As weather improves Highway opens partially; Air Traffic Resumes

SASE continues with avalanche warning for JK’s higher reaches Traffic resumes partially on Highway Electricity Restored, Roads Cleared Air Traffic Resumes Weather across Kashmir improved on Sunday after four days of rains and snowfall, leading to partial opening of the Srinagar-Jammu highway and restoration of flights from the Srinagar “International” Airport, even as local Meteorological department predicted “dry weather” for next five days. “Weather would remain dry for next five days,” Director of MeT department here, Sonam Lotus told Kashmir Post. He said in coming days, the night temperatures would…

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Season’s first snowfall cuts off valley from rest of the World, Massive traffic Jams, Chaos at many places

Snow throws life out of gear in Kashmir Ground & Air Traffic Remained Suspended Snowfall in the Kashmir valley on Friday isolated it from the outside world as it grounded air traffic and blocked roads, including the highways, that connect it with the rest of the country. The Kashmir valley, including Srinagar city, received heavy snowfall, pausing life in the region and causing widespread power outages. This is the heaviest snowfall experienced in the summer capital this season. Sonam Lotus, director of the Srinagar Meteorological Centre, said snowfall was likely…

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More Snow & Rain predicts weatherman, 12 Flights cancelled at Srinagar

Medium danger avalanche warning issued for upper reaches of Kupwara, Bandipora The weather department has predicted more rain and snow in the Valley in next few days. While summer recorded fresh light snowfall this morning, many other areas, especially the higher reaches in the Valley, experienced continuous light to moderate snowfall for the third consecutive day. The plains also received rains during the last 24 hours. A Weather department official said Srinagar recorded snow and rains equivalent to rainfall of 7.5 mm during the last 24 hours till 0830 hours.…

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Mehbooba blames Separatists for delay in peace restoration

Says they should have opened their doors to all-party delegation Squarely blaming separatists for the delay in restoration of peace and stopping of developmental works in Kashmir through summer months, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said closing of doors on the members of all-party parliamentary delegation sent wrong signals. Mehbooba said top leaders (MPs) of the country had come to “talk to them, but they did not open their doors (to the guests), a thing which has never happened.” This sent wrong signals to the outside world, she said. “They should…

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Snow brings cheer, breaks five month long dry spell

The five-month-long dry spell in Kashmir, the longest in four decades, ended today as high altitude areas, including Gulmarg, experienced snow while most of the plains were lashed by rains, providing the much-needed relief to people from the intense cold as mercury rose by several degrees due to cloud cover. The snowfall was received in several districts and tourist resorts of Kashmir and is likely to continue over the next several days. Officials at the Srinagar Meteorological Centre said snow was received in south Kashmir’s Shopian and Kulgam districts, Pahalgam…

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Opposition protests during national anthem, Governor walks out from assembly

Opposition-generated chaos in Jammu and Kashmir assembly forced Governor NN Vohra to cut short his address and walk out of the house today even as the national anthem was playing. The budget session had started on a stormy note. When the Governor entered, the Opposition – including members of the National Conference, Congress, CPI(M) and other Kashmir-based Independent legislators — stood up carrying placards. When they disrupted the Governor for the third time, raising slogans and shouting, Mr Vohra cut short his address. The opposition members continued with the sloganeering…

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Jhelum waters go alarmingly low ‘Lowest in 60 Years’ due to dry spell across Kashmir

The water level of the Jhelum river in the Kashmir valley has receded to an unprecedented and alarmingly low point as the region faces one of the severest dry spells in recent years. The river water level on Sunday morning touched a low of minus 0.55 foot at Sangam in south Kashmir, according to officials of the flood and irrigation department, Kashmir. The officials said it was the lowest measure of the river’s water level since the department began maintaining the record in 1955. “The water level has gone down…

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Shutdown, Protests over West Pakistan refugees, Resistance extends protest program till Jan 15

Protests were held at different places after Friday prayers in Kashmir, leading to clashes between protesters and the police while normal life was paralysed across the Valley today on the separatists’ bandh call against identity certificates to West Pakistan refugees (WPRs). Protests that sparked clashes between the protesters and the police took place after the congregational Friday prayers in the Nowhatta area of downtown Srinagar, where the Jamia Masjid is located. Youths agitating against the grant of identity certificates to WPRs indulged in stone-throwing on the police and CRPF men…

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Political turmoil, Killings, Controversies mark Kashmir in 2016

The year began on a tragic note for the PDP and the coalition government as then Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, who had paved way for the first BJP government in the state in alliance with his party, lost battle for life at AIIMS on January 7 following brief illness. If political uncertainty and controversies over Sainik colonies and Pandit townships marked the first half of 2016 in J&K, the civilians killings and longest ever shutdown were the dominating discourses as the curtains fell on the year which saw PDP…

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Centre must talk to all stakeholders including hurriyat to resolve Kashmir Issue: Farooq Abdullah

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today sought meaningful dialogue for ending political uncertainty in Jammu and Kashmir. “Alongside opening the channels of dialogue with Pakistan, the Centre must talk to all stakeholders, including the Hurriyat Conference,” Farooq said while addressing a public rally at Ragooda in the Nagrota Assembly constituency. He came down heavily on those criticising him for advocating dialogue with the Hurriyat Conference, asking why a finger was not being raised against the PDP-BJP combine. He blamed the coalition for bringing the state to unprecedented crisis and unleashing…

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