Year: 2016

Heavy rush in markets as Eid nears

Editor

With just two days to go for Eid-ul-Fitr, markets across the Valley, including summer capital Srinagar, wore a festive look today as people came out in large numbers for shopping. The business hub Lal Chowk, Goni Khan and Maharaja Bazar witnessed heavy rush of people buying essential items for the Eid which is scheduled to be celebrated on July 6 or 7 depending on the appearance of the crescent as Muslims follow the lunar calendar. Bakeries, confectioneries, toy shops witnessed a heavy rush of customers as the locals started preparing…

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Schools violate govt order, hold exams during summer vacations

Editor

In a blatant violation of government order, the private schools in city and other parts of valley have scheduled the Term 1 exams for students from July 1, the day government announced vacations for the educational institutions up to the Higher Secondary level. The move comes despite the clear cut directions from the government to close the schools for summer vacations and wherein the schools have been warned of strict action in case of any default on the part by any private school (s) in observance of the calendar of…

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Hurriyat criticises Mehbooba Mufti over remark on strike calls

Editor

Hardline separatists have criticised Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti over her remarks on strike calls, saying that the “shutdowns were a lesser available resistance option”. “The reason behind the economic crisis is occupation by India which is looting and plundering the natural resources of this land,” a statement released by hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference said today. “The shutdowns over which Mehbooba is so fuming and criticising the pro-freedom people are a lesser available resistance option with us. If it would have been in the hands of the Kashmiris, they…

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Omar meets Guv, says majority voice ignored in state legislature

Editor

National Conference working president Omar Abdullah today led a delegation of his party legislators to Raj Bhawan and submitted two memorandums to Governor NN Vohra in which they claimed that the government ignored “the majority voice” in the House. Omar led the delegation to protest the PDP-BJP coalition government’s referral of the Land Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016, to the Select Committee of the House. In a statement, the NC said the delegation submitted two memorandums regarding “the government’s sabotage of the Land Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016, and the regressive, overt…

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Patients at risk as ‘lethal’ injection supplied under ‘non-lethal’ tag

Editor

Anesthesia drug available as ‘muscle relaxant’ in govt hospitals The patients are facing life-threat at government-run hospital as the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation (JKMSC) has supplied a huge stock of lethal Anesthesia drug to the health institutions under non-lethal tag. The drug ‘Sodium Thiopentone’, which is commonly used in Critical Care Department of a hospital to induce general anesthesia, has been supplied as ‘synthetic muscle relaxant’ by JKMSCL. The drug vial of ‘Sodium Thiopentone’ (Batch number Bio 16165) manufactured by M/s Health Biotech Ltd, Nalagarh Road, Baddi-Solan Himachal…

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Banks will not exchange pre-2005 notes

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RBI designates 20 offices across country to swap them Banks will no longer exchange notes introduced prior to 2005. The Reserve Bank of India has designated 20 select offices across the country where people can directly approach for exchange of such notes. However, persons having such notes can also deposit them with their bank and the bank will in turn send them to RBI. According to press note issued by it, the Reserve Bank of India has observed that a major portion of the pre-2005 banknotes have been withdrawn from…

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Govt orders major reshuffle in administration

Editor

26 officers transferred, posted Government on Friday ordered a major reshuffle in middle rung bureaucracy and shifted many KAS officers. In an order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD), Mufti-M-Fareed-ud-din awaiting orders of posting in the General Administration Department has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Relief Organization (Migrants), Kashmir. Pankaj Magotra, Deputy Commissioner, Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Jammu, has been shifted as Additional Secretary General Administration Department while Pawan Singh Rathore, Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Development Authority, Poonch, has been transferred as Additional Secretary Industries and Commerce department. As per…

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Separatists demand ban on liquor in JK

Editor

Separatist groups today demanded complete ban on the sale and consumption of liquor in Jammu and Kashmir. Under a joint programme given by the pro-freedom leadership Syed Ali Geelani Sahab, Jinab Mirwaiz Molvi Umar Farooq sahab and Jinab Mohammad Yasin Malik sahab, the people today supported and endorsed the resolution favoring the peaceful solution of Kashmir and Palestine issues according to the wishes and aspirations of the people, a statement issued by hardline Hurriyat Conference led by Geelani said here. The statement said the resolution demanded a complete and strict…

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State to submit Rs 500-crore proposal to Centre for Wular Boulevard

Editor

To promote ecotourism, the J&K Government is going to construct a 21.4-km-long boulevard around Wular lake — one of the largest freshwater lakes in South Asia. The Rs 500-crore proposal for the 350-foot-wide boulevard from Bakshibal to Haritar village along the banks of the Wular is likely to be submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Ecology next month. “The construction of the 21.4-km-long boulevard along the third-line flood protection bund from Bakshibal to Haritar village is under the active consideration of the government and a proposal for it will…

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Mehbooba Mufti took part in Jumat-ul-Vida prayers at Hazratbal shrine

Editor

Jumat-ul-Vida, the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan, was observed with religious fervour across the Kashmir valley today. The largest Friday prayer gatherings in the city were held at the Jamia Masjid in the old city and the Hazratbal shrine, which houses the holy relic of Prophet Mohammad, on the banks of the Dal Lake. Despite hot weather conditions, devotees were also seen praying on the streets adjacent to several mosques and shrines at various places. Devotees in large numbers were also seen thronging other mosques and shrines…

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