Fighting corruption in Kashmir becomes tougher as territory loses its Right to Information law
The central transparency law is weaker than what the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir had. Activist Sheikh Ghulam Rasool heads the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Movement. | Safwat Zargar
Lawyer Abid Jeelani would spend his evenings helping people draft queries under the Right to Information law which allows citizens to demand information from the government. “Everyday somebody would approach me through someone’s reference,” said the 28-year-old who practices in Ganderbal district court in Kashmir. “I would finish my court work and then help them out.”
India’s environment ministry’s expert panels have recommended clearance for the Ujh multipurpose hydroelectric project in Kathua region of Jammu and Kashmir for which 2,14,502 trees in the ecologically sensitive area will need to be cut.
The project is envisaged on River Ujh, which is a tributary of River Ravi that flows into Pakistan and is part of the Indus river basin system. Over the past few years, as the political relationship with Pakistan deteriorated, India’s endeavour has been to step up the utilisation of the water it has rights over, under the Indus Water Treaty. Indus Water Treaty is an agreement signed between India and Pakistan that details the sharing of waters from the Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum rivers.
Over 214,000 trees to make way for Ujh hydropower project in J&K
by Mayank Aggarwal on 26 January 2021
Expert panels of India’s environment ministry have recommended environment and forest clearance to the Ujh multipurpose hydropower project in Jammu and Kashmir, in their meetings in December 2020.
The project envisages construction of a 116-metre dam and needs diversion of 4,350 hectares of land, which includes about 680 hectares of forest land and clearance of 214,502 trees.
The project, which was declared a national project in 2008, is part of India’s endeavour to step up use of the water available under the Indus Water Treaty.
India’s environment ministry’s expert panels have recommended clearance for the Ujh multipurpose hydroelectric project in Kathua region of Jammu and Kashmir for which 214,502 trees in the ecologically sensitive area will need to be cut.
Gujjars and Bakerwals bear the brunt of BJPâs âland jihadâ bogey in Jammu and Kashmir 30 December 2020
A local resident points to chopped apple trees at Kanidajan in Central Kashmir s Budgam district. Civil society activists said that government officials destroyed around ten thousand apple and walnut trees in a demolition drive in November. Umer Asif
A local resident points to chopped apple trees at Kanidajan in Central Kashmir s Budgam district. Civil society activists said that government officials destroyed around ten thousand apple and walnut trees in a demolition drive in November. Umer Asif
On 10 August 2019, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party held a celebratory function in Jammu division to mark the abrogation of the semi-autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir. The functionâwhich was organised amid an unprecedented security lockdown and a communications blackout across the former stateâwas largely about optics
J&K govt begins rolling out Forest Rights Act KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 12/30/2020 10:42:01 AM
SRINAGAR, Dec 29: After a huge public outcry over issuance of eviction notices to tribal population and traditional forest dwellers and axing of apple trees by forest department officials, the Government has started rolling out the Forest Rights Act 2006 (FRA) in Jammu and Kashmir.
A training schedule has been prepared by the Forest department wherein training will be imparted to Govt officers particularly Deputy Commissioners, Divisional Forest Officers (DFO’s) and Sub Divisional Magistrates (SDM’s) and other officers for implementing the Forest Rights Act in Jammu and Kashmir, according to news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS).