Month: September 2015

Kashmiri Students allege discrimination at Baba Farid University

Editor

Career of hundreds of Kashmiri medical students studying medical courses like MBBS, BDS and BSc Nursing has been put on stake in Punjab as their affiliating Baba Farid University has resorting to failing them without any reason, students allege. The situation with regards to BDS is particularly worrisome as atleast 45 Kashmiri students most of whom are girls are being kept in their Ist year despite them being in their third year. “We came here in 2013 under Prime Ministers Scholarship Scheme (PMSS). Our first tragedy was that the scholarship…

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Abrogation of Art 370 national need, says BJP leader

Editor

Article 370 of the Constitution is the mother of all ills and the time has come to remove it from the Indian statute book in the larger national interest and in the interest people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. This was stated today by BJP leader Hari Om, former political adviser to the state BJP president. “If India is to survive as one nation, Article 370 has to go lock, stock and barrel,” he said. He asserted that its abrogation was a national requirement. He termed the PDP as a…

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No arrangements in place to combat swine flu

Editor

It seems that the state government has failed to learn lessons from last year’s swine flu outbreak. Winter is approaching, but no proper arrangements for vaccination have been made so far in Valley hospitals. No proper arrangements have been made so far in major Valley hospitals to combat the outbreak of swine flu in Kashmir as winter is near. During the previous flu season, the health authorities in Kashmir ignored the flu outbreak alert, which resulted in the spread of the disease and loss of nearly two dozen lives in…

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Undertrial escapes from police custody, Four cops suspended

Editor

An undertrial prisoner escaped from the custody of police when he was being taken to a local court in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, following which four police personnel were suspended. Imtiaz Ahmed, who was arrested on charges of rape, yesterday jumped out of a police vehicle when he was being taken to Surankote from judicial lock up in Poonch for producing him before Sub Judge, a police officer said today.  Imtiaz was arrested last month in connection with a rape case, he said, adding, the police party wanted…

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Roadshow held in city to create awareness about drug menace

Editor

Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Hassan Samoon today flagged off a roadshow to sensitise people about devastating effects of drug addiction and other social evils. The show was organised by the Shehr-i-Khaas Welfare Coordination Committee, an official said. The roadshow started from the Nowhatta Chowk and concluded at Auqaf Market, Tujgari Mohalla, Nowahata. A large number of senior citizens, shopkeepers, women, students and people from different walks of life participated in the event. The Divisional Commissioner said drug addiction and existence of other social evils were like a black spot on…

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Makhdoom Sahib cable car grounded for five months

Editor

The ropeway that was started two years ago on the foothills of Hari Parbat in old city of Srinagar up to Sufi shrine of Makhdoom Sahib (RA) has been lying defunct for the past five months giving a tough time to devotees. The ropeway was inaugurated in December 2013 by the then ministers, Ali Mohammad Sagar and GA Mir. The project was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 6.5 crore. The 550-metre ropeway has been built by the Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation (JKCCC) through Kolkata-based Ropeway and…

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Despite High Court order, sale of beef continues

Editor

Two dozen eateries on Food Street continue to serve beef dishes Even as the J&K Government has shifted one of its senior attorney’s for failing to defend it in the “beef ban case”, the effect of the ban is no where visible on streets of Srinagar where sale of beef dishes continues unabated. Nearly two dozen food joints on the Food Street, just opposite the famous Ghanta Ghar in the Lal Chowk area, continue to serve beef dishes to customers, ranging from poor to middle class, rural to urban and…

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No policy for economic recovery, rue experts

Editor

With a comprehensive financial package for Jammu and Kashmir yet to take practical shape, the Centre and the state government have come under attack from economists and the business community for not formulating a concrete policy and planning the state’s economic recovery after the devastating floods a year ago. They believe that both the governments have failed “to capitalise a big opportunity” to bridge the gap between the ruling class and the public in the aftermath of the devastating floods. “The state and the Centre have failed to capitalise the…

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Five Dengue cases confirmed in Jammu

Editor

Hospitals directed to keep watch on patients admitted with high fever With five cases of dengue confirmed in Jammu, the Health Department alerts hospitals to keep a watch on patients admitted with high fever. A senior health official said though the situation was under control, but keeping in view the past experience, when administration was caught unprepared about the disease leading to panic and confusion among people, no chance was being taken this time. Almost all the city localities are vulnerable to the disease, while majority of the cases of…

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PDP in a tight spot as ally BJP sounds ‘caution’ post Beef Ban

Editor

Amid brewing anger in Kashmir over ban on sale of beef in the state, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could find itself in a precarious situation in coming days as its ally Bhartiya Janta Party, Tuesday cautioned against any interference in the existing law. The BJP’s stand comes at a time when opposition has asked the PDP-led Government to decriminalize cow slaughter and sale of beef by amending the 1932-law. Divulging party stand on the issue, BJP’s Vice-President Ramesh Arora said there was no need to repeal or change…

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