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JULY 2017 

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Legislature passes historic JKGST Bill

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EDITORIAL 

Cover Story 

Focus 

Opinion 

Opinion 

Kashmir Panorama 

RUNDOWN 

Zakat vs Tax 

New tax regime to roll out in JK 

AGE & HERITAGE 

Is the gun our friend or foe? 

India's Space Odyssey—from rocket on bullock cart to Mars 

Poverty of the Progress 

DSP Ayub Pandith 

Bangus Valley 

PAHALGAM 

Page No 

07 

08 

11 

13 

15 

17 

19 

22 

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06 July 2017 

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anorama

Zakat vs Tax 

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efore talking of the difference between Zakat and Tax, let me first 

define What Zakat and Tax are. Zakat is an Arabic word that stands for a 

religiously sacred worship of giving alms to the needy of the society. It is 

Ba sacred charity and an obligatory pillar of Islam besides Tauheed 

(belief in the oneness of God), Salat (Prayer), Sawm (Fasting in the month of Ramzan) 

and Hajj (pilgrimage at-least once in life to the Holy places in Mecca and Madina). Tax 

on the other hand is a compulsory contribution in monetary terms to be made by 

every one out of his or her income and expenditure on consumption (of goods). Tax is 

levied by the governments upon the citizens of state. 

Often people may get confused as to why they have to pay both the Zakat and 

the Tax at the same time. They have to understand that Zakat is a religious obligation 

and it has no concern with whether you are a taxpayer or citizen / alien in a state. You 

have to voluntarily pay Zakat on the Zakatable assets (the assets which make one 

eligible for paying Zakat; illustration follows ahead) and you may not be legally bound 

to do so. It is your faith that compels you to pay Zakat. Paying Zakat will also make you 

spiritually more closer to the God and His mercy while Tax although being a legal 

liability has no spiritual returns. 

Zakat is related to religious and tax is related to government. In no way Zakat 

and tax can go together; they are different in many respects. While zakat has a religious 

sanctity, tax is not like that. 

Tax is collected from all citizens of a country. The government collects tax for 

the overall development of the country; On the other hand, Zakat is only imposed on 

Muslims. Zakat is fixed as per the Holy Quran and cannot be changed by any person. 

Zakat is a permanent system whereas tax is not. Zakat is calculated at 2.5 percent of the 

annual income of a person or a family. On the contrary, the government has certain rules 

and regulations for fixing tax. While there is no change in the percentage of Zakat given, 

the government has the right to make changes in the tax from time to time. 

There are also differences in the sources between Zakat and Tax. While Zakat 

has fixed sources, the sources of tax vary according to the needs. Tax comes as direct 

and indirect tax. Zakath is given out of the surplus wealth or earnings. There are certain 

conditions for giving Zakath and is only distributed to certain people. Zakath should be 

given to poor people, to free captives, to those who are in debt, those employed to 

collect funds, for Allaah's Cause and for wayfarer. Zakath is also given once in every 

year. 

While Zakat is not that compulsory, tax is compulsory. Every citizen 

irrespective of being rich or poor has to pay tax. Unlike Zakat, the government forces 

tax on the citizens. Zakat is a means of salvation for the persons who pay it. But one 

thing is similar in both as each of them helps in increasing the circulation of money 

thereby increasing economic activity and general welfare of the public. 

07 July 2017 Panorama

Info/Desk 

New tax regime to roll out in JK 

Legislature passes historic JKGST Bill 

With the exception of 

Jammu & Kashmir, all states 

have implemented GST which 

was rolled out on July 1. This 

was the first time in the history 

of the Jammu and Kashmir 

Assembly that a resolution, 

seeking a presidential order on a 

constitutional amendment, was 

discussed and passed. 

he historic Jammu and Kashmir 

Goods and Services Tax 

(JKGST) Bill 2017 (LA Bill No. T6 of 2017) was passed by both houses of 

the legislature with a voice vote. 

The Bill was moved by the Finance 

Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu in both the 

houses during separate sessions. The 

Photo Tariq Mir Bill makes the provision for levy and 

collection of tax on intra-State supply of 

goods or services or both by the State of 

Jammu and Kashmir and the matters 

connected therewith or incidental thereto. 

While moving the Bill in the Houses, the Finance 

Minister gave detailed account of the legislation and 

informed that the Bill has received the assent of the 

President of India. He informed that all necessary 

safeguards to Section-5 of the J&K State Constitution and 

those enshrined in Article-370 of the Indian Constitution 

have been incorporated in the Presidential order regarding 

which apprehensions were expressed by some Members in 

the legislature during the discussion on this important 

legislation. 

Before moving the bill for consideration and passing by 

the state legislature, Dr Drabu read out the contents of the 

Presidential Order pertaining to the special status of the 

state and its exclusive taxation powers. 

“Although there is no tradition of tabling a Presidential 

Order in the House, we are starting a new tradition in the 

democracy of the state by tabling this Presidential Order in 

the House," he said and added that the Proviso-3 of the 

Presidential Order clearly states that; "Notwithstanding 

anything contained in this order, the powers of the state of 

Jammu and Kashmir as per Section-5 of the Constitution 

of Jammu and Kashmir, shall remain intact.” 

“The Legislature of the state of Jammu and Kashmir shall 

have the powers to make laws with respect to goods and 

services tax levied by the state,” Dr Drabu said while 

reading from the excerpts of the Presidential order 

pertaining to the special status and exclusive taxation 

powers of the state. 

The legislature of the state of Jammu and Kashmir 

shall have exclusive powers to make laws in respect of 

imposition of any taxes enabled by Section 5 of the 


Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, he added. 

Notwithstanding anything contained in 

clause 4 to clause 11 for the purpose of any 

decision impinging on constitutional provisions 

relating to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the 

concurrence of the representative of the state of 

Jammu and Kashmir in the goods and services 

tax (GST) council shall be mandatory and the 

procedure provided under Article 370 shall be 

followed, the Presidential Order reads. 

It adds that nothing in this article shall 

affect in any manner whatsoever the legislative 

competence of the state of Jammu and Kashmir 

as guaranteed by virtue of Section-5 of the 

Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir.The Order 

reads that the amount apportioned to the State 

shall not form part of the Consolidated Fund of 

India. "Where an amount collected as tax levied 

under clause (I) has been used for the payment 

of the tax levied by a state under article 246 A, 

such amount shall not form part of the 

consolidated fund of India," it says. "The 

incorporation of constitutional safeguards into 

the Presidential Order upholds this Govt's our 

resolve to protect the special status of Jammu 

and Kashmir," Dr Drabu said."The Opposition 

had made a huge issue out of a non-issue by 

claiming that the fiscal autonomy of J&K will 

be compromised and the special status of the 

state under Indian Constitution will be eroded. 

The Presidential Order has respected the 

sanctity of the J&K Legislature by safeguarding 

o u r C o n s t i t u t i o n a l , E c o n o m i c a n d 

Administrative powers," he said. 

While replying to a query by 

independent legislator, Pawan Gupta, regarding 

the abolition of Toll Tax and entry tax at 

Lakhanpur, Dr Drabu said that there will be no 

entry tax on goods, but the issue of Toll Tax is a 

subject matter of the State Government and will 

be decided by the State Cabinet in the due 

course of time. 

The Finance Minister said that the 

financial and administrative safeguards as 

promised by the Government in the GST regime 

would come in due course of time. 

The Finance Minister conveyed his special 

gratitude to the President of India, Pranab 

Mukherjee, Prime Minister, Narenda Modi, 

Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, Union 

Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, Union Law 

Minister, Ravi Shanker Prasad, the Speaker, 

J&K Legislative Assembly, Mr Kavinder 

Gupta, Chief Minister, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, 

Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, 

Member Parliament, Muzaffar Hussain Beig, 


State Council of Ministers and all Members of 

the House for their whole-hearted support and 

cooperation in bringing this important 

legislation in the State. 

He also conveyed his gratitude to the 

Chief Secretary B B Vyas Commissioner/ 

Secretary Finance, Navin Kumar Choudhary, 

Law Department and all those who were closely 

associated with this important task.Dr Drabu 

said the GST regime will roll out in the state at 

midnight on Friday, making Jammu and 

Kashmir the last state to join the new tax regime. 

Pertinently, this was the first time in the 

marathon meeting (GST debate), chaired by the 

Chief Minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti, was also 

attended by Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal 

Singh; Minister of Finance, Dr Haseeb Drabu' 

Minister for Revenue, Abdul Rehman Veeri; 

Minister for RDD, Abdul Haq; Minister for 

Social Welfare, Sajad Gani Lone and Minister 

for Health and Medical Education, Bali Bhagat 

,the National Conference was represented in the 

meeting by Mohammad Shafi, Abdul Rahim 

Rather, Devinder Singh Rana and Nasir Aslam 

Wani. From the Congress, the meeting was 

attended by Nawang Rigzin Jora, Usman Majid 

and Ghulam Nabi Monga. CPI (M) General 

Secretary MY Tarigami, Ghulam Hassan Mir of 

DPN, Hakim Mohammad Yasin of PDF, 

Nizamuddin Bhat, Abdul Rashid, Pawan 

Kumar Gupta and Harsh Dev Singh were also 

present. 

history of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly 

that a resolution, seeking a presidential order 

on a constitutional amendment, was discussed 

and passed. 

Meanwhile Police in Srinagar 

intervened to break a traders' sit-in against the 

implementation of the Goods and Services Tax 

(GST) outside the legislature complex. The 

police took several trade union leaders into 

custody. The media fraternity had walked out in 

protest when they were told that no cameras and 

mobile phones would be allowed in the press 

gallery. After Speaker Kavinder Gupta and 

senior PDP minister Abdul Rehman Veeri 

assured them that no curbs would be imposed on 

live reporting of the session's proceedings. And 

after then they entered the press gallery of the 

state assembly. During the special session on 

GST of legislative assembly Noisy scenes were 

witnessed as the House debated the bill. Awami 

Ittihad party chief and MLA Langate Er 

Rasheed staged protests outside the Assembly 

and in Press Enclave against the proposed 

implementation of GST in Jammu and Kashmir. 

While as on 13th June the 4-hour 


Shantiveer Koul 

(We are poised on the cusp of a historical 

imperative today. It is the age for us to either 

reclaim or forever forego our heritage) 

he whole of Europe is dotted 

with museums – museums of all 

Tkinds. There are museums 

housing old technology, ship engines, domestic 

appliances no longer in use, toys, gardening 

implements that have become obsolete and also 

cultural heritage museums. While rapid strides 

in technology in what someone has aptly called 

the 'technetronic' age rendered very many 

things that were of common use only a 

generation ago completely redundant, ravages 

of the Second World War left Europe virtually 

stripped to the bone. Cities from Helsinki to 

Warsaw to Coventry to Belfast were bombed 

aerially. Cologne, Hamburg and Dresden (of the 

fine porcelain fame) were levelled to the ground 

and priceless architectural heritage lost forever. 

The collateral loss of human lives was even 

more appalling. It has taken nearly three 

quarters of a century for Europe to recover, 

rebuild and finally rediscover that it is one geocultural 

continuum even while having different 

nationalities within that continuum. The 

European Union is not a mere monetary entity 

but much more. It is the beginning of a new 

world order, an order the logical conclusion of 

which is going to be an Earth Federation. The 

Schengen Agreement and the Amsterdam 

Treaty are baby steps towards that conclusion. 

Twenty eight countries of the European Union 

and about half a billion people speaking in 

twenty four different tongues speak the same 

language today. Not only is their trading chip 

common, their worldview too is shared. One 

looks at the destruction the Second World War 

brought in its wake and wonders – where would 

the world have been today if that war had not 

happened? It certainly would have been a 

different place than it is now. Perhaps a sedate 

evolutionary relative of the staid and laid back 

time of a century ago, when the meteor called 

Hitler had yet not impacted it. It could also have 


een a far more evolved place than it is today, 

had the clock not been set back by the same 

meteor. 

The scale and timelines may be 

completely different, as they are bound to be - 

being so unrelated, but there is a commonality 

between post-war Europe and present day 

Kashmir. We may not have built a museum yet, 

and given our predilection for being austere with 

truth we may never build one, but the loss 

sustained by our cultural heritage in the past 

decades of conflict is there for us all to see, 

perhaps privately acknowledge. It is easy to 

populate a list of things that once were and are 

no longer so. It is painful as well. Top of mind 

recall is reserved for the gentle demeanour and 

cultured manner which were the distinctive 

features of Kashmiri behaviour. Today, the 

discourse is loud, violent and oftentimes laden 

with invective. The look and feel of our towns is 

now no different from similar synthetically put 

together towns across the world, their 

Kashmiriness having disappeared. This 

Kashmiriness was the once all too familiar, 

intimately personal sense of space and how we 

inhabited it. It manifested itself in very many 

ways, in the intricate carving with which we 

would embellish the wood used in building our 

homes, the sense of easy style we had in 

negotiating our way past everyday situations 

that would leave lesser humans flummoxed, the 

exotic native foods that were once on our plate 

and most of all the way we used to interact with 

nature. Today these things have disappeared. 

Our waters are polluted, riverfront architecture 

is undergoing unwelcome changes, heritage 

buildings have been pulled down to make 

environmentally unfriendly structures that are 

ugly as well. The burnt, bombed and vandalized 

houses that decades of turmoil left behind as sad 

testimonials are now competing with ongoing 

eco-vandalism and loss of values for a place in 

the yet to be built museum of cultural heritage. 

Add to it the fast fading memories that are left 

behind of those of us who are not there and the 

festoon for the arch of this museum is ready. 

We are poised on the cusp of a historical 

imperative today. It is the age for us to either 

reclaim or forever forego our heritage – our own 

story. Is it time to pick up the pieces 

and rebuild some of what is 

salvageable? Or should we leave 

everything behind and bravely 

venture into the unknown with hope 

and prayers alone? This is the 

existential problem that is faced by 

all Kashmiris today, whether living 

in Kashmir or displaced from it. 

The relative frames of reference, 

objectives and its subsets may be 

vastly different for both groups but 

the nature of the problem is the 

same. To remain motionless or inert 

is an option that may not be feasible 

anymore because it may now lead 

to a position of what is known as 

'zugzwang' in chess – a compulsion to move. In 

a 'zugzwang' any move is bound to worsen a 

situation, self harm being unavoidable as the act 

of making a move has itself been delayed far too 

long. We must also remember that we are 

already a generation away, in terms of 

demographic age, from the inception of the 

current phase of our story. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

(This article appeared in a Srinagar based daily 

newspaper nearly four years ago. Since then 

some more waters have flown past our 

civilizational bridges. We have learnt to kill, 

even lynch, more passionately, and have 

become a little more blasé towards all death and 

destruction) 


Is the gun our friend or foe? 

ike a good physician, a political 

leader keeps a constant watch 

Lover his people. He makes 

prescriptions according to the changing mood 

of the people as does the physician prescribe 

according to Health State of his patient. When a 

nation begins its struggle for realization of its 

rights, the leadership takes full care that the 

people are made to make as little sacrifice as is 

possible. If the objectives are not realized 

through civil disobedience, then the 

prescription for political struggle can be 

changed. In 1918, Gandhiji had launched the 

struggle against the colonial power. A crowd in 

Calcutta got enraged and set a police station on 

fire in which a few Englishmen and some local 

police personnel were killed. Gandhiji 

immediately stopped his movement saying that 

he would not place the foundation of his 

freedom movement on the blood of innocent 

people. He knew that a violent movement 

would consume the lives of millions of people. 

Unfortunately, pseudo-leadership leads the 

people in Kashmir. It is neither able to diagnose 

the disease nor prescribe a proper remedy. Their 

prescription at the moment is violence and the 

use of gun, which serves the interests of many 

actors on the scene. They do not mind if the 

patient dies by inches just for the improper 

treatment meted out to him. In a struggle of 

violence when weapons are used, one with 

larger resources, weaponry, manpower and 

better technology has the upper hand. However, 

in some cases, the world opinion did help the 

weaker struggling nations to achieve their goal 

as in Vietnam and in Afghanistan. The truth is 

that at both the places, the real fighting was 

between two super powers of the day, the USA 

HASHIM QURESHI 

and the erstwhile Soviet Union. 

The gun has brought an end to the 

culture of coexistence in Kashmir society. It has 

exacerbated extremism and sown the seeds of 

communalism secular polity has been devoured 

by the monster of communalism. The gun has 

consumed the generation of Kashmiri youth in 

streets and market places, in mountains and 

gorges, in streams and over glaciers. Thousands 

of young women have been widowed and 

thousands of children have been rendered 

orphans. The gun has actually strengthened the 

criminal elements in society. Family feuds and 

personal vendetta are being settled through the 

use of gun. On the basis of gun, properties have 

been acquired forcibly and declared the act as 

legal and permissible. The weapon is being 

used for petty purposes and interests to the 

extent that under the fear of gun, matrimonial 

relations have been imposed upon unwilling 

partners. The gun has destroyed all such 

institutions as are essential infrastructure for the 

social and cultural development of a society 

like the schools, colleges, hospitals, bridges and 

other structures. The gun has closed the path to 

reason and found a short cut to the resolution of 

political differences by liquidating the political 

opponents. This difference of opinion has 

consumed many a distinguished scholar, 

intellectual, physician, and many others whom 

the society finds after centuries of waiting and 

expectation. What a tragedy that this enormous 

national treasure has been reduced to dust by the 

gun. Take whatever dimension of Kashmir 

politics during the last one decade, you will find 

that violence and gun culture have spread 

nothing but wholesale destruction of Kashmir 

and the new generation of Kashmir's. Indian 


and Pakistani armies both claim to be the friends 85 per cent in the control of these external 

of Kashmir's while painting each other as the elements. Our economy has shattered. 

enemy of the Kashmir's. But when both of them Educational institutions have seen decline and 

play with ammunition and gunfire on the line of downfall. Ignorant elements deliver life threats 

control, it is only the Kashmir's who get to the honest journalists for saying the truth. In 

destroyed, their houses are razed to ground, and other words those leaders and political 

their cattle are killed. Their fields are turned into entrepreneurs claim to be the upholders of the 

ruins and their crops are set on fire. Thus birth right of Kashmir's, namely the right to self- 

Kashmir's become the targets of the bullet of determination, are not ready to allow the 

both the armies. A closer study reveals that Kashmir's to speak the truth. Thus the 

while Pakistani army supplies guns to the permanent victims of gun and brutalities today 

Kashmir's thus contriving his death, the Indian in Kashmir are the youth and the truth. 

army guns him down while trying to disarm Day in and day out, calls for hartals and 

him. Kashmiri leadership has become a hostage strikes are given, The pseudo leaders consider 

to this death drama of Kashmir's. Of course, these calls and their results as a symbol of their 

while sitting in closed-door rooms, these leaders power and strength although they knew it better 

condemn the gun and call the violence as poison than anybody else that these strikes are observed 

for political process. Every conscientious only out of fear of gun and not out of any sincere 

person is aware that killing any person on the sentiment. A common Kashmiri is fed up with 

basis of his political differences is in fact the these calls and strikes. The Kashmiri leadership 

butchering of the concept of political should put only that they can carry much of 

opposition. This in fact is the death of political burden on the shoulders of the people as without 

evolution. How unfortunate that the entire distress. If the people get the impression that 

Kashmiri nation is engaged in a fratricidal they could not get anything in return of immense 

killing. We know of no other community that is sacrifices they have made, then they would get 

so seriously engaged in destroying its own disappointed and distance themselves from the 

generation. If the tempo of this fratricide struggle. This is precisely what is happening 

continues, what will be the end result for the today. More than 35 thousand Kashmiri young 

Kashmiri nation? Where shall we find succor boys and girls have migrated to other parts of 

for our orphans and where shall we find suitable India to receive education and training for 

matches for our young girls of marriageable career making. There are many chances that the 

age? What will happen to our progeny? And Indians will benefit from this special manpower 

then the million dollar question shall remain, in final analysis. 

viz. the purpose for which we had taken up the ****************** 

gun, did we achieve it? Have we achieved even 

ten percent of our goal? Have we made any 

progress in making Kashmir part of Pakistan or 

independent? To what extent have we been able 

to mould world opinion in support of our cause? 

The simple answer to all these Questions are a 

big NO. 

The ground reality is that a decade of 

unrelenting violence has rent asunder the fabric 

of our society and polity. Today we stand 

divided on ideological basis. Violence has 

rapidly increased the number of our graveyards, 

our widows and orphans. External elements 

have been provided full freedom to interfere in 

our affairs and matters. Today we are more than 


India's Space Odyssey 

from rocket on bullock cart to Mars 

K V Venkatasubramanian 

The successful delivery of India's service provider for small satellites.These 

heaviest high-tech Geostationary remarkable achievements have placed ISRO in a 

Communication Satellite, GSAT distinctive position in the space race. The prime 

19, into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, early minister's soft corner for space and his liking for 

June, by the most powerful indigenous rocket ISRO were reflected in this year's budget 

GSLV Mark III has propelled the country into allocation for the Department of Space--a massive 

the league of big achievers in space technology. 23 per cent increase. 

It has also paved the way for the first manned 

Over the years, India's determined space 

mission. 

programme has evolved with a focus on national 

The June 5 launch came after the GSLV imperatives, and social and economic well-being 

Mark III's first experimental flight on December of the people. India uses its satellites for specific 

18, 2014, which carried a prototype crew capsule. developmental objectives--civilian (earth 

The suborbital mission helped scientists observation, remote sensing, communication, 

understand the vehicle's performance in the meteorology) and defence purposes. These 

atmosphere and test the capsule.For the Indian encompass environmental degradation, soil 

Space Research Organisation (ISRO), this was the erosion, monitoring fishery resources, flood and 

third feather on its cap--an astounding and drought monitoring, mining, surveying 

memorable feat--this year. It fulfilled the mineralogical resources and ascertaining land 

country's long quest to develop its own coverage for wildlife parks. Space-based 

economical but effective cryogenic engine and applications like tele-education and tele-medicine 

inject heavy geostationary satellites up to 4,000 kg have enabled greater access to rural population to 

into orbit at 36,000 km in space. 

these basic needs. 

Earlier, on May 5, India presented a “priceless During the past three years, India has 

gift” to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the accelerated its space exploration missions. 

Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka by launching the Among the nearly a dozen achievements in 2016 

first-ever South Asia Satellite (SAS) to boost were the successful lobbing of the remote sensing 

communication and improve disaster links among satellite RESOURCESAT-2 in December and a 

its six neighbours. The 2,230-kg communication record launch of 20 satellites in a single payload in 

spacecraft “opened up new horizons of June and three navigation satellites and the GSATengagement” 

in the region and helped India carve 18 communication satellite. 

a unique place for itself in space diplomacy. 

In 2015, ISRO hoisted the GSAT-15 

Built by ISRO and funded entirely by communication satellite in November and the 

India, the Geostationary Communication Multi Wavelength Space Observator ASTROSAT 

Satellite-9 (GSAT-9) was hauled on board the in September. It also ground tested, for 800 

GSLV-F09 rocket. Prime Minister Narendra Modi seconds, the indigenously developed high thrust 

said the "unprecedented" development sent out a cryogenic rocket engine. Besides, five satellites 

message that "even sky is not the limit when it were launched in July by PSLV and the IRNSScomes 

to regional cooperation". 

1D, the fourth satellite in the Indian Regional 

In February, the space agency made world Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), in March. 

headlines by using a polar satellite launch vehicle In 2014, the communication satellite 

(PSLV C-37) to slingshot a record 104 satellites, GSAT-16 was propitiously launched in December 

including the Cartosat-2 series satellite, into orbit. and precisely placed into orbit. The country's third 

The master stroke established India as the launch navigation satellite IRNSS-1C was hoisted by 


PSLV in October and the second dedicated 

navigation satellite IRNSS-1B in April. 

In the years ahead, ISRO scientists have a 

hectic schedule as a series of satellite launches are 

in the works. The next major project is India's 

second exploration mission to the moon, 

Chandrayaan 2—an indigenous initiative 

comprising an orbiter, lander and rover, which are 

expected to perform mineralogical and elemental 

studies of the lunar surface. It is slated for lift-off 

in the first quarter of 2018, ten years after the 

success of Chandrayaan 1. 

ISRO's next grand project is the scientific 

mission to the Sun for observing the solar corona 

(with a Coronagraph--a telescope), photosphere, 

chromosphere (Sun' three main outer layers) and 

solar wind. To be launched by 2020 by the Polar 

Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-XL) from 

Sriharikota, the Aditya-L1 satellite will study the 

Sun from an orbit around the Sun-earth 

Lagrangian point (L-1), which is about 1.5 million 

km from earth. 

The Aditya-L1 mission will probe why solar flares 

and solar winds disturb the communication 

network and electronics on earth. ISRO plans to 

use the data from the satellite to better protect its 

satellites from being damaged by hot winds and 

flares ejected out of the corona. 

Very soon, India will gallantly call on 

Venus for the first time and return to the Red 

Planet with a second Mars Orbiter Mission 

(MOM), probably during 2021-2022. It is planned 

to put a robot on Mars' surface. India's first 

interplanetary mission, Mangalyaan, in 

November 2013, has been orbiting Mars since its 

arrival at the Red Planet's orbit on September 24, 

2014. It is a technology transfer project for 

designing, planning, management, and 

operations. It enhanced India's reputation as a 

reliable low-cost option for space exploration. 

India's space odyssey has traversed 53 

summers. The nation had successfully put its first 

signature on space on November 21, 1963, by 

launching the US-made 'Nike-Apache' two-stage 

sounding rocket (the first rocket) from Kerala's 

obscure fishing hamlet Thumba. 

As there were no buildings at the Thumba 

Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), 

on Thiruvananthapuram's outskirts, the bishop's 

house doubled up as the Director's office, the 

ancient St. Mary Magdalene church building 

became the control room and naked eyes tracked 

the smoke plume. Even rocket parts and payloads 

were transported by bullock carts and bicycles to 

the launch pad. 

Nearly 12 years later, India entered the 

space age with its first-ever experimental satellite, 

Aryabhata, which was catapulted on a Russian 

rocket in 1975. "During those days, infrastructure 

was not available. We utilised whatever was 

available. In Bangalore, we even converted a 

toilet into a data receiving centre for our first 

satellite Aryabhata," former ISRO chairperson Dr 

U. R. Rao had recalled in an interview. 

From taking its first baby steps in 

Thumba, India's epic space trek has crossed 

several mega frontiers. From relying on Russia for 

its first satellite launch, it has emerged as a key 

player in global satellite launches and 

manufacturing industry. The nation has earned 

worldwide recognition for launching lunar 

probes, built satellites, for others also, ferried 

foreign satellites up and has even succeeded in 

reaching Mars. 

The author is an independent journalist and 

columnist, with four decades of experience in all 

media streams-print, online, radio and television. 

He writes on developmental issues. 


Poverty of the Progress 

With corruption ruling human minds, values have been relegated to insignificance and that's 

what sells in this modern materialistic world of pure profit, pure loss, writes Dorothy L. Sayers. 

By:-G.M.BAWAN 


compared our society to an Inferno. (Since then there pattern in essence, relates to the satisfaction of his 

has been further progress downhill). He had said, basic instinctive urges, which are ever dominating. 

“That the inferno is a picture of human society in a But the existing social order has neglected his basic 

state of sin and corruption, everybody will readily human needs and instead of creating an ethos of 

agree. And since we are today fairly well convinced equality and justice; there is an unprecedented loot and 

that society is in a bad way and not necessarily plunder in most of the Governmental organs, social 

evolving in the directions of perfectibility, we find it organizations and educational institutions. In the past 

easy enough to recognize various stages by which the commissions have been set up to locate the disease of 

deep of corruption is reached. Futility, lack of living corruption and find remedial measures for the sins 

faith, the drift into loose morality, greedy committed by the people, but it appears the whole 

consumption, financial irresponsibility and world is in a frozen state and the sun refuses to rise. 

uncontrolled bad temper, a self-opinionated and One of the commissions looking into the corruption 

obstinate individualism, violence, sterility and lack of and management disaster charges has observed, “a 

reverence for life and property inducing one's own. network of mafia is virtually running a parallel 

The exploitation of sex, the debasing of language by Government pushing the state apparatus into 

advertisement and propaganda, the commercializing irrelevance. 

of religion, the ponderings to superstition and the 

There has been a rapid speed and growth of 

conditioning of people's minds by hysteria and “Spell criminal gangs, smuggling gangs and more important 

