys from terrorism to normal life.

Greater Kashmir: Are there any guidelines for the press on what to report and what not as scores of journalists have been booked and some have been called for questioning? What are the guidelines?

ADGP: We don’t keep any surveillance on the journalists who report the ground realities. Not at all. We just want that lies shouldn’t be propagated. Press Council of India has issued guidelines for the press. We want our viewpoints not to be altered and misreported. Let them do their analysis the way they want.

Greater Kashmir: What are the latest weaponry and vehicles the police force has got. How are these latest weapons including drone technology transforming the police?

ADGP: I wouldn’t like to bring this information into public domain due to security reasons.

Greater Kashmir: Police started a campaign for the installation of CCTVS at all the vital city and town landmarks, shops etc. How successful is this CCTV spread and how it helped the police.

ADGP: It has helped us a great deal. Not just terror but other routine matter crimes are being investigated through this equipment.

Greater Kashmir: There are some poor shopkeepers who can’t afford it. Will the police have any scheme for arranging CCTVS for them?

ADGP: We aren’t the first in the country to start this. Even now remotest parts of the country do have such facilities and this is just to give safer and clean services to the customers. We had asked Srinagar Municipal Corporation/ Smart City Limited to assist us in this regard.

Greater Kashmir: How is the police hospital and drug de-addiction centre of the police doing?

ADGP: That comes under the Police Headquarters but I must say that you can still visit the drug de addiction centre and see nearly 45 addicts are undergoing a rehabilitation programme. Hospital is being upgraded. Additional trauma block is coming up and more and more machinery is being put in place.

Greater Kashmir: Any programme to have some more police schools as police is one one of the biggest employers in Jammu and Kashmir?

ADGP: That is a domain of the government and PHQ. But we are really working on upgrading the services and keeping doors open for the general public.

Greater Kashmir: How challenging was the burial of Syed Ali Shah Geelani?

ADGP: It was quite challenging for us. We had expected a sizable number of people on the streets. But we immediately put a ban on the internet because we had to ensure that no civilian life was lost. We requested the family and friends to cooperate and precious lives from getting perished. See, Pakistan had made an elaborate roadmap and they wanted to derail the situation. I decided to conduct the burial in the night only in larger interest of public. SSP Budgam made all arrangements and got the task finished in my presence. Everything was put in place. All rituals were performed in the presence of family.

Greater Kashmir: Being an outsider and serving important positions in Jammu and Kashmir police, what strength would you count for this long service?

ADGP: Laughs, I don’t count myself as an outsider. I am someone who has had all my service span extended in the Kashmir region only. I joined as a probationary officer at Kupwara and then moved to different postings in Kashmir only. I must tell you experience is my strength in serving Kashmir. Every officer comes with some character and integrity. And if you know how to lead from the front, your subordinates tend to follow you and obey you in totality.

 Greater Kashmir: What are your apprehensions about 2023? Do you see any major challenges coming with regard to the security situation?

ADGP: We are keeping a strong vigil on everything and every development across Kashmir. The situation will be largely normal.  We are apprehensive about soft targets as it is very difficult for us to provide security cover to a non-local street vendor who gets killed on the streets. When Parliament elections and G-20 meetings will be around the corner, we are apprehensive about the rise of soft targets. But our target is to accelerate the surveillance in this regard. Technical surveillance in Kashmir will be heightened as major events are expected in 2023 including Parliament elections, G-20 meeting etc. I must say guarding soft targets will remain a major challenge for security forces. Now, why are they resorting to soft targets? It is because their Combat strength has gone down. Most of their commanders have been killed and most importantly, the soft target is always newsy. It is called in our terminology ‘Low cost and wide impact.”  We have been successful in bringing the terrorist number to two digits only. There are nearly 41 local terrorists and 45 to 47 Pakistani active in Kashmir. These are some achievements that police and security forces have achieved. Some experts were of the opinion that once COVID will be over, there would be mass agitation. Nothing of such sorts happened. We had seen that after encounters, a lot of youth used to assemble and get motivated to join terrorist outfits. We haven’t given the dead bodies of nearly 500 terrorists to their families and instead buried them in border districts with proper protocol and under the supervision of the executive magistrate. This too has further helped us to save precious lives of civilians. But, our new joint area domination plan, comprehensive anti-terrorist operations and action against terror ecosystem would certainly neutralise threat to soft targets. Enemy won’t succeed.

Greater Kashmir: You have been talking about the role of parents. If you arrest any youth in such activity. Do you register FIR against them?

ADGP: In 2022. Very recently we apprehended nearly 27 youths who were on the way to join the terrorist outfits. We approached their families, involved their parents and got them back. A maximum of these youth belonged to south Kashmir, one from Srinagar, one from Budgam and Ganderbal each. They are all with their parents. Studying and working. No FIR was lodged against them. No action was initiated. It is just that we are keeping them under their parental care. We avoided sharing this in the press earlier.  During encounters, a lot of youth used to assemble and pelt stones and this would later facilitate them to join them. However, we have been able to stop this trend. During my tenure, 555 terrorists have been killed in the Kashmir region only. This has demolished the terror ecosystem. Parents no longer feel proud of their kids joining the terrorist outfits. We have also made sure that these misguided kids are kept away from the influences. The glamorization that was attached to joining terror outfits had dwindled. Parental control is very important. One has to see what the son is getting into. Social media is ruining our children. Drugs are rampant and later the same chunk of youth goes into terrorist outfits.

