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Danishwar Hameed At the break of dawn in Kahrote Jagir (Kahrwat), a village located approximately 2.5 kilometers from the main town of Kulgam, the area witnessed yet another transformation, one in a series of many changes over the past few decades. The village of Kahrote Jagir in Kulgam district, South Kashmir, was largely deserted during the parliamentary polls in 2019, with minimal voter turnout in the 2014 elections. Known for its significant Jamaat-e-Islami population and situated about 2.5 kilometers from Kulgam's main town, the village experienced a dramatic change on Wednesday, with thick crowds gathering at the polling booths. As crowds gathered outside the polling booth, a sudden wave of hooting and clapping erupted. The man of the moment, Sayar Ahmed Reshi, a local resid...

The Indian government is working on revising its vehicle scrappage policy to focus on pollution rather than the age of the vehicle, according to an official announcement on Tuesday. Anurag Jain, Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, shared this development during the annual convention of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). Jain explained that the current policy mandating vehicle scrappage after 15 years has raised concerns among vehicle owners, particularly those who have maintained their vehicles well. He noted that the new policy aims to address these concerns by evaluating vehicles based on their pollution output rather than their age. Jain emphasized the need for a reliable system of pollution checks and called on the automobile indust...

Rayees Shah While it may be considered normal by Western standards or the ideals we aspire to in our lives, a heartbreaking story from Ganderbal district has sent shockwaves through the Kashmir valley, leaving residents deeply saddened and grieving over the incident. Mohammed Subhan (name changed), an elderly man from the central Kashmir district was abandoned in an old age home by his eight children, last month. Speaking to The Kashmiriyat, a local from his native village, said, all three of Subhan's sons and five daughters are well-settled in their lives, with one even serving as an Imam. His two sons live in their own houses at their ancestral village some five kilometers away from Ganderbal town while one of his son lives with his in-laws. "Earlier," the local said,...

In Jammu Kashmir, only 11 per cent of people see development as a major concern, while nearly half the population is gripped by the fear of unemployment, according to the latest 'Mood of the Nation' survey by the India Today Group. A new survey by the India Today Group reveals that in Jammu Kashmir, unemployment has become the dominant worry for 47 per cent of the population. This figure overshadows other issues like rising prices and development, with only 17% citing price increases as their main concern, and just 11% pointing to a lack of development. Further insights from the survey show that when it comes to the living standards in the region over the past year, 33 per cent of respondents reported an improvement, while 34 per cent said their living standards have remained the sam...

A man found unconscious outside a Srinagar wine shop has ignited a debate about alcohol sales and public safety in the region. The incident, which occurred in a busy part of the city, was captured in a video shared by activist Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat on social media platform X. https://twitter.com/Cyclistumar/status/1827950074292289735?s=19 The video shows the man lying motionless on the pavement near the shop's entrance, initially mistaken by passersby as merely asleep. As time went on without the man regaining consciousness, concerned citizens notified the authorities. The activist questioned the appropriateness of having a liquor store in such a prominent location within Srinagar, especially in light of the city's "Smart City" initiative. The incident has sparked widesprea...

Jammu Kashmir witnessed a landmark event with its first Braille Qur'an conference, aimed at empowering the region's 75,000 visually impaired individuals. Held at Banihal, this two-day conference was jointly organized by the J-K Handicapped Association, Madrasah Noorul Qur'an from Maharashtra. The event underscored the pressing need for educational upliftment among J-K's visually impaired population, who have had limited access to both religious and secular education. Maulana Fareed from Madrasah Noor-ul-Qur'an highlighted the increase in the visually impaired population from 58,000 in 2011 to 75,000 in 2016, stressing that many remain uneducated and unemployed. Maulana Muzamil, a teacher at the same institution, lamented the lack of initiatives in J&K for Qur'anic education...

Bhat Yasir Several residential houses in the Boniyar tehsil of Baramulla district have developed cracks after two back-to-back earthquakes struck the Kashmir Valley. The earthquakes, with magnitudes of 4.7 and 4.8 on the Richter scale, occurred on Tuesday morning in Jammu and Kashmir, causing widespread panic as residents rushed outside their homes. Both quakes had their epicenters in Baramulla, occurring at depths of 5 and 10 kilometers, respectively. Local residents reported that several houses in the villages of Trikanjan, Ijara, Mahura, Niloosa, Qazipora, Pehlipora, Ahtishampora, Limber B, and Nowshera within Boniyar tehsil have developed cracks. The Tehsildar of Boniyar confirmed these reports, stating that they are currently compiling information on the damaged houses....

In the Dachna area of Salamabad in Uri, located nearly 60 kilometers from the district headquarters of Baramulla in north Kashmir, massive protests have broken out against relentless gypsum mining activities. On Saturday, a large number of men and women from the village took to the streets, blocking the movement of bulldozers that have been mining gypsum under the cover of darkness. The protests began last night, with residents of Dachna and nearby villages continuously demonstrating to demand the closure of gypsum mines in the area. The villagers argue that the ongoing mining operations are severely affecting their health and environment. “There has been an increase in respiratory ailments, largely due to gypsum mining. Our hospitals have seen a rise in such cases,” a local resid...

The Kashmir valley has experienced significant deviations in weather patterns, with a substantial rainfall deficit during the week of 12th July to 18th July 2024. As per Indian Metrological Department, during this period, the Kashmir region experienced an even more severe shortage, receiving 85.85% below-normal rainfall. The district-wise analysis, as accessed by The Kashmiriyat, for the Kashmir region revealed that Anantnag had an 81% below-normal rainfall for the week and 57% below normal for the season. Similarly, Budgam experienced a 93% weekly deficit and a 61% seasonal deficit, Bandipora had a 92% weekly deficit, and Baramulla reported a 56% weekly  deficit. Ganderbal faced a 41% deficit, Kulgam had a 74% seasonal deficit, Kupwara saw a 99% weekly and 53% seasonal deficit, Pulw...