Din, walkouts over power dstribution marks J&K Council session

Jammu, April 1

Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council was rocked by noisy scenes amid an adjournment and walkouts by the opposition on Wednesday over issues of discrimination against Kashmir Valley in distribution of power sector funds and failure to fix a time-frame for elections to Block Development Councils.

As the Legislative Council started proceedings for the day, National Conference members led by Qaiser Jamsheed Lone and Bashir Ahmed Veeri stood from their seats and held protests, accusing the state government of discriminating against Kashmir Valley over the distribution of power sector funds.

Seeking answers from the government and Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, the Minister incharge for Power, Oppositions members walked into the well and protested over the release of funds for the repair of damaged transformers in Kashmir Valley.

The planning department on Tuesday released Rs 3.5 crore for the repair of damaged power transformers in the state, out of which Rs 2.5 crore was released for Jammu and Rs 1 crore for Kashmir Valley.

Another NC member, Shahnaaz Ganai, threw a question paper over the failure to take up her resolution on Moghal road in the Council.

As the opposition members continued to disrupt the House, Chairman Jahangir Mir adjourned the House for 10 minutes.

After the adjournment, the House gathered but the NC members continued to protest seeking answers from the government. They also exchanged words with PDP member Surinder Choudhary, who counselled NC members, saying: "Why are you only bothered about Kashmir, you should also think about Jammu?"

"The state government, which talked of the equitable distribution of the funds and under development, have discriminated with Kashmir in release of funds meant for Power sector," Lone said.

He said he wanted to know about the discrimination against the people of Kashmir, whose troubles were increased due to the incessant rains and floods in the state.

"There is more damage caused to power infrastructure in Kashmir valley, but it got less funds than Jammu", he said.

Later, Miniser Zulfikar Choudhary said Deputy Chief Minister would make a statement in the House over the issue, restoring normality in the Council.

During the Question Hour, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Abdul Haq Khan, replying to a question on the time frame set for elections to Block Development Councils and the Chairmen said the government was still considering it.

Unsatisfied by the reply of the Minister, the Congress and NC members walked into the Well of the House in protest and then walked out of the session.

Turning the tables on the NC and Congress, khan blamed then for the delay and said: "They should be ashamed of the state of affairs as they are responsible for the everything on these elections. We are in government only since a month. What have they done in the six years of their rule?" — PTI