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NSF protests failure of India Post to open training centre
Pvt schools urge govt to resolve technical issues
HPS students excel in symposium
Prize distribution function held
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Devotees throng temples in Jammu city on Mahashivratri
Amarnath yatris to get pre-paid SIM cards
Pandits celebrate ‘Herath’ with fervour across Valley
Prayers offered at Shiv Khori temple
Chaman slams govt over use of term ‘warrior’ for terrorist
AAP fields former PDP leader Bhat from Srinagar
Gulrez joins PDP
3 cops among six injured in Kupwara clashes
Truck cleaner killed, driver injured in accident
After hiccups, trade across border resumes smoothly
Inaugurated twice in 6 years, Doda campus
Over 1,500 health centres in J&K running from rented buildings
Students protest KU exam pattern
Public grievance redressal camp held
Students exposed to business world
Enforce Anti-sealing Bill immediately, say traders
Kashmir Bar supports shutdown call by Geelani
MC ‘fails’ to check sale of unhygienic meat in city
Project on conservation of Dal Lake gets underway
Avalanche warning for
Nowgam, Kaiyan areas in Kashmir
Man fakes kidnapping to evade marriage
Two arrested with fake currency in Rajouri
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NSF protests failure of India Post to open training centre
Jammu, February 27 NSF activists, led by forum president Sukhdev Singh, gathered on the campus of the University of Jammu and raised slogans against the Department of Posts. They burnt the effigy of the Chief Postmaster General (CPMG), Jammu and Kashmir, for allegedly showing no interest in executing the decision of the Central government related to the opening of a PTC in Jammu. “ The Central Government showed keen interest in improving postal services in Jammu and Kashmir by announcing a Postal Training Central for Jammu, but it is unfortunate that officials of the Department of Posts are incompetent and least bothered about improving the government infrastructure in the state,” Sukhdev Singh said while addressing the protestors. He said the selected candidates of the Department of Posts from the state were being forced go for training in Uttar Pradesh as there was no PTC in the state. “They need to wait for several months for the training that delay their joining process. The setting up of the Postal Degree College in Jammu will not only improve the crippled postal network in Jammu and Kashmir, but also provide a platform for youth to learn the emerging trends in the government sector,” Singh said. There are only nine PTCs across the country and J&K is “lucky enough” to get a PTC which would benefit its neighbouring states, including Himachal, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Rajasthan, the NSF leader said. “We will gherao the Chief Postmaster General office if the department fails to shun its dilly-dallying tactics in the opening of a PTC in Jammu,” he said. |
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Pvt schools urge govt to resolve technical issues
Jammu, February 27 Association president Deep Singh alleged that the delay in the appointment of J&K Board of School Education (JKBOSE) chairperson despite constituting a search committee and deficient implementation of the “Right to Education Act” were deliberately unresolved by the authorities. Commenting on media reports on school education, Deep Singh termed the “transfer industry” remarks of political leaders as insufficient in the prevailing circumstances. “Corrupt, unplanned and unfair policies of the state government are hampering the execution of the elementary teacher training course initiated by the school education board. It is causing unrest among the stakeholders,” he said. Deep Singh said the ETT stakeholders had raised infrastructures against bank loans. He stated that ETT institutions had hired thousands of literate and unemployed youth who would now have to quit the job because of low enrolment in ETT colleges. — TNS |
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HPS students excel in symposium
Jammu, February 27 The topics of the symposium were child labour, national integration and population control wherein Sakeel Ahmed Being, DIG, Jammu-Samba-Kathua Range, was the chief guest. Anil Mangotra, SP, Samba, was the guest of honour and the SDPO, Bari Brahmana, presided over the function. A total of 45 students from various institutions participated in the event where Anuradha of Class IX and Itika Atri of Class VII of Humanity Public School secured second positions on the topics. Both students were awarded Rs 300 each. Shweta Kumari of Class IX and Shewani Manhas of Class VII received Rs 100 each for participation. Gaurav Charak, principal of the school, along with Anku Charak, vice-principal, felicitated meritorious students on the occasion. — TNS
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Prize distribution function held
Jammu, February 27 Bharat Scouts and Guides State Commissioner ID Soni was the chief guest. Students of the school presented various cultural programmes on the theme “Save Planet Earth”. The main attraction of the event was a skit performed by students of the middle wing. The chief guest lauded the performance of the students in academics and extra-curricular activities. Later, he distributed prizes and certificates among the meritorious students. School chairman Prof Harbans Singh was also present at the function.
