Apex court guidelines on forest clearance violated

Bandipora: In a brazen violation to the Supreme Court (SC) guidelines, a private company in league with the Border Roads Organizations (BRO) project Beacon's officials and forest department has set up a stone crusher in the dense forests of Bandipora. The Company is run by the sons of the top politicians of ruling party. The stone crusher has come up adjacent to the forest land leased out to the BRO through a State Cabinet decision in 2009.

Government has failed to provide quality Basmati seed to the farmers, thus creating aguish among the farmers community.

This was alleged by Choudhary Dev Raj, president, RS Pura Rice Growers Association, during a press conference, here this afternoon. Choudhary Dev Raj said that the Basmati seed 370, which has been supplied to the farmers on full payment from the Agriculture Department Jammu shows mixture and diseased, which creates trouble for Basmati growers of RS Pura sector.

SRINAGAR : Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today equated agriculture development with prosperity, adding that use of high yielding and disease resistant seed varieties have revolutionized farm produc

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today gave nod to the construction of Srinagar and Jammu Ring Roads to decongest traffic and provide alternate communication for commuters taking care up to the year 2042.

Approving the prestigious and most required two road projects involving an expenditure of abut Rs. 3000 crores at a meeting of high level officers of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Jammu and Kashmir State R&B Department here, the Chief Minister directed the NHAI, executing agency for the projects, to formulate the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and put up the proposals to the R&B Department for finalization.

NBCC sub-contractors desert work at many places

JAMMU: While significant progress has been made in the execution of sewerage works in North-Western part of the Jammu city, numerous problems are being encountered by the agency responsible for carrying out such works in the Eastern part and this would have adverse impact on the entire ambitious project. In the prevailing scenario, there seems to be no end to the multiple problems being faced by the common masses.

6.5 kms Chhatergalla tunnel to reduce 20 km distance

JAMMU: After a long wait of nearly 30 years, the people from Doda and Kathua districts will have an all weather double lane road as Border Roads Organisation (GREF) has given the completion target of 2017 of this prestigious Rs 600 crore Bhaderwah-Bani-Basohli road project. With a 6.5 km long tunnel at Chhatergalla through Seoj Dhar, on the eastern side of Kailash Kund pilgrimage in Bhaderwah sub division, the road once made through, would likely to open flood-gates for the tourists from Punjab, Himachal, Delhi, Haryana and other States. Even the tourists visiting to Chamba- Dalhousie and other parts of Himachal, would be attracted towards picturesque valley of Bhaderwah, known as mini-Kashmir via this link.

All weather connectivity to Ladakh

The Government today approved construction of a tunnel at Z-Morh in Jammu & Kashmir at a cost of Rs 2,717 crore to provide all weather connectivity between Srinagar and Leh. The decision to give nod to 6.5 km long tunnel was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) at its meeting here. The tunnel will be built on build, operate and transfer (annuity) basis.

The Committee discussed various issues for preservation of the State's ecology and measures taken for the purpose. It divulged upon the matter like protection of forests, forest encroachments, conservation of wetlands and water bodies, fish deaths in Nigeen Lake and non implementation of ban on polythene and other related issues.

The Committee was informed that the State has total 20230 square kilometers area under forests out of which 13360Sq Km area is under encroachment and Forest Department has taken an initiative by which 720sq kms have been evicted.

SRINAGAR: Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Taj Mohi-ud-Din today stressed the need for preserving traditional sources of water.

Interacting with a delegation of National Institute of Hydrology (NIH) here this morning, the Minister asked them to undertake a study of ponds and pools in Kandi belt and suggest measures to stabilize their water discharge. In this regard, Mr. Taj underscored the need for collaborative attempts by all concerned agencies like PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, CCDU and NIH and other agencies.

NC regimes responsible for backwardness of erstwhile Doda: Beigh

DODA, Sept 5: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) today assured to formulate a comprehensive action plan for the socio-economic growth of the people of Chenab Valley. The party further assured that backwardness and underdevelopment of this region would be removed by implementing this comprehensive action plan. Addressing an impressive public meeting, which was organized in connection with the foundation day function of the party, patron of PDP Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said that Chenab Valley area was economically as well as strategically important region in the whole sub-continent due to availability of huge natural resources in the form of water and forest in this belt.