Forces taking no chances for Republic Day event

Intel inputs of fidayeen threat , Patrolling intensified at vulnerable stretches In the wake of intelligence inputs of possible attacks by Pakistani militants, the Army, Air Force and paramilitary forces have fortified their formations across Jammu and Kashmir ahead of Republic Day. Security has also been beefed up on the 198-km-long international border and Jammu-Pathankot national highway. A terror alert has been sounded across the Jammu region after the murder of a taxi driver at Kangra in Himachal Pradesh by three unidentified men, who escaped with the taxi. Additional nakas…

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CVPPL fails to construct over 2000 MWs power projects

Electricity Woes ; Work yet to start on 1000 MWs Pakal Dul, 624 MWs Kiru and 540 MWs Kwar project The Chenab Valley Power Projects Ltd (CVPPL) has failed to construct the key power projects including the largest project of 1000 MWs Pakal Dul project. According to officials, work is yet to start over 1000 MWs Pakal Dul, 624 MWs Kiru and 540 MWs Kwar power projects even as the CVVPL had earlier scheduled to start the projects in 2014. CVPPL had informed the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) last year…

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‘Hard work, setting targets helped us achieve our goal’; Class 12 toppers

Students who bagged top three positions in class XII examinations, results of which were declared on Thursday, attributed their success to hard work and setting targets. For Bushra Amin, the reason behind success was hard work and parental support. Hailing from Khankah Bagh village in South Kashmir’s Pampore, Bushra bagged the first position in the science stream of 12th class Board of School Education (BOSE) examination. She scored 489 (97.8%) marks out of 500. “Hard work has no substitute. Besides, parental support proved fruitful for me,” Bushra said, adding that…

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Months after biometrics, Srinagarites await Aadhaar

Despite completion of biometric process several months ago, people in Srinagar are yet to receive Aadhaar cards. After data collection, authorities started the biometrics- under which the finger prints, eye scan and photograph- of individuals were taken. The process of biometrics was outsourced to Chinar Group of Companies which claims that the company has completed the process and it were the other offices who have failed to deliver the cards to individuals. Pertinently, the central government has made it mandatory for people to have Aadhaar cards— replaced by National Population…

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New Delhi wants to ‘eliminate Geelani on Yasir Arafat-pattern’: Hurriyat (G)

The Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ali Geelani—who continues to be under house detention—was again barred from offering Friday prayers, a party spokesman said. “GeelaniSahaib, despite being unwell, continued to remain under house detention and was once again unable to offer the Friday prayers. The process of his illegal house detention started in 2010 and continues till date. The government is silent as to how long will this extraordinary imprisonment continue,” the Hurriyat (G) spokesman Ayaz Akbar said in a statement. He said the main reason of Geelani’s ill-health is…

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Residents protest new liquor shop

Residents of Chenani today protested against opening of a liquor shop in their residential area and demanded the shifting of the same to some other place. After the Supreme Court order, banning the sale of alcohol on the state and national highways to curb road accidents in the country, owners of liquor shops located on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway have now started shifting their shops from highway to interior areas such as in Chenani and Tikri. These led to protests in both these areas. Talking to mediapersons, Rajesh Gupta, former…

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Amid stalemate, parties warming up for midterm polls

PDP, BJP warming up for midterm polls; NC, Cong readying too As the stalemate over the government formation continues with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the rightwing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failing to re-stitch their alliance for forging an alliance following the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, all major mainstream parties are warming up for the midterm polls. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti Thursday indicated that the party would go back to the drawing board and urged the party leaders to organize worker conventions at the district headquarters.…

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Rumours in Kashmir

It takes just a rumour for the entire Kashmir to turn mad Javaid Malik Rumours, rumours, and rumours; that’s what Kashmir is for the past many years, especially during the past 25-years of turmoil. When the armed rebellion broke out in Kashmir in late eighties, rumours used to spread like wildfire even in the absence of mobile phones and technology. When turmoil was its peak rumours about what is going to happen next used to be the favourite pastime for the people as they had no other option, other than…

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Annual Urs observed at Dastageer Saheb Shrine

The annual urs of 11th century Sufi saint Shaikh Syed Abdul Qadir Jeelani, known as Peer Dastageer Saheb by devotees, was observed with religious fervour today. Devotees thronged the shrines of the revered saint in the Khanyar and Sarai Bala areas of the city and offered prayers. A caretaker of the Dastageer Saheb shrine at Sarai Bala said nightlong prayers were held at the shrine and there was no let up in the rush of devotees throughout the course of the day today. He said ‘Qaseeda Gousia’ was recited in…

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Amid Startup India hype, startups in Kashmir await paradigm shift

Throwing the catchphrase ‘Startup India, Standup India’ , PM Narendra Modi announced a plethora of initiatives last week to boost entrepreneurship in the country that already ranks third in the global startup ecosystem, according to IT industry body Nasscom. Being labelled a head-start – a three-year tax holiday, business incubators, research parks, among other initiatives and Rs 10,000 cr start-up fund – have been promised by the PM to give wings to his ambitious project. Whether or not the budding startups would be able to ‘take the leap of faith’…

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