Month: June 2016

SMC gets two complexes for displaced traders

Editor

The Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency (JKERA) today handed over two rehabilitation complexes — namely Rambagh and Jehangir Chowk rehabilitation complexes — constructed by it with a cost of Rs 100 crore to the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC). An ERA spokesman said the complexes had been set up for the rehabilitation of shopkeepers getting displaced due to the construction of the Rambagh–Jehangir Chowk Flyover in Srinagar city. During a function held here that was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, and Chief Executive Officer, J&K, ERA, Vinod Sharma,…

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No option but to attack policemen : Burhan Wani

Editor

Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani has released a video in which he has said the policemen have been supporting India and militants have no option but to attack them. In the over six-minute video, which features Burhan and is being circulated through social networking sites, he says that militants have no plan to attack the annual Amarnath yatra. “In our last video, we had warned them (police) and asked them to stay away from anti-militancy operations, but they didn’t give any heed. We are forced to attack the men in…

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Shocker! After power cuts, comes proposal for 13.5% tariff hike

Editor

While sweltering heat and humid conditions have made life of the residents miserable and they daily battle with unscheduled power cuts, the government is working on burdening them with hike in power tariff. The PDP-BJP coalition government is pressing for immediate approval for 13.5 per cent hike in electricity tariff from the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC), proposal for which has been submitted by the Power Development Department (PDD). Officials said as the gap between revenue and supply of power was increasing alarmingly burdening the state’s economy, the coalition government…

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Ration depots in valley without sugar supply during Ramadan

Editor

With Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Department’s inordinate delay in tendering and procurement, ration depots across Kashmir valley are without any sugar supplies from last four months. Despite the beginning of Ramadan, the month of Muslim fasting, which would witness extra sugar ration to the consumers from the government, this year the public is yet to receive its regular supplies. Consumer from across the valley have been calling this newspaper complaining about the non-availability of sugar in ration depots and rising prices of the sweet commodity in the open…

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Abhinav Yatra organizers visit South Kashmir temples to mobilize people

Editor

Acharaya Abhinav Gupt Sheshadri Samroh Samiti – a New Delhi based organization which is planning to undertake a Yatra to a cave in Beerwa area of Budgam district has been visiting various temples and minority transit camps across South Kashmir to mobilize the Pandit community for the yatra. The yatra is being organized for the first time and after holding Pooja at Kheer Bawani in Ganderbal on June 10, it will proceed towards Abhinav Gupt cave the next day ( June 11). The Yatra, according to Samiti, will be open…

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‘Tarawih’ prayers mark beginning of Ramadan

Editor

The holy month of Ramadan is all set to start from Tuesday as the devout thronged the mosques all across the Kashmir valley to offer ‘tarawih’ prayers in the night. Muslims will be observing fasts for a month from Tuesday as the summer season has started to peak in the Valley. However, people are upbeat about Ramadan and were seen greeting each other on the eve of the holy month. Greetings were also doing rounds on the social networking sites. A festive atmosphere was witnessed at the markets as people…

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Chief Minister blames opposition, media for trying to put Kashmir ‘on fire’

Editor

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday hit out at the opposition and the media for playing up sensitive issues like setting up a separate enclave for army personnel to “paint Kashmir in a bad light”. “I do not know what these newspapers want. Do they want to set the state on fire? They should have investigated before publishing the story,” Mufti said in the state assembly. The chief minister’s angry outburst came after Independent legislator Engineer Rashid rushed to the speaker’s podium waving a copy of a…

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No respite from heat wave in Jammu region till June 12

Editor

The plains of Jammu are experiencing severe heat wave conditions and there seems to be no respite for the region till June 12, after which weatherman expects some rains. The maximum temperature between June 6 and 12 is expected to remain between 40°C and 43°C. As per the forecast by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature will hover between 24°C and 26°C. Across the city the sweltering heat has affected the normal life as people prefer to move outside their homes in the morning or evening hours only…

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Rise in airfares as tourist season peaks

Editor

Rising airfares have started playing a damper on tourism in Kashmir even as the sector was on a path of revival this year after setback suffered in 2014 due to devastating floods. Tickets to a few cities are even costlier than international flights. This has made Valley’s tourism players lose sleep. Despite raising the matter several times with the Centre and state, the issue of soaring airfares continues to bother the stakeholders. “If you want to book now, the cheapest ticket to New Delhi these days costs more than Rs…

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Mehbooba and Omar spar over Sainik Colony Issue

Editor

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah exchanged heated words in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly on Monday morning and the war of words eventually escalated on Twitter The two leaders had sparred earlier in the day over the issue of Sainik colonies (residential complex for former servicemen) in the state. Mufti accused the latter of spreading rumours about her on social media platform, to which Abdullah quickly retaliated saying, “I know you will be happy if I delete my Twitter account”. People’s Democratic…

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