Orphans of Conflict: Forgotten by Society and the State

DR MUDASIR FIRDOSI Kashmir valley had just one orphanage in 1986, now there are more than 700. An estimate by a UK based charity Save the Children; Kashmir valley has 215,000 orphans out of which more than 37% have lost one or both parents to the prevailing conflict. More than 15% of these children live in orphanages. Before 1990 most orphans were rehabilitated within extended families and adopted by relatives without any financial help from the State. Due to the ongoing conflict, the number of orphans increased exponentially and families…

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Withered Springs in Pulwama

After the extinction of more than three dozen fresh water springs in Pulwama’s Inder village many more including famous Indraaz Naag are dying their slow death. Encroachments and unwanted interference pose a threat to many freshwater springs including Indraaz Naag in Inder, a village about 6 Kilometres from Pulwama town. Villagers of Inder said that around 40 springs have become extinct by way of encroachments and unwanted interference from various government agencies. Villagers said that there were more than five dozen springs in Inder. They said that the surviving ones,…

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Ways to avoid back pain at office

Long hours at office can result in terrible back ache. Staring at the computer, carrying a purse over the same shoulder, carrying heavy things, driving or just an uncomfortable chair at office are some of the main reasons why one gets a back ache. We suggest you follow these tips to avoid back pain. – Pull your chair close to the table so that you avoid leaning forward. – Make sure your keyboard and mouse are at the same level. – The computer monitor should be directly in front of…

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2 illegal constructions demolished in pahalgam

A defeated People’s Conference candidate had planned to grab 40 kanals of state land Two illegal structures of a retired government officer and a leader of Peoples Conference (PC) were demolished on Tuesday by the Pahalgam Development Authority. The demolitions were carried out on a day when reported how dozens of illegal structures have been built in Mawura and Yanner areas despite the high court ban on constructions. According to a senior official, both the structures were demolished because they were being raised up in violation of the court orders.…

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Despite lowest per capita income, J&K leading in food consumption

At Rs 59279, J&K’s income low by 73% with Delhi, 62% with Chandigarh and Rs 55% with Haryana What if J&K has lowest per capita net income and is also deficient in production, but it is leading in per capita consumption of food in India. According to the official figures, the per capita net income of Jammu and Kashmir is only Rs 59279 for the year 2013-14 at current prices which is less by at least 73 per cent compared to Delhi, 62 per cent with Chandigarh and 55 per…

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Trapped families recall 18-hr-long gunfight horror

The gunfight at Lajoora Pulwama left two families stranded in their homes for more than 18 hours. Imtiyaz Ahmad, a teenager, was trapped in his house near the encounter site at Frastibagh Lajoora, around 6 kilometres from Pulwama, leaving him with withered face, parched lips and red eyes. Imtiyaz was in the house with his father, mother and sister. “I saw two vehicles, a Sumo and a Tavera ferrying army personnel. They stopped ahead of our house before I went inside,” Imtiyaz said. Within minutes, he said, his house was…

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2 LeT militants, 1 civilian killed in Pulwama

Two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants died in a 20-hour gunfight in Ratnipora village of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday, triggering massive protests and clashes in the area in which several people sustained injuries, police and locals said. The gunfight had started at 8 pm yesterday when militants attacked sumo vehicles, carrying army soldiers, between Nadoo and Bongaam Lajoora villages. After an hour-long gunfight last night, a police official said, the militants took advantage of darkness and took shelter in paddy fields in the area overnight. The forces including army’s 55 RR…

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ACC’s hunger strike enters 22nd day over AIIMS row

The chain hunger strike demanding the setting up of AIIMS today entered its 22nd consecutive day even as the AIIMS Coordination Committee (ACC) came down heavily on the BJP for its “failure” to come-out with appropriate order for establishing the medical institute in Jammu. ACC chairman and president JKHCBA, Jammu, Abhinav Sharma alleged that BJP, instead of bringing an appropriate order for establishing AIIMS in Jammu, is “misleading” the people of Jammu region through its “misinformation” campaign and big hoardings that the Narendra Modi led government at Centre has also…

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Youths taking to the path of militancy much higher than previous years

Indian Army’s General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen Subrata Saha Tuesday said that militancy in Kashmir Valley has stagnated and it is the only movement of the militants from here and there that keeps ‘militancy mantra’ in motion. He was responding to a question about the increase in anti-militancy operations in South Kashmir on the sidelines of a function here. He said that, “it is nothing unusual.The operations continue, but there are periods when the movement increases. And when that happens, the intensity of our operations…

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Govt orders probe into death of youth in protest rally

Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday ordered a probe into the death of a youth who was killed allegedly in firing by the security forces during a protest demonstration in Pulwama district of South Kashmir. An official spokesperson said the state government has ordered time-bound investigation and inquiry into the incident to ensure that those who are guilty of the offence are brought to book and punished. He said the security forces have been asked to exercise maximum restraint while dealing with public protests, particularly to avoid causing physical harm…

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