Atlas Laboratories and Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ALPL), a division of bicycle manufacturers Atlas, has finally launched a range of pharmaceutical products in Jammu and Kashmir.

Srinagar, June 9: A four-day strike called on by the transporters in Kashmir has brought life to a standstill in the state.

In Srinagar, schools, offices and other establishments remained shut today due to the strike called by the transporters demanding a hike in passenger fares in the region.

The transporters want the State Government to raise the passenger fares in the wake of recent hike in fuel prices by the Central Government.

Buses, taxis and other commercial vehicles stayed off the streets, causing considerable inconvenience to the residents, some of who, however, supported the decision of the transporters to go on strike.

Srinagar, June 7 : Farmers in Kashmir are upbeat with prospect of a bumper paddy crop of 500, 000 metric tonnes this year.

With the onset of summer, the sowing of paddy with transplantation of seedlings has started here. The sowing must end by June 21, when the day receives maximum sunlight.

To beat the deadline all the farmers including men, women and other farmhands are working together on transplanting paddy.

This occasion is special for all. Farmers rent the air with their folksongs in chorus to keep away the drudgery of work.

They believe that singing and dancing during the transplanting will make their ancestors happy and bless them for a bumper crop.

Jammu, June 6 : The Jammu and Kashmir police on Friday said that three Sikh groups in the state are planning to launch terror attacks in Punjab to bring back the dark era, which it witnessed in the 1980's.

The arrest of three militants Malikeet Singh, Surjeet Singh and Harbans Singh on Jammu-Akhnoor-Poonch highway threw light on the fact that about 40 terrorists belonging to Khalistan Zindabad Force, Panj Pardhani Group and Iknoor Khalsa Fauj had set their base in Barnala and were planning to destroy peace in Punjab, the police said.

Chakkan-Da-Bagh (J-K), June 5 : Passengers on the Pakistan bound Poonch-Rawalkote bus service rejoiced after authorities doubled the quota of Kashmiris travelling to both countries.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's special envoy on Kashmir, N. Vohra, during his recent visit to Poonch district, had directed the authorities to increase the quota limit from the Indian side through Chakan-Da-Bagh.

Chakkan-Da-Bagh is thrown open every fortnight to residents on either side of the border.

Some passengers expressed their happiness over the promotion of communal amity by the Indian side.

Srinagar, June 4: Communist parties have threatened to launch a public stir if the government goes ahead with a possible fuel price hike.

"We will stir a public agitation against the price hike. It is due to the pressure put by the Left that the government has not been able to raise the fuel prices as decided by it. The government had plans to hike the price of petrol by rupees 20, diesel by rupees 11, LPG by rupees 150 and rupees 15 on kerosene to recover the losses," said CPI (M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury.