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Omar in 'fire fighting' mode, development takes backseat 6/23/2010 12:12:38 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, June 22: Omar Abdullah led coalition government is once again in 'fire fighting' mode. As the situation in Kashmir Valley, particularly in Srinagar is turning grim, this job has become imperative, rather a priority for the Chief Minister. The result is that development has taken a back seat even though the annual plan is through for the state. Last week when the Chief Minister after his 'powerful' power point presentation managed a plan size of Rs 6000 cr plus a sizable amount of Rs 1200 cr under PMRP schemes from Centre, the entire coalition family felt upbeat for what they termed as an 'achievement' of the government, as if state would not have got any had there been no such dispensation in place. However, the positive aspect of the story is that state government managed to get what Finance Ministry had projected in term of numbers and figures after doing quite a lot of 'home work'. It has been nearly a week now since the plan has been finalsied and the government is still sleeping over the District Development Board meetings in which the ditricts pl...   READ MORE

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Omar tries a couple of words against separatists Hurriyat (G) says this 'school kid' should not exceed his brief 6/23/2010 12:12:30 AM AHMED ALI FAYYAZ EARLY TIMES REPORT SRINAGAR, June 22: After religiously treading on the separatist-friendly course set by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's PDP for 18 months of his coalition government, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today mustered courage to utter a couple of bitter words for the hardliner Hurriyat chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani, albeit without mentioning his name. He asserted, by insinuation, that the separatist leaders were making fortunes for themselves but getting Kashmir's poor children killed in simulated clashes and attacks on security forces. With the separatists freezing and defreezing the valley of Kashmir at their sweet will and his government's writ failing to gain visi...   READ MORE   Azad 'using' cronies to spit venom against Soz 6/23/2010 12:12:08 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, June 22: Even as the Congress High Command has given cloud and clear indications that indiscipline and factionalism that has come to stay in J&K Congress would not be acceptable, it is far from being over, with party big wigs bent to keep it alive. According to sources, former Chief Minister of J&K and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is quite active in state politics for some time which he is luxuriously enjoying with frequent visits has done a meticulous exercise to collect almost all disgruntled elements in the State Congress and asked them to visit Delhi to say things that may not harm Soz, but will surely discredit him among the people of the ...   READ MORE   Bandh, Bandh, Bandh: Kashmiris fed up with the bandh culture 6/23/2010 12:11:59 AM RUSTAM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, June 22: Was there any legitimate reason behind the shutdown call? There was no reason. What exactly happened on Sunday or why did the security forces retaliate - action that led to the killing of two Kashmiri boys? On Sunday, one Kashmiri youth 25-year-old Javed Ahmad Malla lost his life due to the CRPF firing, which also left 11 others injured in the Old City of Srinagar. Four of them were security force personnel. Malla was killed in Noorabad in firing by personnel of 161 batalion of CRPF. Why did the CRPF open fire? The CRPF opened fire in "self-defence" when the unruly mob, according to trustworthy sources, started pelting stones at thier bunker. A...   READ MORE   Peace cannot be achieved by an intelligence operation' 6/23/2010 12:11:40 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, June 22: What do people of Jammu want? And, what do the people in the Valley want? Neither New Delhi nor Islamabad is bothered to know that. Both want to talk on all outstanding issues including Jammu Kashmir but without taking them (people of Jammu Kashmir) on board. The people in Jammu have been voicing their concern about `implementation of Dixon Plan in Jammu region'. In Valley, the focus for the time being is on demilitarization and repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). In the coming days New Delhi and Islamabad will talk on terrorism, sharing of waters and other issues. But before that, they are engaged in track two exercise at a health resort...   READ MORE   Pak firing sparks off protest at Abdullian India says such acts vitiate atmosphere ahead of talks 6/23/2010 12:11:17 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU/DELHI, June 22: While people today protested in the border Abdullian village at RS Pura near here against yesterday's unprovoked firing by the Pak Rangers, New Delhi said such acts vitiate atmosphere, especially When foreign secretaries of the two countries are to meet in Pakistan on June 24. In the Pak firing, that continued Monday from 4.05 am to about 1 pm, the enemy bullets had also hit some houses at Abdullian, resulting in the death of a cow and injuries to two others. In protest, people today gathered at Abdullian and held a demonstration. BSF authorities were also asked to take up the matter with the Rangers in a flag meeting. The demonstration wa...   