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Devotees throng temples in Jammu city on Mahashivratri
Jammu, February 27 Since morning, a huge rush of devotees was witnessed at various shrines and temples in and around the City of Temples. Amidst chanting of religious slogans, the devotees thronged the temples and offered special prayers to Lord Shiva to seek his blessings. They offered holy water, flowers, “bel patra”, fruits and other things to ‘Mahadev’. Thousands of devotees thronged the ancient shrine of Peer Kho at the banks of the Tawi in Jammu and offered special prayers on this auspicious day. The administration has made all necessary arrangements for the smooth flow of traffic besides security and safety of devotees visiting the shrine. Since morning, long queues of devotees, including women and children, were also witnessed at ‘Aap Shambu’ Temple at Roop Nagar in Jammu. The police force was deployed at the shrine to regulate the rush of people. |
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Amarnath yatris to get pre-paid SIM cards
Jammu, February 27 At a meeting chaired recently by Governor NN Vohra, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board
(SASB), time-bound steps were taken to enhance telecom facilities for the pilgrims during the yatra this year. The meeting was attended by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the SASB and other officials. The yatra will begin on June 28. All related aspects of telecom facilities were also discussed at a recent meeting held at New Delhi under the chairmanship of the Joint Secretary (Kashmir), Ministry of Home Affairs. “This pre-paid SIM card facility is valuable for yatris who do not possess BSNL mobile facility,” the CEO said. He further said the BSNL would issue the pre-paid SIM cards to registered pilgrims at special counters, which shall be set up at the Nunwan and Baltal base camps. He said all yatris interested in obtaining the SIM cards would be required to provide proof of identity and permanent address and valid registration papers. The CEO said the Union Department of Telecommunication had agreed to allot separate funds for creating permanent infrastructure to provide telecom facilities to the pilgrims. The department has also advised other service providers such as Airtel, Vodafone and Idea to pool in their resources and explore the feasibility of erecting telecom towers in the yatra area for the benefit of the pilgrims. |
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Pandits celebrate ‘Herath’ with fervour across Valley
Srinagar, February 27 Prayers were held at several temples while Muslims too were seen greeting Pandits on the festive occasion. “We celebrated Herath with fervour as all Pandit families living in the vicinity came for puja here,” said pujari Pawan Kumar of the 700-year-old Kathleshwar Mahadev temple at Habbakadal in the old city. While the hustle and bustle that was usually seen during Herath celebrations before the eruption of militancy is not to be seen anymore, the Pandits here nevertheless have been keeping their age-old traditions alive. As part of the Herath celebrations in Kashmir, Pandits pray to Lord Shiva and Parvati with offerings of walnuts that are placed in ‘watuk’ (earthen pot). “Walnuts are later distributed among friends and relatives,” said
Desha Lal, a resident
of Shivpora. Among other delicacies, Pandits also cook fish on Herath. A day after the main Shivratri festival, they also observe ‘salam’, when they visit friends and relatives to extend Herath greetings. As it rained today, devotees believe that to be a blessing from Lord Shiva. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Saifuddin Soz today said the festive occasion was a reflection of cultural binding, communal harmony and brotherhood between the Pandit and Muslim brethren. He hoped that the occasion would be a harbinger of prosperity, progress and peace for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also extended Herath greetings. A Hurriyat spokesman hoped that the auspicious occasion would prove fruitful for the return of Pandits to the Kashmir valley. Call of faith * As part of the Herath celebrations in Kashmir, Pandits pray to Lord Shiva and Parvati with offerings of walnuts that are placed in ‘watuk’ (earthen pot). The walnuts are later distributed among friends and relatives * Though the festivity that was seen during Herath before the
eruption of militancy
is not to be seen anymore, but the Pandits in the Valley nevertheless have been keeping their age-old traditions alive. |
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Prayers offered at Shiv Khori temple
