July 2024 - Page 6 of 28 - The Kashmiriyat

Jul262024 by News DeskNo Comments

Weeks after killing Palestinian rebels, ISIS kills 17 civilians in Congo

INTERNATIONAL

Suspected Ugandan rebels from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), linked to the Daesh/ISIS terrorist organization, killed 17 civilians in North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As per news reports, the victims were working in their fields about 20 kilometers (12.43 miles) west of the town of Oicha in Beni territory, reported Oicha Mayor Nicolas Kikuku. He stated that at least 17 bodies were taken to the morgue at Oicha's general hospital. Esdras Mathe, an official with the territorial youth council, said some victims, including women and men, were decapitated with machetes. This attack followed a series of separate attacks last week in Beni by suspected ISIS rebels, which left 37 people dead, according to local authorities. Few months ago, at least 20 fighters...

Jul262024 by News DeskNo Comments

CEO, Dy CEO, 16 principals among 170 posts lying vacant in Kulgam; Tarigami seeks government attention

EDUCATION

The education sector in South Kashmir's Kulgam district is struggling due to numerous vacant key positions, including the Chief Education Officer (CEO), Deputy CEO, and 16 principals, among 170 posts, thereby impacting the quality of education in the district severely. Figures accessed by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) reveal that one position each of Chief Education Officer, Deputy CEO, 16 Principals, 124 Lecturers, 3 ZEOs, 4 ZPEOs, and 21 Headmasters are lying vacant in Kulgam district. "The Chief Education Officer retired in May this year, and the CEO of Anantnag has been assigned the additional charge of CEO Kulgam. The position of Dy CEO Kulgam has been vacant for many years, with the DDO powers of Dy CEO Kulgam currently assigned to a senior HSS Principal," officia...

Jul252024 by News DeskNo Comments

The great floods of 1903 and historic relief efforts of Kashmiri Pandits

WRITE-UPS

On July 23, 1903, the greatest recorded flood ever hit Kashmir. By 10 o'clock, the bund protecting the Dal Lake was breached, causing the water to rise 10 feet above its high level and causing significant damage to floating gardens, houses, and other structures. Kashmir has a history of devastating floods, with the most recent occurring in 2014. Numerous large-scale floods have been recorded in the 19th and 20th centuries. A major disaster struck the valley in 1893 following heavy rainfall. According to Saligram Bhatt in his 2004 book, Kashmir Ecology and Environment: New Concerns and Strategies, the water level during the 1903 floods was three points higher than the 1893 floods. Bhatt noted, "7,000 dwellings went down in the neighbourhood of the city, including 773 on the Dal Lake."...

Jul252024 by News DeskNo Comments

Government cuts funding for minority affairs to 0.066% in union budget 2024

INDIA

In the Union Budget 2024, the allocation for the Ministry of Minority Affairs has been set at just Rs. 3,183.24 crore, which constitutes approximately 0.0660% of the total budget. This represents a decrease from previous years. In 2021-22, the budget for the Ministry was Rs. 4,810.77 crore, rising to Rs. 5,020.50 crore in 2022-23. Last year's budget for the Ministry was Rs. 3,097.60 crore. Mujahid Nafees, convener of the Minority Coordination Committee (MCC), has expressed disappointment with the reduced allocation for the Ministry of Minority Affairs in the 2024-25 budget. The budget cuts include a Rs. 106.84 crore reduction in the Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme, while the Post-Matric Scheme has received an increase of Rs. 80.38 crore. Additionally, funding for the Merit-cum-Means...

Jul252024 by News DeskNo Comments

Voter registration for assembly polls: Special campaign dates and procedures announced

REGIONAL

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the second special summary revision of photo electoral rolls for all Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, with July 1, 2024, as the qualifying date. Chief Electoral Officer J&K, P K Pole, issued a notice detailing the timeline for the process. The integrated draft electoral roll will be published on July 25, 2024, with the period for filing claims and objections running from July 25 to August 9, 2024. Special campaign dates have been set for July 27-28 and August 3-4, 2024. The Draft Photo Electoral Rolls 2024 will be available at various locations including District Headquarters, Tehsil offices in Srinagar and Jammu, Municipal Corporations, Booth Level Offices at polling sta...

