Kishen Ganga wildlife sanctuary project in limbo

The proposed Kishen Ganga Wildlife Sanctuary project is in limbo despite getting the nod from Government of India to declare compartments of Gurez Forest Range of Forest Territorial Division Bandipora as “ Wildlife Protected Area” since the area has rich flora and fauna. These compartments included compartment number: k/ 42, k/ 45, k/ 46, k/ 47a, k/ 47b, k/ 48, k/ 49, parts of k/ 50, k/ 51b, k/ 51c, k/ 52, k/ 53, k/ 54, k/ 55 and k/ 56 of Gurez Forest Range comprising an area of 108.22…

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Key Kashmir town faces neglect for its ‘pro- freedom stance’

Once Chota London , now Sopore stinks Once a jostling and prosperous town, North Kashmir’s Sopore now narrates a sordid tale of “ deliberate” official neglect. From bad roads to shabby infrastructure, the apple- town of Jammu and Kashmir is a classic example of underdevelopment. While other parts of the state have witnessed some growth in terms of infrastructure, this place has faced neglect for its “ pro- freedom stance,” locals say. Sopore was once known as Chota London for its prosperity. But now the town which houses Asia’s second…

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Govt defers NFSA implementation in 4 districts after ration card irregularities

People of Srinagar, Baramulla, Leh, Kargil to get ration at old rates The Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) department has deferred the implementation of National Food Safety Act (NFSA) in areas, where large scale irregularities have come to the notice of the government in updation of consumer data. Sources said ration will be provided at old rates in the districts of Srinagar, Baramulla  Leh and Kargil due to large scale irregularities in the updation of data. As per the NFSA rates, the BPL families will get rice and atta…

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Min temp rises in Valley, isolated rains or snow predicted

After a few days of bright sunshine, dark clouds hovered over Srinagar and other areas in Kashmir today with the Meteorological Department predicting isolated rains or snow even as the night temperature rose at many places owing to the overcast conditions. Srinagar – the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir- recorded a low of 1.5 degrees Celsius up by over two degrees from the previous night’s minus 0.9 degree Celsius, a spokesman of the MeT Department here said. The city had experienced bright sunshine for a few days providing relief…

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NHPC seeks to adjust water cess against JK’s power purchase liabilities

With the power purchase liabilities piling up against J&K, the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) is eyeing to adjust the outstanding water usage charges against the State’s liability. According to official documents, the Corporation came up with the demand during the 30th meeting of the commercial sub-committee of the Northern Regional Power Committee (NRPC) held in the neighbouring Himachal Pradesh on September 23, 2015. The State purchases electricity from several central power suppliers including NHPC that has seven hydropower projects operational in the State. Post 2009, the power generating companies…

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PDP’s silence on Geelani’s arrest, crackdown on Kashmiri students sorrowful: Hurriyat (G)

‘Mehbooba busy with BJP for crown ceremony’ PDP’s silence on Geelani Hurriyat Conference (G) Friday termed the silence of PDP over the arrest of Kashmiri scholar Prof Syed Abdur Rehman Geelani and the crackdown of the Delhi police over Kashmiri students as sorrowful. In a statement Hurriyat (G) said at the time when the ‘communal BJP and the biased Indian media is charging the atmosphere to hang’ SAR Geelani and the other students the Afzal way, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti Sahiba is busy with BJP general secretary…

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70% students in Kashmir drug addicts, claims DAK

Nearly 70 per cent schoolchildren, including 26 per cent girls, in Kashmir are drug addicts, claimed Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK). The association said “unseen forces” were behind drug trafficking in Kashmir. “As per a study, 65-70 per cent students in Kashmir are drug addicts, which also include gateway drugs. Around 26 per cent of the addicts are girl students,” said DAK president Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan. Alarmed by unprecedented level of drug addiction, Dr Hassan said “unseen forces” were involved in peddling and promoting of drugs in Kashmir. “They are using their…

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PDP wants Modi to own Kashmir

Post Mehbooba Mufti- Ram Madhav meeting on Wednesday evening, there is only one-sided story out in the public domain over the government formation in Jammu and Kashmir. It’s BJP that has spoken out, the PDP is maintaining a discreet silence. The real story centres on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The reason: The PDP wants Prime Minister Narendra Modi to show the same statesmanship and boldness that he exhibited by undertaking a surprise visit to Pakistan on Xmas, which his predecessor Manmohan Singh could not, despite his wish to do so…

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Cover Kargil under Central urban scheme: Azad

Terming Kargil one of the two strategic towns of the Ladakh region which should be given a fair treatment, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad has asked the Central government to consider the “battlefield of 1999 Kargil War” under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). Azad has written to Union Minister for Urban Development Venkaiah Naidu asking him to include Kargil under AMRUT. He has forwarded a letter of Kargil MLA Asgar Ali Karbalai to the Union Minister and gave brief account of the…

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Protests across Jammu over JNU row

BJP’s aggressive campaign against separatism symbolised by the events at Jawaharlal Nehru University has put the Congress on the back foot as the latter had defended those who stirred anti-national emotions in New Delhi. A majority of the people in Jammu joined the BJP-sponsored demonstrations in solidarity against the “anti-national” elements. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had supported JNU students. As the JNU controversy is directly related to “religious separatism” of the Kashmir Valley, the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to target the Congress on the issue and it has…

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