Month: June 2016

Wular Lake shrinking due to human settlement: Govt

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Government on Monday admitted that Wular Lake has been shrinking due to illegal human settlement over the past few decades. In a written reply to Zafar Iqbal Manhas, Minister for Forests, Choudhary Lal Singh said the net demarcated area of Wular Lake is 130 square kilometres, out of which an area of approximately one square kilometre is under illegal human settlements for the past few decades. “The Wular Lake receives approximately 80 percent water from rivers and streams from the south, central and most parts of North Kashmir. The water…

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Geelani, Mirwaiz, Yasin bat for liquor Ban, KEA protest against Sale

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‘Alcohol promotion will hurt sentiments of Muslims’ Demanding complete ban on sale and consumption of liquor in J&K, several separatist leaders on Monday said Jammu and Kashmir is a Muslim-majority state and the stand taken by PDP-BJP government regarding liquor promotion “will hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims.” In a joint statement, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani, Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik said if this substance can be banned in Bihar and Kerala, why can’t it be done in Muslim…

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624 MW Kiru hydel project gets green nod

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The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has given clearance to the 624-MW Kiru hydroelectric project in the state. The forest clearance for the Rs 4,640.88-crore project has already been accorded by the state government on May 19. The green clearance for the project is a major achievement for the Chenab Valley Power Projects (CVPP) which took it over from the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) in June 2013. Now, within three years, it has obtained all major approvals. The project is likely to be completed in 54…

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‘Hindustan Construction Company polluting our water resources’

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Bandipora village bears costs of Kishanganga Power Project Inhabitants of a Bandipora village are up in arms against Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) for polluting the water resources of the area. Residents of Pazalpora village told Kashmir POST that the company has polluted the main source of water from where the water is supplied to the village for drinking purpose. “Since the work on construction of the 330 megawatt Kishanganga power project started the water resources of the area either started depleting or they got polluted by the heavy machinery used…

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CAG pulls up J&K Government on Food Security Act

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The Comptroller and Auditor General has pulled up the the Jammu and Kashmir government for “undue delay” in implementation of National Food Security Act and also criticised the public distribution department for “not reviewing” earlier the list of BPL families. Taking into consideration the census figures of 2011, the CAG report tabled in the state Assembly here today said 26 per cent of the population in the state remained out of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) coverage. The shortfall in allocation vis-a-vis requirement ranged between 31 and 36 per cent…

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No takers for Drabu’s ‘right to drink’ diktat in Kashmir : Liquor ban

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Jammu and Kashmir government’s stand ruling out ban on sale or trade of liquor in the state has evoked strong condemnation from Kashmir’s powerful clergy, civil society, sections of academia and the pro-Azaadi camp led by the Srinagar-based cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. During the Zero Hour in the Jammu & Kashmir legislative council, finance minister Haseeb Drabu said, “There is a demand for banning liquor but I believe that the issue needs to be addressed on the basis of freedom of choice”. While ruling out a ban on liquor, Drabu…

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National Conference walks out over ‘bias’ against Kashmir

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Claims discrimination over sanctioning of IIT and IIM The National Conference (NC) led by its working president Omar Abdullah staged a walkout from the Assembly here today over the alleged discrimination against Kashmir in sanctioning of an IIT and IIM. Senior NC leader Ali Mohammad Sagar criticised the PDP-BJP government for adopting a discriminatory approach towards Kashmir, particularly in the case of sanctioning an IIM last year, while referring to the earlier case of central universities in both Kashmir and Jammu regions. “The government’s replies on these issues are unfortunately…

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Violence hurting JK’s economy : Mehbooba Mufti

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Against the backdrop of terror attack on CRPF bus, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said violence is hurting the state’s economic interests, with tourism being the biggest casualty, and sought the support of the people in maintaining peace. “Unfortunately, the state’s tourism and business fraternity has to suffer the brunt when atmosphere of peace is disturbed in the valley by violent incidents,” Ms Mufti said while talking to the members of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Tourism, Transport and Culture in Srinagar. She noted that tourism is directly…

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Govt departments oppose Army firing range in Gurez

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Allotment of alternate site in Leh subject of Home department clearance Several government departments have strongly opposed the setting up of the proposed field firing range in Gurez area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district citing serious consequences of any such move. The state government is exploring possibilities of setting up field firing range (FFR) for Army’s artillery exercises after the army submitted a detailed proposal for the allotment of a huge chunk of land in Gurez Valley for this purpose. Departments including PHE, Tourism, Forest, Wildlife, Executive Engineer Special Sub-Division…

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People who voted Drabu to power bigger sinners than him: Asiya Andrabi

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Chairperson of Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM), Syeda Aasiya Andrabi, on Sunday said that a person who helps a sinner is worse than the sinner itself. Andrabi was hinting at the State Finance Minister, Dr Haseeb Drabu, for his anti-ban views on alcohol. “We must introspect that who we are voting to power. We must know the person who how Drabu to power is a bigger sinner than him,” Andrabi said, while speaking at a one-day seminar “Shahr-e-Ramadan-Shahr-e-Al-Qur’an” organized by the DeM here in Srinagar. “Pro-India politicians belonging to any party have nothing…

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