No major policy change to save water bodies in the state since devastating floods last year More than a year has passed since the devastating floods in September 2014 ravaged Jammu and Kashmir, but the state government seems to have forgotten its promise to rein in unabated encroachment along rivers and other water bodies. This was a major reason for destruction which cost the state billions in infrastructure and around 300 precious lives. Despite the Water Resources Regulation Act providing executive powers to the authorities to act against the offenders,…
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Need to beautify city for coming tourist season, Dy CM
Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Power Development and Housing and Urban Development Nirmal Kumar Singh has stressed the need for beautifying Srinagar city by ensuring cent percent cleanliness and removing illegal encroachments. Nirmal was reviewing the functioning of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) here today. He asked officials to prepare a comprehensive list of all illegal encroachments and commercial buildings lacking the mandatory space for car parking. The list would help the government make a comprehensive policy to deter future encroachments by way of enhanced punishments and imposition of…
Read MoreWhy Suicide Rate Is On Rise In Kashmir?
Dr Qayum Hamid Changal Suicide is considered as one of the grave sins in Islam. And, also it is a sign of personal weakness and giving up, turbulent and depressive state of mind, misguided society, and oscillate government. In Kashmir, one of the major factors is the ongoing conflict and flooding of Valley with troops and restrictions by government. The source, root or origin is multifactorial. It would be unwise if we blame only a particular lapse and bury the rest. Though our society is proudly riding on the horse…
Read MoreForces destroying forests, environment in Kashmir: Geelani
Chairman Hurriyat (G) Conference, Syed Ali Geelani Monday said by setting up camps and firing ranges everywhere in Kashmir, army is destroying the forests, water resources, environment and the economy of the poor people and is converting the entire area into a military garrison. He expressed concern and anguish over the demand of Army for notifying Bajpathri forest area close to Yusmarg hill resort in central Kashmir’s Budgam district for its use as an artillery firing range. He also expressed sorrow over the likely nod of the government to the…
Read MoreIndia, Pakistan to rely on secret diplomacy for Kashmir deal: Reports
Indian representatives will use ‘back channels’ for in-depth discussions on Kashmir ‘Secret diplomacy’ will be the strategy that India and Pakistan are likely to rely upon to broker a deal on the long pending Kashmir dispute, a report in a Pakistan newspaper said. “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi have decided to use ‘back channels’ for in-depth discussions on Kashmir through their respective confidantes,” Express Tribune reported quoting sources. The foreign secretaries will discuss Kashmir but their mandate will be restricted to necessary confidence-building measures (CBMs)…
Read MoreJK Tourism website hacked
The J&K Tourism Department on Monday claimed that its website was hacked few days ago, which led to some of its content getting “destroyed”. “The Directorate of Tourism, Kashmir, has clarified that its website www.jktourism.org was hacked few days ago and some of its contents were destroyed,” a spokesperson of the department said. He said that the investigation into the matter is underway and further necessary safety measures to protect the content are being taken. The explanation came after a tender notice was posted on the department’s website inviting suppliers…
Read MoreCold wave intensifies in Kashmir as Chillai Kalan knocks on door
Ahead of the 40-day long extreme cold period in Kashmir, popularly known as ‘Chillai Kalan’ in Kashmir, Leh and Kargil remained the coldest regions of the state at minus 12 degree Celsius on Monday.This year, Chillai Kalan will begin on December 21 and will end on January 31. Officials of local Meteorological department said, “In Leh minimum temperature was recorded at minus 12.2 degrees Celsius, while it was minus 12.1 degrees Celsius in Kargil town of Ladakh region.” Adding that these towns were the coldest in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. Snowfall replenishes reservoirs…
Read MoreHas PDP buried self rule?
Within a year in power, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has shelved its self rule agenda with its senior leaders questioning the party leadership over the “sell out”. Talking to us, one of the founders of PDP and Member of Parliament (MP), Tariq Hameed Kara said he would like to hear from the party leadership – the chief minister (Mufti Mohammad Sayeed) as well as the party president (Mehboba Mufti) why the party sidelined its self-rule agenda. “After coming to power, governance is the only agenda left for the party now,”…
Read MoreHow to prevent diabetes at workplace
If you are already showing higher than normal blood sugar levels as you spend more and more hours in office — enroll for an intervention programme at your workplace if it offers one immediately. According to a new study, employees enrolled in a workplace intervention programme as a group lost more weight, showed greater reductions in fasting blood sugar and ate less fat than employees who received only written health guidelines for diabetes prevention. “Adults spend a large portion of their time at work. This study shows that it is…
Read MoreWill Bajpathri be another Tosamaidan?
The Jammu and Kashmir government has agreed to “expeditiously examine” the Army’s demand for notifying Bajpathri forest area—close to Yusmarg hill resort in central Kashmir’s Budgam district—for its use as an artillery firing range. The Army had taken up the issue during the Civil-Military Liaison Conference (CMLC) headed by Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed in September this year. “Noting that the details of the proceedings undertaken so far in regard to the notification of Thambri (Bajpathri) field firing range, it was agreed that Government will expeditiously examine the proposal for…
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