Jammu: Booked for financial irregularities recently, the Deputy Mayor of Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Sheikh Imran is now accused of resorting to “Nautanki” on the roads raising concerns over security in city of Srinagar.
Sources said in violation of norms, Imran stopped his vehicle on the Jahangir Chowk flyover to hinder smooth flow of traffic and to raise security concerns.
Sources said in the late hours he was seen stopping vehicles without permission from the concerned.
He was accompanied by some employees of SMC and his personal security.
Sources said the administration has taken a serious note of the development as such activity cannot be allowed on such sensitive roads and that too in the late night hours.
“Kashmir has been on high alert in the wake of Yatra and he had raised his own self styled naka at a point where traffic was being hindered. He neither had permission to do so and it was a major breach of security protocol,” said a senior official on the condition of anonymity adding that Raj Bhawan was likely to serve a notice to the SMC in this regard.
“You cannot make a joke of the governance to take selfies and to breach security protocol. Such nautakni is intolerable,” the official added.
Sources said the police was likely to give a feedback to the civil administration on the issue and that security department of the police would also be taken into confidence. “Allowing such things to happen create a scene of governance,” said one official.
Despite repeated attempts the Deputy Mayor couldn’t be contacted for comments.
But the SMC officials confirmed about the development. “There is nothing about his gesture and we are not hiding it. He took pictures of the same and same is being liked by people on social, media,” said an official on condition of anonymity.
Author: hamid
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Deputy Mayor SMC Sheikh Imran accused of ‘Nautanki’
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Artisans, weavers welcome the decision of ban on manufacture of Pashmina, Kani products on power looms in Srinagar for 1 year
Source: GK News Service
Saqib Malik, Srinagar
To safeguard the interests of artisans, authorities have imposed a one year ban on manufacture of Pashmina and Kani products on power looms within the jurisdiction of Srinagar district.
An order issued by Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary says the ban will be implemented with immediate effect adding that the step was taken after complaints from genuine Kashmir art weavers that many “units were operating in Srinagar to manufacture Pashmina and Kani products without using 100 percent Pashmina”.
“I district magistrate Srinagar in exercise of powers vested in me by virtue of section 144 of Cr PC hereby impose restrictions on manufacture of Pashmina and Kani products on power looms within jurisdiction of Srinagar for a period of one year in the first instance,” read the order.
It also stated that the power looms were following a practice of using nylon with Pashmina which was against the “traditional values of this handicraft,”
Artisan associations have in the past demanded ban on making of Pashmina products on power looms.
Welcoming the ban, Showkat Mir, general secretary, Genuine Kashmir Cottage Handicraft Protection Forum said it was a representation from this umbrella body that government has acted on. He said the ban must be extended to rest of the Valley as well. Mir told Greater Kashmir that more than 40 power looms, mostly located in industrial areas, which are “meant for producing count Ruffle are weaving Pashmina instead”.
“Mushrooming growth of power looms and spinning mills which are producing pashmina has rendered more than 4 lakh artisans across Kashmir jobless. This order will help the weavers heave a sigh of relief,” said Mir.
The Pashmina weavers said spinning plants add nylon with pashmina which adversely affects the quality. “Once the cloth is ready, carbonised acid is spread on it which majorly affects the quality and life of the pashmina,” said another weaver.
“Lakhs of households are dependent on handmade Pashmina products and it is welcome step that government is concerned with this reality by not allowing weaving of pashmina and kani products on power looms,” Mir said.
He said a huge number of women used to be associated with handmade Pashmina who have been now deprived of their livelihood adding that “pro-weaver decision will infuse life in Pashmina weaving,”.
“A large fraternity of handmade weavers, mostly located in Shahr-e-Khaas have been adversely hit by power looms. Tral, Pulwama, Nowgam are some of the hubs of Pashmina weaving where handmade weaving used to take place. While handmade weavers can make half of a Pashmina shawl in one day but machines produce hundreds of shawls in the same time. They are working against ethics of Kashmir handicrafts and banning them is a wise decision,” said another weaver
Mir said Industries department, Handloom and Handicraft department must continue the ban on powerlooms making pashmina in order to address issues of marginalised artisans.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by KASHMIR TODAY staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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Drought watch: A deficit in July rainfall has been associated with six of India’s worst droughts between 1877 and 2005
India’s present drought-like situation is similar to 1943 Bengal famine
Source: DownToEarth
By: DTE Staff

After a delayed onset and slow progress, monsoon has now advanced to most parts of India. Yet the amount of rainfall received has been largely deficient.
