Month: May 2016

No Successor to Geelani during his lifetime

Editor

‘Hurriyat will elect my successor through consultation process after my death’ • Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute • JK should not be brought under NEET • Handwara girl should be released Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani Monday said that he would continue to lead the party and the separatist conglomerate and sis successor would be appointed only after his death. “I would continue to lead as head of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat as well as Hurriyat Conference (APHC),” Geelani said while addressing a press conference at Hyderpora residence, here.…

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Heat wave intensifies, Jammu sizzles at 42°C

Editor

Severe heat wave gripped Jammu today with the day’s temperature soaring to 42°C — six degrees above normal. Weatherman said people might get respite with light rains expected on Tuesday evening, but during the next two weeks, the maximum temperature is likely to show an upward trend. Within the city, the condition was made worse by hot winds blowing throughout the day which forced people to remain indoors in comfort of their coolers and air conditioners. Temperature in the region has been rising steadily since the last week of April…

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Growing local support for militancy has worried J&K Cops

Editor

Two months ago in the February chill, when most people usually stay warm inside with their kangris, a group of Kalashnikov wielding militants on motor bicycles stomped through a massive funeral for a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist in a village graveyard of Pulwama in south Kashmir. They fired several rounds in the air and left the venue immediately, leaving many in the funeral enthralled and chattering about it for several days. Just like their predecessors in 1990, the new generation militants have come to be seen as heroes with a cult following…

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‘Traffic regulation would be improved from today’

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Inspector General of Police (Traffic) Shafqat Watali on Sunday said that there would be improvement in traffic regulation in the summer capital from May 2. Watali was interacting with representatives of civil society, traders and transporters here. He was flanked by SSP Traffic (City) Maqsood-ul-Zaman. “We welcome your valuable suggestions and ensure that these would be incorporated to make traffic regulation better. You will experience considerable improvement in traffic regulation from May 2,” he said during the interaction. The IGP maintained that the Traffic diversion plan has “no loopholes.’ “But…

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Jammu sizzles at 41° Celsius

Editor

The state’s winter capital Jammu experienced another hot day today with the mercury rising to 41 degree Celsius, five notches above normal. The maximum temperature was recorded at 41.2 degrees Celsius, 5 notches above normal while the minimum settled at 23 degrees Celsius, two notches above normal for this time of the year,” an official from weather department said. Meanwhile, the comparatively colder Chenab valley region also experienced a steep rise in day temperature. Mountainous Bhaderwah town recorded 30.5 degree maximum temperature and 10.2 degree Celsius minimum temperature, Banihal recorded…

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Nightmare of nightmares in J&K

Editor

Arun Joshi Kashmir is a paradise on earth — a poetic statement that lifts our spirits and imagination and throws us back to the Mughal era, invoking the irresistible charm of the beauty of forests, mountains, rivers and lakes in the Valley. The Valley retains much of its charm for tourists despite loot of forests and unending greed of encroachers stretching up to water bodies with the help of the bribery-driven system. This is good news. The bad news is: travelling on the road to Kashmir is a nightmare of…

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A new future for Kashmir

Editor

Rajni Shaleen Chopra My Sunday musings began with a tweet by a Kashmiri who writes under the pen-name Ibne battuta. His comment: ‘Damn the system, label it everything you can, and then seek help from it. Love your hypocrisy’. If the same had been stated by a mainland Indian, Kashmir would have been outraged. The sarcasm of a fellow Kashmiri may evoke some introspection. Meanwhile, comments of Kashmiris on social media have made me introspect. A popular Kashmiri poet noted after the Friday namaz: ‘Just met a person who said,…

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Candidates who applied for NEET-I ineligible for NEET-II

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Medical education aspirants in Jammu and Kashmir—who had applied or appeared for an all-India level examination held on May 1—are virtually in a state of shock as they have been declared ineligible for the proposed second phase of the examination to be held in July this year. A fresh communication from All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) has declared students ineligible for National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET)–II—the medical entrance examination that has replaced Common Entrance Test (CET) for entry to medical colleges in India, including those in Jammu and Kashmir. A…

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Travel to Kashmir: CM for changing negative perception

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‘Exchange programs will help remove travel advisories on JK’ Interacts with Australian delegation Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti Sunday said the interaction between stakeholders at various levels will help change negative perception about travelling to Kashmir. Mehbooba called for greater cultural exchanges, initiatives and assistance programmes to bolster key areas like education, skill development and tourism in the state. The chief minister made these observations during a meeting with a high-level Australian business delegation here this evening. Laying impetus on greater interface between students, entrepreneurs and travel industry of J&K and…

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Srinagar to get Rs 100 cr, Jammu Rs 200 cr for development

Editor

Jammu and Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar continues to get a raw deal in funding for development works, notwithstanding the PDP-BJP government’s Common Minimum Program (CMP) that “assures” equitable and balanced development in all parts of State. As the incumbent regime—like its predecessor NC-Congress government—is banking on obsolete methods to work-out the district-sector allocations, Srinagar is again at receiving end with the district likely to get Rs 100 crore for 2016-17. On the other hand, Jammu would get the highest funding among 22 districts of the State at Rs 200 crore.…

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