Month: June 2017

Chenani-Nashri tunnel impacts footfall in Patnitop?

Editor

The country’s longest surface tunnel — the 9.2-km Chenani-Nashri tunnel — has come as a boon for travellers, but it could have an adverse impact on the tourism sector in Patnitop area in Udhampur district of Jammu region, with Kashmir and Ladakh-bound tourists skipping the popular hill station for a stopover. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the 31-km tunnel on April 2. It has cut short the travel time between Jammu and Srinagar by two hours, bypassing Patnitop, which has some 65 hotels, cottages and guest houses. Where the…

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No threat to annual Amarnath Yatra: Syed Ali Shah Geelani

Editor

Hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani has said that there was no threat to the annual Amarnath Yatra, scheduled to begin later this month, stressing that the pilgrims were “our revered guests”, who would be received as per the age-old traditions. “The terror threat to the upcoming yatra is a brazen lie and aimed at maligning the freedom movement. Kashmiris are not against any religion or its followers. However, they are pursuing a legitimate struggle for their fundamental rights,” he said in a statement issued here late last…

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Mehbooba Mufti reviews widening of Srinagar-Jammu highway

Editor

The widening and upgrade work on a 170-km stretch of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway has been completed at a cost of Rs 5,011 crore, while work is in full swing on the remaining portion of the highway, including some tunnels and bypasses. This was disclosed in a review meeting held by the Chief Minister to monitor the progress of widening of the national highway. The meeting was informed that 67 per cent work on the 68-km Srinagar-Qazigund stretch had been completed while work was on to get the proposed Banihal…

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Army on vandalism spree in Bandipora, Kulgam

Editor

Panic gripped several localities in Bandipora town after army men went berserk damaging residential houses and pelting stones at religious seminary Dar-ul-uloom Rahimya after Pakistan defeated India in the Champions Trophy final on Sunday. On Monday army men went berserk in Ashtengoo village of this north Kashmir district after their cavalcade was pelted with stones on Sopora-Bandipora Road. The residents alleged that army men broke window panes of residential houses and damaged several vehicles parked on the roadside. “They broke everything that came their way,” the locals said. Residents of…

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Pre-monsoon showers bring respite from heat across Jammu region

Editor

The pre-monsoon showers this morning brought the temperature down, giving some respite to the residents here from the scorching heat. The meteorological department has said the pre-monsoon shower in the state is a signal of a healthy monsoon season this year. The department has predicted rain for the next three days in the state. The pre-monsoon current accompanied by a western disturbance was responsible for rain in the state this morning. The rain is expected to continue till Thursday. “We call this rain a pre-monsoon shower, which a good signal…

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Was ‘Alternate GST model’ for JK ignored?

Editor

While the state government is caught in a major controversy over implementation of Goods and Service Tax (GST) law in Jammu and Kashmir, an official panel had recommended an ‘alternative GST’ similar to the European Union model for the state in 2013, incorporating all features of the central law but allowing the state legislature to exercise its competence vis-à-vis taxation. The five-member committee, constituted by the state’s general administration department on October 4, 2013 to examine revised draft Constitution (105th Amendment) Bill 2013 of Government of India vis-à-vis Constitution of…

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Celebrations over Pakistan’s win a referendum against India: Er Rasheed

Editor

Asking New Delhi “to learn lessons” from the celebrations held all across Kashmir after Pakistan’s victory over India in Champions Trophy, AIP chief and MLA Langate Er Rasheed Monday said the anti-India sentiment has got deep roots, cutting across political, or sectarian lines. In a statement issued today, Rasheed said: “It is strange that Indian TV channels are still trying to distort the facts and putting their own narratives and fabricated versions of the whole story. The way Kashmiris celebrated Pakistan’s victory over India in Champions Trophy, not only in…

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All not well within coalition, BJP ministers skip ‘Iftar’ hosted by Mehbooba Mufti

Editor

All does not seem well within the PDP-BJP coalition government as most of the BJP ministers and its state party president skipped the ‘iftar’ party hosted by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in Jammu on Sunday evening. Only Legislative Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta attended the party. It was unlike last year when an army of BJP leaders, including ministers and party functionaries, had attended the iftar party hosted by Mehbooba Mufti on the lawns of her residence here. This time, the BJP leaders gave the iftar a miss and all party…

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Champions Trophy: Pakistan steamroll abject India to claim title

Editor

Right from the start, Pakistan looked very little like, well, Pakistan. And that, intoxicatingly, was the fulcrum of their stunning thrashing of India by 180 runs to lift the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy at London’s Kennington Oval on Sunday. This is their first ICC title since winning the 2009 World Twenty20 in similarly incomprehensible manner, and first in the 50-over format since Imran Khan lifted the World Cup on a starry Melbourne night 25 years ago. It has come after more than eight years of defeat to India at ICC…

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664 ‘Stone Pelters’ lodged at Juvenile Home since 2011

Editor

More than 664 juveniles booked on charges of stone-pelting have been lodged in Kashmir’s lone Juvenile Home at Harwan here since 2011, official data has revealed. The data, compiled by Superintendent of the Juvenile Home, reads that 664 juveniles, involved in incidents of stone-pelting, have been received and bailed out from 23-9-2011 till 17-6-2017. Interestingly, stone-pelting tops the list of categories of alleged offences for which the juveniles have been booked for and lodged at the Juvenile Home. Since 2011, 38 juveniles have been booked in murder cases, but 35…

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