Ransoo (Reasi), February 27 Around 53,799 pilgrims have visited the holy cave shrine of Lord Shiva at Shiv Khori in Reasi district since January this year. To help the pilgrims, the Reasi district administration and the Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board have set up two yatri slip counters, waiting rooms for the visiting pilgrims at the Ransoo base camp and at the holy cave. A parking place for heavy vehicles has been created at Kandha from where minibuses were being pressed into service to avoid congestion on the road from Kandha to Ransoo. People from different places of the state have organised langars at Ransoo and en route the cave. The Ransoo bazaar is abuzz with festive activities. A large number of stalls have been put up at the base camp by different departments for creating awareness among the public about various Central and state government schemes. Special arrangements were made by the temple management to perform “Shivratri Poojan”. Devotees today observed fast to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva.
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Mufti’s PDP eyes role in national politics
Jammu, February 27 While addressing a public meeting in the Sunjawa area on the outskirts of Jammu city, PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said today that coalition politics was a compulsion in the present-day political scenario. “In the era of coalition, regional parties have to play an important role in the national politics,” Mufti said while terming the PDP as a credible regional force of the state. Although Mufti did not divulge his party’s strategy, he hinted that unlike 2009, the PDP was not going to take the Lok Sabha elections casually. In 2009, the PDP had fielded weak candidates. So, the party failed to open its account in the Lok Sabha elections. The PDP had even lost the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, which is considered as party’s strong hold. In 2008 Assembly elections, the PDP had won a majority of the Assembly segments falling under this Parliamentary constituency, but the party had lost the Lok Sabha election. The party had fielded Mehbooba Mufti from the Anantnag Lok Sabha segment and Muzaffar
Hussain Beigh from the Baramulla Parliamentary seat to fight elections with full force. Neither Mehbooba nor Beigh had contested the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, but this time the party has chosen its strongest winnable candidates for these seats. Similarly, the party has fielded former Finance Minister Tariq Hamid Qarra from the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat against Union Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah. As far as Jammu region is concerned, the PDP has fielded a veteran leader Yash Pal Sharma as party candidate for the Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat. With the nomination of Yash Pal Sharma as the party candidate, contest on this seat is looking triangular because Sharma has a strong following among the refugees of Jammu region. Furthermore, being a native of Poonch, he has been concentrating on the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri. |
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Chaman slams govt over use of term ‘warrior’ for terrorist
Jammu, February 27 In a statement issued here today, Gupta said the government during debates on grants of revenue, relief and rehabilitation had mentioned in its written reply in Urdu that authorities had been trying to rehabilitate jangjoos and their families. “The use of the word jangjoo for a terrorist is highly objectionable and I will take up this issue in the Assembly,” Gupta said, adding that such usage was nothing but an insult to those who have been fighting militancy in J&K. Gupta also accused ruling leaders of creating communal tension by changing the names of historic places. He said, “There appears to be a design which needs to be looked into seriously by the Governor and the others concerned at the Centre.” He alleged that some elements within the government were trying to give new names to historical places of the state. He said the “menace of changing the names of historic places” had started from areas of Jammu and Kashmir under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. “The name of the Kishan Ganga river was changed to ‘Neelam’ and the Kishan Ganga valley was renamed the Neelam valley,” he said. Gopalpura and Bandhi Gopalpura in the Poonch area have also been renamed Fazalpura and Abaspur, respectively. |
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AAP fields former PDP leader Bhat from Srinagar
