Month: July 2017

Srinagar swelters as mercury goes beyond 30°C

Editor

With mercury constantly remaining above 30°C, Srinagar is reeling under sweltering heat. The mercury in the city has been above 30°C for the past one week and is likely to remain same for the next at least five days. The day temperature over the past week has been slightly higher than the average temperature for this time of the year, the peak of summer season. In the past two days, the city registered a high of 30.2°C yesterday and 32.2°C on Saturday. The abysmal precipitation in the city during recent…

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Industry chamber reiterates demand for GST rollback

Editor

Members say the GST has grave implications for handicraft business The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) today convened a meeting of its members connected with the handicraft industry. KCCI secretary general Faiz Ahmad Bakshi said the meeting was held to assess the “impact and anguish caused to the stakeholders by implementing the goods and services tax (GST) in the state.” “The meeting was attended by a large number of members, artisans, weavers, manufacturers and dealers of handicrafts. All participants in one voice expressed anguish over the implementation of…

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Despite opposition, Batamaloo bus stand to be shifted to Parimpora

Editor

The government has ordered the shifting of the bus stand in Batamaloo to Parimpora with immediate effect despite opposition from transporters and traders. In its order issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar, he has stated that it has become important to shift the bus stand in order to decongest the city. “All affiliated buses to the western bus service operating in Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora , Budgam and the buses from central Kashmir have been shifted to Parimpora,” the order issued by the Deputy Commissioner reads. Transporters and various trade…

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First batch of pilgrims for Haj departs today

Editor

The first batch of Haj pilgrims is all set to leave for Saudi Arabia from the Srinagar International Airport here tomorrow. An official of the Haj House, Bemina, said a total of 8,106 pilgrims from the J&K were scheduled to perform Haj this year. He said 35,212 applications had been received for performing the annual pilgrimage. The official said two flights carrying 420 pilgrims each would fly directly to Saudi Arabia every day starting tomorrow till August 3. The scheduled timing for the departure of the two flights will be…

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Joint resistance leadership call for Kashmir ‘Bandh’ over arrests

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Separatists in Kashmir have called for a bandh on Tuesday to protest against the arrest of seven persons, including the son-in-law of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with its terror funding probe. “The joint resistance leadership of Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik have given a call for complete strike and Kashmir bandh tomorrow to protest and condemn the revengeful arbitrary and illegal arrests of Hurriyat leaders,” the separatists said in a statement today. The NIA had today arrested…

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Apex court dismisses PIL on killing of 700 Pandits in 1990

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Refuses to order reinvestigation into massacre, citing inordinate delay Citing inordinate delay, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking reinvestigation into the massacre of over 700 Kashmiri Pandits during 1989-90 when militancy was at its peak in the state, leading to their mass exodus from the Valley. Petitioner ‘Roots in Kashmir’ – an NGO – which wanted prosecution of those responsible for the killings, including separatist leader Yasin Malik, said 215 FIRs were registered in connection with the murder of over 700 Kashmiri Pandits but hardly anything happened…

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NIA arrests seven separatist leaders: Terror funding

Editor

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested seven people, including the son-in-law of separatist leader SAS Geelani , for allegedly funding terror groups in Kashmir. The seven are Altaf Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Mehraj Kalwal, Shahid-ul-Islam, Naeem Khan and Bitta Karate. Shah is the son-in-law of hardline Hurriyat leader Geelani, Islam is a close aide of moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Akbar is the spokesperson for the Geelani-led Hurriyat. Geelani suspended Khan from the basic membership of Hurriyat conference in May, days after a sting operation…

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Education sector remains in tumult in Kashmir

Editor

Looking back at the past 12 months, the education sector in the Valley remained on the edge, with frequent protests, shutdowns and curfews, forcing the closure of schools for months together. After Hizb commander Burhan Wani’s death on July 8 last year, the academic schedule in schools was adversely hit. Due to protests, all educational institutions remained closed for five months after July last giving a major setback to the career of the around 15 lakh students. Students were given mass promotion up to Class IX. There were less than…

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RSS demand for minority panel puts BJP in fix

Editor

The BJP is in a quandary after the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) favoured minority status for Hindus living in Jammu and Kashmir. The coalition government, in which the BJP is an equal partner, had opposed the creation of a minority commission in J&K which is the only Muslim majority state in the country. “It is a welcome step. Ultimately, the RSS leadership has come forward to restore constitutional and fundamental rights to the minority community in J&K,” said Ankur Sharma, a Jammu-based advocate who has filed a writ petition in…

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Mumbai City FC grabs Mehraj ud Din Wadoo for Rs 43 lakh: ISL Player Draft

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Mumbai City FC grabbed footballer Mehraj ud Din Wadoo for a base price of Rs 43 lakhs in the Indian Super League (ISL) players draft held on Sunday. ISL draft saw the signing of more than 100 players from the total available 205 players. Big names like Eugeneson Lyngdoh and Anas Edathodika were roped in right after the commencement of the draft, while the likes of Robin Singh and Jackichand Singh had to wait a while to have their names on the books of ISL clubs. The players picked included…

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