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How a Hindu king tackled floods in Kashmir 11 centuries ago 4/3/2015 7:35:11 AM Peerzada Ummer Early Times Report Srinagar, Apr 2: About 1100 years ago, Kashmir Valley was beset with the same crisis as it's facing today: floods. One of the ministers of Kashmir's then Hindu king set the course of Jehlum by the marvels of his engineering skills. Floods were thus tamed for centuries. Historical records mention that the Valley was always prone to floods and almost every year the ravaging waters would snatch everything from people. The Hindu king Avantivarman who took control of Kashmir in 855 A.D. had appointed in his cabinet a public works minister named Suyya. Historians believe that Suyya was a genius, and with his talent in the field of engineering, he channelized the flow of Jehlum in a manner that Kashmir remained safe from repeated flood threats for centuries. The historians say that Avantivarman assigned Suyya the task to find out solution for the perennial floods so that his kingdom could remain safe. Suyya found that the rock bound gorge where the Jehlum left Kashmir greatly reduced the passage of the river bed. "It caused frequent floods and also d...   READ MORE

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Future of J&K But will separatists accept the ground reality? 4/3/2015 7:34:59 AM Early Times Report JAMMU, Apr 2: There are, unlike separatists like Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz and Yasin Malik, some serious persons in the Valley who have the guts to say what is right and what is wrong and take cudgels with those who call themselves the representatives of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. They appreciate the ground realities in the state and assert that these separatists do not enjoy universal support even in the Valley and that the non-Muslim communities in the state such as Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh communities will not any accept any solution that Pakistan or the Kashmiri Sunni leadership. They urge these separatists to realize their mistakes and work accordingly....   READ MORE   Dogra certificate issue No difference between anti- Jammu Congress and BJP 4/3/2015 7:34:43 AM Early Times Report JAMMU, Apr 2: The BJP, part of the ruling coalition in Jammu and Kashmir, has again humiliated and taunted the people of Jammu region. It has played second fiddle to its coalition partner and has become a party to the reply the state government gave on the floor of the assembly on Wednesday in response to the question put by a BJP MLA Kuldeep Raj regarding the demand in Jammu for the issuance of Dogra certificate to those desirous of joining paramilitary forces, including CRPF. In reply to a written question of MLA Kuldeep Raj in the assembly if the "government proposes to issue Dogra ertificate in favour of bonafide Dogra persons as was in vogue previously", the Ministe...   READ MORE   After losing power NC, Cong leaders visit flood prone areas Omar forgets chopper walks on foot, carries umbrella to impress people 4/3/2015 7:34:32 AM Fazal Khan Early Times Report Srinagar, Apr 2: National Conference and Congress leaders are touring various areas across the Valley to assess the flood situation and are assuring people of all the possible help. After visiting these areas they are promptly issuing press notes and photographs to "highlight" their concern about the people. On Wednesday the NC working president and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited the Beerwah area in central Kashmir to assess the situation arising due to the prevailing flood threat and in the evening NC media cell issued the photographs of Omar carrying an umbrella and moving around on foot to assess the situation. On the other hand Congress le...   READ MORE   Bickering in re-organised Cong grow aggressive 4/3/2015 7:34:22 AM Kunal Shrivatsa Early Times Report jammu, Apr 2: Despite receiving a severe drubbing in the last Lok Sabha as well as assembly elections in JK, the Congress, it seems, hasn't yet learnt any lessons. The internal bickering in the party has grown more aggressive. If Congress insiders are to be believed then the after effects of the reorganized Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) are already in the open as several leaders and workers, who have been ignored in the list of functionaries released on March 27 last, are in a state of despair as they feel cheated by the party high command despite serving the party for nearly two to three decades. Party inside...   READ MORE   J&K to opt for brand tie-ups to make Kashmir world-class tourist destination 4/3/2015 7:33:58 AM Early Times Report Srinagar, Apr 2: Jammu and Kashmir will go in for brand tie-ups to project Kashmir, knows as 'Paradise on Earth', as a tourist destination with global benchmarks. Chief Minister, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, said on Thursday that they will create elite facilities for high-spending visitors to the State. He also promised fast-track approvals for laying high-end tourism infrastructure and announced a 'Single Window' for projects' clearance in a time-bound manner under one roof. E...   READ MORE   BJP, Jammuites sour over turncoat's out-of-way projection Why only Lal Singh, why not Sukhnandan, Bhagat or Sham in BJP-PDP CC 4/3/2015 7:32:48 AM ET Report JAMMU, Apr 2: While the new political dispensation prevailing in the state of Jammu and Kashmir is still in its infancy stage, yet on papers, it promises to deliver quality governance, as is its agenda of alliance speaks hinting towards good governance for the common man. Though for the process, the alliance desired for constituting a coordination committee of its alliance ministers to give more teeth to the transparent execution of the works and different plans, it however, is being alleged to have given undue share to some as its prestigious members while ignoring the others. People's Democratic Party and Bharatiya Janata Party, on March 26 formed a coordination committee to ...   READ MORE   'Robin Hood' Rana invites all-round censure Pulling down Toll Plaza MLA's fancy or NC's deliberated policy? 4/3/2015 7:32:29 AM Abodh Sharma Early Times Report jammu, Apr 2: By threatening to pull down the toll plaza of the National Highway Authority of India in his constituency, National Conference MLA from Nagrota has tried to project himself as Robin Hood and the national agency which is engaged in the construction of the state of the art Highway between Jammu and Srinagar as an antagonist. Devendra Rana has tried to emulate Raj Thahkre and his Maharashtra Nav Nirman Sena, which vandalized such toll plazas and attacked their employees, in its quest for electoral gains in the state, of Maharashtra. Rana perhaps overlooked that Raj Thakre's party was rejected by the people of the state to triviality for similar ...   READ MORE   BJP's double-standards Anti-terror law in Gujarat, review of toothless anti-terror laws in J&K 4/3/2015 7:32:12 AM Early Times Report JAMMU, Apr 2: The BJP government in Gujarat on Tuesday did well topass a bill which empowers the police to intercept phone calls and allows such intercepts and confessions extracted to be used as evidence in a court of law. The bill in its earlier form had failed to get Presidential assent twice. The proposed legislation provides the police with complete powers to tap personal phones without permission and detain people. The Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organized Crime (GCTOC) Bill, 2015, was passed by the House, where the BJP commands a majority, on the last day of the Budget session. The bill aims at strengthening the state anti-terror and anti-organized crime l...   READ MORE   Why J&K needs depoliticised bureaucracy 4/3/2015 7:31:53 AM Mohammad Hamzah Early Times Report Srinagar, Apr 2: For more than a decade now, bureaucrats with political links while in service and then contesting elections after their retirement has almost become an institutionalized pattern in Jammu and Kashmir. For instance, at least three former Chief Secretaries had made their political ambitions clear even as they were in the office. On attaining superannuation or seeking premature retirement from service, they promptly jumped into the politics. Former Chief Secretary Vijay Bakaya joined the National Conference (NC) as soon as he retired from office in 2007. His successor, B R Kundal unsuccessfully contested the 2008 Assembly polls on a Con...   READ MORE   NC rabidly anti-Jammu Funds for repairing transformers 4/3/2015 7:31:31 AM Early Times Report JAMMU, Apr 2: On Wednesday, the NC MLAs, including those from Jammu, raised a hue and cry in the assembly and accused the PDP-BJP coalition government of discriminating with the Kashmir Valley over the distribution of power sector funds. They disrupted the proceedings to the extent that the Speaker had to marshal them out and adjourn the House for ten minutes. The Planning Department had on Tuesday released an amount of Rs 3.5 crore for the repair of damaged power transformers in the state, out of which an amount of Rs 2.5 crore was released for Jammu and Rs 1 crore for Kashmir Valley. "Why this discrimination with the people of Kashmir who have suffered more due to the...   