Month: May 2017

Valley returning to normalcy post three days Shutdown, Restrictions

Editor

Normalcy returned in Kashmir valley today after three days of restrictions and strike in the aftermath of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Bhat in an encounter with security forces. There were no restrictions anywhere in Kashmir, officials said, adding life was going on normally across the valley. Shops, offices, fuel stations and other business establishments opened here this morning, while public transport resumed after three days, the officials said. They said similar reports of restoration of normalcy were received from other districts of the valley. However, the officials said…

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Schools and Colleges across Kashmir have been shut on 60 percent of working days since July 2016

Editor

Every time her seven-year-old son returns from school, Rayeesa Akhtar, a young Kashmiri mother who lives in uptown Srinagar’s Bemina area, thanks God and prays for schools to remain open through the summer. Hundreds of thousands of parents across Kashmir share her worries–children including Akhtar’s son stayed home on 130 days last year, when the July 8, 2016, killing of militant commander Burhan Wani had led to a series of curfews imposed by the police and strike calls issued by Kashmiri separatists. In all, 2016 witnessed 2,690 incidents of stone-pelting,…

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Jammu-Srinagar highway closure enters 3rd day, fruit traders submit memorandum to IGP

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As the Jammu-Srinagar Highway closure entered third day three on Tuesday and goods worth crores of rupees remained stranded on this vital road, Kashmir-based fruit growers and dealers shot across a letter to IGP Kashmir Munir Khan urging him to allow movement of traffic immediately so that rhw perishable goods didn’t rot on way. Speaking to Kashmir Post, president, New Kashmir Fruit Association, Parimpora Fruit Mandi, Bashir Ahmad Basheer said more than 150 truckloads carrying fruits, vegetables and dates are stranded on the highway since Sunday evening. Basheer said, in…

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Kashmir, Kashmiris, Kashmiriyat belong to India: Rajnath Singh

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Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said that the government is making efforts to resolve the problems being faced in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Assuring the people of the state, Mr Singh said that ‘Kashmir, Kashmiri and Kashmiriyat’ belonged to India. Mr Singh however, condemned the attacks on soldiers and security personnel saying, “Those who make attempts to hurt the pride of jawans (soldiers) also need to be taught a lesson”. He also said that the Narendra Modi government is taking steps to tackle corruption and terrorism. He said…

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Deft handling prevented unrest in Kashmir post Sabzar’s killing

Editor

Unlike Burhan Wani’s killing, death of his close aide Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, also a resident of the volatile Tral area, did not plunge Kashmir into an unending unrest. The situation, which developed immediately after the killing of Burhan’s close aide, had all the elements that could have triggered unrest, but it was the deft handling this time that seems to have prevented the situation from going bad. As the news about the death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar along with his accomplice spread on Saturday afternoon, shopkeepers downed their shutters,…

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Expect rain for next few days across Jammu region

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Jammu is likely to get respite from sweltering heat as weathermen have predicted four days of rainfall starting tomorrow. As per the weather advisory of the Agromet unit of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Jammu, following rains from May 31 to June 3, the maximum temperature will range between 34°C to 35°C and the minimum temperature will range between 27°C to 28°C. High temperature in north India between April-June is due to the absence of any Western Disturbance, which bring rains and only the hot winds blowing…

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Valley consumers pay more power tariff than Jammu

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The domestic and commercial consumers in Valley pay more tariff to Power Development Department (PDD) than the consumers of Jammu division. According to official documents, 708350 domestic consumers are registered with PDD in the valley. “The consumers in Valley pay Rs 297.31 crore revenue to the department as compared to Rs. 239 crore paid by 661798 domestic consumers of Jammu region,” it said. The data pertaining to financial year 2015-16 of PDD highlights disparity in the revenue paid by the non-domestic/commercial consumers of the two regions of the state. As…

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Separatist-sponsored march foiled in Kashmir; situation by and large peaceful

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A separatist-sponsored march in memory of a militant leader killed by security forces was foiled on Tuesday but stray violence marked the event in the Kashmir Valley, leaving at least one person injured. Authorities imposed curfew and restrictions to thwart the march to Tral town in Pulwama district, about 40 km from here, to offer funeral prayers (Fateha) for Hizbul commander Sabzar Bhat, killed by security forces on Saturday. All roads leading to the town were sealed with rolls of razor-fitted concertina and by blocking them with mobile bunker vehicles.…

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Kashmir problem confined to 5 Districts only: Venkaiah Naidu

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The government has ruled out talks with separatists in Kashmir and insists that the problem of violence is limited to just five districts of south Kashmir while the rest of the state is “in peace”. The government is ready for talks on “development” with all other stakeholders, says Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, who questioned the demand for a Ramzan ceasefire. In an interview with IANS, the Information and Broadcasting Minister said the state and central governments were making “best efforts to deal with the situation” in the Kashmir Valley…

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Explain ‘Permanent Solution for Kashmir’: Congress to Rajnath

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The Congress today asked Home Minister Rajnath Singh to explain the contours of a “permanent solution” to solve Kashmir that he talked about and accused the PDP-BJP alliance of driving J&K to the edge. The Congress also asked the BJP government to open its eyes and realise the extreme damage that the “ideologically incompatible alliance” as well as their continued dithering is doing to the national security of India. “The Home Minister of India Rajnath Singh has been making rather curious statements to say the least. Would the Home Minister…

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