Month: April 2016

Flood victims rue end of Governor Rule

Editor

With Governor Rule coming to an end recently, the authorities have stopped to disburse the rehabilitation amounts in favour of flood victims of September 2014. Hundreds of cases of flood victims are still pending in the district administration offices. Not satisfied with the assurances and re-assurances from the authorities, flood victims from various areas have also recently staged protest demonstrations. On March 2, when state was under governor’s rule, following the approval of the State Administrative Council the Revenue Department has issued orders to the payment of financial assistance, under…

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50 Outstation students identified for indulging in NIT Vandalism

Editor

Ensuring discipline in campus will remain our priority: Director The NIT administration and police have identified 50 non local students, who indulged in vandalism in the campus and damaged the furniture of the institute and vehicles after the March 31 protests following India’s loss to West Indies in WorldT20 semi final match. The students will face arrests and the NIT is also mulling to rusticate them. Officials said even as NIT had deployed its private security in the campus to contain the protests. “However, the non-local students had resorted to…

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The journey from bullets to ballots : Amanullah Khan

Editor

Kashmiris usually are sceptical about their leaders. In the last 462 years, ever since Mughal Emperor Akbar captured and exiled their last king Yusuf Shah Chak by deceit, they yearn for someone who holds his/her head high against any authority. Most leaders, who started as crusaders in this region, have later succumbed to the lure of power and easy life, leaving people in the lurch. Amanullah Khan, 82, co-founder of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), who had passed away in Rawalpindi on April 26, remained a thorn for India…

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City comes to a grinding halt, Traffic diversion plan leads to massive traffic jam across city

Editor

Rambagh-Jehangir Chowk Flyover Construction Traffic diversion plan leads to massive traffic jam across city Soon after the closure of Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover road and the implementation of the much awaited Traffic diversion plan, huge traffic jams Wednesday hit city which resulted to nuisance to commuters. Commuters had to take alternative routes to reach their respective destinations. Thousands of vehicles which were on way to Srinagar from Pulwama, Budgam , and north Kashmir remained stranded in traffic jams for hours in the morning at Patha Chowk, Bemina, Hyderpora, Tengporo, Nowgam, Parimpora,…

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Journalists: The unsung heroes

Editor

Gowhar Geelani Internationally acclaimed organisation Reporters Without Borders (RWB) recently released its 2016 World Press Freedom Index (WPFI), which again highlighted the fact that journalists across the globe are vulnerable to physical attacks, murders, injuries, kidnapping, intimidation and various kinds of pulls and pressures from both state as well as non-state actors. Understandably, the situation for journalists discharging their professional duties in conflict zones such as Syria, Ukraine and Kashmir continues to be depressing as they face wrath from various actors and the vested interests. Journalists working in restive regions…

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Don’t give special treatment to kin of babus : CM

Editor

Taking a serious note of unpunctuality in government offices, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has issued directions that attendance of all employees should be checked thoroughly and without any consideration given to anyone related to persons holding high public offices. She has also directed that no ‘special treatment’ should be given to such persons for availing benefits and accessing services available to the citizens under the framework laid down. “In order to ensure punctuality in government offices and for promoting a transparent work culture, the Chief Minister has directed that attendance…

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Two Kashmiri docs in race for PGI top post

Editor

Two senior Kashmiri doctors are in race for coveted post of Director, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. Director, North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), Shillong, Dr AG Ahangar and Director, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Dr Showkat Zargar, have submitted their applications for the Director’s post of the PGIMER. The tenure of the present director Professor Yogesh Chawla is ending on October 7. The last date of the applications was April 20. Professor Ahangar was working as the…

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Committee set up to preserve Dal Lake

Editor

The state government today constituted a high-level monitoring committee for the preservation and protection of the Dal Lake in Srinagar. The committee has been assigned the task to devise a permanent mechanism for preserving and protecting the lake. It would monitor and oversee the implementation of this mechanism. The 11-member committee comprises Chief Secretary, J&K, as its chairman, Financial Commissioner, Planning and Development Department, Director General of Police (DGP), J&K, Principal Secretary, Forest Department, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, commissioner/secretaries of housing and urban development, finance and law, justice and parliamentary affairs…

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Handwara girl seeks SWC help for release from police detention

Editor

The girl from Handwara, who has been at the centre of the controversy that led to five civilian deaths in Kupwara district, has once again again sought the intervention of J&K State Women’s Commission (SWC) for her release from police detention along with her father. The girl wrote a letter to SWC Chairperson, Nayeema Mehjoor for the second time in this regard. Human rights organization, Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) has been providing legal assistance to the girl and her family. Programme Coordinator of JKCCS, Khurram Parvaiz said:…

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Amitabh Mattoo named advisor to Mehbooba Mufti

Editor

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday named noted academic Amitabh Mattoo as an advisor to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti with the status of a cabinet minister, official sources said. Mattoo also served as advisor to chief minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, who died on January 7. A Kashmiri Pandit, his parents did not leave the Kashmir Valley after militancy erupted in 1989-90 and his mother continued to teach in a local college till her retirement. During his last tenure as advisor to the chief minister, Mattoo did not draw any…

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