READ MORE   Cross-LoC trade runs into rough weather as 6 India trucks returned unloaded by PoK 6/23/2010 12:11:04 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT RAJOURI, June 22: The cross-LoC trade on the Poonch-Rawalkote route once again ran into rough weather when traders in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) today returned six India trucks unloaded. On May 26 last, 18 PoK trucks were sent back by Indian traders in Poonch without off-loading them. The six trucks returned today by the PoK traders were despatched to Rawalkote by the Poonch district administration in view of the ongoing strike by the cross-LoC traders on this side. The traders are on strike for the past five weeks and have decided to keep the cross-border business suspended till all their demands are met. The six trucks were sent back by the PoK traders and a...   READ MORE   Geelani, Raj Bhawan & State Government 6/23/2010 12:10:55 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, June 22: The attitude of the Omar Abdullah-led government to the amarnath Yatra has been no different. It has substantially enhanced the various kinds of taxes. The objective of the Omar Abdullah-led government is to not only to fleece the Amarnath Yatris, but also to vitiate and discourage the Yatra itself. And, it was expected of him. After all, he is the one who on July 22, 2008, had roared like a lion on the floor of the Lok Sabha and declared, "We will not give an inch of land to the Shrine Board. We have been fighting for our land and we will continue to do so." He is the one who had also told the Lok Sabha that the Kashmiri Muslims had never opposed the Ama...   READ MORE   Antony leaves a mark at unbelievable heights 6/23/2010 12:10:45 AM NEW DELHI: Union Defence Minister AK Antony today became the first Defence Minister of the country to touch the Advanced Landing Ground (ALG), Nyoma, near the Line of Actual Control. Accompanied by the Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar and other senior officials from the Ministry, senior officers of Army and Air Force based at Leh, Antony flew in a Mi-17 helicopter to land at Nyoma, at a height of 13,300 feet. Earlier, a fixed wing military cargo aircraft, an AN-32 had made a maiden landing at the compacted airstrip of Nyoma. This was on September 18 last year. The Herculean task of developing the ALG to the standards required for fixed wing operations was undertaken by the Engineers' Regim...   READ MORE   2 judges transferred 6/23/2010 12:10:26 AM JAMMU: As per the High Court Notification Abdul Rashid Baht-I presently posted as Special Judge Anticorruption Srinagar is transferred and posted as Principal District & Sessions Judge Budgam, he will join on June 25, 2010. It is clarified in the order that Abdul Rashid Bhat-I shall deleiver the judgments of all the cases pending and reserved for such purpose before the date he joined as Principal District & Sessions Judge Budgam. In the order NO 258 Sanjeev Gupta Additional Sessions Judge Anticorruption Srinagar shall hold additional Charge of Special Judge Anticorruption Srinagar with effect from June 25, 2010 till further order. JNF ...   READ MORE   Woman's body recovered from Chenab 6/23/2010 12:10:17 AM JAMMU: The body of a woman was today recovered by police from river Chenab at Dera Babbar in Reasi. She was identified as Babli Devi, wife of Prakash Singh of Udhampur. Police sources said the body was found floating in the river waters by some passersby, who then informed police. Cops reached the spot soon and fished out the body, the sources added. After completing legal formalities, cops removed the body to the Reasi district hospital where post-mortem was conducted on it.It was later handed over to her husband, who had reached the hospital, for last rites.Sources said the woman was alleged to have committed suicide by jumping into the river few days back. ...   READ MORE   Pak LeT commander, cop killed in Sopore encounter 6/23/2010 12:10:09 AM JAMMU: A top Pakistani Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) commander and a policeman were killed and four others, including two civilians, injured in an overnight gunbattle in Sopore town of Kashmir today. The encounter commenced at Bhagat Mohalla when militants, who were hiding in a house, opened fire on a search party of special operations group (SOG) of police at about 9.50 pm Monday. A policeman, identified as Ghulam Hassan, was injured in the firing and was rushed to hospital where he succumbed to his wounds, police sources said. Army also reached the spot soon after the exchange of fire began. The troops cordoned off the house and plugged all escape routes, the sources added. In the gunfigh...   READ MORE   Bandh, Bandh, Bandh: Kashmiris fed up with the bandh culture 6/22/2010 12:30:38 AM RUSTAM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, June 21: Kashmiri separatists again ordered the Kashmiri Muslims to observe a "complete bandh" across the Valley on Monday and Tuesday to "register protest against the killing of two boys by men in uniform." "People should strongly protest the ongoing killing of (Kashmiri boys) by the men in uniform" to tell the "international community that they would not accept the Indian oppression anymore," Syed Ali Shah Geelani said on Sunday while addressing people at Silkote, Kupwara district. "It is nothing but a state-sponsored terrorism. The situation in Kashmir has turned explosive. Troops have been given shoot at sight directives by the government. We can't aff...   