Year: 2015

‘JK govt must add mother tongue, third language column in admission forms’

Editor

National Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities, Prof Akhtarul Wasey Thursday asked the state government to include information of child’s mother tongue as well as preferred third language for study in school admission forms in order to promote Urdu and regional languages. “All the affiliated schools of state board should include a column in the application forms for admission as per the recommendations of National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (NCRLM) on compulsory registration of mother tongue,” Prof Wasey said while addressing a seminar at Central University of Kashmir, here. He…

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DAK welcomes decision to shift interview venue

Editor

The Valley-based doctors today welcomed the government’s decision to conduct interview for recruitment of lecturers in the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science (SKIMS) in Srinagar. The government had earlier notified that the interviews would be conducted in Jammu. Welcoming the government decision, the Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) said the decision would give respite to hundreds of doctors for whom going to Jammu was impossible in view of tight duty schedule in hospitals. The authorities had earlier fixed interview for the post of lecturers in SKIMS, Bemina, in Jammu. The DAK…

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Killing of Burmese militant ups ante of Intelligence agencies

Editor

Flag Ministry of Home Affairs on Rohingya refugees settling in Jammu The recent killing of a foreign militant has reignited the fears of security forces vis-à-vis the floating population of Rohingya refugees in J&K and their vulnerability to falling prey to the designs of terror outfits. Rohingyas have settled down in good numbers in Jammu city, which has always remained on the terror radar. One of the two foreign militants killed in an encounter in south Kashmir’s Tral town in October was identified as Chota Burmi, a native of Myanmar.…

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Coalition govt fails to fulfil major promises made in eight months

Editor

In March this year, when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stitched up a coalition government with the BJP, they entered into an “agenda of alliance” to govern the state. Eight months later, we took a look at the major promises made by ministers in the coalition government and their delivery. Fast-track recruitment In July this year, Jammu and Kashmir implemented the new recruitment policy and announced to recruit 7,500 people under the new rules on a fast-track basis in four months. The announcement was made by Education Minister Naeem Akhter, who…

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Students in Kashmir never got exam fees refunded despite mass promotions, post floods

Editor

Over the past one year, J&K state government has drawn heavy criticism from locals on several instances for failing to rehabilitate flood survivors who suffered massively in September last year. On the anniversary of one of the worst disasters that had hit the valley in past century, Kashmir valley observed a complete shutdown two months back as protesters claimed that compensation never reached the needy. Meanwhile, it’s not just the flood package which is overdue at government’s end. A year back, students from Class 1 to 9 and class 11…

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West Pakistan refugees to go nationwide with their plight

Editor

Irked over their demands not being addressed in the recently announced economic package for the state, West Pakistani refugees have decided to launch a nationwide awareness campaign to educate the countrymen about their plight. Although the refugee leadership is still hopeful that the BJP will find out “some ways” to address their long-pending demands, a group within the displaced persons is of the view that instead of solely depending upon the BJP, they should approach other political groups which are known for their “pro-weaker sections” approach. In an executive committee…

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Office of CM can’t be Kashmir’s sole preserve: Hari Om

Editor

Expressing shock over the defeat of the BJP in the Bihar Assembly elections, Prof Hari Om, senior BJP leader and former Political Advisor to J&K BJP president, on Thursday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in J&K to help Jammu and save BJP. The intervention of the Prime Minister is a must in the troubled-state because the PDP has been meticulously muddying the Indian waters in the state by pursuing separatist and Pakistan-friendly policies, he said. At the same time, Prof Hari Om congratulated the Prime Minister who…

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Campaign to promote hijab in Kashmir

Editor

Red roses may signify romance between a man and a woman. But, in Kashmir valley, a little-known group, the International Muslim Unity Council (IMUC), on Thursday offered red roses to girls to promote the wearing of the hijab (full body veil). On Thursday afternoon, a group of girls, associated with the IMUC, stood outside Kashmir’s premier Government Women’s College here and offered roses and scarves to female students wearing the hijab. “From 1 p.m. up to 2:30 p.m., roses, scarves, stoles and religious pamphlets were offered to girl students coming…

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No steps taken to decongest city roads

Editor

There is no end to traffic congestion on Srinagar roads even as the Durbar offices have shifted to winter capital Jammu. With the winter season having already set in, commuters are finding it more difficult negotiate long jams in the evening hours. Srinagar residents are fed up with routine traffic jams, particularly during the evening and morning hours, as they get stuck for hours in congestion. They blamed the absence of traffic police on important intersections for the existing mess. “Traffic jams on Srinagar roads have worsened. In the evening,…

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Electricity worries to increase in Kashmir valley in winter

Editor

The power woes of people in the Valley are going to increase further in the harsh winter as the Power Development Department (PDD) has decided to prolong the cuts in both metered and non-metered areas. The Chief Engineer of the PDD said they had sent a proposal of the winter power schedule to the government for approval. The department was going to publish the new power schedule within two days. “For metered areas there will be power cuts of three hours during the day, while in all non-metered areas there…

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