Opposition stages walkout in both J-K Houses

Opposition Congress today staged a walkout from the Assembly to protest against the state government decision to nominate more than 700 persons for various medical and paramedical courses without notifying these courses for general public.
Replying to a question by BJP MLA Rajiv Jasrotia, Health and Medical Education Minister Bali Bhagat "admitted" that the government had not notified the courses for which 725 persons were nominated last year.
"The nominations were made as per the guidelines issued vide Government order number 357-HME of 2007 and 493-HME of 2001," said Jasrotia, while raising supplementary to his question.
He alleged the nomination for the courses was "illegal" as the Supreme Court had "struck down" the provision.

Some other MLAs questioned the govenrment's decision alleging that there was "favouritism" in granting the nominations.
While defending the government's decision, the minister said he would ensure in future the nominationa include areas of all MLAs.

The Congress MLAs, supported by CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami and Independent MLA P K Gupta, tried to storm the well of the House after the minister's statement. However, the marshals and Assembly staff prevented them from doing so.
Shouting slogans like "Bandar baant nahi chalegi", "discretionary quota nahi chalega", the MLAs staged a walkout.
Meanwhile, Congress and National Conference (NC) legislators staged a walkout from the Legislative Council also after their demand for a clarification over the issue of rollback of a controversial clause in the New Industrial Policy was not met.

As soon as the Council met this morning, opposition members led by Congress MLC Ghulam Nabi Monga raised the issue of amendment in the New Industrial Policy, saying the government should make a statement on the reasons behind the amendment as directed by Chairman Anayat Ali yesterday.
The Chairman asked Monga to sit down and let the Question Hour function first.
After the Question Hour ended, members from Congress and NC again stood up from their seats and sought the statement of the government as to whether the amendment was done because of the "separatists' pressure".
Minister for Law Abdul Haq Khan said he was not present in the House that time yesterday.

The minister said the government would issue a statement today or tomorrow over the issue.
Unsatisfied with the reply of the minister, the opposition MLCs staged walkout from the House.
The opposition members had yesterday created uproar and accused government of "succumbing to the pressure of the separatists".
Sethi told reporters the project has three components to
be set up. One is the work on design and construction of barrage across Tawi river, second is the beautification of embankments and third is diversion and treatment of sewerage channels that fall into Tawi and pollute it.
One part of the project is construction of barrage, whose work has been completed by 80 per cent, not that of an entire project, she said.

Hitting out at the previous National Conference-Congress government, Sethi said it did not take into consideration the pollution caused by sewerage channels falling into the river which is worshipped in Jammu.
They did not create any project to treat sewerage water or divert the channels, she said, adding that this government is going to make detailed project reports for the same.
She also took a dig at NC and Congress members for creating a "false" impression of delay in the project. She said credit goes to the present government for ensuring beautification of the banks of Tawi by proposing to set up Sabarmati-type river fronts.

The project of the lake has been upgraded by integrating other aspects by this government. The projects of sewerage channels and beautification are being dealt by Housing and Urban Development Ministry, she said.
Tourism department, which she deals with, has the least liability in the project, she added.