The case of acid attack on a girl was solved and charge sheeted within two weeks and we are hopeful of a conviction at the earliest.  Once the hotbed for terrorists in south Kashmir, Tral, no longer stands for Tora Bora of Kashmir.

Greater Kashmir: Why have more bunkers come up post-August 2019? Any specific reasons? 

ADGP: I don’t see a lot of bunkers around. We have a lot of mobile bunkers in the city. There is no fun in installing endless bunkers. We have tied up with SMC to beautify the existing bunkers so that people don’t get scared on the roads seeing them.

Greater Kashmir: In your recent statement, you lashed out at mainstream politicians for inciting violence. What were you hinting at?

ADGP: Mainstream politicians in the Valley are trying to instigate people. Politicians must desist from instigating the public and destroying the youth. They condemn violence and don’t name the terror outfits. They are very selective. Unless they don’t name them and build societal pressure, the situation isn’t going to change. There is a dichotomy in their statements viz a viz terrorism. If a terrorist has killed someone, who later claims also. Politicians shouldn’t name them unknown gunmen.

The post Technical surveillance in Kashmir will be heightened as major events are expected in 2023: ADGP Vijay Kumar appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

Greater Kashmir: The Directorate of Handicraft and Handloom has been taking several initiatives to reach out to the artisan base in Kashmir. How are they responding to it?

Director, Handicraft and Handloom, Kashmir (DHHK): We are taking several initiatives in reaching out to the artisans in Kashmir. Proactive marketing, curbs on fake handicraft products, special incentives to artisans and operationalizing of GI-system for Handicrafts are some of the major ongoing initiatives that are underway. The department is actively following the Geographical Identification certification of the craft on a war footing basis for the left-out crafts of Kashmir. The GI-certified crafts have made the crafts more interconnected than ever before and have led to improved product selection and awareness of genuine crafts.

Greater Kashmir: Artisans have been complaining about witnessing a slumping market for over some years which has affected the crafts and productivity also. How are you dealing with it?

DHHK: It is absolutely true. But not only the handicraft sector but all the major sectors remain highly affected. The Handicrafts sector in Kashmir is again witnessing a revival, especially due to the introduction of improved quality checks and the revival of some semblance of market demand.

Greater Kashmir: You recently mentioned that Copper Craft of Kashmir was getting impetus. What is it all about? Are you hinting at getting the craft GI-tagged?

DHHK: I had a series of meetings with the Copper Workers Trade Union. They have put forth their grievances regarding the ban of machine-made copperware. Copperware is not only one of the basic crafts but an acclaimed national as well as international market for different utilities. To promote genuine handicrafts in general and copperware in particular, the directorate is also mulling getting this craft under GI-tag property and QR-based system, which will enhance the quality and sale of these products. We are here to promote authentic handmade copperware. I have constituted a team who have been given the task of identifying fraudulent artisans and manufacturers of the copperware by the Quality Control Division shall be taken up on priority. The Department is actively engaged in the procedures to bring the handmade copperware craft along with other crafts in the ambient of the GI Act.

Greater Kashmir: But on the ground, the team seems to be absent. Do we still have machine-made products in abundance in the market? Are there any seizures in this regard?

DHHK: We have a robust team in place. However, we too sometimes require support from the police department to maintain law and order in order to carry out the seizure process. A lot of machine-made copper items have been seized by the quality control wing from different areas of Srinagar city. Besides this, the department is initiating the hologram labelling mechanism on handmade copperware items which shall certify the genuine copperware.

Greater Kashmir: Does your department maintain data on artisans of different trades?

DHHK: We have nearly three lakh artisans registered with us from across the Kashmir region. We are constantly updating our database. Meanwhile, the officers of the department and the allied wings have been asked to facilitate mass registrations of the artisans in the craft-concentrated areas. The active artisans shall be supported to form cooperatives so that they can harness the benefit of the departmental schemes.

Greater Kashmir: How are you engaging the artisans with the new trends or the new findings of the Craft Development Institute?

DHHK: Craft Development Institute (CDI) is purely academic and it is also trying to engage with the new trends in the field of handicrafts. There have been many developments vis-à-vis the progress in academics with respect to the MBA-CME course, which is being offered by the Institute since 2020, admissions under the course for the current academic session, implementation of various projects of Development Commissioner Handicrafts, Government of India. Our aim is to take the requisite measures for increasing the student roll under the MBA-CME course so that more students can avail benefits of the course besides this a special emphasis is laid on the need to evolve a strategy in order to ascertain new projects and programs available under various centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) that can be undertaken by the Institute for the development of the craft sector in J&K.

 Greater Kashmir: There is very little innovation on part of the new designs and new techniques from the CDI. What is the reason?

