NH closed, freak weather till Dec 17

Srinagar, Dec 14: Heavy snowfall in parts of Kashmir and along the Jammu-Srinagar National highway has closed the highway for traffic and disrupted the air-traffic to Kashmir valley today. Inspector General of Police, Traffic, Munir Ahmad Khan, told Excelsior that heavy snowfall has forced them to close the Jammu-Srinagar national highway for traffic. He said that it was snowing heavily in Jawahar Tunnel and Patnitop areas forcing the closure of the National Highway, the life line for Kashmir valley.

Days after separatist leaders raised protests against a reported plan to construct a metalled road through north Kashmir forests for pilgrims to the Amarnath cave shrine, the Supreme Court on Thurs

The holy town of Katra, which on an average witnesses the arrival of 35,000 pilgrims from across the country and abroad on a daily basis and over one crore of them every year, may soon have an air

An environment park will be set up soon in Nowshera belt of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, minister Mian Altaf said here today.

Keeping in view the seismic vulnerability of Kashmir, the High Court has asked the government to establish an “effective disaster management committee”.

The work on the project to draw gas from Gujarat to Srinagar and Jammu will be completed by July 2014.

Field visits indicate factories contributing to pollution

State Government is formulating comprehensive policy to check adverse impact of cement factories on the environment in both regions of the State. The policy will be based on the outcome of fields visits recently conducted by the experts. Official sources told EXCELSIOR that 7-member Committee headed by Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, Shantmanu, which was constituted for in-depth and exclusive study of all the cement factories established in the State to assess the environmental pollution caused by these factories, is in the final stage of making detailed recommendations to the Committee on Environment of the State Legislature.

Eram Scientific Solutions, manufacturers of ‘Delight’ e-toilet, is shipping out its customised solutions for use in Jammu and Kashmir.

POONCH: In order to maintain sustainable sanitation in Poonch and other towns, District Development Commissioner, Poonch, Ajeet Kumar Sahu, launched a mass campaign from Poonch town today.

Among others Superintendent of Police Shamsher Hussian, ADDC, Syed Anwar Hussain Shah, Superintendent District Hospital Dr.Mohammad Niaz and other senior officers of District Administration, prominent citizens including K.K.Kapoor, Dr.Subash Raina, Advocate Iftekhar Hussain Bazmi participated with dedication in cleanliness drive.

After initial hype and hoopla in 2008, when harried vehicle owners had to queue up outside pollution check centres to get pollution under control (PUC) certificate to escape hefty penalties, these