Jul252024 by News DeskNo Comments

US issues new travel advisory warning against travelling to Kashmir, Manipur

INTERNATIONAL

The U.S. State Department has issued a revised travel advisory for India, urging American nationals to exercise increased caution due to crime and terrorism, particularly highlighting regions such as Jammu and Kashmir. While India overall remains at Level 2 ("Exercise Increased Caution"), several regions have been escalated to Level 4 ("Do Not Travel"). The advisory specifies that Americans should not travel to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (excluding eastern Ladakh and its capital, Leh) due to terrorism and civil unrest. Similarly, travel within 10 kilometers of the India-Pakistan border is discouraged because of the potential for armed conflict. Manipur is also listed at Level 4 due to ongoing violence and crime resulting from ethnic conflicts. The State Department highl...

Jul252024 by News DeskNo Comments

Jammu Kashmir: 25 dead, 11 injured in militancy related incidents in July

REGIONAL

Twenty-five casualties have been reported in the ongoing month of July in eight gunfights and five militant attacks in Jammu Kashmir. Eleven troopers and a civilian also sustained injuries in militancy-related incidents this month, reported Srinagar based Kashmir News Trust. The data available reveals that this month, 12 militants including 6 infiltrators and 13 soldiers were killed in Jammu Kashmir. Ten troopers were killed in the Jammu region while 3 died in three encounters in Kashmir Valley. Six infiltrators this month while six local militants were killed in twin encounters in Chhinnbal and Modergam villages of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district. Out of the total eight encounters, 5 raged in Kashmir Valley. Two encounters raged in Kulgam and three in frontier district of Kupw...

Jul252024 by News DeskNo Comments

‘States have authority over mineral royalties’: In landmark ruling SC rejects centre’s claim

INDIA

On Thursday, the Supreme Court upheld the right of state governments to impose royalties on mineral-bearing lands, affirming their competence and authority to do so. This ruling benefits mineral-rich states like Odisha, Jharkhand, Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, enabling them to charge additional levies on mining companies within their territories. The landmark 8:1 verdict, delivered by a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, distinguished 'royalty' from 'tax'. Justice BV Nagarathna provided the dissenting opinion. Chief Justice Chandrachud, reading the majority verdict, clarified that "royalty is a contractual consideration paid by lessee to lessor" and emphasized that Parliament "does not have the power to tax mineral rights under Entry 50, List I." ...

Jul252024 by News DeskNo Comments

75-year-old man’s 23 kilometer barefoot walk secures fire station for Boniyar

REGIONAL

Rayees Shah Wali Mohammed Mir, an ex-sarpanch and senior socio-political activist from Bernate village in Boniyar tehsil, north Kashmir's Baramulla district, has gained overnight acclaim from locals for his determined effort to secure a basic necessity for his community. Mir walked 23 kilometers barefoot from Boniyar to the district headquarters in Baramulla, demanding the establishment of a fire and emergency service station in his area. Boniyar is the centre of hundreds of villages but the nearest fire and emergency services was located at least 23 kilometers away from the village. This courageous act was prompted by a devastating fire incident on the intervening night of Tuesday, which gutted ten shops and posed a significant threat to nearby houses and government property. ...

Jul252024 by News DeskNo Comments

Heatwave hits Kashmir’s lakes: Fish populations at risk amidst falling oxygen levels

REGIONAL

A severe heatwave, accompanied by rising temperatures, is threatening the aquatic life in Kashmir's lakes and streams, experts warned on Wednesday. They said the increasing temperatures are disrupting the delicate balance of the region's aquatic ecosystems. "Fish are highly sensitive to changes in water temperature; even slight increases can affect their metabolism, growth, and reproductive cycles," experts said, adding that the heatwave is causing water levels to drop and oxygen levels to decrease, creating a hostile environment for fish and other aquatic species. They said if these conditions persist, we could see a decline in fish populations, which will have a ripple effect on the entire ecosystem. The Kashmir Valley has experienced several mass fish mortality incidents in ...