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Ex-Governor Sinha too a defaulter * Feroz Khan’s sister tops list of declarations J&K politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen hide 100,000 Shahtoosh shawls 5/25/2009 12:37:55 AM Only 3 politicians---Azad, Baig and Ajatshatru--- declare possession of the banned Chiru product Ahmed Ali Fayyaz SRINAGAR, May 24: Among all mainstream and separatist politicians, former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Deputy Chief Minister, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, and the National Conference (NC) MLC, Ajatsharu Singh, are the three-odd individuals who have responded to a Supreme Court of India order, followed by a notification from J&K Government's Department of Wildlife Protection, and declared the banned Shahtoosh shawls in their possession. Even as a total of 315 persons in Jammu and Kashmir have declared possession of 944 items and claimed certificates of bona fide ownership, hundreds of political leaders, government officials and businesspersons have not come forward for mandatory declaration. With the authorities failing to conduct raids due to “lack of political will” of the previous PDP-Congress regime, nearly 100,000 Shahtoosh shawls are believed to be in illegal possession of influential businesspersons, traders, politicians and bureaucrats in Jammu & Kas...   READ MORE

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Militants intrusion suspected in Kashmir 5/25/2009 12:37:31 AM Early Times Report Srinagar, May 24 Even as the Army is trying hard to check infiltration into North Kashmir, at least two to three attempts were made by terrorists from across the border in the recent past and more than a dozen militants are believed to have sneaked into the higher reaches of the valley. While some militants sneaked into the periphery of Srinagar city like Ganderbal, from where Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been elected, a majority of them were holed up in higher reaches of Lolab and Bandipore in North Kashmir, sources in the state Home department said. Recently three infiltration bids were made -- one each in Keran and Karnah in Kupwara sector an...   READ MORE   Soz meets Antony 5/25/2009 12:36:58 AM New Delhi , May 24 President of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee Prof Saifuddin Soz today informed Defence Minister A K Antony about the problems being faced by the people of Kargil due to absence of air services and urged him to expand the airport there. Prof Soz told Antony that during his recent visit to Kargil, people complained that in absence of regular air services they faced enormous difficulties, especially during winters as Kargil remains cut off due to excessive snow and rains. He suggested that the airport at Kargil could be expanded without any hassle to the Indian Air Force as land for expansion was available and should that happen, Turbo Props Aircrafts ...   READ MORE   J&K looking towards Delhi’s Coffers 5/25/2009 12:36:32 AM Earluy Times Report Jammu, May 24,: With new government assuming office in New Delhi, the coalition government headed by Omar Abdullah has set all its eyes on the proposed meeting between the officials of the planning commission and the union finance ministry to get clearnace for their annual budget proposals to kickstart developmental works. Soon after the NC-Congress government assumed charge the model code of conduct was announced and the most important job of allocation of budgetary support to various ministires was put on hold till the formation of new union government. Highly placed official sources revealed that a high level meeting between the state finance minister and t...   READ MORE   J&K mulling tourism master plan 5/25/2009 12:36:12 AM Early Times Report Jammu, May 24 In an effort to put tourism back on the rails in Jammu and Kashmir, the state government is preparing a 20-year-master plan for the sector, hit by militancy. "A 20-year master plan on tourism in Jammu and Kashmir is on the anvil,"senior tourism ministry officials told. Recognising the vast tourism potential of Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh regions, they said the industry can make major contributions to the economic growth of the state. In this direction, the government recently floated tenders asking tourism experts across the world to prepare the master plan and a vision document, they said. While over 40,000 foreign tourists visit Ladakh annually, over tw...   READ MORE   Soz looking towards Delhi Durbar 5/25/2009 12:35:47 AM Jammu , May 24 Securing a place in the Union Cabinet may not prove to be an easy going for former Union Minister and state unit president of the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir, Saif-uddin Soz. who is in a wait and watch mood is finding it difficult to find a place for himself as the National Conference President Farooq Abdullah was also left out of the list who ultimately made it to the union cabinet. Well placed sources told that Soz is unlikely to be considered for a berth in the cabinet during the next week’s cabinet expansion. “Jammu and Kashmir has already been given representation in the Union Cabinet as former Chief Minister Ghulm Nabi Azad has been formally inducted in the cabi...   READ MORE   Rathers budget likely early July 5/25/2009 12:35:17 AM Early Times Report Jammu, May 24 The budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly will be held in July, the state’s finance minister said Sunday. Jammu and Kashmir is meeting its financial commitments from the vote-on-account passed in the assembly soon after the new National Conference-Congress coalition government was formed early this year. The budget for the financial year 2009-10 was deferred because of the Lok Sabha elections and the formation of a new government at the centre. “The budget would be presented and passed in the July session of the state legislature,” Finance minister Abdul Rahim Rather told reporters here. Rather said the state’s economy was shattered. “The re...   READ MORE   GMC: Promising buildings , disappointing manpower 5/25/2009 12:34:51 AM SALMAN NIZAMI JAMMU MAY 23: Though various projects undertaken by of the department of health and Medical Education in the Government Medical college ( GMC) Jammu have been completed , inadequate staff has posed a big question in the face of increasing influx of patients. The construction of an emergency block in the Government Medical College Jammu has been completed which was taken up by the then Congress led Coalition government in 2008 . Despite shortage of manpower in the hospital, the department has still not started any formal process for their recruitment. Resultantly, the medical staff which is already overburdened with their routine duties, is likely to find more work in thei...   READ MORE   Emulate Delhi for improving school performance in J&K 5/25/2009 12:34:30 AM Nirbhay Jammual Jammu ,May 24 The Education Department plans to withhold annual increment of teachers in those Government schools which show poor pass percentage in Class X and class XII .In fact the Government has been peeved over the way some schools showed a pass percentage of below seven.By deciding not to release annual increment the Government thinks that teachers alone are responsible for the mess in schools run by the Department of E ducation.Well it is simply an exercise on placing the responsibility of the poor show in annual examination results on the shoulders of teachers only.It is the crumbling system and not the tea chers alone that is responsible for the poor show in th...   READ MORE   Student drowns in Tawi, untraced yet 5/25/2009 12:33:51 AM Early Times Report Jammu, May 24: A polytechnic student drowned in river Tawi while sitting on the bank of the river near Shiv Temple at Bikram Chowk. Identified as Kewal Krishen son of Subash Chander of village Pochal in Kishtwar district, a second year student of engineering diploma from Government Polytechnic Jammu arrived at bank of river for taking bath but slipped down, reliable sources informed. As the level of water was high student lost control and drowned in the deep water. Later, on getting information police, fire service divers launched a massive search operation to fish out the student but nothing was found till late evening. Search operation is still going on to trace th...   READ MORE   Vaishnodevi pilgrim dies 5/25/2009 12:33:31 AM Early Times Report Jammu, May 24: A 56-year-old devotee died due to cardiac arrest on Sunday on his way back from the Vaishnodevi temple, police said in Jammu. Ravi Baraday of Maharashtra was returning after paying obeisance at the cave shrine when he collapsed at Sanjichat in Katra belt of Reasi district, 63 kms from here, they said. He was shifted to a hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, they said, adding he had a severe heart attack. The body was handed over to his family for last rites. ...   READ MORE

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