READ MORE   RR jawan shoots himself 6/22/2010 12:30:26 AM SRINAGAR: A havaldar of 28 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) today shot himself dead with his service weapon in a camp at Sogam in Kupwara, Kashmir. He was identified as Gulshan Kumar. Soon after the incident, he was rushed to hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, police sources said. After post-mortem, the body was handed over to the concerned RR authorities. It was, however, not immediately known why the soldier took this extreme step. The trend of commiting suicide among security forces, engaged in counter insurgency operations, has not stopped even after the authorities introduced Art of Living and Yoga to help them to come out from the stress. Family disputes were said to be t...   READ MORE   Mughal road's first casuality is a Mughal AEE 6/22/2010 12:30:18 AM JAMMU/RAJOURI: The R&B department's AEE Mohammad Younas Mughal today became the first casualty on the under construction Mughal road when an unexpected landslide resulted in his instant death. Mughal, a resident of Gursai in Poonch, was associated with the Mughal road project for the past about four years. Police sources said he was travelling in the vehicle of Hindustan Construction Corporation, the company doing the construction work on the road, when the mishap occured near Dogrian. While he was hit on the head by a shooting stone, his driver Mukhtsar Ahmad was hit on other body parts by the sliding mass of earth and stones. Sources said the AEE was killed on the spot while h...   READ MORE   Militant, SPO killed in major gunfight in Sopore Stone pelters clash with Police at 40 spots amid total shutdown in Valley 6/22/2010 12:30:01 AM AHMED ALI FAYYAZ EARLY TIMES REPORT SRINAGAR, June 21: On umpteenth shutdown in Kashmir valley, where stone pelting groups clashed with Police and CRPF at nearly 40 spots, one militant and one Police personnel today died in a major gunfight in the apple town of Sopore in Baramulla district. Plush with the impact of today's shutdown, hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has issued a fresh calendar of 'protest' and called upon the people of Kashmir to observe yet another complete bandh tomorrow. Informed sources told Early Times that Sopore Police and troops of Rashtriya Rifles 22 Bn swooped on Bagat Batpora locality in old township of Sopore at 1530 hours after receiving ...   READ MORE   ISI tension goes up, ceasefire violated again 6/22/2010 12:29:47 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMI, June 21: As June 24, the date when Indo-Pak foreign secretaries meet to set in motion the dialogue process suspended since 26/11 attacks, approaches nearer, the tension on the part of ISI think-tanks seems to be going up. Since Sunday, ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), the infamous Pak agency stated to be behind every militant attack in the state and elsewhere in the country, has made to two desperate attempts to push militants into J&K. Yesterday, an unsuccessful attempt was made to push militants from across the LOC in Machil sector of Kashmir amidst the violation of ceasefire. Today, a similar attempt was made on the international border (IB) from t...   READ MORE   Security beefed in Srinagar for 1st Dr. Mukherjee seminar 6/22/2010 12:29:31 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT SRINAGAR, June 21: Security has been tightened in Kashmir valley especially in Srinagar city where a one day seminar will be held on the 57th martyrdom day of founder President of Bhartiya Jan Sangh on June 23 in view of prevailing law and order situation in valley. According to sources the authorities are not going to take any risk as many dignitaries including former Army Chief B.P Maliq and some top class diplomats, journalists and leaders of various political and social organizations are attending the seminar. The seminar is being orgainsed by Dr Shama Prasad Mukherji Foundation headed by BJP general secretary and MP Tarun Vijay. This is for the first time that s...   READ MORE   Exams, interviews postponed 6/22/2010 12:29:22 AM SRINAGAR: As the general strike today paralysed normal life across the valley, the government postponed Kashmir University (KU) and board examinations, besides police interviews. The general strike call was given by the chairmen of both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC) Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq in protest against the alleged Human Rights (HR) violations and killing of youth by the security forces in the valley. A KU spokesman said all the examinations, which were scheduled to be held today, had been postponed in view of the prevailing situation. However, examinations of Jammu chapter would be held as per schedule, he added. He said new date ...   READ MORE   Cry for help or a means to achieve mukti ? Suicides in Kashmir 6/22/2010 12:29:14 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, June 21: Suicide attempts by women are mostly a cry for help. This is what a Valley based social scientist says. According to him among women it was mostly para-suicide as they attempt suicide but rarely complete it. But the statistics of the past few months prove the expert partly wrong. Two women take the extreme step on an average basis in the conflict torn Valley, reports suggest. The conflict definitely has had a toll on mental health in Kashmir but the reasons for recent suicides especially by women reflect disorganization of both the individual and society in Kashmir. The experts give several reasons ranging from failure in a love affair to unemploy...   