Binding” of all kinds, venality and string pulling in economic lobbies which have over the years 

public affairs, hypocrisy, dishonesty in material developed an extensive network of contacts with 

things, intellectual dishonesty, the fomenting of bureaucrats, Government functionaries and the local 

discord (Class against class, nation against nation) for level of politicians and media persons. These 

what can one get out of it the falsification and syndicates have acquired substantial financial and 

destruction of all the means of communication, the muscle power and social respectability and have 

exploitation of the lowest and stupidest, mass successfully corrupted machinery at all levels.” Most 

emotions, treachery even to the fundamentals of of the people still believe that things can be set right by 

kinship country, the chosen friend and the sworn technological advances. They say, “if we could 

allegiance. These are the all-too recognizable stages develop fusion energy, our fuel problem would be 

that lead to the cold death of society and extinguishing over, “if we would perfect the processes of turning oil 

of all civilized relations”. 

into edible proteins, the world's food problem would 

Today, humans are living in unprecedented be solved and the development of new drugs will 

challenging times in history. Everything in the world is surely avert any threat of a health crisis.” But at the 

moved by an inner urge to become something greater same time faith in man's omnipotence is wearing thin. 

than it is. Towards this end; value structures are Even if all the problems were solved by technology; 

thrown to winds, life styles have undergone a sea the state of futility disorder and corruption would 

change; Deceit, betrayal, corruption and murder are remain. And Shakespeare's immortal words, “some 

losing their meanings. The failure of “Human rise by sin and some by virtue fall” will remain in place. 

Institution” to eradicate or even to curb the menace of 

corruption and violence is deeply rooted somewhere 

in the human behavior pattern. And this behavior 

********************* 


DSP Ayub Pandith 

lynched in Srinagar: 

Incident marks dramatic escalation 

of violence against J&K police 

Panorama Desk 

he lynching of a senior 

police officer by an irate 

mob outside the Jamia TMasjid in Nowhatta area of 

Srinagar on Thursday has added to 

the existing turmoil in Jammu and 

Kashmir. 

There are different versions floating around 

about the incident, but what is certain at the 

moment is that this lynching marks a dramatic 

escalation in recent violence against police 

personnel in the Valley. The incident comes on 

the heels of a sustained targeting of policemen 

over the last few days. In this holy month of 

Ramadan, eight Jammu and Kashmir Police 

personnel have lost their lives in various acts of 

violence. 

File image of Jammu and Kashmir DSP 

Ayub Pandith. Image procured by Sameer Yasir 

Recently, a station house officer in South 

Kashmir's Achabal, Feroz Dar, was killed along 

with five other policemen in a deadly attack by 

militants on 16 June. While his family and 

relatives were mourning his death, many parts 


of Kashmir were resonating with the bursting of 

crackers coupled with high-pitched slogans of 

"jivey jivey Pakistan", marking India's 

ignominious defeat against its neighbour in the 

Champions Trophy final on 18 June. 

Tariq Ahmad, a resident of Anantnag 

told Firstpost, "The celebrations were such that 

it seemed as if Kashmir had got freedom." The 

next day, youths in the Valley pelted stones at 

security forces at various places – including the 

Khanabal-Pahalgam road, that leads to the holy 

shrine of Amarnath. 

These two contrasting incidents 

demonstrate Kashmir's stark reality today. 

Three weeks before the first death anniversary 

of charismatic Hizbul Mujahideen commander 

Burhan Wani and a week before the Amarnath 

Yatra begins, anti-India sentiments in the Valley 

remain at an all-time high, with a strange 

combination of pro-Azaadi and pan-Islamic 

ideological underpinnings. 

The violence – lynching of the DSP; the 

Achabal attack; the killing of Lt Umer Fayaz in 

Shopian on 10 May; the killing of five 

policemen along with two bank guards in 

Kulgam on 28 May; the targeting of 

mainstream political activists – has shaken the 

security establishment. 

"Most of the people, who have an inclination 

towards the freedom struggle, support the 

killing of political workers of mainstream 

parties and the policemen, who play a role in 

counter-insurgency operations... a portion of 

the population is of the opinion that the people 

getting killed on both sides are Kashmiris, so 

militants should look for tactics other than 

killing," Rouf Ahmad, a resident of South 

Kashmir, told Firstpost. Many locals believe 

that the violence against policemen is a result of 

the "ruthless force used by the police to 

suppress the peaceful voice of common masses, 

which has reduced the image of the forces 

before society". Naseer Ahmad, a local from 

Anantnag, said, "Many believe that the killing 

of policemen at the hands if militants is a result 

of the torture and other inhuman treatment 

meted out by them to the militants and their 

families... so, people justify it on these 

grounds." 

These sentiments are also reflected on 

social media where, though outrage was seen 

over the DPS's lynching, Achabal attack and Lt 

Fayaz's killing, quite a significant portion of 

Kashmiris blame India for the violence meted 

out against them. Sheikh Showkat Hussain, 

who teaches law at the Central University of 

Kashmir said, "Nobody should perceive that a 

policeman getting killed in conflict is because 

of division in society. 

