TOP STORY OF THE DAY |
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| 46 lawyers on board, yet PWD, Revenue engage private lawyer | | Hari-Tara Charitable Trust Case | | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 17: Raising serious questions on the competence of eminent lawyers appointed by Law Department to represent state government in various courts including High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Supreme Court (SC), the Public Works Department (PWD) has engaged ex-Additional Advocate General (AAG) H.A.Siddiqui in the infamous Hari-Tara Charitable Trust case.
In the case, the litigant trust has asked Governor's office to vacate its premises which houses both residence as well as office of state's constitutional head. According to the details available with Early Times, Public Works Department (PWD) has engaged ex-AAG H.A.Siddiqui as its lawyer in the case despite the fact that Law Department has engaged more than 46 lawyers as Senior Additional Advocate Generals (AAGs), Additional Advocate Generals (AAGs) and Deputy Advocate Generals (DAGs).
This includes two prominent lawyers Seema Khajuria and S.S.Nanda who have been engaged as Senior Additional Advocate Generals (AAGs) besides other young and bright lawyers. Not only these two prominen... | |
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FRONT PAGE STORIES |
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| Principal GMC Srinagar goes on protest leave | | 'Highhandedness' of Health Minister | | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Dec 17: Principal of Government Medical College, Srinagar Prof Rafiq Pampori went on a protest leave on Thursday against the "highhandedness" of Health & Education Minister.
The Minister, sources told Early Times, has been violating all norms in appointing his henchmen to key posts in the GMC and associated hospitals. "The Minister has also been issuing arbitrary transfer orders of employees of the GMC Srinagar and associated hospitals in violation of all rules and without even bothering to consult the Principal," the sources said.
For example, they said, Dr Shafqat Khan, a junior medical officer with a tainted service record, was posted as Medical Superint... | |
| | | | Cong dissident camp starts flexing muscles | | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 17: Following reports that the Congress high command has decided to adopt a soft approach towards the suspended leaders and new district presidents of State Congress are likely to be announced soon, the dissident group in Jammu Kashmir unit of Congress has once again started flexing muscles.
After maintaining a low profile for more than four months, the dissident group of third front in Pradesh Congress convened a meeting and reiterated its stand to oppose the JKPCC president.
According to the sources, the meeting was attended by all the leaders of third front and dissidents, including Jugal Kishore Sharma, Amolak Singh, RS Chib, Hari Singh, Arvinder Singh M... | |
| | | | 'Core issue is appreciation of Jammu's political appreciations' | | India only stakeholder | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 17: Ever since the BJP-led NDA Government took U-turns on its stand on dialogue with Pakistan on November 30 at Paris (France), December 6 at Bangkok (Thailand) and December 9 at Islamabad and declared that talks and terror could NOT go hand-in-hand, Kashmiri separatists have upped their ante and demanded their inclusion in the dialogue process.
Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq have said so. Yasin Malik also followed their footsteps and demanded involvement of "true representatives" of Kashmiri Muslims in the dialogue process. And on Thursday, Shabir Ahmad Shah also came out with an obnoxious statement that India-Pakistan dialogue would be a futi... | |
| | | | Is Geelani running the State? | | | |
Muhammad Mukaram
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Dec 17: The pro-Pak separatist Syed Ali Geelani's diktat against a telecom service provider in Kashmir seems to have stirred the State. Also, after his fresh diktat against a former renegade, the State has launched a massive hunt to apprehend him, which suggests that the present Government must be taking suggestions from the separatist hardliner.
Take the case of Ikhwani Rashid Billa who is alleged to have unleashed a reign of terror in north Kashmir's Bandipore district.
His "oppressive" steps against people forced Geelani to issue a couple of statements in which Billa was accused of creating trouble for the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat leaders in ... | |
| | | | Omar's 'new definition' of BPL: 'If one owns a car, he must get free ration' | | | |
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 17: Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah believes that people having television sets or latest mobile phones should be included in the Below Poverty Line (BPL).
"If you are having colour television you are out of the BPL, if you are having mobile phone you are out of the BPL. It's for this reason that I didn't implement that National Food Security Act in the State as many people would have been left out of the free ration scheme," he said at a party function at Shangus in Kashmir.
The former CM, who owns costly gadgets is trying to give a new definition of BPL. He wants to say if one owns a luxury car, he should be given free ration.
