SRINAGAR/JAMMU: National Conference president and former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah said Monday that nobody is stopping Kashmiri Pandits from returning to Kashmir valley, but said he doubts most would come back to live permanently, triggering sharp criticism from BJP politicians as Pandit groups blocked the Jammu–Srinagar highway seeking a separate homeland.“When are they going back?…
SRINAGAR: The Omar Abdullah govt on Monday came down heavily on demands for granting statehood to Jammu and its separation from Kashmir, terming it a “Pakistani and ISI agenda”.Alleging that those pitching for Jammu to be made a separate state were “playing into Pakistan’s hands”, deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary said such people “cannot be…
JAMMU: Havildar Gajendra Singh of Army’s Special Forces died Monday after suffering grenade splinter and bullet wounds during an overnight gun battle with terrorists in the mountains of Kishtwar district in J&K, marking the first security force death in a counterterrorism operation in the Union territory in 2026.Singh, an Uttarakhand native, was among eight soldiers…
SRINAGAR: IMD’s forecast of snowfall in Kashmir from Thursday has held out much hope for the end of a prolonged dry spell in the region.Srinagar branch of IMD on Monday also warned “landslides, mudslides, and gusty winds at vulnerable places” may disrupt air and surface transport, including Jammu-Srinagar NH and other major roads in the…
NEW DELHI: The share of fossil fuels in power generation is set to drop below 70% next fiscal owing to slower growth in power demand and a surge in renewable energy (RE) generation, ratings agency Crisil said on Monday.The agency said the share of thermal power—coal, lignite, gas and diesel—is expected to slip to 72%…
NEW DELHI: The Centre has notified specific rules, laying down procedures for use of the Environmental (Protection) Fund for 11 activities, ranging from taking measures for prevention, control and mitigation of pollution to remediation of environmental damage at contaminated sites and research on clean technology.The fund was created out of the amount of penalties imposed…
NEW DELHI: A panel of the environment ministry on Monday gave clearance to 17 defence-linked proposals — primarily located in Ladakh and Sikkim — related to strategic infrastructure in high-altitude areas near the China border.The decision was taken in a meeting of the National Board for Wildlife’s (NBWL) standing committee, chaired by Union environment minister…
Imtiaz Jaleel (File photo) NEW DELHI: Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde–led Shiv Sena had approached the AIMIM for a post-poll alliance in a civic body in Maharashtra, senior AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel claimed on Monday.Jaleel, a former Lok Sabha MP of the Asaduddin Owaisi-led party, added that it would consider “respectful proposals” from other parties…
NEW DELHI: Authorities and the fishing community have raised concerns over reports of unusual churning and bubbling of seawater off the Gujarat coast, officials in Maharashtra’s Palghar district told news agency PTI on Monday.Videos recorded by fishermen show vast stretches of seawater in continuous turbulence, appearing to bubble and churn as if “boiling”.Vivekanand Kadam, head…
NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition in the Delhi Assembly Atishi on Monday denied allegations that she made derogatory remarks against Sikh Gurus, after BJP legislators raised the issue during the recent Winter Session over her alleged use of “insensitive words” against Guru Tegh Bahadur, and sought an unedited video recording of the Assembly proceedings related…