Day: November 15, 2017

Leh coldest at minus 6.3°C

Editor

Leh and Kargil witnessed coldest nights this winter as the temperature at the two stations dipped several degrees below the freezing point even as Kashmir Valley saw the mercury rise above freezing point owing to a cloud cover. Leh recorded a minimum temperature of minus 6.3°C on Monday night and was the coldest place in the state, a MeT department official said. He said it was the coldest night recorded in the Ladakh region this winter. Kargil town also recorded a sub-zero temperature as the mercury settled at minus 5.2°C…

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Why Kashmir reels under power cuts every winter, theories behind the conspiracy?

Editor

Many believe that electricity supply to the Valley gets diverted to Jammu when the political capital moves there during the cold months. But it’s more complex. Every October, the Jammu and Kashmir administration shuts its offices in the summer capital of Srinagar to move to the winter capital of Jammu, a process anachronistically referred to as “the durbar move”. As political power moves south, in the Valley, electricity cuts inevitably grow longer. On October 28, the Power Development Department, which is responsible transmission and distribution of electric power in the…

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With 168 killings, 2017 has seen highest number of militant deaths in 4 years

Editor

One hundred and sixty-eight militants have been killed by security forces in the state of Jammu and Kashmir this year until October — the highest yearly total in four years — according to an RTI response to Kashmir Post. Additionally, a total of 45 army personnel have lost their lives in the state in 2017. The 168 militants include top terrorist commanders such as Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Abu Dujana and Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani’s successor Sabzar Ahmad Bhat. The RTI response, signed by Lieutenant Colonel Rajiv Guleria for the CPIO of…

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GST has hurt textile industry in election bound Gujarat: Traders

Editor

Thousands of textile traders in the bustling markets of Surat are disgruntled as the Goods and Services Tax has reduced their profit margins An unusual hush has fallen over the bustling textile markets of Surat. Previously, travellers would find it impossible to negotiate the maze of streets crowded with mini trucks and labourers with bundles heaped on their heads. Now, the textile hub in the heart of Gujarat’s richest city is lackluster even as markets slowly open after a Diwali break. “We used to produce four crore metres of synthetic…

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K C Pant to Padgaonkar, What earlier panels achieved in Kashmir since 2001?

Editor

The Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh governments appointed several committees and interlocutors to hold talks with people and organisations in J&K.  The Centre’s Special Representative Dineshwar Sharma, a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau, made his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir last week, and held talks with nearly 85 delegations. The appointment of Sharma, a man with vast experience in Kashmir, comes at a time of heightened tensions in the Valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in the summer of 2016, and apprehensions over the outcome…

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Six SKIMS doctors test positive for H1N1

Editor

At least six doctors working at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences here have tested positive for the H1N1 influenza, an official source said on Tuesday. The source said that those who have tested positive for the H1N1 are mostly resident doctors who were performing their duties in “high-risk areas”—the intensive care unit and the isolation ward. “One of these doctors who was very sick had to be admitted and is currently undergoing treatment,” the source said. Talking to Kashmir Post, some resident doctors on duty expressed anger over absence of…

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Dry spell triggers water crisis across Kashmir Valley

Editor

700 of 1,681 supply schemes affected, Jhelum flowing at record low level For the first time, Kashmir is battling an acute drinking water crisis as over 700 water supply schemes have been affected because of scanty precipitation in the past six months. Of the 1,681 water supply schemes in Kashmir, officials say that over 700 are badly hit as the Jhelum —- the main source of drinking water in Kashmir —- is flowing at a record low level in the past six decades. “Unprecedented water crisis is unfolding in Kashmir…

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Hurriyat Conference may hold talks with Dineshwar Sharma

Editor

After a year-long crackdown on the militants and stone pelters, it was expected that the 26-party front would not want to show any alacrity in grabbing an offer of talks from New Delhi. After the initial outright rejection of talks, Kashmiri separatist umbrella organisation Hurriyat Conference may finally come to the table with New Delhi-nominated interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma. This is the initial assessment from within the establishment on Sharma’s return to Delhi from Srinagar earlier this week. Sharma was in Srinagar to hold the first round of talks with various…

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Kashmir to feature Paragliding & White Water Rafting courses at JIM

Editor

Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, who also chairs the Executive Council of the institute, announced a whopping grant of Rs 10 crore to facilitate the inclusion of the adventure sports at the 8th meeting of 3rd Executive Council of the institute. Shoutout to all adventure seekers! Kashmir is all set to introduce paragliding and white water rafting courses at its famous Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering (JIM) and Winter Sports! What’s more? Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, who also chairs the Executive Council of the institute, announced a whopping grant of Rs 10…

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