Month: November 2017

Srinagar, Jammu witness season’s coldest night

Editor

Continuing its free fall on Thursday, the minimum temperature dropped to minus 2.3 degrees in Srinagar and 7.9 in Jammu, the lowest recorded at both places this season. While Leh was the coldest town in Jammu and Kashmir at minus 11.6, Kargil recorded minus 9 as the night’s lowest temperature, the Met department said. Night temperatures fell below the freezing point through the valley. Pahalgam recorded minus 5.7 while Gulmarg recorded minus 5.4 as the minimum temperature. Katra recorded 9.5, Batote 6.5, Bannihal 6 and Bhaderwah was at 2 degrees…

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Use of banned calcium carbide continues to ripen fruits

Editor

Despite a ban by the state Horticulture Department, the use of harmful chemicals like calcium carbide by vendors to ripen fruits continues unabated. Whether it is the wholesale market at Narwal mandi or small vendors selling different fruits on roadsides, there has been no let up in the malpractices in ripening fruits. Pertinently, calcium carbide is a known carcinogen, a cancer-producing chemical which is known to have harmful effects on the liver and other parts of the body. It also contains traces of arsenic and phosphorus hydride which produce several…

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Process on to grant amnesty to first time stone pelters: Mehbooba Mufti

Editor

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has announced amnesty for the first-time stone-throwers of the Kashmir valley by initiating the process of withdrawal of FIRs against them. The PDP-BJP government’s announcement comes after recommendations of the Centre’s special representative on Jammu and Kashmir Dineshwar Sharma. Sharma is set to start his second visit to J&K from tomorrow (November 24). “It gives me immense satisfaction to restart the process of withdrawing FIRs against first-time offenders of stone-throwing. My government had initiated the process in May 2016, but it was unfortunately stalled due to…

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Pvt coaching centres ‘Fleece’ students by charging exorbitant tuition fee

Editor

The private coaching centres are fleecing the students by charging exorbitant tuition fee. Among the 182 coaching centres granted registration recently by the education department, not even a single centre has notified its fee structure. This was made mandatory by the education department vide order no 1246 DESK of 2017 dated 7 October 2017. The registration list issued by the Education department was formulated on recommendations of joint inspection teams of Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Chief Education Officers (CEOs). These teams were constituted after directions by the High Court in…

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Surrendered a week ago, but footballer Majid Khan not yet home

Editor

A week after Anantnag footballer-turned-militant gave himself up before the security forces, Majid Irshad Khan is yet to return home. After a brief rendezvous with militancy and appeals by his family to return home, Majid gave himself in before security forces in Anantnag on November 16. His only public appearance since has been during a press conference at Army’s Victor Force headquarters in Awantipora on November 17. Wearing a black ‘pherun’ and a skull cap, pulled well below his ears, a sombre Majid was presented before mediapersons for less than…

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Dineshwar Sharma arriving in Jammu today to visit migrant camps

Editor

The Centre’s special representative Dineshwar Sharma will be in Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow for his second visit to the state during which he will visit migrant camps in Jammu as well as epicentres of unrest in the Valley. Sharma, who visited Srinagar and Jammu earlier this month, will be in the state for four days, spending two days in Jammu before going to Kashmir, officials said. In Jammu, he will visit camps of migrants from Kashmir as well as those displaced from border villages following shelling from Pakistan. In Kashmir,…

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M S Dhoni pays surprise visit to Army Public School in Srinagar

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Cricketer M S Dhoni paid a surprise visit to Army Public School here and emphasised the importance of education and sports during his interaction with the students. Dhoni, who holds an honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel, visited the school located inside the Chinar Corps headquarters in the Badamibagh Cantonment in a low key and unannounced event yesterday. The Chinar Corps put out a photograph of the former Indian Captain on its Twitter handle late last evening. “Lt Col (Hony) Mahendra Singh #Dhoni interacting with the enthusiastic children of #APS #Srinagar;…

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Students refuse to stand, click selfie during National Anthem at BGSB University Rajouri

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In yet another shocking incident from Jammu and Kashmir, some of the students at the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGBSU) in Rajouri refused to stand during the National Anthem. National anthem debate: Can wait outside a restaurant but not stand for 52 secs? Asks Gautam Gambhir The incident took place during a valedictory function of the Silver Rolling Trophy. Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra, Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, SSP Rajouri and Vice-Chancellor of the University were among dignitaries present on the occasion. People don’t need to stand up in…

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Center taking steps to restore peace in Kashmir: Arun Jaitley

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‘Through interlocutor, we intend to engage with all to resolve K-issue’ The Government of India (GoI) is taking all steps to ensure a return of normalcy to Jammu and Kashmir, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Wednesday. “There was a situation in the Valley when civil disobedience was at its peak. There were thousands of stone-pelters. Militants were picking their targets as they liked. Hurriyat would give a call whenever they liked and paralyse everything,” Jaitley said. He said today the situation has changed and forces have an upper hand.…

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Will work for Kashmir’s independence, vows Hafiz Saeed after end of house arrest

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The order for Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed’s release from house arrest came four days short of the 9th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that killed 166 people. A Pakistani review board on Wednesday ordered the release from house arrest of Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, who pledged that he and his followers in the Jamaat-ud-Dawah will play a strong role for “Kashmir’s independence”. The government of Pakistan’s Punjab province had sought a three-month extension in Saeed’s detention but the request was turned down by the judicial review board just…

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