READ MORE   Girls continue dominance, grab Lion’s share in Merit list JU declares undergraduate final year result in record time 6/22/2010 12:28:42 AM MISHU GUPTA EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, June 21: Girls maintained their supremacy in Science, Commerce while boys shine in Arts faculty in BA/BSc/BCom Part final examinations, the result of which were declared this evening by the University of Jammu. Pass percentage in the exams stood at 59 percent marks. Girls bagged seven positions in Science and nine in commerce while in Arts boys managed to get six positions while the girls attained five positions in arts stream. Anoop Kumar student of Govt Degree College, Bhaderwah bagged prestigious first position in Science faculty securing 83.15 per cent marks. He was followed by Shiwali Gupta, the student of GCW Udhampur who took 82.48 per...   READ MORE   A topper's success mantra 'Hard work, consistency pay' 6/22/2010 12:28:23 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, June 21: Shreya Sharma, a student of Government College for Women Parade feels that dedication, hard work and sincere efforts always pay in life. For three consecutive years in B Com I, II and III, Shreya remained merit holder as she stood 1st in the first year and bagged 3rd position in the second while in the final year, when it matters the most, she clinched the top spot with her sheer determination and untiring efforts. Shreya wants to do MA in Economics and then try to crack the tough nut of Indian Civil Services examination. Talking to Early Times Correspondent, Shreya said, "I was on top of the world when came to know that I have topped the Commerce str...   READ MORE   Plane's tyre bursts 6/22/2010 12:27:50 AM SRINAGAR: The passengers of a Delhi-Srinagar IndiGo Flight had a nightmarish experience today after a tyre of the plane burst while landing at the Srinagar airport. "The passengers of a Delhi-Srinagar IndiGo flight had a close shave as a tyre of the plane burst while landing at the airport," police sources said. "The IndiGo airlines flight No 6E with 160 passengers on board was landing at the Srinagar airport when one of its tyres burst on the runway," The sources added. Sources said the pilots were able to land the flight safely, thereby averting a major tragedy. Airport officials said the IndiGo flight from Srinagar to Delhi would now take off only when all technical checks were...   READ MORE   Geelani, Raj Bhawan & Omar Government 6/22/2010 12:27:42 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, June 21: What about the State Raj Bhawan, New Delhi's representative in Jammu and Kashmir? And, what about the government led by Valley-based National Conference leader Omar Abdullah? Has not the State Raj Bhawan, which otherwise is required to watch with vigilance if the State Government is over-stepping its authority to appease one section of the society or outrage the religious sentiments of another section by pursuing an intolerant religious policy and whose duty is to ensure enforcement of the constitution, taken steps calculated to outrage the religious sentiments of the Hindus and create an environment that would discourage the Yatris from undertaking the ...   READ MORE   'Political benefactors' silent, waiting for right opportunity ? 6/22/2010 12:27:08 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, June 21: While Kashmir boils again amid its ever bountiful nature and cool environs, Jammu despite under a grueling Sun and plummeting mercury is maintaining its cool. Notwithstanding provocations on Amarnath Yatra, common masses are quiet for reasons understood well. But one wonders at the 'studied silence' of political parties supposed to be 'benefactors' of Jammu and its Hindu majority. An intellectual from Kashmir in the backdrop of fresh dictates from hardcore leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani countered in equal harsh tenor by Leelakaran, remarked in disguised innocence in a private conversation ,"Amarnath Yatra concerns all the Hindus of India….how come i...   READ MORE

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Potential for production of disease free potato seed tubers Vakil asks CM to call all party meet Meira assures Kashmiri translation of Parliament proceedings TTDF for exploitation of tourist spots, road connectivity Dalit Sena grass irregularities committed in development works Rather visits Meezan Publishers Book Exhibition at LC JKTUF condole demise of engineer M Y Mughal Power to remain affected Nirjala Ekadashi celebrated in Udhampur Planning commission member Dr Syeda meets Sakina Itoo Legislature must hold executive accountable: CM? Drizzles give respite to Jammuites from intense heat J&K… RTI Is A Crawling Baby Heat wave, power cuts add to worries of Jammuites HC stays tender HC dismisses petition of under aged ReT aspirant District Court reopens after vacaction JU students say no fee hike in PG courses Rajouri Minister forgets 10,000 LoC voters 2 die in Rajouri accidents Omar a man fighting with his tools: Mehbooba BJP accuses govt of discriminating Rajouri, Poonch JKNPP to hold integration camp from June 25 BSP flays Geelani’s statement SVO books two watershed DFOs, JE in fraud case   READ MORE THIS SECTION

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