General News Archives | Page 83 of 351

NC leader Omar Abdullah accuses BJP of trying to bury democracy in J&K with sham elections

October 21, 2023 Editor

Former Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah dared the BJP to conduct polls in the Union Territory saying there was a growing anger amongst the public. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah came down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday on the issue of conducting polls in Union territory saying the people were suffering as they were being denied their right to an elected government, adding that there is a growing public anger. “Today, when we are told almost everyday that the situation is far improved.…

Vande Bharat Trains to Connect Kashmir to Rest of India Soon: Minister Vaishnaw

October 20, 2023 Editor

Vande Bharat Trains to Arrive in Kashmir and Tripura Soon Vande Bharat trains, India’s semi-high speed trains, are expected to be introduced in Srinagar and Tripura within this financial year, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday. In Kashmir, Vande Bharat trains will run on the Jammu-Srinagar railway line, which is expected to be completed soon. In Tripura, Vande Bharat trains will run on the railway line once it is electrified. The government plans to roll out 75 Vande Bharat trains by March next year. It is also considering running…

ED raids home of ex-J&K minister Lal Singh in connection with alleged money laundering scam

October 18, 2023 Editor

The ED searches are part of its probe into the allegations of money laundering against the educational trust headed by Chaudhary Lal Singh’s wife Kanta Andotra. The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday raided eight places, including the residential premises of former minister and chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Dogra Swabhiman Sanghthan Choudhary Lal Singh, as part of its investigations into a case of alleged irregularities in the purchase of land by an educational trust in Kathua. Singh’s wife Kanta Andotra is the chairperson of the R B Educational Trust. Sources…

J&K’s Power Crisis: Why is the Region Still Relying on External Power Sources Despite Hydropower Potential?

October 15, 2023 Editor

J&K’s Hydropower Riches: Why is the Region Still Spending Billions on Power Purchases? Jammu and Kashmir’s over-reliance on external power sources has incurred a substantial cost of Rs 63,000 crore over the past 11 years. This hefty expenditure on power purchases from external generation companies (gencos) underlines the ongoing energy challenge in the region, despite its substantial hydropower potential. Official data reveals that from the fiscal year 2012-13 to 2022-23, the power purchase bills from external power distribution companies (discoms) have reached a cumulative total of Rs 63,000 crore. In…

Kashmir’s Power Woes: KPDCL’s Curtailment Plan to Cause Disruption to Businesses and Households

October 15, 2023 Editor

Kashmir Braces for Lengthy Power Cuts as Demand Surges Amid Chilly Weather As the Kashmir valley grapples with a persistent and escalating power crisis, the Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has introduced a curtailment schedule to manage the growing gap between power supply and demand. The decision to implement power cuts ranging from 4 to 8 hours a day comes as a response to increasing electricity consumption, especially during the cold weather when heating devices and other electrical items are in high demand. Despite power shortages being a common…

Inflation hits consumers hard as vegetable and fruit prices skyrocket

October 14, 2023 Editor

The consumers in Kashmir are facing a financial strain due to the soaring prices of essential commodities, including fruits, vegetables, and poultry. A market survey conducted by Kashmir InFocus found that potatoes, tomatoes, onions, cauliflower, collard greens, peas, beans, and other vegetables are being sold at higher rates than those prescribed by the Directorate of Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA). Similarly, fruits like oranges, pineapples, kiwis, pomegranates, grapes, and papayas are being sold at exorbitant rates. At some places in Srinagar, 1 kg of grapes can cost Rs…

Crackdown in Kashmir: Mirwaiz under house arrest, Friday prayers banned at Srinagar mosque

October 14, 2023 Editor

Kashmiris have often expressed solidarity with Palestinians and have protested in Srinagar around Jamia Masjid against Israel’s actions in Palestine Authorities in Kashmir did not allow Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar and put its chief priest Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house detention, the managing body of the mosque said on Friday. The Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid, which manages the grand mosque in Srinagar’s old city, said the police closed the gates of the mosque and informed devotees that the Friday prayers will not be allowed today. “Mirwaiz-i-Kashmir Molvi…

Pro-Palestine Protests held in Kashmir, Authorities Bar Prayers in Jamia Masjid

October 14, 2023 Editor

Protests in Kashmir for Palestine, Authorities Bar Prayers in Jamia Masjid

“The history has witnessed that no tyrant lasts for long, and the people do not stay oppressed forever. It is a lesson no one should forget, and I am sure God’s help will come soon,” a pro-Palestine supporter said. Scores of Kashmiri Muslims held a demonstration in central Kashmir’s Budgam district following the congregational Friday prayers in support of Palestinians amid the ongoing attack on the Gaza Strip by Israeli authorities. The protesters raised slogans against the state of Israel and the US, accusing them of carrying out unjust violence…

Widespread rain and snowfall likely in J&K from tomorrow

October 13, 2023 Editor

The J&K office of MeT said that the weather was mainly clear on Thursday but will become cloudy towards Friday evening with possibility of rain and snowfall over higher reaches during the night at scattered places of J&K Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir will be hit by consecutive Western Disturbances which will bring widespread rains and snowfall between October 14 and 18, the MeT department said on Thursday. The J&K office of MeT said that the weather was mainly clear on Thursday but will become cloudy towards Friday evening with possibility…

Rohingya Immigrants Under Scrutiny for Document Forging, Raising National Security Concerns

October 10, 2023 Editor

Rohingya immigrants residing in Jammu and Kashmir are facing scrutiny as some have been discovered in possession of Indian identification documents, notably Aadhaar cards and domicile certificates, reported The Tribune. While a substantial population of Rohingya resides in the Jammu division, a significant portion of them remains unregistered and resides in the region unlawfully. These immigrants have established settlements across various parts of the Jammu division, including remote districts like Kishtwar and Poonch. Presently, the police have initiated a verification process for the credentials of all such refugees, focusing particularly…