DHHK: Well, we are working on the same and regular appraisal meetings are held in this regard. While I appreciate the work done so far by Institute but the need of the hour is to put more focus on design innovations in the craft sector, the need for the creation of a digital repository for contemporary indigenous designs and undertaking new projects in training and skill development in design innovations technology for the development of a robust and a vibrant craft sector in the UT of J&K. In this regard, a special committee has been established to create a better interface with the artisans and to provide design interventions into a variety of crafts with the aim of expanding their respective markets.

Greater Kashmir: How many more crafts are being brought under the preview of the quality certification or Geographical Indication

DHHK: A lot of work is being carried out in this regard. We are working on getting a few more crafts under the GI tagging for various GI registered crafts through Pashmina Testing & Quality Certification Centre (PTQCC), including the introduction of the Quick Response (QR) Management System for GI tagging and setting up of Optical Fibre Diameter Analyser (OFDA) testing facility. We are also promoting and publicizing the GI tagging services offered by the Institute under its Pashmina Testing & Quality Certification Centre for GI-certified crafts which includes pashmina, Sozni, Kani, Paper-Mache, Khatamband and Wood Carving.

Greater Kashmir: E-commerce is emerging as a vital tool of business. This is where our artisans lack and suffer in their businesses. There is very little support and handholding from the government. Why?

DHHK: Absolutely, E-commerce is playing a crucial role in the survival of Handicrafts, Handloom and other allied sectors. I have been emphasising this time and again that e-commerce is the future for the better survival of Handicrafts and Handloom of Kashmir. I must assure you that strenuous efforts are being made by the department to bring artisans to e-commerce. The exhibitions and seminars also have a greater role to promote the handicraft and handloom sector. Internet and social media platforms can really bolster the Handloom and Handicraft sector and in order to take it ahead, e-commerce can help artisans to get in touch directly with their customers to make sales. The middleman ship, who leaves with the lion’s share will also go. We have been continuously receiving complaints about middlemen and commission agents taking advantage of artisans’ hard work, against this we are putting our efforts to get our artisans on e-commerce so that they can be in direct contact with their customers. The department is committed to providing market opportunities to artisans from the region. The credit for popularising the art and crafts goes to the amazing skill set that is present there. We aspire to always glorify our artisans. So, it is very important to come up with various labels of handicraft items in order to discriminate them with the machine mode. We have signed a memorandum with Flipkart, and the artisans are on Amazon, Gem platform and we are continuously in the process of getting more platforms to assist the artisans.

Greater Kashmir: How many artisans have been registered on the e-commerce sites?

DHHK: We have nearly three (3) lac artisans and thousands of other groups, and societies and to get all these people on e-commerce is definitely a herculean task. But this remains our primary focus as the Kashmir Handicraft and Handloom has global recognition. Our carpets, Pashmina Shawls, and walnuts are famous worldwide, but we can lose this global identity if we do not focus on quality.

Greater Kashmir: A lot of vendors and even some reputed shops are selling “Amritsari Pashmina”, labelling it with the Pashmina, which isn’t just degrading it but also bringing disrepute to the craftsmanship.

DHHK: We keep receiving complaints. But honestly, we aren’t very well equipped to deal with this menace. Under an Act, my department is also entitled to go on a market check but for that, we need police assistance and so far the government hasn’t been able to establish a wing here on the pattern of Tourism police.

Greater Kashmir: Srinagar Craft Safari has emerged as a big boot for the craft revival. How are you going to improvise on this?

DHHK: Srinagar, designated as a part of the UNESCO creative cities network is a vibrant patchwork of hand-made wonders. The rich legacy and heritage rendered in myriad arts & crafts are preserved by generations of skilled craftspersons & artisans. We are just aiming to push our people, visitors and tourists to live through the journey of these craft wonders from the heart of Sheher-e-Khaas. Under the Craft Safari, we give a peep into our cultural and craft legacy. Kashmir’s priceless artisans need market opportunities and they will do wonders.

Greater Kashmir: What are the major centrally sponsored schemes that are helping the artisans?

DHHK: National Handicrafts Development Programme (NHDP). Under this, the government aims to create a globally competitive Handicrafts Sector and provide sustainable livelihood opportunities to the artisans through innovative product designs, improvement in product quality, the introduction of modern technology, branding & marketing and also preserving environment & traditions and also bringing them into the formal economy. And Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS) which is an Integrated project under Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS) are intended to scale up the infrastructural and production chain at Handicrafts clusters across the country which have remained unorganized and have not kept pace with the modernization and development that have been taking place so far.

Greater Kashmir: Can you explain it?

DHHK: The total block level clusters under the National Handloom Development Programme is around 8. While the approved cost is Rs. 1425.795 lakhs. The total amount released so far remains Rs. 432.058 to date and the total weavers covered under this scheme are around 1856 beneficiaries.  Under NHDP, we have beneficiaries. CHCDS has been launched this year only for projects under-identification.

The post ‘Kashmir’s Handicraft Sector Needs Incremental Intervention’ appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

Greater Kashmir: Lieutenant Governor-led administration claims to have brought many positive changes in people-administration handling affairs. However, people still complain about not being heard. Why?

