June 2021 | Page 6 of 11

PM Modi likely to chair J&K parties meet next week

June 19, 2021June 19, 2021 Editor

J&K is witnessing a heightened political activity as the Centre mulls inviting all the political parties from the Union Territory (UT) to New Delhi in the last week of June to start a political engagement, which is likely to pave the way for the restoration of statehood. Several constituents of the Gupkar alliance, an amalgam of five political parties fighting for pre-August 5, 2019 position of J&K, met in Srinagar on Friday to “discuss the future course”, sources said. As J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and the top police officials…

Shah chairs meeting on J&K situation; NSA, RAW, IB, CRPF & J&K DGP main attendants

June 19, 2021June 19, 2021 Editor

A high-level meeting convened by Union Home minister Amit Shah to discuss the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir was held on Friday. Besides Shah, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Intelligence Bureau Director Arvind Kumar, Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Samant Kumar Goel, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General Kuldiep Singh and J&K DGP Dilbagh Singh attended the meeting. The high-level meet was held after Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha met Shah today at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).…

COVID Criticism and Our Responsibilities

June 18, 2021June 18, 2021 Editor

By -Aubaid Ahmed Akhoon ‘The healthcare is in shambles, ‘the country is going through the worst health crisis and the pandemic’, ‘Covid-19 has exposed our ‘below average’ health sector’, ‘the government is doing the best it can and yet the scenario demands more and refuses to get any better- these and many more reflections are being shared widely on social media platforms and in the media these days. Since the pandemic is so widespread and the country is too vast to be monitored perfectly, one can assume that the criticism…

J&K integral part of India: Centre on Pakistan’s letter to top UN Officials

June 18, 2021June 18, 2021 Editor

Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and no amount of questioning can change the reality, the Foreign Affairs ministry said today. The assertion came following a letter by the Pakistan foreign minister to two top UN officials alleging a design by New Delhi to change the demographic structure of the region.Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that no amount of justification can make cross-border terrorism acceptable. “The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. No amount of questioning can…

Former ministers son held after six years on rape charges

June 16, 2021June 16, 2021 Editor

Police have arrested the son of the former Cabinet Minister of Jammu and Kashmir government for committing rape on seventh class student six years ago. The son of People’s Conference leader Abdul Gani Vakil, who was then Cabinet Minister of Congress-PDP coalition Government, has been lodged in Domana Police Station of Jammu district where an FIR was registered against him and his associates, a Jammu based newspaper Daily Excelsior reported. The report quoting sources identified the accused as Abid Gani son of Abdul Gani Vakil, earlier a prominent Congress leader,…

Blood Brother: Shabir Hussain Khan, the Kashmiri man who is India’s biggest donor

June 15, 2021June 15, 2021 Editor

Shabir Hussain Khan was taking an afternoon nap when he heard a commotion outside his house. A friend had been injured in a football match and had lost a lot of blood. Khan, who did not have any transport, rushed to the hospital by foot to donate some. It was 4 July 1980. Yesterday the man known locally as the “blood man of Kashmir” donated his 174th pint of his blood to strangers at the public hospital close to his Srinagar home. “Blood is not something you can buy in…

Light to moderate rain for the next few days in J&K: MET

June 15, 2021June 15, 2021 Editor

Weatherman on Tuesday forecast “light to moderate thunderstorm with rain” for next few days at scattered places in Jammu and Kashmir. “Brief spell of light to a moderate thunderstorm with rain will occur at scattered places of Kashmir like Gulmarg, Kupwara, Sopore, Baramulla, Srinagar and scattered places of Jammu and South Kashmir today,” Director Meteorological Department Sonam Lotus said. “Same weather is most likely to continue for next few days,” he said, adding, “There’s no forecast for any major rainfall. We expect slight relief from the scorching heatwave in both…

Technical, Grievance Committee constituted for conservation, management of wetlands in J&K

June 15, 2021June 15, 2021 Editor

General Administration Department (GAD) today constituted Technical and Grievance Committees for conservation and management of wetlands in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. “Sanction in terms of Rule 5 (6) of the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 is hereby accorded to the constitution of Technical Committee and Grievance for conservation and management of wetlands in Jammu and Kashmir,” reads the Government order issued by the GAD. The Technical Committee comprising of Director, Department of Environment, Ecology and Remote Sensing as its chairperson, Chief Conservator of Forests (Working Plan,…

In a unique way of protest, villagers in Chadoora plant paddy saplings on the road

June 15, 2021June 15, 2021 Editor

Residents of Check Mohalla in Qazipora village of Chadoora in central Kashmir’s Budgam district Monday chose a unique way to protest against the government’s failure of repairing the important road link by planting paddy saplings on a muddy road stretch to attract the attention of authorities. Quoting locals, news agency KNO reported that villagers planted the paddy saplings as a mark of protest on the Chadoora-Check Mohalla Qazipora road to highlight its poor condition. Residents alleged that authorities had consistently failed to repair the road barely six km away from…