Omar is apparently ... | |
| | | | SVC issues notice to JU for irregularities | | ET reports vindicated | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 17: The State Vigilance Commission on Thursday issued a notice and called for a detailed report from Registrar of Jammu University regarding complaints of nepotism and misappropriation of funds, hence virtually vindicating a series of reports carried by Early Times on the issue.
The SVC while proceeding on a complaint titled Narinder Singh Raina, General Secretary, Secular Forum, Sarwal, Jammu against authorities of Jammu University, in which president of the said Forum along-with his counsel appeared before the Commission and complained about number of malpractices, favoritism, and other gross irregularities viz appointments.
Early Times has been regular... | |
| | | | Dog takes abandoned baby from LD Hospital to Srinagar' Press Enclave | | | |
Majid Nabi
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Dec 17: Moved by the plight of a dumped baby, a stray dog on Thursday set an example of empathy much larger than human beings when it took the dead baby into its mouth near LD hospital and left him outside a mobile shop adjacent to Press Enclave.
Panic gripped trendy Residency Road here, with people looking surprisingly towards each other after a 'canine mother' left an abandoned male baby outside a mobile shop few yards away from Press Enclave here.
They said that the stray dog had found the dead baby outside Valley's lone maternity Lala Ded hospital at around 10 am.
Eyewitnesses who had chased the dog right from the Lala Ded hospital told E... | |
| | | | Army puncture BJP's balloon, say no change in ground situation | | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 17: Two days after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj patted her back and the back of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for what she called the resumption of comprehensive dialogue process with Pakistan, the Army Commanders in J&K punctured the BJP's balloon saying there was no change whatever in the ground situation in the State or that there was no change in the attitude of Pakistan.
Rejecting any "flip flop", Sushma Swaraj on Monday had asserted that the decision to re-start talks with Pakistan was based on "trust" and said the intent would be to have an "uninterrupted" dialogue process despite provocations by the "saboteur... | |
| | | | Various Departments owe crores to PDD | | Politicians, not public must use power judiciously | | | ET Report
JAMMU, Dec 17: A senior PDP minister is fishing in troubled waters. He has issued a statement on power scenario in the state. He said if people make judicious use of the power, the situation would improve.
The minister should have urged the ministers, politicians and bureaucrats to make judicious use of power instead of the general public.
The documents obtained under Right to Information from the office of Chief Engineer PDD (EM&RE) Kashmir by a noted RTI & Political activist Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat of Gopalpora Budgam under official letter No: CE/EM&RE:112/27263-96/TS Dated 3.1.2013reveal this whole mismanagement.
As per last year's figures the government and its function... | |
| | | | In absence of boss, Minister's pvt secretary calls shots | | | | ET Report
Jammu, Dec 17: A private secretary of a senior Minister has taken the lead role to call the shots and to do most of the things a minister is supposed to do.
The development has raised eye-brows with most of the employees and bureaucrats feeling irritated by the actions of Minister's private secretary.
When this Early Times reporter visited civil Secretariat on Thursday he found that instead of the Minister, his private secretary was directing the officials to redress the problems of the people. "I came here from Chadora Budgam to meet the minister but the officials presented in the office said that the minister is not available. I was shocked to see the private secretary in th... | |
| | | | Omar bats for separatists, asks GoI to start dialogue with them | | | | Saahil Suhail
Early Times Report
Anantnag, Dec 17: Former Chief Minister and National Conference's working president Omar Abdullah Thursday asked New Delhi to start internal dialogue with "state political leadership including separatists" for the resolution of Kashmir problem.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a public rally at Shangus, he said, "We can't expect the resolution of Kashmir problem through Indo-Pak dialogue given the fact that it has internal and external dimensions. The Indo-Pak dialogue will address external dimension but for the internal dimension, Centre has to start a dialogue with state including those who have different political ideologies (separatists)."... | |
| | | | Financial crunch may hit National Dogri conference | | | | Akshay Azad
Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 17: The proposed National Dogri Conference being organized by Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art Culture and Languages in Jammu on 21 and 22nd of December is likely to face obstacles due to alleged financial constraints.
Sources informed Early Times that the budget proposal submitted by Dogri wing of Academy to the Secretary of Academy for the proposed national conference was turned down by the secretary and has reportedly asked the officials to curtail the budget.
