Screen teachers with ‘tuck shop’ degrees: HC to govt

The High Court today directed the government to identify and conduct screening test of only those Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers who had obtained degrees through distance mode from institutions termed as “tuck shops” by the court. The teachers having obtained their degrees through distance mode from the regularised and reputed institution have been exempt from the screening test by the court. The state Education Department had earlier asked all the Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers to go through a screening test. The directions were passed by a single bench of Justice Muzaffar Hussain…

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RSS steps in to save alliance

State leaders hold talks with party brass in Delhi for second day With the PDP and BJP easing their tough posturing, the state unit of the Sangh leadership is exploring possibilities to restitch the alliance. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders of the state held discussions with the central leadership of the RSS and the BJP for the second day on Thursday to get some issues resolved to facilitate government formation in the state. Although BJP leaders Nirmal Singh and Sat Sharma today returned to Jammu after attending Wednesday’s meeting, state…

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Highways closed following heavy rains, snowfall

Traffic on the valley’s main highway that connects Srinagar and Jammu was suspended during the day due to landslides and heavy snowfall along the route Incessant snowfall and rains on Thursday led to the closure of the valley’s arterial Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and brought relief from a long spell of dry weather in Kashmir. Traffic on the valley’s main highway that connects Srinagar and Jammu was suspended during the day due to landslides and heavy snowfall along the route. “In view of rain or snowfall at various places on the…

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Press Club of India reverberates with pro-Kashmir and anti-India slogans

Press Club of India reverberated with pro-Kashmir and anti-slogans in New Delhi on Wednesday when a Delhi University Professor was expressing his views on Kashmir problem, Indian media reported. According to reports Delhi University professor Ali Zafar had booked a hall in Press Club of India for a discussion on the Kashmir issue on Wednesday. Group of youth waved posters of Muhammad Afzal Guroo and denounced India for his what they said ‘judicial killing.’ Reports said that youth present in the hall raised anti-India slogans and ‘Afzal Guroo Amar Rahey’…

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Dearth of funds, road digging hits PDD’s underground cabling project

The Power Development Department (PDD) is unable to carry out the underground cabling of power lines in the state due to shortage of funds and frequent road digging. According to officials, the underground cabling has been approved for the tourist areas of Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonmarg and Patnitop. They said the government has not given the clearance for other places across the state in view of shortage of funds and frequent road digging. The under-ground cabling is cost intensive. The officials said they have been constrained to start the work in…

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MLA Rashid asks Hurriyat to unite for plebiscite

Independent legislator from Langate, Engineer Abdur Rashid, Wednesday urged Hurriyat leaders to unite to press for plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking in a seminar organized by his AwamiItehad Party (AIP) here, where several victims of Kashmir conflict- including Muhammad Afzal Guru’s brother Aijaz Guru – were present, the legislator said he loves all separatist leaders. “I have a great respect and love for them. But my suggestion to them is let’s unite to seek the end of people’s sufferings. For that, I believe there is only one way, that…

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This mother ‘gave 4 sons to Kashmir cause’

It was not easy for Shahmali Begum (85), the mother of Maqbool Bhat, to become the ‘cradle of resistance’ as she had to sacrifice four sons and bear immense hardships during the past several decades. Miseries started for her when Maqbool Bhat was arrested. HabibullahBhat, Maqbool’s younger brother who was also linked to ‘Kashmir cause was subjected to enforced disappearance in 1976 when he was a 12th class student.’ That time MaqboolBhat was in jail. Maqbool’s another brother GhulamNabiBhat was ‘found dead’ on November 18, 1994, in Chanapora Srinagar. He…

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Traffic violations go unchecked in Jammu

The observance of traffic weeks or seminars and events on traffic are hardly serving the purpose as people continue to violate traffic rules in the winter capital with impunity. Traffic lights have been installed at various locations in the city to streamline the traffic, but jumping of red light by the motorists has become a common sight. The traffic lights were inaugurated in the city on August 4, 2012 by the then Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand. The traffic light project was undertaken by the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) at…

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Rs 399 cr to be spent for restoration of Jhelum

Embankments along Jhelum which the swollen river breached in 2014 causing devastating floods, will be restored and other remedial measures taken up at a cost of Rs 399 crore over the next two years, a senior government official said. “Rs 140 crore will be set aside for land and structure acquisition, Rs 40 crore for building two bridges, Rs 35 crore for dredging and the rest for allied works,” Commissioner Secretary Public Works Rohit Kansal said. Kansal, who took stock of the progress of dredging work of river Jhelum and…

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