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Mirwaiz vows to carry on struggle till Kashmir’s ‘freedom’ Hurriyat’s ‘Ragda’ to NC-PDP at Iddgah, NC’s ‘Ragda’ to PDP in Budgam 5/21/2009 11:28:32 PM Govt allows separatists’ rally but Mirwaiz calls ‘Lalchowk Chalo’ on July 13th Ahmed Ali Fayyaz SRINAGAR, May 21: Senior separatist leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, today threatened to revive “2008-type mass movement” in case New Delhi failed to take substantive measures in the direction of resolving the six-decade-long Kashmir dispute in the next two months. Buoyed with Omar Abdullah government’s permission to Hurriyat’s Iddgah rally today, Mirwaiz issued a call for “Lalchowk Chalo” on July 13th and his followers enjoyed a field day in the capital city while shouting pro-Azadi slogans, patrolling with green flags on motorcycles and, in the evening, burning gunny bags in front of CRPF pillboxes in the downtown. On occasion of 19th anniversary of Mirwaiz Maulvi Mohammad Farooq’s assassination today, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq-led faction of the separatist Hurriyat Conference organized a mass congregation and called it “Election Rejection Rally”. Mirwaiz was keen to tell the world that majority of the people in Jammu & Kashmir, according to him, had observed boycott to the lately c...   READ MORE

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‘Berth pangs’ delay UPA cabinet formation 5/21/2009 11:26:29 PM New Delhi, May 21: The Congress was on Thursday night grappling with DMK, which was doing hard negotiations to get plum portfolios, failed to reach an understanding as T R Baalu said the DMK will extend outside support to UPA government. Coming out of war room negotiation, the DMK negotiator T R Baalu said before media persons that “what Congress is offering to us is not acceptable.” There was no formula on establishment of government in 2004, says Baalu, adding if there was no formula in the last govt formation why this time. Baalu announced the breakdown of talks after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called up DMK chief M Karunanidhi who conveyed his rejection of the Congress propos...   READ MORE   Frequent accidents aside, gadgets to check fitness still unfit 5/21/2009 11:26:13 PM SALMAN NIZAMI Jammu, May 21: Precious lives are being lost on the hilly roads every now and then and pollution is thickening in the urban area as crowd of vehicles is growing fast. Fitness or roadworthy-ness of vehicles is one such check which can minimise the death toll on roads as well as contain pollution in the cities. Ironically the gadgets for checking fitness are not working. The winter capital and rest of the region witnesses hazardous traffic chaos with an increasing the number of vehicles every year at the rate of approximately 27000 annually, which is leading to increase in pollution as well as the accidents. According to official data for the last year about 843 were k...   READ MORE   AMARANTH YATRA SASB taking second thoughts as snow accumulates on tracks 5/21/2009 11:25:58 PM Early Times Report Jammu, May 21: The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board appears to be on second thoughts on keeping the already announced schedule of annual pilgrimage to the South Kashmir holy cave in view accumulating snow blocking the tracks to the cave. The Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, NN Vohra, reviewed the arrangements for the upcoming Shri Amarnathji Yatra at a high level meeting here today. During the meeting, the Chairman, who is the Governor J&K, was informed that work on restoration of the track on both axis has already begun and preparatory work for putting in place other logistic facilities like tentage, langars, sanitation facilities, etc. is progressing at a br...   READ MORE   Hazratbal polls now on June 3 5/21/2009 11:24:17 PM Early Times Report SRINAGAR, MAY 21 – In view of Mela Kheer Bhawani at Tulmulla, which is attended by a huge congregation of pilgrims between May 29 and June 2 as well as other security-related issues, the Election Commission has revised the poll schedule of bye-election to Hazratbal Assembly constituency. As per the revised notification, polling will now be held on June 3 instead of May 30 while as counting of votes will take place on June 7. The entire election process for the Assembly constituency will be completed before June 10, the notification adds. ...   