Month: March 2016

Srinagar airport ready for night flights; AAI

Editor

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) today said Srinagar International Airport was ready for operation of night flights. “Basically, we are ready, the infrastructure is ready. Since this airport is a civil enclave, it was supposed to be cleared by the Indian Air Force and the IAF has already cleared it for night operations up to 10 pm,” Director, Airports Authority of India, RK Shinde, told reporters here. Shinde said it was for those airlines, “which are interested in commencing the operations, to take a call. The only thing that…

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Mehbooba Mufti hints at continuing alliance with BJP

Editor

PDP Chief and Mufti Sayeed’s daughter Mehbooba today met with Governor NN Vohra to discuss political situation in Jammu and Kashmir. After suspense of two months, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Friday hinted at going ahead with forming government with BJP, saying she was “not afraid” of criticism over it but wanted the Centre to send out a “signal” that it will do “everything” for the welfare of people of the state. Hours later, she met Governor N N Vohra for an hour and discussed “political issues” and “various challenges”…

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NC equally responsible for NFSA issue : Er Rasheed

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AIP Supremo Er Rasheed has accused NC and PDP of misleading and cheating Kashmiris for their vested political interests. Addressing party workers in Pattan today Er Rasheed asked Omar Abdullah not to run-away from owning responsibility of preparing ground for implementing NFSA. He said, “Unfortunately Kashmiri leaders have a firm faith that memory of Kashmiris is very short, that is why NC is crossing all the limits and ignoring the fact that then CAPD Minister was holding fort nightly meetings to discuss implementation of NFSA. It was late Mufti Sahib who…

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Documentary depicting plight of Kashmiri children released

Editor

APHC Chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq released a documentary titled “Children in Conflict-Torn Kashmir” in Srinagar to highlight the plight of children affected by the Kashmir dispute. The film depicts the plight of children and highlights the behaviour of Indian Army, police and paramilitary personnel in the Indian Held Kashmir (IHK), KMS reported. The 20-minute documentary shows both physical and psychological trauma suffered by children in occupied Kashmir. The documentary is full of emotional scenes and shows a mother, whose two children have died due to the explosion of littered shells…

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HC tells union leaders to go to schools to teach students; Transfer row

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Dismisses Abdul Qayoom’s two petitions challenging his detachment, transfer order In a setback to trade unions and various teachers, who have been resisting transfers, the state High Court today dismissed two writ petitions of trade union leaders and Teachers Forum chairman Abdul Qayoom, wherein he had challenged his detachment as well as transfer orders. Coming hard on unionism, which has paralysed several government departments in the state, the High Court observed that the “union leaders will also have to go to schools to teach students” as “they are really being…

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Jammer procured for Mehbooba’s security from US

Editor

As the stalemate continues over government formation in J&K, the state government has strengthened the security of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti by importing an advanced convoy jammer from the US. The jammer worth Rs 2 crore was imported four months ago. It prevents improvised explosive device from being set off and also blocks mobile network signals. “Earlier, the jammer was missing several frequencies so we had to procure a new, more portable jammer worth Rs 2 crore from the US,” said a senior security official wishing anonymity.…

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Hefty charges force residents to use no-parking zones

Editor

The unholy nexus between parking contractors and the authorities has led to overcharging and corruption in the winter capital of the state. Residents of the city, which is already facing parking crunch, are being forced to pay hefty charges for vehicle parking. Jammu might be facing a huge parking crunch, but despite having space in the parking zones, people prefer to park their vehicles at “no-parking zones” in Jammu. The reason is not that they don’t want to pay for the parking, but the hefty parking charges irk them. The…

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Atul felicitated for bagging silver medal in world taekwondo championship

Editor

Atul Pangotra has made J&K proud once again by winning a silver medal in the individual men senior taekwondo (pomsae) event during the World Taekwondo Hanmandang-2016 at Pokhra, Nepal. Director General, Youth Services and Sports, Jenab Jahangir Mir felicitated Atul Pangotra, NIS- qualified coach, international player and referee, for the outstanding performance in the World Taekwondo Hanmandang-2016 at Pokhra, Nepal. Atul Pangotra is working in the Youth Services and Sports Department as a physical education teacher. He has already played in more than 50 international championships. Prof Ashutosh Sharma, general…

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Unusual warm weather worries orchardists

Editor

The exceptional increase in the day temperature has worried the farming community in the Valley. As a result of the unusual increase in maximum temperature, the apple farmers across Kashmir have started spraying tree oil before schedule. The Horticulture Department has, however, issued advisories and urged the orchardists not to spray tree oil or other pesticides before schedule. The plains in the Kashmir valley are experiencing exceptionally high day temperature. In Srinagar and other parts of the Valley, the day temperature has remained 20°C and above in the past week,…

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No hope for a Kashmiri

Editor

Middle East couldn”t be our savior – thanks to official apathy! Dr. Rumana Makhdoomi As you land in Saudi Arabia right from the airport, you are greeted by Urdu/Hindi speaking people who happily help you carry your luggage or guide you to the nearest ‘Gate’.  You pay them a little sum and they give you a warm smile.  When you hire a cab to your destination, the driver invariably turns out to be a ‘Pathan’ speaking fluent ‘Pushtu’ or a very accented ‘Urdu’.  And, if you don’t encounter a ‘Pathan’,…

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