"The officials had made the proposed budget for this National conference of Dogri being organized in Abhinav Theatre to the tune of more than Rs. 6 Lakhs. When an official of Acade... | |
| | | | SIT visits Mughal Maidan, inspects burnt temple, houses | | | |
Asif Iqbal Naik
Early Times Report
Kishtwar, Dec 17: In order to expedite the probe in mysterious fire incident at Mughal Maidan here on Tuesday last in which two houses and an ancient temple were gutted, Special Investigation Team (SIT) of police, headed by additional SP, Kishtwar, Abdul Qayoom visited the spot today and inspected the burnt structures.
Besides inspecting the burnt houses and the temple, SIT also questioned a few people including the victim's family with regard to the fire incident and prepared the details with regard to sequence of events that took place before, after and in between the fire incident.
Police sources said SIT was probing the case from all possible... | |
| | | | ‘No role for separatists in forthcoming Indo-Pak dialogue' | | | | Javaid Naikoo
Early Times Report
Pulwama, Dec 17: The separatists may be left behind yet again in the forthcoming Indo-Pak secretary level talks.
India today made it clear that all bilateral Issues between India and Pakistan which includes dialogue on Kashmir issue as well will be addressed mutually.
Ministry of External affairs today said that date and venue for scheduled meeting between Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan in January 2016 are yet to be finalized adding that "all bilateral issues are to be addressed mutually between the two countries."
Spokesperson of the External affairs Ministry, Vikas Swarup said that "All the bilateral issues are to be addressed mutual... | |
| | | | Alternate highway connecting Kashmir with Jammu in shambles | | R&B department yet to awake from 'deep sleep' | | | Jehangir Rashid
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Dec 17: Thanks to official 'apathy' a parallel highway connecting Kashmir with various districts of Jammu division is in shambles and the people at helm are yet to understand the importance of the highway.
Natipora-Nowgam-Newa road connecting Central Kashmir and North Kashmir with South Kashmir as well as some districts of Jammu division is in a pathetic condition. The people who travel by this road complain of total mismanagement and opine that the concerned department is yet to awake from the 'slumber'.
The Natipora-Nowgam-Newa road connects North Kashmir districts of Baramulla, Bandipora, Kupwara and Central Kashmir districts of Srin... | |
| | | | HC stays DSE Kashmir's cancellation order, issues notice | | Constitution of management committee of DAV School | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 17: High Court has stayed the order of Director School Education (DSE) Kashmir through which he had canceled the constitution of the managing committee of the DAV Public Secondary School (DAVPSS) Jawahar Nagar, Srinagar.
High Court has issued notice to the DSE Kashmir and asked him to explain in detail reasons for cancelling the constitution of the managing committee of the DAV Secondary School. In a handout issued here today, the management of DAV Public Secondary School, Jawahar Nagar, Srinagar has challenged the allegations of the Director School Education Kashmir recorded in the order no. 2571-DSEK dated 14-10-2015 as malicious propaganda, intolerance a... | |
| | | | Only 18% secondary schools in J&K have computers | | Digital India a mere slogan | | | Bijay Charak
Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 17: Contrary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's digital India initiative, in J&K less than 20 percent secondary schools have computer facility.
Sources informed Early Times that only 756 of 4198 secondary schools in J&K have computer facilities. At a time when the state battles with the gigantic problems of unemployment, the state government's indifference to introduce job oriented computer courses in all secondary schools is adding to swelling number of the unemployed youth.
Blame it on the utter neglect of rural as well as urban students, in the era of information technology, thousands of students are still without knowledge about computer... | |
| | | | CM felicitates duo for representing India at UN climate meet | | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 17: Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed on Thursday congratulated two state residents for representing India at the United Nations conference on climate change.
Jigmet Takpa, Chief Conservator of Forests, and Stanzin Dorjai Gya, filmmaker and director, Himalayan Film House, represented the country at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP21), which was held in Paris recently.
"The chief minister congratulated Takpa and Gya, both from Ladakh, and said their participation in COP21 is a rare honour for Jammu and Kashmir," an official statement said. The chief minister commended the work both were doing for reduction in global warming and elimin... | |
| | | | Authorities turning blind eye to rampant overloading in Poonch | | | | M S Nazki
Early Times Report
Poonch, Dec 17: Despite state government claims that the accidents have taken heavy toll of human lives as compared to the militancy, but the authorities at the helms of affairs in this mountainous district of Poonch have failed to check the overloading of passenger vehicles which is termed as the main root cause of accidents.