Srinagar, February 27 Bhat, who has been the first AAP candidate from the state, was figured in the second list of 30 candidates announced by AAP today. Sticking to its agenda of fielding popular activists against the traditional party heavy weights, AAP has thrown open an interesting battle in the Srinagar constituency where the Abdullah clan has maintained a stronghold. Bhat had quit the PDP last year following Afzal Guru’s execution stating that he resigned from the mainstream politics and will continue to work as an activist. Bhat, who has been in Delhi for some time now, is busy in holding various meetings with leaders of the AAP National Executive Committee. Meanwhile, the party will open its first office in the Valley on March 8. AAP will open its first office in Srinagar on March 8, AAP head office spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told The Tribune. Neeraj said Sameer, another activist from the Valley, might feature in the next list of candidates. Hundreds of activists and students joined the AAP membership campaign which was launched in Jammu in January. The AAP poll campaign in Kashmir will focus on to effectively involve youth in governance. “Youth will become the face of AAP in Kashmir. Online registration has streamlined our membership drive. We have received hundreds of online applications from the Valley. The campaign, with an aim at solidifying the party base in Kashmir, will begin from March 8,” Neeraj said. However, the party is yet to decide that who will inaugurate the AAP office in Srinagar. Party convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is unlikely to attend the inauguration function. “Arvind has a rally in Kanpur on March 2. The AAP National Executive Committee hasn't decided that who will be present at the inaugural function in Srinagar. However, it is confirmed that the party will open its first office in the state on March 8,” the party spokesperson said. |
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Gulrez joins PDP
Srinagar, February 27 “An MBA graduate from Cardiff Metropolitan University, United Kingdom, Gulrez has worked in London and Dubai,” a party spokesman said. — TNS
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3 cops among six injured in Kupwara clashes
Kupwara, Febraury 27 Six protesters, including two policemen, were injured in the clashes. The police, meanwhile, have arrested eight youths for stone-throwing from various parts of Kupwara town. Curfew remained imposed in Lalpora village of the Lolab area for the third consecutive day today. Curfew was imposed in the village following clashes on Tuesday. Life was hit in other towns of the district, including Trehgam, Kralpora and Handwara, for the second day today due to the shutdown. Youths today morning tried to take out a protest on the bypass road in Kupwara. Police and CRPF personnel dispersed the protesters by firing tear gas shells. The protesters later re-grouped and clashed with policemen. They were demanding that the identity of the militants killed in the encounter at Dardpora village be made public. “We suspect that the slain persons killed in the encounter are civilians and not militants. The Army would have made their identity public had they been militants. We demand a probe into the incident and punishment for Army men involved in the encounter,” said a protester. The Army and the police maintain that those killed in the encounter were foreign militants and associated with the Lashkar-e-Toiba. Protesters also clashed with policemen near Regipora in Kupwara. The police fired tear gas shells and dispersed them. Protesters dispersed Youths on Thursday morning tried to take out a protest on the bypass road in Kupwara. Police and CRPF personnel dispersed the protesters by firing tear gas shells. The protesters later re-grouped and clashed with policemen |
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Truck cleaner killed, driver injured in accident
Jammu, February 27 The police said, the truck driver lost the control over the vehicle (PB23E-9205) while coming from the Narwal area. “The accident took place at 2.30 am. The truck cleaner died on the spot whereas the driver received minor injuries. A police team from the Nehru Market reached the spot and admitted the injured driver to the hospital. He was later discharged from the hospital,” said a police official. The cleaner has been identified as Qadir (21) of Baghpath district of Uttar Pradesh. The truck driver was identified as Saieem (30), a resident of Rakhol. A traffic policeman said to avoid confrontation with police officials at Panama Chowk, the driver had taken the wrong side but he could not control the speed and met with the accident. The police removed the iron rods and parts of the truck to clear the road for vehicle movement. A case has been registered under relevant Sections of the RPC. |
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After hiccups, trade across border resumes smoothly
