Govt cannot take traders, people for granted: KEA

Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) today said the government cannot take traders and the flood hit people of Kashmir for granted. The alliance hailed the people for making Kashmir Bandh a success. The call for the strike was issued by KEA against what it said the government’s failure to provide relief and rehabilitation to the flood-affected people in the state. The call was subsequently supported by various traders and political groups in Kashmir. KEA Chairman Showkat M Chowdhary said: “We appreciate people for making Kashmir bandh a success.” Chowdhary said the…

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Bat industry struggles to stay afloat

The dwindling cricket bat manufacturing industry in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district has made minimal recovery since its infrastructure was hit by the last year’s floods. More than 50 cricket bat manufacturing units — operating from Halmulla and Sangam villages along the Srinagar-Jammu highway — are struggling to recuperate their business as little help has come from the government. The industry was already grappling with dislocation due to the widening of highway when the floods created havoc last year. Most of the bat manufacturers incurred heavy losses during the deluge and…

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September floods still haunt Kashmir tourism industry

A year has passed since floods hit Kashmir; the tourism sector continues to be affected with arrivals falling by 80 percent presently thus giving sleepless nights to tourism players in the Valley. Even though the government led by the Chief Minister himself took the publicizing task, but the move seems to have failed as presently majority of the destinations are receiving tourists below 20 percent. The tourism sector from last two years has been witnessing a sharp decline in the number of tourist arrivals which is leading huge loss to…

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Casinos can start in Kashmir, but not a priority: Deputy CM

Casinos were a potential avenue for tourism promotion in Jammu and Kashmir, but it was not a priority right now, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said on Thursday. On a visit to Goa, a hub for tourism and offshore as well as onshore casinos, the BJP leader was asked if he planned to emulate Goa’s casino experience in India’s northernmost state to promote tourism. “Casinos can happen, but it is not our priority right now. What can be done later can be thought out,” he said. He said Jammu and…

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We will make J&K round the year destination: Secretary Tourism

Secretary Tourism Farooq Shah interacted with travel trade associations of Kashmir to get their ideas to promote Kashmir to increase both domestic and international tourist arrivals. The travel trade representatives put forth their suggestions and the Secretary Tourism assured them of making J&K a round the year destination. The tourism stakeholders held a two hour long brainstorming session with Farooq Shah and the meeting discussed various ways to and strategies to promote J&K’s unexplored and existing tourism potential. He asked the travel trade fraternity to support the efforts of tourism…

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Affarwat gets season’s first snowfall

The high-altitude Affarwat area in ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir Monday received season’s first snowfall, resulting in dip in temperatures across Kashmir, even as some other parts of the Valley witnessed rainfall, officials said. Meteorological department officials said Affarwat received slight snowfall on Monday morning. “There was an overall five-degree dip in temperature due to the snowfall,” they said. The temperature recorded on Monday was 23.2 degrees while it was 28.7 degrees on Sunday, a MeT official said. Director MeT, Sonam Lotus said weather will remain fine for next…

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Govt forms panel to fix rates for cold storage of fruits

Plans to expand storage facilities across state to help fruit growers The government today constituted a committee to fix rates of cold storage facility for apple and other fruits. The government is also planning set up controlled atmosphere storage facilities at Sopore, Parimpora, Jablipora, Kulgam, in Kashmir, and Narwal in Jammu. The committee, which has Director, Horticulture, and Director, Horticulture Produce and Marketing as its members, is mandated to hold threadbare discussions and make suggestions for better storage of fruit, besides suggesting rate for storage of apple and other fruits…

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Streamline traffic around tourist places: TAAK to traffic police

Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK) has flayed local administration especially traffic police for their failure to maintain proper traffic arrangements on boulevard and around Mughal gardens. In a statement, President of TAAK Peerzada Faiyaz Ahmed said the world famous Mughal gardens face worst criticism from the tourists thus giving a bad name to the tourism of the state. “Visiting Cheshmashahi, Nishat and Shalimar has become so painful that it takes full day to have a half day’s trip. There are no or very less parking areas demarcated around these…

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Onion brings tears to consumers’ eyes

Ban on imports from PaK leads to crises in market  The ban on imports of onions from across Line of Control (LoC) the prices of onion in Kashmir have reached to Rs 70 -75 per kg in retail. In wholesale the rates are in between Rs 50 to 60 kg while Kashmir grown onions are being sold at Rs 45 to 50 per kg. It’s getting harder for middle class people to cope with the increasing rates of the onions. “If the situation remains the same, I think the common people…

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