Month: May 2016

Will protect special status of J&K: CM

Editor

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said she would protect the special status guaranteed to Jammu and Kashmir under article 370 of the Constitution, as she was promise-bound and cannot betray the people. “When we fight elections, be it BJP or Congress or PDP, we take oath that we will protect the constitutions of India and J-K. So, we are promise-bound and we cannot betray. This is our identity and we have to protect it,” Mehbooba said. She was addressing a gathering before flagging-off four new DEMU trains between Banihal-Baramulla…

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Chenani-Nashri road gives travellers a bumpy ride

Editor

The Chenani-Nashri stretch on the national highway via Patnitop has become a victim of the government’s apathy. Travellers have to bear the brunt of the bumpy road stretch of 41 km. With all eyes on the inauguration of country’s longest tunnel from Chenani to Nashri, which will reduce the distance of more than 30 km on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway bypassing Kud, Patnitop and Batote, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has ignored the stretch of 41 km from Chenani to Nashri via Patnitop. Patnitop fails to attract tourists…

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With NEET order due, JK Students stare at uncertainty

Editor

At a medical college in Srinagar, students anxiously wait for the outcome of the Jammu and Kashmir government’s plea in the Supreme Court in which the state has challenged the top court’s order on the National Eligibility Entrance Tests or NEET. The case will come up for hearing today. The most worried are female doctors and aspiring medical students because Jammu and Kashmir is only state which reserved 50 per cent seats only for women in medical colleges – a quota that NEET doesn’t provide. “Why have women who have…

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Young pacer denied visa NOC by JKCA to play in England

Editor

Mehjoor Ali Sofi, an ambitious young bowler from the valley, who has represented the state in numerous competitions in India, was denied his golden chance by the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) to start his career in the English domestic cricket. The fast bowler has to his recorded impressive stats by featuring in five Twenty20 matches, 4 List A competitions and one Ranji tournament. Considering this, Sofi was ought to be picked by the Easton Tigers Bristol Cricket Club for the Premier Division One cricket league, scheduled to start…

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Drinking water coolers cry for repair, cleanliness

Editor

Even as the temperature has touched 40°C in Jammu, about 100 drinking water coolers installed by the Municipal Corporation in the city remain dry in want of repair. In most parts of the city, water coolers are in a very bad condition and stagnant water and garbage lay outside them, giving a repulsive sight to people passing through the area. Most of the coolers were installed after 2005, when the municipal elections were conducted and councillors used their ward development funds to install them in various parts of the city.…

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Thai delegation, PHD chamber agree to strengthen business ties

Editor

The Thailand Board of Investment (TBI) and PHD Chamber of Commerce, Kashmir Chapter held a meeting here today to explore business opportunities. Talking to reporters after the meeting, TBI deputy secretary general Chokedee Kaewsang, who led the 24 member Thai delegation, said they would explore business opportunities in the Valley especially related to tourism. Chairman, PHD Chamber of Commerce, Kashmir chapter, Mushtaq Ahmad Chaya said Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was keen to develop the industrial infrastructure in the state and today’s meeting would lay the foundation towards the direction. Speaking…

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Composite township plan for KPs unjustified: Hurriyat (G)

Editor

Terming as “unjustified” the “rigidness” of the Government of India on the setting up of the composite township for the migrant Kashmiri Pandits, the Hurriyat Conference (G) today cautioned that the “division” of Kashmiris on religious lines and isolation of the Pandits from the society would not be allowed. Rejecting the statement of the union minister of state (MoS) for Home Hari bhai Parathi bhai Chaudhary in the Parliament that the plan of establishing the separate townships for the Kashmiri migrant Pandits in the valley is still under consideration and…

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J&K High Court puts lens on outside suppliers over food adulteration

Editor

Jammu and Kashmir High Court Wednesday directed the Government to provide full particulars of outside companies supplying food items to Jammu and Kashmir. “Commissioner Food Safety shall provide full information and particulars of those food manufacturers, suppliers, persons, companies who originate from outside the state and supply food items to Jammu and Kashmir,” a division bench of Justices Muzaffar Hussain Attar and Ali Muhammad Magrey said in its order. Hearing a Public Interest Litigation against food adulteration, the court directed the Food Commissioner to provide similar information about Jammu division.…

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NC, PDP, Cong acting as New Delhi’s collaborators: Rasheed

Editor

Warns New Delhi of dire consequences over NEET, separate township issue AIP chief and MLA Langate Er Rasheed Wednesday said NC and Congress have no moral right to condemn or accuse PDP as all these three parties have acted as “collaborators” of New Delhi and were responsible for creation of “Kashmir dispute”. While addressing a public gathering at Qammar in Verinag, Er Rasheed asked people to get united “to get rid of these anti-Kashmiri forces”. “The lust of power among NC and PDP has reduced the regional parties to the…

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Bollywood flick Sargoshiyan about Kashmir in last leg of production

Editor

Anupam Kher speaks in isolation, can’t generalize his views, say veteran actor Alok Nath The upcoming Bollywood movie Sargoshiyan which is being shot extensively in Kashmir, has reached the last leg of its production. The film’s lead actor and producer Imran Khan, along with veteran actor Alok Nath during a promotional event at the SKICC Wednesday said that their stay in the valley has changed their perception about the place. The movie’s female lead, Sara Khan was also present during the press conference. Nath, who has come back to the…

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