READ MORE   BJP ovt follows Congress footsteps on J&K For 3rd consecutive year, Union govt cuts Annual Plan to state 4/3/2015 7:31:04 AM Akshay Azad ET Report jammu, Apr 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government has made no difference for cash starved Jammu and Kashmir, as like its predecessor Congress-led government, it also has cut the Annual plan 2014-15, plunging the state into financial crisis. Sources said that despite BJP being an ally in the coalition government in J&K, the state received blow in the form of cuts in Annual Plan, including Special Plan Assistance (SPA), Prime Minister Reconstruction Programme (PMRP) and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS). The sources said that few days ago, the J&K Finance department had forwarded a letter to Niti Ayoog, requesting release of full SPA and other component...   READ MORE   Omar's appeal They hate India and Indians, but not Indian tourists 4/3/2015 7:30:40 AM Early Times Report JAMMU, Apr 2: They, barring a few exceptions, do not appreciate India, Indians and Indian laws. Most of them consider India an alien country and describe its presence in Jammu and Kashmir unlawful and against their will. They say that "India is controlling Jammu and Kashmir with force" and that the "Indian Army and paramilitary forces are not required in the state". They dismiss with contempt all the Indian laws. They do not want any person other than a Kashmiri to settle and work in Kashmir. They do not like those who come to Kashmir to seek means of livelihood and charge them with "polluting the Kashmiri society". They oppose tooth and nail the West Pakistan refugees a...   READ MORE   2000 trucks, 700 vehicles cleared on Jammu-Srinagar NH Batote-Kishtwar NH at the verge of collapse 4/3/2015 7:29:26 AM Asif Iqbal Naik Early Times Report jammu, Apr 2: The Jammu-Srinagar and Jammu-Kishtwar Highways continue to play hide and seek with the passengers as government watches helplessly. The condition of Batote-Kishtwar stretch of National Highway has deteriorated further at Khilani some 8 KM from Doda has slipped approximately 8 feet created panic among the government circles. While talking to Early Times, Deputy Inspector General of Police Traffic Ashkoor Ahmed Wani confirmed that the road wa...   READ MORE   Probes into "illegal" appointments in DULBs go ignored 4/3/2015 7:25:33 AM Javaid Naikoo Early Times Report Srinagar, Apr 2: Illegal appointments in the urban local bodies (ULBs) are alleged to have become a routine affair. In the state's most of the municipal committees, such appointments are alleged to have been made. According to a report, the department had made more than 1,500 illegal appointments till 2011. Though probes were ordered into them, these made no headway as a result of which the numer of such appointees continued to increase with each passing year. After a scam of illegal appointment surfaced in previous NC-Congress government in May 2013, State Accountability Commission (SAC) ordered an enquiry into the alleged role of then deputy ...   READ MORE   Despite cancellation of his deputation by SKUAST, Farooq continues to be Dir Sericulture 4/3/2015 7:25:16 AM Asif Iqbal Naik Early Times Report jammu, Apr 2: Even as the SKUAST management has cancelled his deputation orders, Director Sericulture, who is basically an Assistant Professor in SKUAST, continues to hold the post in violation of the rules and regulations. As per the details available with Early Times, Farooq Malik, a non KAS officer, is holding the post of Director Sericulture "illegally" despite the fact that his parent department has already cancelled his deputation vide order No. AU/Adm/Prof (Seri)/M-18/86/1487-90 Dated 23-04-2013 issued by then Assistant Register (Est) SKUAST Mohammad Yaqoob. In this communication, Assistant Register (Est) addressed to Dr. Malik Farooq,...   READ MORE   Demand for JUET center at Kishtwar intensifies Over 2000 students facing hardships 4/3/2015 7:24:58 AM Asif Iqbal Naik Early Times Report jammu, Apr 2: Belying claims of the government to take higher education to the door steps of the students, University of Jammu continues to deny a centre of its entrance examination to various PG courses (JUET) to Kishtwar, where about two thousand students are expected to take the said test. While talking to "Early Times", several students on the condition of anonymity said that despite repeated request to the university authorities, the JUET center was denied to Kishtwar but still hoped that JU authorities will keep their word this year and sanction JUET center for Kishtwar. They said that Kishtwar District is a hilly and unconnected area and it ...   