READ MORE   98 aspirants vying for each KAS seat 5/21/2009 11:23:57 PM Early Times Report Jammu, May 21: As many as 98 aspirants are appearing for each seat of the coveted Jammu and Kashmir Combined Services, popularly known as KAS, examinations for which are being held on Saturday and Sunday. Though the number of students competing against each seat is not very high as compared to the previous examinations or all Indian Civil Services examination but the total number of students appearing this year is highest ever. As many as 39,362 candidates, the highest-ever number, will appear for 398 posts in the preliminary test of J&K Combined Competitive Services Examination (CCSE) on May 23 and 24 at 78 examination centres in the two capital cities of the Sta...   READ MORE   Forest fire reported near LoC in Rajouri 5/21/2009 11:23:35 PM Early Times Report Jammu, May 21: Major fire is reported to have broken out near line of control in Mankote sector of Rajouri district on Wednesday night. Sources said that major fire has engulfed Balnoi forests area spread across a radius of 8 kilometers, near Loc in Mendhar .They said the fire that raged from forest compartment number 136 and 137 spread instantly up to Dabhraj top due to winds has resulted in damage to hundreds of trees and cattle. Army’s 2 and 5 Grenadiers are stationed in the area where fire broke out. Army, Forest protection force and fire fighters were trying to control the fire. A Forest official said that forest protection force and fire fighters have been p...   READ MORE   Rigzin Jora bereaved 5/21/2009 11:23:09 PM Early Times Report Srinagar, May 21 Cabinet ministers in ajoint statement has extended their heartfelt condolences to Tourism Minister, Nawang Rigzin Jora on the demise of his elder brother Tashi Narbu, who passed away yesterday evening after brief illness. In a joint statement Minister for Finance, Law & Parliamentary Affairs, A. R. Rather, Minister for Rural Development, Ali Mohammed Sagar , Minister for Education, Peerzada Mohammed Sayeed, Minister for Industries & Commerce, Surjit Singh Slathia, Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Minister for Forest, Mian Altaf Ahmed and Minister for Health & Floriculture, Sham Lal Sharma have condoled the demise of Tas...   READ MORE   SC comes to the rescue of couple in J&K 5/21/2009 11:22:49 PM New Delhi, May 21 Asserting that a girl above 18 years is entitled to choose her life partner, the Supreme Court today restrained the family members of a Hindu girl in Jammu and Kashmir married to a Muslim boy from harassing or intimidating the couple in any manner. It was claimed by the couple that they were being intimidated by the girl's family which was taking the support of local Shiv Sena leaders. The apex court personally enquired from the girl Chanchili alias Mehvesh Anjum about her age and marriage to the Muslim youth Fiaz Ahmed Ahanger, before directing the J&K police to provide necessary protection to the couple if they seek the same. Interstingly, a FIR has been filed against...   READ MORE   33 swap sides via LoC via Uri 5/21/2009 11:22:28 PM Early Times Report Srinagar, May 21: Thirty three persons swapped sides along the Line of Control (LoC) through Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service on Thursday, official sources told Press Bureau of India. They said, while 10 persons crossed over to Pakistan-administered-Kashmir, 23 persons reached Valley after crossing "Kaman Aman Setu (Peace Bridge)" in Uri town of Baramulla district in north Kashmir. Among the ten persons who travelled to Pak included six first timers, who are meeting their relations first time after the partition of India and Pakistan six decades ago, while the remaining four were citizens of this part of Kashmir who return after twenty eight days stay in valley. Tw...   READ MORE   Perks to continue for Central Govt employees in Kashmir 5/21/2009 11:21:53 PM New Delhi, May 21: The Centre has extended till the year end the package of special concessions and facilities to employees of the central government and its public-sector undertakings (PSUs) operating in the Kashmir Valley. "In a Defence Ministry circular issued this week, the government has said that the allowances admissible to civilian employees till June last year have been extended. "This had been done after a review by the Department of Jammu and Kashmir Affairs of the Home Ministry in consultation with the Department of Personnel and Training and the Finance Ministry," Defence Ministry officials said. Among the slew of proposals, employees posted in the Kashmir valley will contin...   READ MORE

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