Srinagar, Feb 10: The Jammu and Kashmir state employees went on a two-day strike from Tuesday to demand implementation of the sixth pay panel report and enhancement of the retirement age to 60 from 58 years.

Ignoring state Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather''s appeal not to strike as the Government has agreed in principal to implement the pay penal recommendations, employees of all government offices and public sector undertakings remained shut on Tuesday across Jammu and Kashmir.

Doda (Jammu), Feb. 8 : Doda and Kishtwar districts of Jammu and Kashmir were virtually cut off from rest of the state after heavy overnight rains washed off parts of a road near the Baglihar power project on Saturday.

A half-a-kilometer stretch of road between Batote-Kishtwar National Highway-1B collapsed under the weight of rising waters of the Chenab River.

Officials said four vehicles, including two trucks; an ambulance and a van were swept away. The driver of a van is missing.

A house was also buried under the debris.

Eyewitnesses said the river gradually swamped the road. Panic-stricken locals said after the commissioning of Baglihar project, the water level in Chenab had increased.

Srinagar, Feb. 8 : Paramilitary troops have started withdrawing from the Kashmir Valley on the directives of the Central Government.

The Government announced on February 4 that it would withdraw 133 companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) (over 13,000 personnel) from Jammu and Kashmir.

These personnel were deployed in Jammu and Kashmir to maintain law and order during the Amarnath land row and later to ensure peaceful conduct of elections to the State legislature last year.

Srinagar, Feb. 7, : Kashmir valley on Saturday attracted the scores of tourists with its fresh spell of snowfall.

Srinagar is under a thick blanket of snow with trees, rooftops, roads and parks covered with snow.

Tourists are also thronging hill resorts of Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg to enjoy various snow activities.

New Delhi, Feb. 6, : Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Ghulam Nabi Azad and Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz were declared unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir in the biennial polls on Friday.

The Returning Officer for the polls, M. Ramzan said, "Since there was no other candidate contesting against them, Soz and Azad have been declared elected unopposed."

The Election Comission had earlier issued three notifications for four Rajya Sabha seats for Jammu and Kashmir.