Year: 2016

Kashmir’s snowfall deficit has got everyone worried

Editor

Fruit growers in Kashmir say the warmer weather may lead to premature flowering in the plants causing quality damage to the fruit  For the second consecutive year, Jammu and Kashmir is receiving lesser snowfall during winter compared to earlier years thereby affecting the Valley’s fruit industry and migration of birds. Experts say it is rare for Kashmir to receive such low quantity of snowfall with negligible precipitation in the plains. According to meteorological data, the Valley for the 13th time since 1901 witnessed a rare dry January. Chillai Kalan, the…

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BJP won’t lift AFSPA to end stalemate: Report

Editor

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will not lift the contentious Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from Jammu and Kashmir to break the stalemate over government formation in the state, said a report on Thursday. BJP general secretary Ram Madhav arrived here last evening to meet Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti in order to end the deadlock. Earlier, The Times of India had quoted sources as saying that Madhav had conveyed to Mufti the Centre’s willingness to lift AFSPA on a trial basis from Jammu and Kashmir. Madhav also…

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After year tender of lowest bidder cancelled for PakalDul Power Project

Editor

The Chenab Valley Power Corporation has cancelled the offer of a consortium to construct 1000-MW PakalDul hydropower project citing “substantially high prices” quoted by the bidder. The consortium had emerged lowest bidder for the project last year. An official said authorities at Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited (CVPPPL) on Tuesday cancelled the tender of the consortium of Mumbai-based Patel Engineering, Limak of Turkey and GoI owned BHEL citing substantially higher prices quoted by it in comparison to estimated cost worked out by the company. “… it was found that…

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Freedom 251 first impressions: Cheapest but usable

Editor

Noida-based Ringing Bells on Thursday amazed the domestic smartphone market by launching the cheapest smartphone of the world for just Rs 251, roughly translating to less than $4. The only innovation Ringing Bells is clinging on to is the price. Which is enough to silence critics and buyers to lineup. Cheap smartphones are nothing new. There are plenty of Android smartphones priced under Rs 3,000 in the market with few takers. Akash tablet maker Datawind also grabbed eyeballs in the past by only innovating on the price of its UbiSlate…

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Fifty youth arrested in Srinagar on stone pelting charges since January

Editor

• Over 250 detained in 2015 At least 50 youth have been detained by police in downtown Srinagar since January 1 this year on charges of being involved in stone pelting. According to the data compiled by police, at least 50 youth have been arrested in Srinagar under charges of pelting stones on cops on Fridays and during shutdowns called by the separatists this year. The figures reveal that 82 stone pelting incidents took place in Srinagar in last two months. “50 youth participating in the stone pelting were identified…

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‘Afzal knew Indian youth will support Kashmir’s freedom struggle one day’

Editor

Peerzada Aarif Afzal Guru had told his family that the youth of India will realize the pain and sufferings of Kashmiris and will one day come forward in support of Kashmir’s freedom struggle, according to his brother Ajaz Guru. With the controversy surrounding the holding of a pro-Afzal Guru event at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University refusing to die, his family was reminded of his words during his incarceration at Tihar Jail. “He used to tell us that the youth of India who understand the pain and sufferings of Kashmiris will…

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Resume flood relief disbursement by Feb 21, Guv tells Div Com

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Governor NN Vohra had extensive discussions with the stakeholders of trade, tourism, transport, industry, education and members of civil society and heard their views on various important issues at the Civil Secretariat here yesterday. The representatives of trade sought early disbursement of relief to the flood-affected traders. The Governor directed Divisional Commissioner Asgar Hassan Samoon to ensure that the disbursement of relief to the traders, on the lines started by the previous government, should be resumed before February 21. The Governor sought suggestions of various stakeholders for the optimum utilisation…

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Protests erupt in Jammu over JNU sedition episode

Editor

Various non-political and student organisations today staged demonstrations against the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) incident where some students allegedly raised “anti-India” slogans and demanded registration of sedition case against the culprits. In Jammu University (JU), the National Panthers Student Union (NPSU) held a protest on the campus and forced the boycott of classes in many departments. The protesters demanded slapping of sedition charges against the culprits. Activists of the NPSU who assembled in front of the administrative block raised “pro-India” slogans and barged into various classrooms urging the students to…

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Book – Islam in Kashmir – A Study of Prominent Sufis and Rishis

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Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander The spread of Islam in Kashmir by the Sufis has been discussed by various scholars, academics and writers, but the lesser known aspects of various Sufi orders, role of Sufism in promoting pluralistic culture in Kashmir, Sufism as a channel of Inter-Faith Dialogue, lessons which Kashmiri Sufism has for the world to make it a peaceful place to dwell; such serious, and sensitive academic studies of Kashmir Sufism are rare, and even neglected. The book under review tries to fill this void. Prof Hamid Naseem…

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Equitable Development? Jammu gets Rs 375 cr, Kashmir Rs 305 cr for roads

Editor

Kashmir continues to be the least priority in funding under the Central Road Fund (CRF) program with the Government of India (GoI) approving Rs 70 crore less to the division than Jammu for building road infrastructure. Official sources revealed to us that GoI has sanctioned road projects worth Rs 305 crore for Kashmir under CRF for 2015-16 while Jammu and Ladakh have respectively walked away with Rs 375 crore and Rs 105 crore funding for the road projects. The approval for road projects worth Rs 785 crore was recently conveyed by…

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