Month: July 2024

On Sunday, the Meteorological Department forecasted no significant weather changes in Jammu and Kashmir until the end of the month. It predicted hot and humid conditions across the region through July 26. From July 21 to 26, the weather is expected to be mainly clear to partly cloudy, with brief spells of rain and thunderstorms in isolated to scattered areas of the Kashmir division, and scattered to fairly widespread areas of the Jammu division. Between July 27 and 31, the forecast includes partly to generally cloudy skies with intermittent light to moderate rain and thunderstorms across many parts of Jammu and Kashmir. Intense showers are also expected in brief periods, with potential risks of landslides, mudslides, and shooting stones in vulnerable areas of the Jammu division. O...

On Sunday, the Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Janata Dal (United) urged the party’s national president, Nitish Kumar, to reassess the alliance with the BJP at the national level. JD(U) state general secretary Vivek Bali stated, “The BJP’s actions in Jammu and Kashmir have compelled us to request our national leader Nitish Kumar to reconsider our participation in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).” Bali criticized the BJP for allegedly impeding the JD(U)’s efforts to integrate Islamic scholars in Kashmir back into the mainstream. “We are working to reintegrate these scholars so they can contribute to nation-building, but the BJP seems to be consistently obstructing these efforts,” he added.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police in Handwara, north Kashmir, have arrested three individuals for honey-trapping and financial fraud. The arrests followed a complaint received by Police Station Vilgam, alleging that the suspects had used a fake Facebook account to impersonate a girl and defraud people of money. A case, FIR No. 43/2024, was registered under relevant sections of law, and the investigation began. The arrested individuals—Firdous Ah Tantray, Danish Ah Bhat, and Aaliyan Ah Bhat, all residents of Dohama Vilgam—were caught using the fraudulent account. Their mobile phones were seized, and the investigation is ongoing. Authorities urge the public to be cautious of fraudsters on social media and to avoid sharing personal information with unknown individuals.

The paddy fields in the several upper reaches in Karnah belt of Kupwara district, spread over hundreds of kanal, are drying up. According to a report by an Urdu newspaper, Kashmir Uzma, no water has been released for irrigation from across the Line of Control for the past 11 days. This has led to a dire that fields in Dhani, Saadpura, Taad, and Gehrah villages of the are turning barren, as no water is left for the paddy fields. According to the report, the crops in these fields depend on water from across the border. "Presently, there is a fear that the paddy fields spread over hundreds of kanal in the belg will be destroyed." Quoting locals, the report added that water from across the border has been cut off from their fields for the second consecutive year. They have deman...

The Kashmir Trade Alliance (KTA) has urged the Lieutenant Governor’s administration to install a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan machine at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital in Srinagar. This request aims to enhance healthcare accessibility for cancer patients in the region. KTA President Aijaz Shahdhar acknowledged the recent installation of a PET Scan facility at Government Medical College (GMC) in Jammu but stressed the need for a similar facility in Srinagar, particularly at SMHS Hospital. Shahdhar noted that despite significant improvements in the health sector under Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s administration, the lack of a PET Scan at SMHS Hospital is forcing many cancer patients to seek this critical diagnostic test at private facilities, leading to hig...

Kashmir is experiencing a significant water shortage due to a prolonged dry spell and intense heat waves following which authorities have called on residents to conserve water and avoid wastage. The Executive Engineer of the Water Works Division Srinagar said that the increased water consumption resulting from the rising temperatures has led to shortages, especially in the tail-end areas of Srinagar. To mitigate the issue, the public, as per a statement, has been urged to use drinking water judiciously and refrain from using it for non-essential purposes such as lawn maintenance, kitchen gardens, and vehicle washing. The statement also addressed the issue of direct online boosters, advising consumers to stop using them immediately. "This practice disrupts the equitable distributio...

On Saturday, the Youth Congress staged a protest against the BJP-led central government's decision to increase the powers of the Lt Governor ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Chanting slogans against the BJP, the protestors, led by Pradesh Youth Congress in-charge Maan Singh Rathore, gathered at Maharaja Hari Singh Park in the city center. They attempted to march in protest of the rising terror activities in the region but were halted by police. Several activists were detained and transported in a police bus. “We are protesting on behalf of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Recently, the Home Ministry issued an order enhancing the Lt Governor’s powers ahead of the Supreme Court's deadline for holding assembly elections by September 30. This move resembles ...

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Thursday said that the security forces will adopt the "Kashmir model" to counter the efforts of revival of terrorism in Jammu region by the adversary. “People of Jammu have never supported terrorism and instead always stood against it. J&K has gone through a huge transformation in the past four to five years. In Kashmir’s ten districts, peace prevails and young boys and girls are shaping their future in innovations and other sectors including Agriculture etc,” the LG said addressing the launch function of Hausla 2.0 and Start-ups portal at International Convention Centre on the banks of famous Dal Lake here, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). He said that “our neighbour is not able to digest the peace prevailing in J&K.” “Effort...