Divisional Commissioner: See there are many things that have been done on the ground administratively. Putting things in the right direction takes time. We have been working hard to provide the people of Kashmir with the utmost efficient and accountable governance. People have been given the right to decide the fate of their revenue and other cases. The administration is speeding up the processes everywhere at every stage. We are happy those people with grievances are coming forward and getting them addressed on a priority.

Greater Kashmir: The representatives of grassroots democracy or Panchayat Raj Institutions are of the opinion that they are not being heard or given their share in handling the governance affairs.

Divisional Commissioner: Our Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs) are vibrant. We have seen the number of people with complaints or any of their developmental concerns have been largely addressed by the PRIs only. The office of the Divisional Commissioner or offices of Deputy Commissioners don’t witness such a rush now. For Panchayat Halqa, we have kept around Rs 50 lakh budget allocation and for DDC members it can go up to Rs 1 crore. This money is purely for addressing the developmental concerns and issues of the people at large.

Greater Kashmir: Divisional Kashmir’s office remains busy with the issues concerning all the district headquarters. The revenue matters of the people continue to remain a large pending issue. What are you doing on that front to streamline it?

Divisional Commissioner: The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir office in J&K has been largely a law-and-order coordinating agency. Also, the revenue matters of the people are addressed by us. We are not able to focus much on the developmental issues, which normally happen with the other states. We are also busy providing protocols to the various VVIPs and union ministers visiting Kashmir region. The Divisional Commissioner’s office remains constantly in touch with the DCs for regular updates on the district headquarters.

Greater Kashmir: While rural areas have been given more focus on the development front. The downtown areas of Srinagar continue to remain neglected. Are you initiating any projects under Smart City?

Divisional Kashmir: I won’t even call it downtown. Shehr-e-Khaas is our special area. It is very special as far as the Kashmir region is concerned. It is an area with an abundance of talent and a place of master artisans. We are developing the lanes and by-lanes of these areas. A special focus is also given to the historical markets and we are giving them a face-lift. We are also identifying and developing them under various circuits so that visitors and tourists directly visit the artisans and have a first-hand experience of the crafts and craftsmanship.

Greater Kashmir: Wetlands of Kashmir region have been subjected to unabated encroachments and there is no check from the official machinery. Kashmir is losing its prime wetlands to the towering malls and shopping complexes. Is there any check on that?

Divisional Commissioner: It isn’t entirely true. Whenever we receive any complaints of the encroachments in the wetlands and other vital water bodies, our men and machinery act quite fast. Stopping encroachments needs societal involvement. We may only be able to stop the mess when people of these areas report such issues. The Lakes and Conservation Management Authority (LCMA), Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), and the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) have been directed to keep a strict vigil around Srinagar city. The government is adopting a multipronged strategy to revive Brari Nambal lagoon to its pristine glory.  The government has kept around Rs 40 crore budget to uplift this dying water body. We are having consultative meetings with the stakeholders and a roadmap is being devised to start working on the plan. However, the people of the area should come forward and help the administration in executing the much-needed works. To revive any vital water body, people’s participation and their active role is very important. Brari Nambal lagoon has been left unattended and people also have shown an adverse role. So, the time has come when a strategy is to be developed and get this important water body back to its pristine glory. All the sewerage outlets go to the lagoon. That is a major challenge. The government alone can’t achieve the goal of its revival. We have to work in close coordination with the people, especially the inhabitants of the areas supposed to install necessary sewage treatment units on a priority basis.

Greater Kashmir: There are many projects undergoing under Smart City. What is their progress? In some projects, the stakeholders including the business community in Lal Chowk say that the timing wasn’t good to start the project.

Divisional Commissioner: The work of several projects under Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL) is underway. We are addressing issues including left-out spaces under flyovers, the development of Sonwar junction, the realignment of Convent road, the construction of footpath on the right side of Boulevard, the construction of the second storey of FC building, the urban development of Nallah Mar Road, the beautification of flyovers, Jhelum riverfront development, Jhelum waterfront development and ghats, renovation of Chinar Bagh, conservation of existing shrines, and Raghunath temple. I have directed the concerned agencies to work in coordination to complete the pending work on scheduled time. Officers have been asked to conduct site visits to take stock of the work executed by the respective departments and expedite projects. All the departmental development work is to integrate with SSCL. I have asked the officials to conduct internal audits of parked and unspent funds and submit Action-Taken Reports so that the blueprints of projects is not changed frequently.

Greater Kashmir: As the winter approaches, people start facing immense hardships in Kashmir despite the government claiming to have revived winter preparedness. How does it go wrong?

Divisional Commissioner: I have been regularly convening meetings regarding winter preparedness across Kashmir division. I have directed the DC Ramban to facilitate the smooth movement of vehicles from their side, particularly during morning and evening hours when markets along the National Highway remain abuzz which creates traffic jams and interrupts the smooth traffic movement. The officials at these district headquarters have been asked to stock salt in advance that can be used to spray over the road at Patnitop when it gets slippery due to snow and frost. Besides, I told them to keep the snow-clearance machinery ready at critical junctions for instant action to facilitate the flow of vehicles. The DCs have been directed to chalk out a priority-wise snow clearance plan. The priority-wise snow clearance plan will be out in the public domain so that people know in advance about the locus standi of their respective areas. Similarly, PMGSY and SMC officers have been directed to enhance the capacity of men and machinery for snow clearance. The concerned DCs have been directed to streamline ticket booking and issuance of tickets in a transparent manner besides I have directed the deputation of staff there and improvement in the snow clearance mechanism.

Greater Kashmir: Your office also has avalanche warnings in hilly areas, still there is some lapse in certain cases. How to mitigate that?

Divisional Commissioner: I have given directions for issuing advance avalanche warning for hilly areas so that damage to property and loss of lives is avoided. For saving orchards, I have instructed the Director of Horticulture to issue an advisory for the pruning of plants so that damage due to snow can be reduced. Similarly, PDD has been instructed to prepare a schedule for power distribution and confiscate crude electric appliances from the market besides advance dumping of stock at the subdivision level. The officials on the ground have been asked to advance the dumping of stock of transformers, poles, and conductors.

Greater Kashmir: People face a lot of issues with stocks during winter. Are you prepared this time?

Divisional Commissioner: We ensure no such issues arise. But then winters for us are a calamity. Anything can happen. That is how the administration takes it. But the directions have been passed to the concerned for maintaining a sufficient quantity of essential food items in stock besides asking for market checking to control black marketing and illegal profiteering by traders during the closure of highways due to snow

Greater Kashmir: This year we saw a lot of protests by the farmers, and apple growers as the truck movement remains blocked. Who do you blame this for?

Divisional Commissioner: There was no restriction on the movement of goods carriers or material supply vehicles. The fruit-laden trucks faced difficulties on the National Highway as Kashmir witnessed a bumper apple crop, which crossed 21 lakh metric tonnes this year.  I have talked about this in the press earlier that the apple crop usually remained in between 17 to 18 lakh tonnes, however, this year it crossed 21 lakh metric tonnes. Due to the bumper crop this year, fruit-laden trucks faced some difficulties on the highway as people here harvested the apple in bulk.

Greater Kashmir: Does more productive mean more difficulties for the growers and the farmers?

Divisional Commissioner: Keeping in view the hardships faced by the common farmers and growers, we are also developing some mechanisms for this. We got to work very closely during the peak harvest time with the growers.

Greater Kashmir:  The government is saying that J&K is doubling the hydropower generation capacity from the existing capacity of 3500 MW. We are getting a royalty from different power projects, water flow in rivers is fine at present and generation hasn’t drastically gone down, where does this power go?

Divisional Commissioner: Basically, our power requirement is 3500 MW. We have an immense hydel power capacity but actually, that capacity has not been tapped fully. It demands huge investments. We don’t have huge investments to go into this sector. In addition to that, we are importing power worth Rs 4000 crore annually.  Our major power projects have the potential to come on the River Chenab. People get confused. We have the resources and we can generate but that hasn’t been tapped. Moreover, some of the existing power projects are being upgraded. In one of the power projects, there was litigation going on. I am sure it will be addressed soon.

Greater Kashmir: Government seriously took up the issue of land retrieval, especially in the case of Kashmiri Pandit properties. How much land have you retrieved and what is the status of this now?

Divisional Commissioner: First of all, I would like to clarify this. This wasn’t a retrieval for the Kashmiri Pandits only. Under the Migrant Act, this was a process of retrieval for all migrants that included Kashmiri Pandits, Kashmiri Muslims, and non-Pandit Hindus like Punjabis. We have retrieved 2600 kanal of land so far and the process is on. People who migrated some three decades back are also coming out with grievances. New generations don’t know about it. Some people have got power of attorney. However, no registry has been done. So dubious claims have come. The landowner has one story and the occupant has another.

Greater Kashmir: Do you see any connection between this and the abrogation of Article 370?

Divisional Commissioner: No, clearly not. This act (Migrant Act) was passed in 1997 and the law gives them every right to explore their options.

Greater Kashmir: The government swung into action about Rsohni Act landholders. What is its status now?

Divisional Commissioner: They have again moved to the court and the case is sub judice.

Greater Kashmir: Getting a simple revenue document, Intekhaab, continues to remain a cumbersome process for the common people. Why?

Divisional Commissioner: We are now digitising land records. All the revenue records are being digitised and the owners are getting a Land Passbook. The people will get this passbook in three printed languages including English, Hindi, and Urdu. Online services will be provided under Apni Zameen Apni Nigrani.

Greater Kashmir: People are complaining about gross discrepancies in revenue records online while comparing it to actual records. Hasn’t it been fully updated?

Divisional Commissioner: See government has hard-working human resources. There are some officials who indulge in mischief. Patwari is the lowest-rung revenue official but the way he rules the record, you can’t find it. Have you ever been able to understand what Pathwari writes? You won’t. To overcome that we are digitiSing the entire records. The more we put the record online, the more we will be able to minimise all these issues and grievances.

Greater Kashmir: Does the government have plans to create infrastructure for revenue officials like patwaris so that they will be static in one place and people wouldn’t have difficulty in locating them?

