Jammu, Feb 13: Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed uproar on Friday after BJP member Vikram Randhawa claimed that people hailing from Kashmir valley have encroached land in Jammu city.

Replying to a question by Randhawa during Question Hour in the Assembly, Social Welfare Minister Sakina Itoo said that, according to available records, land measuring 688 kanals (8 kanals is 1 acre) and 17 marlas (160 marla is 1 acre) in Tehsil Bahu and 579 kanals in Tehsil Jammu South is under illegal encroachment.

“These encroachments are old and are being removed as per the provisions of the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act and other relevant laws,” Itoo, who was replying on behalf of the chief minister, said.

The minister noted that since January 2025, a total of 34 anti-encroachment drives have been carried out in Tehsils Bahu and Jammu South, leading to the retrieval of 140 kanals and 11 marlas of land belonging to the Jammu Development Authority (JDA).

Randhawa alleged that habitations of people from the valley have come up on encroached land belonging to the JDA and the government, and that the authorities have failed to remove the encroachments.

He claimed that 90 per cent of these habitations are that of people hailing from Kashmir valley.

“Let the government probe it and take action for the removal of encroachments from my constituency. There are over 16,000 kanals of JDA land under encroachment in Jammu,” he said.

“We have no problem if Kashmiris purchase land and construct their houses in Jammu, but they should not construct houses on government land,” he added.

Randhawa’s claims did not go down well with the ruling NC members.

Itoo rejected the allegations and said encroachment issues should not be viewed through a regional lens and Jammu and Kashmir should not be divided on such grounds.

Randhawa then walked towards the well of the House with some papers in his hands, demanding immediate removal of the encroachments.

Earlier, the minister said that fencing and signboards have been installed to prevent future encroachments and to safeguard the retrieved land.

“Teams comprising junior engineers, patwaris and other field staff regularly visit the areas under their jurisdiction and immediately report any attempt to encroach upon JDA land,” she said.

The minister said that the JDA has sufficient manpower and, whenever required, the Jammu Municipal Corporation, the Revenue Department and local police extend full cooperation during eviction and anti-encroachment drives.

On action against erring officials, Itoo assured that appropriate measures, including issuance of warnings, initiation of departmental proceedings, red entries in service books, suspensions and withholding of increments have been taken against delinquent officers and officials of the JDA.

“Red entries have been made in the service books of Pankaj Sambyal and Romesh Kumar for their alleged involvement in encroachment of JDA land in Tehsil Jammu South,” she added.

She asserted that responsibility is fixed strictly in accordance with the law after due verification and following the prescribed procedure.

Later, talking to reporters outside the House, he alleged that the government is hiding the list of encroachers as they belong to the Valley.

“Why has the government failed to provide me with the list?” he asked.

Srinagar, Feb 13: State Cancer institute takes the major burden of cancer cases in J&K, functions on staff borrowed from SKIMS Soura, the Government said today. In the past three years, over 17000 new cases of cancer were diagnosed at State Cancer Institute Kashmir and Jammu.

The details exposing the cancer infrastructure and manpower in J&K were revealed by Government in response to questions raised by legislator Sheikh Ahsan Ahmed Pardesi. The starred A.Q. No. 113 demanded clarification as to why the State Cancer Institute was set up without adequate medical, paramedical, and technical posts. The shortfalls, Pardesi has said, is leading to inconveniences for patients and compromising cancer care.

The Health and Medical Education Department has said the number of cancer cases is rising at 7.49%, and attributed the rise to “improved diagnostics”. “The rise cannot be interpreted as the actual rise in cancer cases,” the reply states. The department has said that epidemiological research is required to establish causality.

In the past three years, 2023-2025, 17296 people have been diagnosed with cancer. Of these, 10754 cases have been detected in Kashmir division and 6542 in Jammu division.

The Government has said the 100-bedded State Cancer Institute at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, was established with central funding under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS). It received a sanctioned grant of Rs. 120 crore exclusively for infrastructure. Although it was commissioned on December 5, 2020, the development remains ongoing.

The Government has acknowledged that approximately 80% of the SCI Kashmir is currently functional through manpower deployed from the main SKIMS Soura hospital. It said that a proposal for dedicated staff, including doctors, nursing, paramedical, technical, and supportive roles is under active consideration by the government. “It will be modeled after the State Cancer Institute in Jammu,” the Government said.

In order to manage the growing patient load and reduce waiting times, the government has said it was actively expanding services. It has provided “substantial rise in PET scans at SKIMS, from 1,410 in 2024 to 2,250 in 2025” as evidence of the expansion.

It has also said that GMC Srinagar is providing comprehensive cancer treatments, including therapies, surgeries, and essential tests like MRI, CT, and USG. The administrative approval for procuring a new PET Scan machine for GMC Srinagar at an estimated cost of Rs. 16.00 crore through the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) has been applauded as a step to mitigate suffering of cancer patients.

Srinagar, Feb 13: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday informed the Assembly that over 12,000 kilograms of rotten and unsafe meat has been seized and destroyed across the Union Territory during the current financial year 2025-26 (up to December 2025).

Replying to a question in the House, the Health & Medical Education Department said that while food adulteration is not a generalised fact, incidents relating to sale and seizure of rotten/unsafe meat were reported in Kashmir Valley during routine surveillance and special enforcement drives conducted across districts.

As per the official data, a total of 1,676 inspections were carried out, during which 144 samples were lifted. Of these, 18 were found Non-Standard Quality (NSQ).

The department said 2,139 kg of meat was seized, while 12,183.5 kg of rotten meat was destroyed, with the total value of destroyed stock pegged at Rs 29,19,060.

District-wise Seizures

Srinagar recorded the highest seizure with 4,220 kg of rotten meat destroyed, followed by Jammu with 3,881 kg and Kupwara with 1,520.5 kg. Other districts where seizures were reported include Anantnag (700 kg), Ganderbal (770 kg), Pulwama (450 kg), Budgam (234 kg), Bandipora (162 kg), Baramulla (125 kg) and Shopian (121 kg).

In addition, 7,665 kg of paneer was seized/destroyed in Jammu (6,465 kg) and Samba (1,200 kg), with the total value of seized paneer stock amounting to Rs 16,32,150.

The government further stated that samples were sent for analysis to Food Testing Laboratories within and outside J&K, including FSSAI-recognised NABL-accredited laboratories.

The department also informed that J&K has two NABL-accredited Food Testing Laboratories with one each at Jammu and Srinagar and 12 Mobile Food Testing Laboratories, which are fully functional.

However, it acknowledged shortage of technical manpower, stating that out of 19 sanctioned posts each at Food Testing Laboratories Jammu and Srinagar, 11 posts in each lab are currently vacant.

The government said enforcement under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 is being strengthened through regular inspections, sampling, license suspension/cancellation, penalties and prosecution against violators.

“Special drives during festivals and tourist seasons, public awareness programmes and inter-departmental coordination are also being undertaken to safeguard public health,” they said.—(KNO)