Month: March 2016

Parking remains a pain in Jammu

Editor

The civic bodies fail to construct enough parking lots in the city. Not only this, most of the parking lots have been given on contract by the Jammu Municipal Corporation (MC) and Jammu Development Authority (JDA) to private contractors, who charge at their will from people for parking vehicles. Nobody is there to keep a check on them. Nearly five lakh vehicles are on roads and there is not enough parking space created by the government bodies. Little consideration has been paid to parking while building big shopping complexes and…

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Expert panel to help walnut, Kernel sector

Editor

Governor NN Vohra has directed the Agriculture Production Department to establish a committee of experts to look into all problems being faced by the walnut and kernel sector in the state. The committee will be headed by Prof Nazeer Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir, said a Raj Bhawan spokesperson. It will include the Director, Horticulture (Planning and Marketing), J&K; Director, Horticulture, Kashmir; Director, Horticulture, Jammu; Director, Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture, Kashmir; representatives of the industry and any other officer who may require to…

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Madhav to visit Jammu to tackle infighting over portfolios

Editor

Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Ram Madhav will be reaching Jammu on March 30, his second visit here in a week since the process of government formation began in the state. Sources say Madhav’s visit is aimed at overcoming the infighting in the BJP cadre over distribution of portfolios and inclusion of fresh faces in the Cabinet. It was apparent that all was not well with the BJP when former Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh went to give the letter of support to Governor NN Vohra on March 25 while…

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New National Highway leaves people jobless

Editor

Tourists and pilgrims deprived of picnic spots on Jammu-Srinagar stretch The newly constructed Jammu-Srinagar highway that opened for vehicular movement in March 2015 has brought a new dimension to commuting with four-laned traffic movement making it fast and quick. This left behind certain important spots bypassed in the process that used to be tourists’ delight while commuting on the old highway. Nandini and Jhajhharkotli, the two important sojourn spots for the tourists moving from Jammu to Srinagar, had been important stopovers for tourists for many reasons. Nandini, 28 km from…

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Hepatitis ‘on rise’, but JK continues with ‘outdated’ testing technique

Editor

Despite evidence suggesting that Hepatitis-C infection is on rise in many parts of Jammu and Kashmir, the Health authorities in the State continue to test blood samples through “less-effective but cheaper technologies”, thus risking lives of hundreds of patients while allowing spread of the disease. Official data points to an increasing incidence of Hepatitis B and C infections— commonly spread through blood—in the Valley. The Kashmir Centre of Integrated Disease Surveillance Program—in its Activity Report for 2015—states that 262 cases of Hepatitis (both B and C) were reported from Kashmir…

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In JK, New Delhi’s key infrastructure, energy projects hit by delays

Editor

The Government of India’s key infrastructure projects in J&K have been hit by delays, raising questions on the central government’s promises to bring about socio- economic development in the State, according to officials. A cursory look at the mega central-sector projects being executed in the State reveals that all of them have failed to meet deadlines fixed for their commissioning. The projects—which could have been of immense benefit to over 1. 25 crore souls of the State—are being executed at a snail’s pace, with interventions from top offices including the…

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Centre may add to PM Modi’s J&K package: Jaitley

Editor

Pledging full support to the new PDP-BJP government to be formed in Jammu and Kashmir, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday said the Centre may add to the Prime Minister’s Rs. 80,000 cr package announced in November last if resources permit. “There are two guiding factors. One is the agenda for governance and one is the Prime Minister’s package. There is so much in the Prime Minister’s package that even if our resources permit us year to year, we will add to it,” he told PTI in an interaction. “Therefore,…

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‘Pakharpora has all what film industry requires’

Editor

Scenic Pakharpora in central Kashmir’s Budgam may get a huge boost in the days to come as it has all what the film industry requires for shooting. This was stated by Bollywood actor-turned producer, while addressing a function to promote rural tourism at Pakharpora, which was organised by the National Welfare Forum on Friday. Bollywood producer, who is shooting a film, “Sargoshaiyan”, said Pakharpora was a unique destination with a virgin beauty that had never been shot by the film industry. “Since ’60s Bollywood has been shooting films at famous…

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If the Kashmiris cheer for Afridi’s team, can we blame them?

Editor

Was Shahid Afridi right in saying that the support his Pakistani team got in India was from Kashmiris? BCCI grandee and BJP MP Anurag Thakur said Afridi was “politically incorrect” to have said it. Perhaps, but was he factually correct? Apparently. The Times of India’s Twitter account for sports ran a clip headlined: “WATCH: Fans from Kashmir bat for Pakistan cricket team ahead of Australia clash in Mohali.” The Kashmiri fans concerned said they would support Pakistan even over India. This may not surprise many readers. In one of his…

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Avalanche hit in north Kashmir, killing two BRO labours

Editor

Two people were killed on Sunday when an avalanche hit a place near Sadhna Pass in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, a police officer said. “Two civilians, who were working as Beacon (Border Roads Organisation) labourers, came under an avalanche during snow clearance operation at Khooni Nallah near Sadhna Pass,” the officer who did not want to be named because he was not authorised talk to the press said. The official said they two were rescued but they died at a hospital. The divisional administration issued a medium danger avalanche warning…

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