Srinagar, February 27 Custodian of the cross-LoC trade at Salamabad Farooq Ahmed said 22 trucks from Kashmir crossed over to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and two trucks entered Kashmir from the other side. “Unlike yesterday, the PoK authorities unloaded our trucks at the Chakoti trade centre. We also unloaded their two trucks at the Salamabad trade facilitation centre,” said Ahmed. “The trade went smoothly today. More trucks from the two sides will cross over tomorrow,” he added. The cross-LoC trade, which was stalled between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad for 40 days after the recovery of brown sugar from a truck coming from PoK, had resumed yesterday and 26 trucks crossed over from both the sides. However, the 22 trucks, which crossed over to PoK from this side, were not offloaded at the Chakoti trade centre due to unprecedented security checks. The trucks had to return to Salamabad in Uri. General secretary of the Salamabad-Chakoti Traders’ Union Hilal Turkey said, “The trade that was stalled for long is getting back on track.” “We are hopeful that the trade will resume in full swing from next week,” Turkey added. |
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Inaugurated twice in 6 years, Doda campus
Doda, February 27 The university campus was inaugurated by the then J&K Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, on June 27, 2008, on the premises of Government Higher Secondary School, Boys, Doda, in the presence of the then Vice Chancellor, Jammu University. He had assured that the campus would start functioning in six months. “Azad had also announced the start of a postgraduate degree in applied mathematics within six months, but nothing has happened on ground till date. Students from far-flung areas have to go to Jammu to pursue a postgraduate degree, which a majority of them cannot afford. The students have no option but to stop pursuing postgraduate courses, especially girl students of rural areas,” said civil society member Ishtiaq Ahmed Dev. Ironically, the campus was again inaugurated by the then Higher Education Minister, Abdul Gani Malik, in 2011 with a new name —Doda Campus — in the presence of the then local legislators Abdul Majid Wani and Khalid Najeeb Suharwardi. “Inaugurations were just eyewash to befool economically and educationally backward people,” said All-India Students Federation (AISF) district president Mukesh Parihar, who had launched many agitations in this regard since 2008. Parihar said, “On May 5, 2010, the AISF launched its first agitation, 48-hour hunger strike, at the old bus stand in Doda, demanding start of the campus, which ended with an assurance from local legislator and present state Minister for Roads and Buildings Abdul Majid Wani.” “We again launched a week-long agitation in 2010 and indefinite hunger strike in 2012, in which a number of protesters were hospitalised. Later in 2013, we started ‘Kashmir Chalo’ march, but we were arrested in Asser,” he added. “We have sent several memorandums to the higher authorities in the past six years, but never got any response. We are struggling for Doda students and our struggle will continue till the last breath,” Parihar added. “We took up this issue on the national platform in the recently held yearly summit of the AISF in Hyderabad and we are going to start an agitation again with support of our national leaders,” he said. Meanwhile, resentment has started brewing in the academic and social circles over alleged discrimination against the people of Doda district, which is educationally backward as compared to neighbouring district of Kishtwar and area of Bhaderwah, where the campuses of the university are functioning properly. |
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Over 1,500 health centres in J&K running from rented buildings
Jammu, February 27 Over 50 per cent health institutions in the state are functioning from rented buildings and the state government in tandem with the Union government had coughed up over Rs 2.95 crore as rent from 2011 to December 31, 2013. There are around 3,088 health institutions, including 20 district hospitals, sub-district hospitals, primary health centres, community health centres, allopathic dispensaries and AYUSH Kendras, in the state. Of the total 1,445 health institutions in the Jammu region, 750 are operating from rented buildings and 695 have government premises. Similarly, of the total 1,643 health centres in the Kashmir region, 831are functioning from rented buildings and the rest have their own government premises. To run these centres from rented buildings, the statecoughed up Rs 42.48 lakh in 2011-12, Rs 44.72 lakh in 2012-13 and Rs 22.36 lakh up to December 31, 2013, for rent in the Jammu region. In the Kashmir region, the government paid rent of Rs 59.98 lakh in 2011-12, Rs 62.86 lakh in 2012-13 and Rs 63.02 lakh in 2013-14. A majority of health centres, particularly in rural areas, are not equipped with infrastructure facilities. Despite huge inflows of funds into the health sector, the Health Department is struggling with manpower shortage, both doctors and paramedics. An official document says 866 posts of doctor are lying vacant in the Jammu region. Of the sanctioned strength of 5,602 posts of paramedical staff for the Jammu region, only 4,117 odd staff have been managing the affairs and 1,485 posts are lying vacant. |
