Srinagar, May 29
Mr C. Phunsong has been appointed Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir in place of Mr Vijay Bakaya.

A decision to this effect was taken at a Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad here today. It also approved the transfer and postings of six senior IAS officers of the state government.

Mr Bakaya will also function as Adviser to the Chief Minister and in this capacity he would oversee the Prime Minister’s reconstruction programme, an official spokesman here said.

The Cabinet also approved the appointment of Mr Vijay Bakaya as Chief Executive, Economic Reconstruction Agency, vice Mr B.R. Singh with effect from June 1 on contract basis for a period of two years.

Mr Phunsong, an IAS officer of the 1972 batch and born on August 15, 1947, in Leh, Ladakh, is a bachelor in mechanical engineering.

The Cabinet also ordered transfer and posting of Mr Ajit Kumar, awaiting orders of transfer, as Financial Commissioner, Coordination, New Delhi. He will relieve Mr Parvez Dewan of the charge of Resident Commissioner, till further orders.

Mr B.R. Singh, Chief Executive, ERA and ex-officio Secretary to the government, has been transferred and posted as Director-General, IMPA, vice Mr S.M. Desalphine whose services are being placed at the disposal of the Government of India in view of his posting as Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture.

Mr B.R. Kundal, Financial Commissioner, Power, is the new Financial Commissioner, Home.

Mr S.S. Sahni, Principal Secretary, Coordination, New Delhi, will report to the General Administration Department for further posting.

Mr Najamus Saqib, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Forests, would hold the additional charge of the post of Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department.

The Cabinet also ordered transfer and postings of eight IPS officers.

Mr. S.M. Sahai, IGP, Crime and Railways, has been posted as IGP, Kashmir, vice Mr K. Rajendra. Mr Rajendra is undergoing treatment after he was injured in a militant attack at a Youth Congress rally here on May 21.

Mr S.S. Bijral, IGP, CID, under order of transfer as IGP, Human Rights, may continue in his present place of posting, an official spokesman said.

Mr Dilbagh Singh under order of posting as IGP, CID, has been posted as IGP, Crime and Railways.

Mr Muneer A. Khan, SSP, Srinagar, has been transferred and posted as SSP, Crime, Kashmir. Dr Aziz Khan, SP, Crime, Kashmir, has been transferred and posted as Commandant 4th Bn, JKAP.

Mr Ahfadul Mujtaba under order of transfer has been posted as SSP, Srinagar. Mr Abdul Gani on inter-state deputation from Jharkhand, has been posted as SSP, Anantnag. Mr Ashaq Bukhari, SP, Anantnag has been transferred and posted as SP, Budgam, the spokesman said.

Jammu, May 29
The high rate of “mortality” among rams imported from Holland and cold water trout in the farms of the Jammu and Kashmir government is worrying the experts in the state.

As many as 4,931 sheep worth about Rs 14 lakh and 51,999 trout have been shown as dead in the official records of the government farms.

While the sheep farms were being maintained by the Animal Husbandry Department, the trout farms were being handled by the Fisheries Department.

However, the issue has become fishy as allegations of mismanagement and corruption are being made by certain insiders.

According to an official report, out of the 172 Toggenburg goats imported from Holland at a cost of Rs 40.86 lakh for breeding purposes, only 13 had survived.

Despite a heavy expenditure on these farms, their upkeep was unhygienic and the mortality of sheep was as high as 20 per cent at Reasi and 26 per cent at Billawar. As many as 2,623 sheep died in these farms due to pneumonia, sheep pox and other diseases.

In a recent report, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) had pointed out that the targets fixed for milk and egg production in the state were not monitored and as such the progress made in fulfillment of the main objective of the Animal Husbandry Department for achieving self sufficiency in production of these goods could not be achieved.

The heavy shortfall of 35 per cent in the production of eggs and 28 per cent in one-day old chicks in government farms resulted in non-availability of improved birds with the breeders. Against the requirement of 40,000 rams for covering the 19.76 lakh breedable ewes under the breed improvement programme, only 5,660 rams were available with the department.

Similar was the position in the Fisheries Department where the reported mortality rate of trout in seven farms was between 20 to 66 per cent during the past five years.

Out of the 51,999 trout registered as dead, the highest number was in the Achabal farm in Kashmir where the mortality rate was of the order of 29,248. This was followed by the farms at Tricker and Harwan where the number was 7,332 and 6,324, respectively.

The department attributed factors like fall in water level and muddy water to the high rate of mortality among trout.

Srinagar, May 29
A top commander of Harkat-Ul-Jehad-Islami (HUJI) and two militants of Pakistan based Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) were among four killed while two over ground workers were arrested in the Kashmir valley today.

Security forces and the police, in a joint operation, foiled a militant plan to target a security force convoy on the Srinagar-Jammu national higway when they arrested a militant along with a car fitted with explosives.

Senior Superintendent of Police Munir Khan said two militants, who had not been identified as yet, were killed. Two AK rifles, magazines and grenades were recovered from the slain militants.

A defence ministry spokesman said 1 bn RR, 162 Territorial Army (TA) and SOG of Anantnag conducted a search operation at Moran Hall Khanabal in south Kashmir early this morning following information that some militants were hiding there.

However, when the troops were sealing the area, militants fired on them with automatic weapons. The fire was returned and in the fierce clash, a HUJI District Commander Mohammad Rafiq Turkhan alias Tufail, was killed. The spokesman said security forces arrested two LeT over ground workers, allegedly involved in the killing of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Ghulam Qadir Baig at Watherhal. — UNI

Srinagar, May 29
Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (PSC) Chairman Mohammad Shafi Pandit today administered the oath of office and secrecy to three newly appointed members.

The members are Commissioner Secretary, School Education Department M.M. Bhat, Chief Wildlife Warden R.L. Bharti and former Principal to Government Medical College, Jammu Dr H.L. Goswami.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Pandit said the appointment of new members will help expedite the recruitment process in the state.

“The Commission aims at completing the process of selection within the period of four to six months from the date of reference of vacancies,” he added. — PTI