Divisional Commissioner: We have identified Patwar Khanas. But the problem is they can’t keep this precious record there. We are working on this.

The post ‘Govt received 8000 grievances for migrant property, land grabs in Kashmir’ appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

Greater Kashmir: Tell us about the new initiatives that have been taken to streamline the functioning of IGNOU’s Regional Centre in Srinagar.

Dr Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar: IGNOU Regional Centre Srinagar is one of the largest Regional Centres of IGNOU in the country as far as enrollment is concerned. It is playing an important role in catering to the higher education needs of a large section of the population of Kashmir and Ladakh regions. Since my taking over as Regional Director of IGNOU, many new initiatives have been taken. First and foremost among those initiatives was starting live Facebook Grievance Redressal camps both from Regional Centre and at the Learner Support Centres. On-campus grievance redressal camps were also organised at the Learner Support Centres on the directions of Regional Centre Srinagar.

Keeping in view the large-scale use of social networking sites, Learner Support Centres were informed by the Regional Centre to start their Facebook pages for timely and effective communication with the learners and now our LSCs have their FB pages.

Coordinator meetings both in the online and offline modes were conducted to activate and involve the Learner Support Centre for delivering effective services.

Open online sessions were started by the Regional Centre Srinagar which is now a regular activity under the Regional Centre Srinagar. The Open Online Session is now being conducted for the Learners on the first and third Friday of every month. Similarly, two more sessions are being conducted on the first and third Monday every month for the Learner Support Centres and Programme Study Centres. Any learner, counselor, part-time staff member, or anyone can connect to us live for an hour-long session and seek any clarification, ask questions, lodge any complaint, and give any suggestions, and feedback through these sessions.

Regional Centre Srinagar has also issued guidelines regarding assignment evaluation, project and dissertation supervision, and internship for streamlining these academic activities and making them more effective. Hopefully, it will have long-term repercussions for adding value to the system.

Regional Centre Srinagar has also inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the medical colleges of Kashmir to facilitate the learners in an internship which is helpful to the students in a real sense.

Besides, several initiatives under Swachta Abhiyan have been taken to keep the campus clean and green.

Greater Kashmir: How has been your journey so far in leading this institution?

Dr Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar: It has been a very incredible journey to lead the institution which is catering to thousands of learners (around 50,000 at present) and hence playing a vital role in the higher education setup of Kashmir and Ladakh region which is allowing me to serve a huge population of both the regions.

I am also getting an opportunity to serve a diverse cross-section of society from young learners to elderly people, businessmen, doctors, government employees, defence personnel, specially-abled people, people facing several geographical challenges, poor people, SC and ST population, women who have stopped education due to various social reasons, and many others.

Greater Kashmir: What is the overall strength of students enrolled at IGNOU’s Srinagar centre?

Dr Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar: The overall strength of the learners enrolled at the IGNOU Regional Centre Srinagar is around 50,000.

Greater Kashmir: How have you been working to set up a bridge between various academic institutions about the hassle-free functioning of IGNOU?

Dr Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar: IGNOU Regional Centre has 45 study centres spread across Kashmir and Ladakh regions. Among the 45 study centres, 32 are fully-fledged study centres, 12 programme study centres, and one special study centre at Central Jail Srinagar. IGNOU Regional Centre has around 200 part-time staff members at these 45 study centres.

Online and offline meetings have been conducted with the coordinators. Committees have been constituted with the part-time staff at the study centres to facilitate the learners in several academic activities and they have been sensitised to provide hassle-free services to the learners. An open online session on the first and third Monday of every month is being conducted for these LSCs and PSCs (a regular activity now) is another initiative to bridge the gap between Regional Centre and Learner Support Centre and to have smooth, timely, and effective communication with the part-time functionaries.

Greater Kashmir: Post-COVID, academic institutions faced a lot of challenges and many courses were declared to be online. How is IGNOU Srinagar coping with this challenge?

Dr Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar: During COVID, ODL and OL was the only mode of teaching even for formal and vocational Higher Educational Institutions. IGNOU being the pioneer in ODL setup, having several IT-based support services already in place for its learners, even before COVID, helped a lot in a smooth journey during this medical emergency. IGNOU offers digital content on the IGNOU e-content app, facilities for tele-education through Gyan Darshan channels, radio broadcasts, and interactive radio counselling through Gyan Vani and FM radio stations and has a good repository of digital learning resources on e-Gyankosh.

The only challenge that IGNOU faced during the COVID was regarding the conduct of practical or technical courses having practical components.

Greater Kashmir: Are there any new courses being added to the long list offered by the IGNOU?

Dr Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar: There are 37 new programmes added to the big basket of ODL programmes during the current academic session of July 2022, taking the overall tally of programmes offered by IGNOU to 274. In addition to it, 18 new online programmes have also been launched during this admission cycle taking the total tally of online programmes offered by IGNOU to 41.