They get killed only because of their 

constraints towards their duty." These killings 

have also led many in the security 

establishment to call for revenge. Many have 

compared the current security situation in the 

Valley with that during the 1990s, when an 

outbreak of armed insurgency had pulled many 

locals into a vortex of violence – forcing them 

to cross the border into Pakistan and Pakistanoccupied 

Kashmir to receive arms training. 

Some within the security establishment have 

also lamented the lack of support from the 

political establishment in the state, while others 

worry that this might be the beginning of a civil 

war which has the potential to not only make the 

Kashmir conflict gory but even more 

protracted. 

Whatever the description of the current 

security situation in the region, it is true that 

the Kashmir conflict – which has persisted for 

decades – is now staring at a descend into 

chaos as the binary categorization of 'tourism 

or terrorism' determines the response of New 

Delh 


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LANE 4 PHASE 1,SIDCO INDUSTRIAL AREA 

BADI BRAHMANA JAMMU Jammu and Kashmir 

Mr. Nitin Magotra +91-8717000737, Mr. Manish koul +91-8717001103

Bangus Valley / Reshwari Unexplored Paradise 

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Bangus is Located in the Kupwara district, Bangus 

(or Bungus) valley can humble the best of the 

European meadows. There are two elliptical bowl 

shaped valleys with name of Bodh Bungus (Big Bungus) 

and Lakut Bangus (Small Bungus).Bangus is one of the 

relatively unexplored grasslands and unknown tourists 

paradise situated in the North Western periphery of Tehsil 

Handwara of District Kupwara, 72 Kms away from 

Srinagar, summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir .The 

said grass land is at an altitude of about 10,000 ft. above 

sea level. Occupying an estimated area of 300 Sq Kms, 

Bangus is surrounded by Shamsbery ranges and Leepa 

valley. Word “Bangus” is derived from Joining two words 

“ Ban “ derived from Sanskrit word “ Van” meaning “ 

forest” and “ Gus” meaning “ Grass” ,so it is a meadow 

with lush growth of wild grass. The Bangus valley has 

variety of flora, considered ideal for cattle grazing. In the 

deep valley is a marshy type grass land which is traversed 

by a small stream popularly known as Tilwan Kohl. 

Bangus Valley is 128 kms from Srinagar via Kupwara, 

west of Srinagar. This area called Lolab valley One of the 

most beautiful valleys in the whole state, huge meadow is 

6 kms wide and 19 kms long surrounded on all sides by 

pine forests with a stream flowing through. It was one of 

the popular valleys for British Tourist up to 1947. This 


valley is also famous for caves of Kala 

Roos and one can see Stone Age wall 

paintings. There is legend that some of 

the caves go right up to Russia. There 

are forest rest houses or one can stay in 

tents. 

Over the years, this valley has 

remained unexplored but now it is 

coming up as one of the most exotic 

places of Kashmir. Bungus is a part of a 

unique ecological area, comprising 

mountain and grassland with flora, 

Taiga or Coniferous forest. The Valley 

which is as beautiful as Gulmarg and 

Pahalgam. This valley is replete with 

natural vegetation and flowers of wild 

nature 

Famed Bangus valley in this frontier district is being 

developed as a Himalayan Biosphere Valley and 

around Rs. 15 crore are being expended on 

developing tourism infrastructure in its catchment.This 

was disclosed in a review the Chief Minister, 

Mehbooba Mufti took here about enhancing tourist 

footfall to the Bangus-Drangyari circuit and developing 

the necessary infrastructure for the same.Terming 

Bangus as the future of Kashmir tourism, the Chief 

Minister directed holding of a tourist festival in Bangus 

valley in midsummer this year with the participation of 

tour operators and other industry stakeholders. This 

she said would not only expose the destination to 

potential customers but also give a fillip to to urist 

footfall to the area.Mehbooba Mufti also directed 

holding of excursions and visits for the students of 

schools in the State and local people so that the 

potential of the place is adequately marketed. In this 

regard, she asked the Tourism Department to extend 

all courtesies to the schools whose students would be 

coming to visit the Valley. The Chief Minister was 

informed that Bangus is being developed as 

Himalayan Biosphere Valley by Tourism Department 

under which no concrete structure would be raised 

within the Valley and all tourist infrastructures in the 

catchment areas would be developed in conformity 

with local architectural pattern and cultural ethos. The 

destination would be offering Eco, Adventure and 

Cultural Tourism in single package, 


DEPARTMENT OF URBAN LOCAL BODIES KMR. 

(COMMITED TO BUILD GREATER BANDIPORE) 

Make India Clean 

Help us to make BANDIPORE town 

GREEN & CLEAN 

WALI MOHD WANI 

EXECUTIVE OFFICER MUNCIPAL COMMITTEE BANDIPORE








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editorjkpanorama@gmail.com 

9419027887-7006480329 

P 

anorama

CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER BANDIPORA, J&K

JK PANORAMA

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