The sight of passengers sitting on rooftops of vehicles and many clinging to the doors is so common in the district that people responsible for regulation of the same hardly take notice.
Locals alleged that taking advantage of severe shortage of staff in the Traffic Department private buses continue to flout rules and regulations thus... | |
| | | | 'Revenue-Forest mafia involved in felling green forest cover' | | Civil society members warn of blocking NH, if admn fails to contain theft | | | A B Sharma
Early Times Report
Sunderbani, Dec 17: Civil Society members Sunderbani have alleged that the green forest cover in the tehsil and Rajouri district is being ruined by the wood cutting mafia that galore in the area, thus selling off the illegal wood under the very nose of the administration.
" While the state is under the strict ban of cutting down the green forest cover, revenue and forest mafia in connivance with each other is plundering the green wealth while the state administration is held responsible for failing to maintain check on it ," said Tejinder Singh, Ashok Kumar and retired inspector Rattan Lal while talking to Early Times ,
The society members alleged that th... | |
| | | | JK should focus on quality of services,products to become global player: Drabu | | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 17: Minister for Finance, Culture and Labour and Employment, Dr Haseeb Drabu today said Jammu and Kashmir should focus on quality of products and services to become a global player.
"For globalization our focus should be on competency rather that competitive advantage and we should aim to become a global player by improving the quality of our products and services to match the global regulatory environment even in domestic set up," Dr Drabu said in his key note address at the conclusion of 3-day international conference on "Achieving Sustainable Competitive Advantage in Global Business Era" organised by Department of Commerce, University of Jammu.
Dr Drabu... | |
| | | | Man shown married to man, Sikh man's picture on Muslim consumer's form | | Discrepancies in CAPD records, another gift of Omar Govt | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Dec 17: The previous Omar Abdullah led government is responsible for the gross discrepancies, which have appeared in the database compiled by the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department (CAPD) in Jammu and Kashmir.
Official sources confirmed that in 2012, the National Conference led government went for the digitization of the consumers records of the CAPD department. "Interestingly, it were two NC ministers, who in league with Omar Abdullah, got the records digitized but didn't bother about the correctness of data fed into the computer," the officials said.
While the PDP-led state government is bracing up for implementation of the National Food ... | |
| | | | Omar's latest pot shot against PDP 'hollow' | | Has no moral right to ask questions on AFSPA, talks with separatists | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 17: In what can be seen as making noises as opposition party just for the sake of opposition, NC's working president Omar Abdullah has been doing so for some time while trumpeting on issues in a bid to corner rival PDP on which he and his party NC miserably failed to make any movement forward when he ruled J&K during previous coalition with Congress. Omar almost shouted it out today at PDP with satirical tone and questioned latter's silence on contentious issues like AFSPA revocation and talks with separatists, on which his party virtually succumbed to Congress tactical strategy, not to speak of jobs for unemployment of which NC made a mockery with youth u... | |
| | | | R-APDRP implementation deadline to end in March 2016 | | Govt's non-serious approach likely to drain exchequer | | | Peerzada Ummer
Early Time Report
Srinagar, Dec 17: The tall claims of the state government over ensuring better electricity supplies to the people are all set to fall flat as the power ministry in JK is going to miss the deadline of March 2016 for the implementation of the much hyped R-APDRP program for the state.
Launched in the year 2011, Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (R-APDRP) had a focus to reduce aggregate technical and commercial losses in power distribution and management across state utilities. A Private firm was selected to establish reliable and automated systems for sustained collection of accurate baseline data for Jammu and Kashmir Powe... | |
| | | | 4,750 child labourers still waiting for school opening in Udhampur | | | | Ashwani Sharma
Early times report
Udhampur, Dec 17: Despite government's initiatives to end the menace of child labour in Udhampur and educating them atleast 4,750 child labourers in the district still are awaiting their rehabilitation states a new survey conducted by state government .
According to survey report of government 2006, there were 987 minors who have been working as labourers in one or the other forms, out of which 430 have been rescued and rehabilitated in the district for which the labour department with the support of the district administration of Udhampur has so far opened 11 rehabilitation centres for the rescued child labourers.
Reports said that the firs... | |
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