Month: March 2016

National highway reopens to traffic after three days

Editor

After remaining closed for three consecutive days, the 300-km-long Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only road link which connects the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, was reopened to traffic this evening. The Gammon Indian Limited which was entrusted with the task of four-laning the Udhampur-Ramban project managed to repair a sunken portion of the highway at Kikkad Morh in the Tringla area of Batote after heavy rain on Saturday, allowing traffic authorities to clear all stranded vehicles. “We have cleared the road for traffic after repairing the damaged…

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PDP-BJP alliance on brink of collapse

Editor

The PDP-BJP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, fraying since the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in January, seems on the brink of collapse a little over a year after the coalition government was formed on March 1 last year. BJP sources indicated that the alliance may be all but over – barring a sudden turnaround in relations – as the two sides failed to make fresh commitments after PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti made it clear that she wanted assurances on issues she considers central to her party’s political fortunes in…

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No respite from choked drains in Srinagar

Editor

As rain continued to lash the city since last evening, flooding in the summer capital has increased difficulties for local commuters as well as transporters. Most of the drains here have been choking for the last two years. No major drainage projects have been undertaken by the authorities concerned to end the woes of people. “Rain brings the problem of poor drainage to the notice of the authorities, but once the weather improves they forget it and do nothing in this regard. There is no accountability,” said Abdul Rashid, a…

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Snowfall, rains drop temperature in Kashmir

Editor

Higher reaches of Kashmir on Friday received snowfall while intermittent rains continued in the plains for the second consecutive day leading to a steep drop in the day temperature and forcing the closure of Srinagar-Jammu highway which is blocked by landslides. The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg was among the areas in the Valley that received snowfall during the night. Seven inches of snow was recorded in the last 24 hours, a MeT Department official said. Many areas en route the 300 km long, Srinagar-Jammu national Highway also received rainfall leading…

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Kashmiris, unwelcome guests!

Editor

Javaid Malik Kashmiris have become soft targets and are unwelcome guests in any state. Kashmiris being treated as suspects is nothing new and they have accepted this reality. Every now and then Kashmiris putting up in other states have to face harassment on the pretext of security concerns. Kashmiris are humiliated, called all the names and are made to realize that they are “source of trouble.” It seems for Delhi only the land of Jammu and Kashmir is its integral part while the denizens of this unfortunate land are nothing…

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Music concert “SaMaPa Aalap” held at Manasbal

Editor

The third session of the Music Concert SaMaPa Aalap was held today at Sainik School Manasbal. The music festival is being organised by SaMaPa (Sopori Academy of Music and Performing Arts) in collaboration with Divisional/District Administration, Department of Information and Public Relations, Department of Tourism, Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Radio Kashmir and Doordarshan Srinagar. The musical events are being held across Kashmir from 16th to 26th March 2016. District Development Commissioner, Ganderbal, Showkat Aijaz Bhat was the chief guest on the occasion. The programme was witnessed by more…

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Show respect to laws outside state ; BJP suggests Kashmiri students

Editor

Bharatya Janta Party (BJP) Friday asked the students from Jammu and Kashmir studying in educational institutions outside the State to show respect and regard to the laws to ‘enhance the image of JK in the eyes of nation.’ The students of JK studying outside the state belonging to any religion or region are ambassadors of the State and they should conduct themselves in manner befitting the persons belonging to State with rich heritage and dedication to nationalism, BJP State, chief spokesperson, Sunil Sethi said. Sethi noted that lawlessness or anti-national…

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Fresh snow adds cheer as ski course ends in Gulmarg

Editor

The Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering (IISM) completed its sixth skiing course of the season at Gulmarg skiing resort in north Kashmir. “The fresh snowfall brought in cheer and facilitated the IISM to complete its 6th ski course successfully. Today, more than 80 students passed out from the IISM completing a two-week ski course here in Gulmarg,” IISM Principal Col JS Dhillon said. Speaking on the occasion, Cable Car Corporation General Manager Riyaz Ahmad Malik, who was the chief guest, said the institute was not only promoting adventure tourism…

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‘Tour operators should promote archaeological sites, artifacts’

Editor

We also need to tap media for tourism promotion: TASK Director Tourism Kashmir Mahmood A Shah urged travel agents and hoteliers to promote State’s rich art, culture, heritage and archeological sites along with the natural landscape which the place is bestowed with. Mahmood Shah was interacting with the travel trade and hospitality sector at a dinner party here at Hotel Royal Batoo on Thursday evening. The dinner was hosted by Travel Agents Society of Kashmir (TASK) for the media fraternity from Indore. The journalists from Indore who are here on…

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Flower cultivators suffer losses due to dry winter

Editor

The dry winter season in Jammu has affected the flower growers as the yield has been low this year with farmers suffering huge losses. Most of the cultivators, especially involved in marigold crop, used mainly in religious and marriage functions, has faced maximum burnt as the flower size is very small. This has pushed the prices down forcing cultivators to sell their produce at cheaper rates. Around 1,000 hectors of land is under the cultivation of different varieties of flowers, particularly marigold, jasmine, aster, rose, chrysanthemum and tuberose in J&K.…

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