Expect rain for next few days across Jammu region

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

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

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

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

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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Srinagar youth planned to join ISIS; deported from Turkey

A 21-year-old Kashmiri youth, who was allegedly trying to join the terror group ISIS, has been deported from Turkey to India after being picked up by the Turkish authorities, official sources here said today. Srinagar resident Afshan Parvaiz was deported from the Turkish capital of Ankara on May 25 and whisked away to an undisclosed destination by the security agencies in Delhi, the sources said. He was being assessed by various security agencies, they said. Parvaiz had left home after an argument with his father, who wanted him to join…

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Centre wants military solution to Valley: Mirwaiz

Claiming that that the statements of the Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat indicated that New Delhi had handed over Kashmir and its people to the Army, moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today said it looked like the Central government was interested in a military solution to a political and human issue. In a statement today, Mirwaiz, who continues to be under house arrest, said the “statements coming out of New Delhi show that the Government of India has decided to openly admit that it…

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The Danger of becoming Jammu Vs Kashmir

I spent most of last week in Kashmir with a team from the Kolkata-based Centre for Peace and Progress led by its chairman OP Shah, meeting everyone we could. That, of course, included four Hurriyat leaders – Mirwaiz Omar Farooq; Shabbir Ahmed Shah; A.M. Bandey – and the one who’s got everyone’s goat: Syed Ali Shah Geelani. But we also met Governor N.N. Vohra, who not only spent 90 minutes briefing us in detail, but also thanked us most generously for making the visit, underlining the need to reach out…

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Not a single power project awarded for construction during 2 years of PDP-BJP rule

During its more than two-year rule in J&K, the PDP-led coalition government hasn’t allocated a single power project for execution, even as state’s power demand during the period has grown by around 15 percent. “Not a single MW project has been allocated for construction by this government,” a senior official told Kashmir Post on Monday. When the PDP came to power in alliance with BJP in March 2015, one of its major poll planks was to get back power projects from the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation and focus on energy…

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Restrictions, Shutdown cripple life in Kashmir for 2nd consecutive day

Protests, clashes at some places Curbs to continue today in view of Tral Chalo: DGP Schools, college to remain closed: Div Com Train services, mobile internet remains suspended KU, IUST postpone exams The restrictions imposed by authorities and shutdown called by separatists to protest the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Bhat and his associate paralysed life in Valley for the second consecutive day on Monday. The curfew-like restrictions remained in force for second day in areas falling under Khanyar, Nowhatta, Safakadal, MR Gunj, Rainawari, Maisuma and Kral Khud police…

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