READ MORE   Online train ticket bookings touch 13.45 lakh on April 1 4/3/2015 7:24:25 AM Agencies New Delhi, Apr 2: A record 13.45 lakh rail tickets were booked online on the first day yesterday when the new rule of the railways came into force, allowing passengers to book tickets 120 days in advance rather than 60 days. Railways have extended the advance reservation period to 120 days to deal with the malaise of touts cornering bulk tickets. "The decision for increase of advance reservation period from two months to four months was taken to prevent touts to corner bulk tickets," said a senior Railway Ministry official. "The four-month window helps passengers to plan their vacations well in advance," he added. A total 13,45,496 rail tickets including 1,25,790 Tatkal wer...   READ MORE   Dogri on Currency notes: DB directs UoI to produce report submitted by RBI 4/3/2015 7:24:04 AM Early Times Report Jammu, Apr 2(JNF): In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Advocate B R Manhas against utter discrimination being meted out to Dogri language both by the Central and the State Governments, Division Bench of High Court comprising Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Bansi Lal Bhat today issued notice to Union of India (UoI) through Secretary Ministry of Home. After hearing petitioner in person directed Union of India to submit the report by the expert committee of Reserve Bank of India and also directed State to file reply in the PIL. The petitioner through his PIL has been submitted if the discrimination with the Dogri was not checked soon, this l...   READ MORE   'Kashmir legislators oppose Rs 1 cr of extra amount to Jammu, Jammu leaders offer Rs 1600 crore AIIMS on platter to Kashmir 4/3/2015 7:23:41 AM Early Times Report Jammu, Apr 2: The clamour and outcry of Kashmir legislators in the Legislative Assembly, alleging discrimination with Kashmir over the release of paltry additionality of Rs one crore in Power Sector for damaged transformers of Jammu region, should serve as an eye opener for the "highly submissive" legislators from Jammu region. The agitation of Kashmir region MLAs was note-worthy who united irrespective of their party affiliations and turned the heat in the Assembly to a furnace despite an insignificant amount being involved in allocation of power sector funds for Jammu. The BJP leaders, who have been maintaining silence over crucial issues, including those which ...   READ MORE   'Kashmir legislators oppose Rs 1 cr of extra amount to Jammu, Jammu leaders offer Rs 1600 crore AIIMS on platter to Kashmir 4/2/2015 11:51:36 PM Early Times Report Jammu, Apr 2: The clamour and outcry of Kashmir legislators in the Legislative Assembly, alleging discrimination with Kashmir over the release of paltry additionality of Rs one crore in Power Sector for damaged transformers of Jammu region, should serve as an eye opener for the "highly submissive" legislators from Jammu region. The agitation of Kashmir region MLAs was note-worthy who united irrespective of their party affiliations and turned the heat in the Assembly to a furnace despite an insignificant amount being involved in allocation of power sector funds for Jammu. The BJP leaders, who have been maintaining silence over crucial issues, including those which we...   READ MORE   Funds for repairing transformers NC rabidly anti-Jammu 4/2/2015 11:32:10 PM Early Times Report JAMMU, Apr 2: On Wednesday, the NC MLAs, including those from Jammu, raised a hue and cry in the assembly and accused the PDP-BJP coalition government of discriminating with the Kashmir Valley over the distribution of power sector funds. They disrupted the proceedings to the extent that the Speaker had to marshal them out and adjourn the House for ten minutes. The Planning Department had on Tuesday released an amount of Rs 3.5 crore for the repair of damaged power transformers in the state, out of which an amount of Rs 2.5 crore was released for Jammu and Rs 1 crore for Kashmir Valley. "Why this discrimination with the people of Kashmir who have suffered more due to the...   READ MORE   Prevent militants from exploiting flood situation Security forces asked to intensify vigil 4/2/2015 11:02:13 PM Early Times Report Jammu, Apr 2: If inputs from various intelligence agencies were relied on militants,operating in Jammu and Kashmir,were trying to exploit the current flood related situation for expanding their network and for targeting vital Government installations. Official sources today said in Jammu that security forces, including police and Army,wer e engaged in carry ing out relief and rescue measures in areas hit by floods and landslides. Finding that since majority of security forces had been deployed on flood duty militants could carve out new hideouts and recruitment drive for enlisting able bodied youth in their outfits. In support of their claim that militants were tryi...   READ MORE   Will Drabu reduce State's administrative expences? 