Mehbooba and Omar spar over Sainik Colony Issue

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah exchanged heated words in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly on Monday morning and the war of words eventually escalated on Twitter The two leaders had sparred earlier in the day over the issue of Sainik colonies (residential complex for former servicemen) in the state. Mufti accused the latter of spreading rumours about her on social media platform, to which Abdullah quickly retaliated saying, “I know you will be happy if I delete my Twitter account”. People’s Democratic…

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Chinese powder, urea being added to milk

As the state struggles to tackle the menace of food adulteration which has led to an increase in cancer cases, adulteration in milk has too assumed dangerous proportions. Most of the dairies supplying milk to consumers in the winter capital are adding harmful ingredients to increase quantity and profits at the cost of people’s health. With rapid rise of population especially in urban areas over the past decade, the demand for milk has also increased, leading to its adulteration. The RS Pura area in Jammu district, which has a large…

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Once a Bollywood ‘darling’, Boulevard now losing sheen

During a recent shooting stint in the Valley, Bollywood actor Tom Alter shared an interesting account of his experience on the Boulevard along the Dal Lake. He said, during a personal trip to Kashmir in 2010-11, he had met a local youth on the Boulevard. The youth had asked Tom if he knew Shammi Kapoor. When Tom said yes, the youth told him he wanted to invite Shammi to Kashmir. The youth recalled that the evergreen Bollywood song “Yeh Chand sa Roshan Chehra” from “Kashmir ki Kali” was filmed on…

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NC & Cong key opponents to Mehbooba for Anantnag Bypoll

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who is also the PDP president, faces a contest from seven candidates, including five Independents, in the byelection to south Kashmir’s Anantnag Assembly seat which will be her party’s first major test of popularity since forging an alliance with the BJP. The bypoll for Anantnag, the Assembly seat formerly represented by Mehbooba’s father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed which became vacant following his death in January this year, is scheduled to take place on June 22. The date for withdrawal of candidature closed on Saturday, leaving eight candidates…

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NC lambasts PDP-BJP govt for crackdown on separatist leaders

Opposition National Conference (NC) today said the PDP-BJP government’s “crackdown” on separatist leaders including JKLF chairman Yasin Malik has “exposed the PDP’s claims” of facilitating a political engagement between the Hurriyat and the Centre. “The PDP-BJP ‘Agenda of Alliance’ had clearly promised new initiatives to facilitate engagement and talks between Hurriyat Leaders and New Delhi, and had also spoken about a proposed ‘battle of ideas’ with the separatist leadership in the state. “Today there is an unprecedented crackdown on Hurriyat leaders and some of them have been sent to the…

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Heavy rains expected but no drainage plans in place

While the State Meteorological Department has predicted good monsoon this season, the government departments concerned do not seem to have contingency plans to tackle heavy rains. Though developmental work is going on in the city, including the Bikram Chowk flyover and blacktopping of roads in various areas, there is no plan in place to clear the roads of heaps of soil and stones dug in the process. Also, the pebbles and coal tar that spills on the lanes and drains after the road is blacktopped are not being removed. This…

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RSS policies a threat to the country’s secular fabric: Azad

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Gulam Nabi Azad today termed as a “threat to the secular fabric” of the country the policies of RSS and accused the BJP-led central government of dancing to the right-wing organisation’s tune. “The policies of the RSS are a threat to the secular fabric of the nation and the principle of unity and diversity, which is the basis of the strength of our pluralistic society. The central government is dancing to the tune of RSS,” Azad said addressing a public meeting at Kupwara in…

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Fear of attack on yatra can hit pilgrim arrival: Hoteliers

The apprehensions aired by security agencies that terror groups are planning to disturb the Amarnath yatra have created a fear psychosis among devotees. The statement by the Director General (DG) of the BSF on Saturday has disheartened pilgrims and tourism stakeholders in Jammu. KK Sharma, DG, BSF, on Saturday said, “There are intelligence reports that militants have plans to attack the forthcoming Amarnath yatra, but we have made adequate arrangements to ensure an incident-free yatra this year also.” “The statement of the security forces about the apprehension of attack can…

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Police foil KEA’s bid to shut liquor shops

Police on Sunday foiled attempt of Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) to shut down liquor shops in the summer capital. An amalgam of traders, hoteliers and transporters, the KEA had organized a protest rally from Press colony to Lal Chowk. The protest rally was led by newly elected KEA, Chairman, Muhammad Yusuf Chapri and other executive members of the alliance. The protestors tried to march towards Boulevard and other areas to shut down liquor shops. However, a police contingent intercepted them near Regal Chowk and lodged them at police station Kothibagh.…

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Artificial lake still a distant dream for Jammuites

After missing six deadlines, dept aims to complete project by March next year The much-awaited artificial lake on the Tawi river still seems to be a distant dream as the Department of Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) has set another deadline of March, 2017, for completion of civil work. The Rs 69.70-crore artificial lake project, started in 2010, has missed six deadlines till now as work has remained suspended for more than 20 months since 2010. The department claims that the work is being done in a full swing, but…

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