The CPI(M) has objected to the recent direction by authorities in Jammu and Kashmir to remove encroachment from government land, claiming it will render thousands of people homeless and also divest many of cultivation rights.

The Left party demanded immediate withdrawal of the order and asked people to unitedly oppose it.

In a circular issued on January 9, Commissioner Secretary of the Revenue Department Vijay Kumar Bidhuri directed all deputy commissioners to ensure 100 per cent removal of encroachments from state land, including Roshni and Kahcharai, by the end of January.

“There is deep concern over the government*s move of divesting the people of the land registered under various titles in revenue records across Jammu and Kashmir. This is administration-sponsored land grabbing”, CPI(M) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami told reporters here. He alleged that the administration is “totally blind towards the destruction of the livelihood of the rural poor”.

The CPI(M) leader said that it is unfortunate that the government has mobilised all its machinery to “dispossess the poor and excluded of the land registered as Kahchairi, Shamilat and so on”. “The people who are living off this land have found themselves in a bind after the governments recent order”, Tarigami said.

In the name of retrieving the “state land”, the government is making desperate attempts to pauperise the people by snatching their land and creating private land banks, he alleged.

“The move is not only bound to render thousands of people without a roof on their heads, but also divest many of cultivation rights, he said. The government, he alleged, is trying to divert attention from pressing issues like unemployment.

JAMMU: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday said more leaders from Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Azad Party (DAP) will return to the Congress fold on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, 17 leaders of the DAP in Jammu and Kashmir, including former deputy chief minister Tara Chand and Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, had deserted former Congress veteran Azad and returned to the Congress fold.

The leaders were welcomed back by the Congress which said they had gone on ”leave for two months”.

”Tomorrow more leaders from DAP-Disappearing Azad Party will end their leave of absence and return to where they belong,” Ramesh said in a tweet.

Expect news from Jammu which is all set to welcome the Bharat Jodo Yatra on January 19, he said.

National Democratic Party Indian (NDPI) chief Rajesh Gupta addressing party functionaries and workers on Monday at NDPI office in Jammu said, “NDPI bring both regions (Jammu and Kashmir) together after politics came to a standstill and statehood of J&K was snatched… The two regions have the same demands — restoration of statehood, protection to land and jobs, and development.” “Elections must take place. Elections lead to the formation of people’s Government and resolve their issues. A Lieutenant Governor cannot do that,” he said. NDPI president further said, “In the absence of an elected government, public issues remain unheard.
The administration has miserably failed to perform on the ground and the failure of bureaucracy in the delivery system has crumbled the entire system of good governance.”
Gupta said, not only was the common man annoyed over the administrative apathy towards their basic concerns but varied sections of society had expressed their disapproval with the proxy rule of the center. The unemployed youth including the contractual, consolidated and daily wagers assured of a fair deal had all felt betrayed and cheated and were fighting for their rights on roads and streets with none to listen to their woes. Gupta added while the frequent power outages and acute drinking water problems had made the lives of people a living hell, the helmsmen seemed to be least bothered about the sufferings of the public. As the affected people were protesting on roads on day to day basis, a highly impudent and apathetic bureaucracy preferred to remain cocooned in their sanitized environment quite unmindful of the woes of the agitating masses.
NDPI leader maintained that the people in the rural areas in particular were the worst victims of govt apathy with none to respond to their shrill cries for justice. Deprived of proper connectivity and communication, the people residing in several remote and far-flung areas had lost contacts with the civilized world due to road blocks and disruption of traffic on damaged roads for months together.

JAMMU, Jan 16: The Jammu-Srinagar national highway was closed for traffic on Monday due to a landslide in Ramban district, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded, an official said.

The 270-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was blocked by the landslide at Pantiyal area.

An iron tunnel setup at this point to facilitate traffic in the wake of stone shooting has been damaged, they said. There have been incidents of shooting stones in other areas in Ramban section, they said.

Hundreds of heavy motor vehicles (HMVs) and Light motor vehicles (LMVs) are stranded at different points of the highway due to the closure.

Men and machinery have been deployed to clear the area.

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday ordered transfer and posting of 7 JKAS officers with immediate effect.

According to an order, Pardeep Kumar, JKAS, Deputy Secretary to the Government, Information Department, is transferred and posted as Assistant Commissioner Panchayat, Reasi, against an available vacancy.

As per the order, Ishtaq Ahmad Bhat, IKAS, Deputy Secretary to the Government, Culture Department, is transferred and posted as Assistant Commissioner Panchayat, Ganderbal, against an available vacancy.

Muzaffer Ahmad Sheikh, JKAS, BDO, Devsar, is transferred and posted as Assistant Commissioner Panchayat, Bandipore, against an available vacancy. Shabir Ahmad Hakak, JKAS, Sub-Registrar, Budgam, is transferred and posted as Project Officer, Wage Employment (ACD), Baramulla, against an available vacancy.

Muzamil Maqbool Beigh, Collector Land Acquisition Special Army (Budgam & Srinagar) will look after the routine work of Sub-Registrar, Budgam in addition to his own duties.

Sheraz Ahmad, JKAS, is transferred and posted as Project Manager, IWMP, Rajouri, Commissioner Panchayat, Rajouri, against an available vacancy. He shall also hold the additional charge of the post of Project Manager, IWMP, Rajouri, till further orders.

Manzoor Ahmad Mir, JKAS, Deputy Secretary to the Government, Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, is transferred and posted as Assistant Commissioner Panchayat, Shopian, against an available vacancy.

Sunil Kumar, JKAS, Project Manager, IWMP, Samba, is transferred and posted as Assistant Commissioner Panchayat, Samba, against an available vacancy. He shall also hold the additional charge of the post of Project Manager, IWMP, Samba, till further orders—(KNO)