Month: January 2016

Srinagar out of smart city race

Editor

The summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir has been dropped out from the list of 100 potential ‘smart cities’ as it failed to meet the eligibility criteria. Srinagar could not even make it through Stage 1 of the selection process that included Institutional Systems and Capacities (15 points), Self-financing (30 points) and past track record (30 points). Besides Srinagar, Rae Bareli and the newly-formed Telangana’s state capital Hyderabad are also out of the smart city race. Soon after BJP came to power in mid-2014, the Narendra Modi-led government announced the…

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PDP signals fresh engagement on ‘Agenda of Alliance’

Editor

Party meeting likely by weekend Curtains seem to have fallen over the possibility of a government being in shape in the near future as the signals from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti are clear that a new set of terms need to be negotiated with BJP to continue the alliance. Though BJP is hiding its nervousness by downplaying the latest vibes from PDP, it is becoming clear that the two parties are not on course of getting on together as they were until January 7. PDP, which holds…

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Medicos ‘fleece’ patients at private clinics

Editor

Weak and inadequate regulations and complete lack of monitoring of fees charged by doctors at private clinics in Kashmir has left the patient’s high and dry. Huge disparities in fee charged by doctors for private consultations have gone unnoticed over the years. A rudimentary ‘circular’ issued by Health and Medical Education Department in 2013 outlining the consultation fee that a doctor working with the government can charge was discarded even before it could be implemented. Doctors are charging patients as per their likes, a practice that patients have called ‘loot’.…

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PDP-BJP govt did ‘absolutely nothing’ for 10 months: Omar

Editor

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the PDP’s review of the performance of its coalition with the BJP was a vindication of opposition charge that the government did “absolutely nothing” in the past 10 months. “Effectively making our point that their government did absolutely nothing for 10 months,” Omar wrote on Twitter. The opposition National Conference working president was reacting to PDP statement that the party was reviewing the progress made on its ‘Agenda of Alliance’ with the BJP before taking a decision on continuation…

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NHAI fails to provide basic amenities on highways

Editor

In the absence of washrooms and rest houses on the national highways, travellers are dependent of dhabas. Despite charging a heavy toll, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has failed to provide basic amenities to commuters on the highways. The much-hyped programme of ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ is being ignored on the national highways of Jammu and Kashmir as well as in the rest of India. People can be seen attending to nature’s call on the roadside of national highways. Travelling on the highways is very difficult for women as…

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Uncertainty remains as PDP in no hurry to form government

Editor

The PDP seems to be in no hurry on the government formation even as the party gave indications about its next move. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, which remains the centre of attention following the death of her father and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, is yet to open her cards. “The family is still in shock and grief,” said a senior PDP leader. “Things will settle down in due course of time,” added the PDP leader, giving an impression that Mehbooba was in no hurry to succeed her father. With…

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Killing the chill – the Kashmiri way

Editor

Kashmiris carry it inside the ‘pheran’, a traditional long flowing tweed over-garment, to keep the freezing winter away Have you ever imagined carrying red-hot charcoal filled in an earthen pot inside your dress? It sounds dangerous, but Kashmiris do it to kill the chill. As Kashmir freezes in bone-chilling temperatures, woollen and thermal wear are not enough to cope. ‘Kangri’, commonly called kanger in Kashmir, is a traditional earthen pot in a woven wicker basket and filled with red-hot charcoal. Kashmiris carry it inside the ‘pheran’, a traditional long flowing…

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‘Free Tutorials’ for Kashmir students during winter vacations

Editor

At this school in Srinagar’s Hyderpora, over 200 students take free tuitions in the Wi-Fi enabled warm classrooms as temperature remains below freezing point outside. The classes have been started in 300 schools in Kashmir as part of a state government initiative known as the ‘Chief Minister’s Super 50’. The programme was initiated by late chief minister mufti Mohammad Sayeed. The program is a big hit as hundreds of teachers have given up their winter vacation and have volunteered to offer free tuition to over one lakh students in Kashmir.…

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Pulwama deadlock enters 15th day, crisis refuses to die down

Editor

PDP legislator blames administration Shutdown resumed in Pulwama on Thursday after the administration allegedly backtracked from its word with residents to release the arrested youth and allow installation of plaque for slain militants. The representatives of Pulwama town said they had called off the shutdown on Wednesday after the assurance of the administration that they will be allowed to erect a simple sign post here at a local graveyard. “The decision was taken after we were assured by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir that people here will be allowed to erect a…

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Protests in Budgam after missing man found dead, probe ordered

Editor

Protests erupted in Jammu and Kashmir’s central district of Budgam on Thursday after the mutilated body of a 22-year-old man was found near his home in Peerbagh. Owais Bashir Malik, a student of a polytechnic college, had left home on Tuesday. His family had filed a missing report in Humhama after he did not return home. Police said Malik’s body was found near a railway track on Thursday morning. “He had injury marks on his neck and chest. His arm was also dislocated,” a police official at Humhama police station…

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