Some of the newly-launched ODL programmes are Master of Arts (Jyotish) (MAJY), Master of Arts (Urdu) (MAUD), Post Graduate Diploma in New Literatures in English (PGDNLEG), Post Graduate Diploma in The Novel (PGDNOV), Post Graduate Diploma in American Literature (PGDAML), Post Graduate Diploma in British Literature (PGDBLT), Post-Graduate Diploma in Book Publishing (PGDBP) OL Master of Commerce (MCOMOL), Diploma in Creative Writing in English (DCEOL), Post Graduate Diploma in Digital Media (PGDIDMOL), and Masters of Arts-Arabic (MAARB).

Greater Kashmir: How many PhD scholars have cleared their degrees from IGNOU’s Srinagar centre?

Dr Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar: PhD programmes offered by the IGNOU are being run by the concerned schools at the main campus of IGNOU in New Delhi. IGNOU Regional Centres only facilitate the conduct of entrance tests for PhD at the regional level.

Greater Kashmir: There are reports that few centres remain out of bounds for the students and there is no communication with the students at all. How are you addressing it?

Dr Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar: From the time I joined IGNOU Regional Centre Srinagar as Regional Director, the first thing I addressed is to activate the Learner Support Centres and PSCs and make them responsible for their work regarding providing effective student support services. All the Learner Support Centres conducted online and on-campus sessions to address students’ grievances. Committees have been constituted at the Learner Support Centre level to deal with the various IGNOU-related services for better student support services. Open online sessions are being conducted regularly by RC Srinagar to fill the gap between students and Learner Support Centres, students, and the regional centre. Still, if there are any concerns of the learners they can contact us directly through the newly-activated communication channels like direct contact numbers, email addresses, live sessions, and grievance redressal camps.

Greater Kashmir: Why should full-time college professors be on the payroll of IGNOU? Don’t you have a mechanism to engage jobless experts?

Dr Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar: IGNOU Regional Centre Srinagar has a huge family of around 3000 counsellors for around 180 programmes offered through it. IGNOU doesn’t differentiate between jobless, job-seeking, or working faculty members. There is a proper procedure to join the IGNOU as an approved counselor, evaluator, and expert which is a common procedure for all. A candidate willing to join the IGNOU family as a counselor, evaluator, and expert should be either eligible for the post of Assistant Professor or should have at least the relevant qualification with experience of at least two years at a higher education level.

Greater Kashmir: What are the parameters for engaging a full-time counsellor?

Dr Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar: For becoming a full-time counsellor, a candidate should be either eligible for the post of Assistant Professor or should have at least the relevant qualification with experience of at least two years at the higher education level.

Anyone who fulfills the eligibility criteria has to submit the online form along with the relevant documents under the study centre where he or she wants to give his or her services, the concerned coordinator of that study centre will cross-check the online application form and the uploaded documents and will then forward the online submitted credentials to Regional Centre Srinagar. Regional Centre Srinagar will again crosscheck the online form and then forward the same from its online portal to the concerned school for approval from them. Any discrepancy in the online form will result in the rejection of the form at any level.

IGNOU has an online dedicated portal for the empanelment of academic counselors for its various programmes and associated courses. It is a completely paperless process that provides flexibility to prospective academic counsellors to submit online empanelment requests anytime anywhere. The web address of the portal is https://eportal.ignou.ac.in/oace/OACEHome.aspx.

For the detailed process for the submission of an online academic counselor application, one can visit the website https://eportal.ignou.ac.in/oace/UploadFile/Academic_Counselor.pdf.

Greater Kashmir: Do you ensure student feedback from all the centres?

Dr Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar: We have opened several channels of communication to ensure proper communication and feedback from all LSCs of Kashmir and Ladakh regions. I have provided a list of contact numbers and email addresses on the website of all the concerned, starting from the Regional Director to the various sections. I have started live open sessions for the learners enrolled in the LSCs and PSCs who can join the session and communicate whatever they want. I have also issued several circulars for encouraging our learners to come forward in case of any grievance or complaint and have even started grievance redressal camps.

Greater Kashmir: Some students complain that the results of project reports and assignments are being delayed unnecessarily. How are you addressing it?

Dr Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar: It is a fact that during COVID, all the professional programmes where there are practical and technical courses, project work and dissertation work, internships, practical and viva voce got delayed. But it is also a fact that all these pending activities have been resumed and I have taken them on mission mode. You can check the website of the Regional Centre Srinagar regarding the schedule of various ongoing lab-based practicals, viva voce, and other lab-based activities. I am hopeful that all the backlogs will be cleared by the end of this year.

Greater Kashmir: Students complain that IGNOU centres have gone to clerks. How is that issue being looked into?

Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar: IGNOU centres are being run by part-time functionaries starting from the principal to the helper of the institution. The main part-time functionary at the LSCs is the coordinator of the centre who is usually the senior faculty member of the college. The coordinator and the other part-time functionaries are regularly changed or their tenure is extended depending on their performance. If we receive any complaint regarding any of the part-time functionaries of any LSC or PSC, he or she is immediately replaced.

Greater Kashmir: How are you ensuring students get proper tutorials?

Dr Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar: After I took over as RD, I resumed online counselling in July 2022 and since then the online counselling is going on. Before starting the online counseling, I wrote to all the LSCs to provide the list of the best counsellors for starting the online counselling, and then we selected the different counsellors for different programmes from the list to conduct the counselling. The counsellors are regularly changed after they complete their module or credits assigned to them. For the latest counselling schedule, one can visit the website of Regional Centre Srinagar. The offline counselling will be resumed once an order for counselling is issued by the IGNOU New Delhi. Till then online counselling will continue.