July, which accounts a third of the total — the highest rainfall in the monsoon season — witnessed a 21 per cent deficit rainfall till July 7, 2019. A deficit in July rainfall has historically been associated with an overall deficit monsoon and severe droughts.
The latest data on drought showed that more than 42 per cent of the country is facing abnormally dry to exceptionally dry conditions. Of this, ‘severe to exceptionally dry conditions’ prevailed in 17.31 per cent area, according to data from Drought Early Warning System (DEWS) — a real-time drought monitoring platform — on July 5, 2019.
The percentage is also significantly higher than the same period last year when 8.82 per cent area was under ‘severe to exceptionally dry conditions’, out of 35.18 per cent area experiencing drought.
While just 1.13 per cent of area had ‘exceptionally dry’ conditions by July 7 last year, the figure has jumped to 6.43 per cent, according to the monitoring platform.
In fact, the figure has increased by 0.22 percentage points when compared to same period last month — from 6.21 per cent on June 5 to 6.43 per cent on July 5.
The situation was abysmal in June as India witnessed the second-driest pre-monsoon season in the last 65 years. It was supposed to improve with monsoon showers progressing in July. However, the scant rainfall in July, there was just marginal improved in dry conditions — from 45.18 per cent area on June 28 to 42.92 per cent on July 5.
From June 1 to July 7 this year, 20 states have witnessed deficient rainfall and three are in ‘large deficient’ category, according to data from India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Deficient rainfall in July has caused six of India’s worst droughts between 1877 and 2005, according to analysis of IMD rainfall data by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune.
If the deficit continues, more than 44 per cent of India’s areas that experienced a drought in June are likely to face drought conditions for the next 24 months.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by KASHMIR TODAY staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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DISABLED BUT NOT DEFEATED | AN UNLIKELY VICTIM OF UNREST, PARALYSED PULWAMA MAN REBUILDS HIS LIFE
In August 2016, during unrest the sound of a blast threw Arshad Ahmad Wani off balance from the roof of his house on to boulders in the backyard and badly injured his spine, disabling him waist down.
After spending two months in hospitals, Wani, 34, was wheelchair bound and distraught.
“I thought I would never be back on my feet and worried how I could be able to feed my family,” Wani, a resident of Litter village outside Pulwama town said.
He suffered bouts of depression for first few months but soon overcame and decided not to give up.
“I resolved to fight back and not to let my wheelchair come in the way of my life.”
Wani, a carpenter soon began thinking of setting up a woodwork unit.
Beset with financial troubles, one day in 2018, Wani dropped in on the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Pulwama to avail a loan.
“The Deputy Commissioner not only liked my idea but also guided me,” Wani said, adding that he was sent to the District Industries and Commerece Department (DIC) where a loan of Rs 712,000 was granted to him.
In April, 2019 he erected a tin shed alongside his modest house and set up a bandsaw unit.
“I already knew the job having worked at such units. I was good at making cabinets, doors and windows,” Wani said.
Barely two months down the line he has four fulltime employees working at his unit, earning Rs 10-12 thousand per month and paying his employees between Rs 18000 and 7500 per month.
“Apart from making different designs of doors and windows, we also do some latticework.”
Wani, however, says he is unable to make his own wooden items because he cannot afford to buy wood so he could make some more profit.
“I am not able to purchase the wood from market. I only work on the wood customers bring.”
Wani is now looking to the government for providing subsidized timber to him hoping to do better.
“He did not let his disability cripple his or his family’s life. It is his dogged determination that brought him back on his feet economically,” said his neighbour Shabir Ahmad in appreciation.The Story Was Published In Kashmir Ink (A Greater Kashmir Publication)
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Forces lost 176 personnel in past two years
SRINAGAR, JULY 11: Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel have lost At least 176 lives while on duty in the past two years in which CRPF lost 81 of its personnel The New Indian Express reported.
India’s largest paramilitary force, CRPF, which is at the forefront of the fight against Maoist violence in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand and is fighting militants in Kashmir, lost 52 personnel in 2017 and 29 in 2018.
The Indo-Tibetian Border Police, posted in inhospitable terrains in areas bordering China and for internal security duties, has reported the second highest casualty with 44 deaths, according to information shared by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in the Rajya Sabha.
The Border Security Force, which faces the brunt of Pakistani shelling and violence from smugglers along the border with Bangladesh, lost 32 personnel in 2017 and 2018. (PTK)Forces lost 176 personnel in past two years
SRINAGAR, JULY 11 (PTK): Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel have lost At least 176 lives while on duty in the past two years in which CRPF lost 81 of its personnel The New Indian Express reported.