4/2/2015 11:02:00 PM Early Times Report Jammu, Apr 2: During a public lecture last year Omar Abdullah while he was Chief Minister of J&K had said that his Government would not hesitate emptying state coffers for public good . Omar Abdullah must be congratulated for fulfilling his promise of emptying the state coffers and treasuries just before the recent state assembly election results. The state has now reached the threshold of economic crises as many government employees are without salaries right from December 2014 and bills worth hundreds of crores are pending in various treasuries of the state as a result of which government contractors, suppliers and others continue to suffer. After the NC's debacle i...   READ MORE   Against 68.5 mm normal March rain fall, 334.8 mm rain recorded this year Record unseasonal rainfall ruins Rabi crop in Jammu 4/2/2015 11:01:51 PM GS Asgotra Early Times Report Jammu, Apr 2: Breaking all its previous record of nearly three decades, the unseasonal rainfall and hailstorm has damaged wheat crop and vegetables in thousands of hectares of area of Jammu region, increasing woes of farmers, who have suffered worst ever damage to their crop. Sources informed Early Times that nearly thirty years back, in the year 1984, unseasonal rains had totally damaged the wheat crop and if there would be more rains in coming days, the wheat crop would be completely destroyed in low lying areas of Jammu province. As per the communiqué sent by Department of Agriculture to Metrology wing of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Scien...   READ MORE   Administration on toes even as flood scare ebbs 4/2/2015 11:01:42 PM Bashir Assad Early Times Report Srinagar, Apr 2: Even as the weather has improved, authorities in Srinagar are taking no chances to deal with any eventuality. The flood threat in Srinagar and other districts of Kashmir valley eased today as overnight rainfall, which had led to slight rise in water level of River Jhelum, stopped, however, the September experience keeps the administration on toes to deal with any eventuality. Jhelum was flowing at 14.10 feet at Sangam in south Kashmir, nearly nine feet below the danger mark, while the water level at Ram Munshi Bagh in the city was 15.25 feet, an official of the Flood Control Department said. Yesterday's rainfall had resulted in an...   READ MORE   Agony of man, who lost 11 relatives in landslide 'My house has turned into a graveyard' 4/2/2015 11:01:15 PM Early Times Report Srinagar, Apr 2: "I started rushing towards my home at 5 in the morning. I reached at about 9am. There was no home. My house had turned into a graveyard of my whole family," Shabir says as his voice chokes. The way to Laden, located at Karewas, is treacherous. The road has been washed away in many places and one has to trek some distance to reach the village. Villagers have moved Shabir into the house of a neighbour at Kralgam village, where they are trying to console th...   READ MORE   Tangmarg encounter: Ultras escape after killing Army Jawan, Police cop 4/2/2015 10:57:19 PM S. Tahir-Ul Haq Early Times Report BARAMULLA, Apr 2: After killing an Army soldier and one police personnel in Hardshoora village of Kunzar area in Baramulla district of North Kashmir on Thursday, the militants broke the cordon and escaped from the spot. While as joint team of Army and Police are looking for the militants and are carrying out a cordon and search operation of the area. A senior police official told Early Times that, "on specific information about the presence of two militan...   READ MORE

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RET Forum condemns statements of Education Ministers and MLA Doda 3- day long Baisakhi festival to begin on April 12 DC constitutes team to monitor Pvt Tuition Centres Shortage of signal lights, traffic staff cause frequent accidents Week adventure tour organized by NYK Poonch concludeslong Gender profiling, Literacy Survey launched Rs 8.5 cr lapse in Poonch distt as treasury office fails to clear bills BGSBU to hold 2nd Convocation in May No floods in Kashmir Valley, worst phase is over : State Govt 'Bad road connectivity triggers wreath among villagers' NHM doctors demand incentives Depute team to access losses to public in twin hilly districts : Aijaz Naik Roma Wani visits flood affected areas Demanding renovation of canals, locals protest against Irrigation Deptt Mahila Congress holds protest against union govt IGP Jammu reviews situation along border villages Stranded vehicles on Srinagar-Jammu Highway being cleared Acute shortage fresh vegetables in Kashmir due to closure of highway Breach in Nikki Tawi river poses danger to crops Man arrested for carrying Pakistani SIM card 10 yrs RI awarded to two including husband in abetment to suicide case Avalanche warning for 6 Kashmir districts   READ MORE THIS SECTION

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