Greater Kashmir: Despite having a huge chunk of students in the Kashmir region, IGNOU has failed to set up its dedicated campus in Srinagar.

Dr Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar: Indeed, an institution that has a 24-year history in the Kashmir region, an alumni base of around 10 lakh, and a present enrollment of around 50,000 has not yet established a permanent campus in Srinagar. But I would like to share the good news that after I took over as the Regional Director of Regional Centre Srinagar, I took up the matter with the J&K government and they were keen enough to see the permanent campus of the IGNOU in Kashmir. On the direction of Divisional Commissioner P K Pole, land has been identified for the IGNOU campus and we are completing the formalities for its transfer to IGNOU. Hopefully, in the next few years, you will see a full-fledged campus of IGNOU in Kashmir.

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 Greater Kashmir: What are you currently shooting in Kashmir for?

Krushna Abhishek: Well, I am so happy to shoot in Kashmir. I have been hosting this popular show ‘OMG! Yeh Mera India’. Currently, I am shooting for Season 9. This show is all about discovering the most incredible and inspiring OMG stories of India and its people. Kashmir has many such stories and we are here to explore them.

Greater Kashmir: Is Kashmir enchanting you?

Krushna Abhishek: When I landed in Kashmir, I was like wow. How can I not visit this place? I don’t understand why we are even choosing Switzerland or European countries for shooting any films. Kashmir offers a wide array of opportunities for filmmakers. This heavenly landscape endowed with mountains and hills, gardens and orchards, lakes and rivers, Chinars and flowers makes the place so beautiful that you want to stay here forever. This is my first trip to Srinagar and has been nothing but spectacular. This indeed is a heaven on earth! I can’t wait to get all the exciting stories to you.

Greater Kashmir: Many Bollywood classics have been shot in Kashmir. How do you feel about it after coming to the Valley now?

 Krushna Abhishek: There is no doubt that Kashmir is the ‘heaven on earth’. As a producer, I have travelled all over the world and have never seen anything like this. A day before, I was talking to my family and I told them there was no need to visit Europe or any other place as there is no place like Kashmir anywhere in the world. I have met a lot of people here, and their hospitality can’t be expressed in words. I feel Kashmir connects with you emotionally.

Greater Kashmir: Before coming to Kashmir, what were your views about this place?

Krushna Abhishek: Kashmir doesn’t need promotions. It is such a stunningly beautiful place that it finds its storytellers. However, Kashmir is a place where any film professional will be amazed. It is a filmmaker’s paradise. After coming here, I was touched by the people’s participation and hospitality.

Greater Kashmir: Any memories you made?

Krushna Abhishek: Before coming to Kashmir, I was deeply concerned about the situation, how people are going to welcome and how we are going to be treated during our shoot. All my inhibitions have been proven wrong. I was overwhelmed after I was received at the Srinagar airport. The locals are so overwhelmingly warm that each one of them shared their stories and also reminded me of my memorable acts and shows. The way Kashmir has treated me, I will never forget it in my entire life.

Greater Kashmir: How would you promote such stories now?

Krushna Abhishek: You know people abroad see OMG a lot. If people in Hollywood want to know something about places in India, this show OMG has become a guidebook for them. We will make sure that stories from Kashmir get good prominence and that the region gets promoted further. You have many stories around here. We have shot one innovator, who recently came up with the concept of the solar car. Similarly, we are also doing a story on a Samosa seller, who is making the biggest samosa, and then there are many stories that you are going to find out in our Kashmir show.

Greater Kashmir: During your stay, you must have come across a lot of stories that have the merit to be films as well. How do you see it?

Krushna Abhishek: Kashmir as I said has an abundance of stories. People are extremely warm and helpful. After arriving in Kashmir, I have seen a lot of connections and stories around me. I would love to shoot a full movie here. Presently, we are just roaming in tourist places and are yet to see Kashmir as Kashmir is beyond these tourist places. The other places will be more beautiful. I would want to tour Kashmir not just as a tourist but as an insider. I want to visit the downtown areas, the older parts of Srinagar.

Greater Kashmir: In recent times, movies shot here mostly depict politically-driven stories. How do you see it?

Krushna Abhishek: Those who are shooting the movies here should explore other facets of Kashmir. They can also make pleasant movies like Shami Kapoor has spent more time in Kashmir, and his songs have never had a political tone. A good romantic movie can be made here. I wonder why we go to Switzerland when we have a Kashmir-like place here.

Greater Kashmir: Jammu and Kashmir recently announced Film Policy with a 25 percent subsidy to the makers or the production houses. Do you think it helps in promoting film culture?

Krushna Abhishek: The subsidy is a great thing. This is applicable in Bihar, UP, and other states. This is a great thing to promote film culture. Very few states are providing subsidies for shooting films. There can’t be a better place than Kashmir anywhere in the world. The new film policy is fantastic, and I believe this will be a game-changer.

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