India’s largest paramilitary force, CRPF, which is at the forefront of the fight against Maoist violence in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand and is fighting militants in Kashmir, lost 52 personnel in 2017 and 29 in 2018.
The Indo-Tibetian Border Police, posted in inhospitable terrains in areas bordering China and for internal security duties, has reported the second highest casualty with 44 deaths, according to information shared by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in the Rajya Sabha.
The Border Security Force, which faces the brunt of Pakistani shelling and violence from smugglers along the border with Bangladesh, lost 32 personnel in 2017 and 2018. (PTK)
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Summer vacations in Kashmir Schools from July 15-24: DSEK Officials
Srinagar, Jul 10: Summer vacations in all government and private educational institutions upto higher secondary level is likely to be observed from July 15 to July 24, officials in Directorate of School Education, Kashmir, said.
A senior official told Kashmir News Service (KNS) that from July 15-24, summer vacations will be observed upto higher secondary school level and the orders will be issued within few days.
The official said that all schools will reopen on July 25. (KNS)
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New Zealand Beats India By 19 Runs In ICC World Cup 2019 Semi Final
New Zealand Beats India By 19 Runs In ICC 2019 World Cup Semi Final
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93 militants killed in J&K since Pulwama attack: Govt tells RS
New Delhi: As many as 93 militants have been neutralised by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir since the Pulwama terror attack, Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
The minister said as compared to the corresponding period of 2018, the first half of this year has witnessed a reduction in militants initiated incidents by 28 per cent, reduction in net infiltration by 43 per cent and increase in neutralisation of militants by 22 per cent.
“Till date, 93 militants have been neutralised by the security forces since Pulwama attack,” he said in a written reply.
Reddy said investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the attack so far has resulted in the identification of the conspirators, the suicide attacker and the vehicle provider.
“The operations on ground have resulted in neutralisation of the conspirator, his associate and the vehicle owner,” he said.
Forty CRPF personnel were killed when a suicide bomber driving a van rammed into a CRPF convoy at Pulwama on February 14.
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“Pakistan army and govt can’t be trusted”: Al Qaeda chief releases message on Kashmir
Al Qaeda’s chief Ayman Al-Zawahiri has released a 14 minute long speech focussing on Kashmir and other issues including Pakistan.
Zawahiri in his speech calls Muslims around the world to “strongly empathise” with the cause – Jihad for the implementation of Shariah – of Kashmir. He also asks Muslims to express sympathies and extend support to the people living in the valley.
The speech comes in the wake of killing of ISJK militant Adil Ahmad Dass who was allegedlly killed by Hizbul Mujahideen.
The Al Qaeda chief asserts that the Pakistan government & army cannot be trusted vis-a-vis ‘liberation of Kashmir’. “When it comes to defending Muslims, Pakistan army possesses a very dark history…,” he argues and cites Dhaka surrender, Balochistan, Waziristan & Swat as examples.
In a series of suggestions to Kashmir militants, he says “the first vital step is to turn the Jihad in Kashmir into Jihad for the sake of Allah…to liberate Kashmir jihad from the clutches of Pakistan intelligence agencies.”
In his speech, the Al Qaeda chief calls on militants in Kashmir to “single-mindedly focus on inflicting unrelenting blows on the Indian army and government so as to bleed their economy…make India suffer sustained losses in manpower & equipment”.
Zawahiri also urges militants in Kashmir to forge ties with jihadists across the world and open their channels with them.The Al-Qaeda chief in his speech criticises Pakistani state, it’s army by calling them“toadies of United States of America” who according to Zawahiri, “were in lying in wait” for Arab militants, wanting to head to Kashmir after “expelling” Soviets from Afghanistan.
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NIA attaches property of Asiya Andrabi
National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday attached jailed Dukhtaran-e-Millat chief Asiya Andrabi’s house located in Soura area of Srinagar under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
In the attachment order, pasted at the entrance of the house located at 90 ft in Soura, the NIA directed all the concerned not to transfer, sale or otherwise deal with the said property in any manner, whatsoever, except with prior permission.
The order issued by Vikas Katheria, chief investigating officer, NIA, said the property was attached after approval granted by the DGP, Jammu and Kashmir.
“…the NIA has a reason to believe that the property represents proceeds of terrorism,” read the order, adding that the house was used by DeM for “furtherance of terrorist activities”.