Year: 2016

Bright sunny day hints at early arrival of spring in Kashmir

Editor

Even as night temperature at a few places in Kashmir continued to stay below the freezing point, the Valley today witnessed a bright sunny day, giving a feel of early arrival of spring. With the sprouting of plants and blooming of some flower varieties, signs of spring in Kashmir have started at least a month ahead of the natural process due to favourable temperature. However, the development has led to concern among farmers and environmentalists who fear that it could be an effect of climate change. Apart from occasional snowfall…

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End of siege, diversions on National Highway lifted

Editor

The traffic on the Pampore-Pantha chowk stretch of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was allowed to ply normally today after remaining in absolute disarray for about three days. Traffic on the NH remained diverted from Saturday afternoon to Monday evening in the wake of the 48-hour gun battle between security forces and militants in Sempora area of Pampore near here. Nine people, including three Army men, two CRPF personnel, three militants and a civilian, were killed in the gunfight. Security agencies, keeping the safety of commuters in view, diverted Srinagar and…

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SRTC resumes service to Delhi after four days

Editor

The State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) bus service that was badly affected by the Jat agitation in Haryana resumed today after four days. The cancellation of the bus services caused inconvenience to passengers, including Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims. Meanwhile, the vehicular traffic resumed on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, today. Four SRTC buses left Jammu today for Delhi on their scheduled time. “There was restricted movement of buses in the past four days, causing inconvenience to passengers. We had no option,” said Tejinder Singh, manager, interstate passenger service, SRTC. “The buses…

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Affection for militants slain in Pampore shows Kashmir struggle not a terror movement: Hurriyat (G)

Editor

Hurriyat (G) on Tuesday said that the “affection” shown by people towards the militants slain in Pampore gunfight proved that Kashmir struggle had nothing to do with terrorism. “The level of affiliation and affection which the local people showed with the Mujahideen fighting with the Indian forces was amazing and it also proves that the Kashmiri brave hearts struggling for the freedom for Kashmir have nothing to do with the terrorism and they are sacrificing their precious lives for the dignity and freedom of their nation,” Hurriyat (G) said in…

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Div Com reviews progress of tunnels, highway projects

Editor

Stresses on fast tracking of construction work Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon today directed the concerned departments and executing agencies to speed up the work on prestigious highway and tunnel projects in Kashmir division. Dr Samoon said this while reviewing the progress of various projects during a high-level meeting here on Monday which was attended by officers of PHE, PDD, R&B, Beacon, NHAI, Jayank and other organizations. The Deputy Commissioners of Ganderbal, Anantnag, Shopian, Kupwara, Kargil and Leh also attended the meeting through videoconferencing. The Divisional Commissioner was…

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Bikram Chowk-Gandhi Nagar flyover project to miss Aug 2016 deadline

Editor

ERA sets December 2016 as new deadline for Rs 95-cr project after legal impediments The much-needed Expressway Corridor (flyover) from Bikram Chowk to Women College at Gandhi Nagar is set to miss its August-2016 deadline due to technical and legal impediments. The Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA), executing agency, has now set December-2016 as the new deadline for the completion of Rs 95-crore project. Besides, there has been an escalation of project cost by Rs 4 crore due to “additional construction” of some structures. “We have come across a legal issue…

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Mobile phones can ‘cook’ sperms, lower fertility: Research

Editor

Mobile phones could be cooking the sperm of people who have them in their pockets, according to a new study. Talking on a phone that’s charging and leaving it close by on a bedside, as well as storing handsets in a trouser pocket, could be reducing the sperm count of men, according to a major new study. Men who used their phone for more than two hours per day were found to be twice as likely to have low sperm quality, compared to those who used them for less than…

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JNU row escalates; Kashmir University erupts with pro-Kanhaiya Kumar, ‘azaadi’ slogans

Editor

As Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) continues to simmer over the ‘pro-Afzal Guru’ event, slogans in support of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar were raised in Kashmir University on Tuesday. While raising their voice against the arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar, some students were seen shouting slogans like, “Tum kitne Kanhaiya pakdoge, har ghar se Kanhaiya nikalega” and “Hum chahate azaadi”. Meanwhile, in its latest report on the JNU row, Delhi Police has cited evidence collected by the varsity’s internal inquiry committee suggesting that eight students, including the JNUSU president , allegedly indulged…

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As soldiers fought terrorists, mosques nearby hailed mujahid

Editor

A large swathe around the Pampore encounter site resounded with praise for ‘mujahid’ (holy warriors) from loudspeakers as Indian security forces fought terrorists holed up in a building for three days. Mosques in localities like Frestabal, Drangbal, Kadlabal and Sempora played recordings throughout Monday eulogising the terrorists. Slogans like ‘ Jaago, jaago subah hui’ besides pro-Pakistan ( Jivey, jivey Pakistan!) and pro-Azadi (‘ Hum kya chahatey: azadi’) blared from the mosques’ loudspeakers. Hundreds of youth assembled across the rivulet at the site of the encounter in the Entrepreneurship Development Institute…

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Non-local skilled workers take up Kashmir’s famed art

Editor

Wood Carving In Its Last Throes Manzoor Ahmed Shah, 57-years-old, has seen the best of the times when the downtown area in Srinagar had hundreds of wood carving artisans. However, at present skilled artisans, knowing the intricate details of wood carving, can be counted on finger tips. Ironically, non-local skilled workers working in factories in Kashmir are taking up the wood carving as their means of livelihood. “Only few artisans are now working on wood,” said Shah in a low tone. Products made of walnut wood artistically designed by the…

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