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Students protest KU exam pattern
Srinagar, February 27 Reportedly, the college administration did not allow around 80 students to sit for the ongoing annual examinations due to their absence from mid-term examinations, which angered them. The college administration finally deployed the police to tackle clashes by students. Students said the college administration and even Kashmir University did not make them aware on the new examination rules. They alleged that the college administration suddenly announced their ineligibility from taking the examinations, which could jeopardise their career. Meanwhile, Mushtaq Ali Mir, principal, Pulwama Degree College, said the Examinations Department, KU, issued roll number slips and decided on exam regulation. |
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Public grievance redressal camp held
Doda, February 27 Chief Planning Officer, Doda, YS Katoch, XEN, PWD (R&B) Division, Doda, BDO, Bhagwah, AD, Food, AEE, PHE Division, AEE, PDD Division, NT Bhagwah, sarpanchs, panchs, besides officials of the district administration were present at the camp. Mubarak Singh impressed upon the officials and field functionaries of various departments to work with devotion, dedication and determination for the benefit and welfare of the people living in the area. The DDC gave instructions to the Roads and Building Department to expedite the execution of ongoing works and to start pending works. He directed the Power Development Department to augment power distribution network in the area so that people could get uninterrupted power supply. He directed the PHE Department to take necessary steps for the construction of a filter plant so that safe drinking water was supplied to people. |
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Students exposed to business world
Rajouri, February 27 Vinay Sharma and Shachi Sood, faculty members of the management school and the organisers, said the objective of the exhibition was to acquaint students with leading business personalities of the state, country and the world and to tell them how they had risen. The event was organised under the guidance and supervision of Prof IA Hamal, Vice Chancellor of the BGSBU. The exhibition was visited by Mohammad Rashid Chowdhary, Registrar, BGSBU, Prof AK Koul, Dean, Academic Affairs, and Suneet Gupta, Deputy Registrar of the university. They appreciated the efforts of the management school to expose students to the business world. The exhibition was followed by a presentation session.
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Enforce Anti-sealing Bill immediately, say traders
Srinagar, February 27 “We hope and expect that the Act passed is enforced immediately so as to provide relief to the business community of the state along with their employees and particularly the people whose properties have been sealed in the past five months,” said Siraj Ahmad, chief spokesman for the Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA), an amalgam of various traders’ and hoteliers’ groups. Pointing out that 42 commercial properties have been sealed in the Valley, he said: “The KEA had vociferously raised its voice against the discriminatory approach adopted by the government towards the business community of the Valley by initiating a process of sealing the property coming under violation of master plan. As a matter of fact no such action was initiated in other regions of the state.” Hitting out at legislators who had opposed the Bill, Siraj said: “Legislators who claim to be the representatives of the people should always understand and realise that such moves (sealing) are anti-people and anti-trade, which can lead to a worst crisis and should avoid to play dirty politics and settle scores with each other at the cost of the welfare of the general public.” The Bill was yesterday opposed in the Upper House by some members of the ruling coalition as well and was finally passed amid a walkout by the opposition - Peoples Democratic Party and National Panthers Party. |
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Kashmir Bar supports shutdown call by Geelani
