January 2016 | Page 9 of 33

Months after biometrics, Srinagarites await Aadhaar

January 23, 2016 Editor

Despite completion of biometric process several months ago, people in Srinagar are yet to receive Aadhaar cards. After data collection, authorities started the biometrics- under which the finger prints, eye scan and photograph- of individuals were taken. The process of biometrics was outsourced to Chinar Group of Companies which claims that the company has completed the process and it were the other offices who have failed to deliver the cards to individuals. Pertinently, the central government has made it mandatory for people to have Aadhaar cards— replaced by National Population…

New Delhi wants to ‘eliminate Geelani on Yasir Arafat-pattern’: Hurriyat (G)

January 23, 2016 Editor

The Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ali Geelani—who continues to be under house detention—was again barred from offering Friday prayers, a party spokesman said. “GeelaniSahaib, despite being unwell, continued to remain under house detention and was once again unable to offer the Friday prayers. The process of his illegal house detention started in 2010 and continues till date. The government is silent as to how long will this extraordinary imprisonment continue,” the Hurriyat (G) spokesman Ayaz Akbar said in a statement. He said the main reason of Geelani’s ill-health is…

Residents protest new liquor shop

January 23, 2016 Editor

Residents of Chenani today protested against opening of a liquor shop in their residential area and demanded the shifting of the same to some other place. After the Supreme Court order, banning the sale of alcohol on the state and national highways to curb road accidents in the country, owners of liquor shops located on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway have now started shifting their shops from highway to interior areas such as in Chenani and Tikri. These led to protests in both these areas. Talking to mediapersons, Rajesh Gupta, former…

Amid stalemate, parties warming up for midterm polls

January 23, 2016 Editor

PDP, BJP warming up for midterm polls; NC, Cong readying too As the stalemate over the government formation continues with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the rightwing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failing to re-stitch their alliance for forging an alliance following the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, all major mainstream parties are warming up for the midterm polls. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti Thursday indicated that the party would go back to the drawing board and urged the party leaders to organize worker conventions at the district headquarters.…

Rumours in Kashmir

January 23, 2016 Editor

It takes just a rumour for the entire Kashmir to turn mad Javaid Malik Rumours, rumours, and rumours; that’s what Kashmir is for the past many years, especially during the past 25-years of turmoil. When the armed rebellion broke out in Kashmir in late eighties, rumours used to spread like wildfire even in the absence of mobile phones and technology. When turmoil was its peak rumours about what is going to happen next used to be the favourite pastime for the people as they had no other option, other than…

Annual Urs observed at Dastageer Saheb Shrine

January 23, 2016 Editor

The annual urs of 11th century Sufi saint Shaikh Syed Abdul Qadir Jeelani, known as Peer Dastageer Saheb by devotees, was observed with religious fervour today. Devotees thronged the shrines of the revered saint in the Khanyar and Sarai Bala areas of the city and offered prayers. A caretaker of the Dastageer Saheb shrine at Sarai Bala said nightlong prayers were held at the shrine and there was no let up in the rush of devotees throughout the course of the day today. He said ‘Qaseeda Gousia’ was recited in…

Amid Startup India hype, startups in Kashmir await paradigm shift

January 23, 2016January 23, 2016 Editor

Throwing the catchphrase ‘Startup India, Standup India’ , PM Narendra Modi announced a plethora of initiatives last week to boost entrepreneurship in the country that already ranks third in the global startup ecosystem, according to IT industry body Nasscom. Being labelled a head-start – a three-year tax holiday, business incubators, research parks, among other initiatives and Rs 10,000 cr start-up fund – have been promised by the PM to give wings to his ambitious project. Whether or not the budding startups would be able to ‘take the leap of faith’…

Govt fails to formulate plan to tackle pollution in Jammu

January 23, 2016 Editor

Despite Jammu listed among the 30 most polluted cities in India in the World Health Organisation (WHO) report in 2014, the government fails to formulate any comprehensive plan to deal with the rising pollution levels in the winter capital. For years now majority of the city residents are inhaling poor-quality air and the situation is likely to worsen in the coming years, keeping in view the high concentration of vehicles per kilometre and expansion of industries. It has already been mentioned in various reports that the suspended particulate matter (SPM)…

Mehbooba holds first public interaction after Mufti’s death

January 23, 2016 Editor

Introduces brother Tassaduq to young entrepreneurs from Valley In her first public interaction since the death of her father, Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti today met young start-up entrepreneurs of Kashmir. While the PDP maintains that it was an apolitical meeting and was fulfilment of one of the last wishes of former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the meeting gains significance as it was held at a time when there is suspense over government formation in J&K and Mehbooba is keeping everyone, including its alliance partner BJP, guessing. During…

Loopholes found during Security audit, plugged says state police chief

January 23, 2016 Editor

Admits grey areas need to be addressed; audit report to be submitted soon Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra Kumar said a multi-agency security audit of all vital civil and defence establishments and installations across the state was almost complete and its report was being prepared. “As directed by the Governor, a multi-agency security audit is almost complete. The report will be submitted soon,” said the DGP. On January 15, the Governor had reviewed existing arrangements for the safety and security of all vital civil and defence establishments and…