Srinagar, February 27 “The J&K High Court Bar Association condemns the use of brutal force by the police and the Army on the protesters in Lolab in which several persons, including seven photojournalists, were injured,” the Bar Association said in a statement here. Questioning the veracity of the Lolab encounter, in which the Army and the police claimed to have gunned down seven foreign militants on Monday, the Bar in its statement added, “The manner in which the bodies (without identification) were handed over to the local Auqaf for burial and then clamped a curfew in the area casts a doubt on the veracity of the encounter and killing of militants.” “The Bar feels that the matter should be investigated by impartial and independent international agencies so that the truth is established,” the statement said, adding that in Pathribal, Machil and other fake encounters, “innocent” people were killed in the name of combating terrorism. “Instead of punishing the culprits, they (guilty Army men) are let of by Army tribunals/courts,” the Bar added, while supporting the shutdown call by Geelani. Meanwhile, raising slogans against the Army, the activists of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference staged a protest demonstration in the Press Colony area today. They were demanding an independent probe into the Lolab encounter. The activists also demanded revocation of special laws such as Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and called for the intervention of the International Human Rights Organisation for stopping the alleged violations in Kashmir. The other Hurriyat leaders, who participated in the protest demonstration, included Javed Mir and Yasmeen Raja. |
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MC ‘fails’ to check sale of unhygienic meat in city
Srinagar, February 27 “There is no proper slaughterhouse in the city. Besides, there is no check on butcher shops too. We are not sure whether the meat that is being sold is of healthy animals,” said Abdul Majid, a resident of Srinagar. “Butchers slaughter sheep at their houses or in their respective shops. Nobody knows whether he (butcher) has slaughtered a disease-free sheep or half-dead. It is the duty of the SMC to keep a check on the sale of meat everyday,” added another resident, Iqbal Ahmed. Though the SMC had constructed a slaughterhouse at Rainawari two years ago at a cost of Rs 10 lakh, it caters to only that area. Butchers say one slaughter house is not enough for them, as meat consumption in the Valley is huge. The SMC authorities had claimed that the opening of a modern abattoir would not only provide clean meat to the locals, but to a large extent also reduce the quantity of animal waste. Veterinary experts also believe that in the absence of a proper slaughterhouse in the city, there is no control on slaughtering of animals. “There are more chances that the meat served is unhygienic. The animals are slaughtered at unhygienic places where there are chances of cross-contamination. Innumerable diseases can hit human beings,” said a veterinary expert from the animal husbandry department. A veterinary official of the SMC, however, said, “We are working on a project to construct a modern slaughterhouse at Tengpora, Srinagar, which can facilitate slaughtering of 2,000 animals per day. We properly check the livestock when it comes from other states,” said veterinary officer of the SMC Dr Javaid.
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Project on conservation of Dal Lake gets underway
Srinagar, February 27 Kashmir University in collaboration with the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE), a globally recognised Bangalore-based environmental think-tank, will soon hold consultations with the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation and houseboat owners. Head of the Botany Department, Kashmir University, Manzoor Shah, who is also the project coordinator, told The Tribune that the action plan of the project would be completed in the next three months after consultations with various stakeholders. Shah said it was felt that various efforts afoot by the state and private agencies for Dal Lake conservation had not proved fruitful enough, hence there was a need for a consolidated move aimed to restore the pristine glory of world-famous Dal Lake. “The project which will touch various aspects of the lake conservation, including saving the Dal Lake area, cleaning the lake, engineering aspects and rehabilitation of lake dwellers,” Shah added. He added, “The Central government has taken up the issue with the Bangalore-based environment agency.” The project will focus on all major areas concerning the Dal Lake, including watershed and natural resource management, biodiversity, technical engineering, water quality, socio-cultural aspects, economics, livelihood, conservation education, policy and governance, under various working groups having members from within and outside the state. Besides, critical review of the previous works on Dal Lake and evaluation of their failures and successes, if any, will be carried out under the project.
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Avalanche warning for
Nowgam, Kaiyan areas in Kashmir
Srinagar, February 27 The warning was issued by the Jammu and Kashmir State Disaster Management Authority on the basis of information provided by the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE). “People living in snow-bound Nowgam and Kaiyan areas have been advised to take precautions,” a spokesman said. High-altitude areas of the Valley, including the famous ski resort of Gulmarg, recorded fresh snowfall in the wee hours today. Srinagar and other plain areas were also lashed by intermittent rain. — PTI
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Man fakes kidnapping to evade marriage
Srinagar, February 27 Arshid Ahmad Magray, a resident of Qasbayar village of Pulwama district, pretended to be kidnapped by fake militants on the intervening night of February 21 and 22. Margay’s brother Shameem Ahmad on Saturday had lodged a complaint with the police that on February 21 some unidentified gunmen entered their house and kidnapped his brother. Subsequently, a case under Section 364 (kidnapping) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) was registered at the Rajpora police station and an investigation was initiated to trace Margay, said a police officer, who was part of the investigation. The police said they traced Margay to Wathoo village and the truth came to light following his questioning yesterday. The police official said Margay had staged the drama of his kidnapping with the help of his brother Shameem and four other friends. “As per the plan, Margay’s brother and friends pretended to be militants and entered the house at 11.30pm,” the police investigation later found. The fake kidnappers, masquerading as militants, grabbed Margay and took him along in a cab and kept him in the house of one of the four friends. The kidnapping was staged to give an impression that Margay’s fiancée is having an affair with somebody else, who with the help of unidentified “gunmen” kidnapped the would-be groom, the police said. Margay got engaged to the girl in November 2013 and was not happy with the alliance. “He could not refuse to the proposal because the two families had friendly relations,” the official said. The police have now booked Margay and his brother on the charge of providing false information. |
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Two arrested with fake currency in Rajouri
Rajouri, February 27 After receiving complaints of circulation of fake currency, the police sounded an alert and laid nakas on the Rajouri-Jammu and Rajouri-Poonch roads. The owner of a refill station and a local shopkeeper had said in their complaint that some persons travelling in a Tata Sumo had given them fake currency notes of Rs 500 denomination after filling diesel and purchasing some items. About 10 pm on Tuesday, the Manjakot police intercepted a Tata Sumo heading towards Rajouri. During frisking of the passengers, the police recovered Rs 87,665 from the possession of Mohammad Arshad, a resident of Dhaki in Poonch, and Basharat Khan, a resident of Achad in Poonch. The police found out that currency with a face value of Rs 45,500 was fake. The police lodged an FIR and started investigation into the fake currency network by questioning the accused. — OC |
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Devotees across the city today celebrated Mahashivratri with religious fervour by observing fasts and offering prayers.
Since morning, a huge rush of devotees was witnessed at various shrines and temples in and around the City of Temples.
Amidst chanting of religious slogans, the devotees thronged the temples and offered special prayers to Lord Shiva to seek his blessings. They offered holy water, flowers, “bel patra”, fruits and other things to ‘Mahadev’.
All eligible and duly registered Amarnath pilgrims will get temporary pre-paid SIM cards. A card will be operative for seven days as compared to four during the yatra last year.
At a meeting chaired recently by Governor NN Vohra, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board
(SASB), time-bound steps were taken to enhance telecom facilities for the pilgrims during the yatra this year.
One person was killed and another injured when a truck loaded with iron rods rammed into a pole near Panama Chowk here today.
The police said, the truck driver lost the control over the vehicle (PB23E-9205) while coming from the Narwal area.
After minor hiccups yesterday, the cross-LoC trade resumed today with 24 trucks carrying consumer goods crossing the peace bridge that connects the two sides of Kashmir in the Uri sector.
Demanding an impartial probe into the Lolab killings, the Kashmir Bar Association has supported the Friday shutdown call against the incident by hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference. Hurriyat activists led by Zaffar Akbar Bhat also staged a demonstration in protest against the incident here today.
