FEATURED

Danishwar Hameed In Bugam, Kulgam, where polling stations were once locked in 2019, residents are now turning out in small groups to participate in the 2024 parliamentary elections. Amid clashes and a low voter turnout in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district in 2019, seven areas, with a total electorate of 10,151 voters, witnessed zero percent polling. These areas included Wanpora, Shamsipora, Turk Tachloo, Khudwani, and Bugam. Kulgam, home to several militant commanders, is part of the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, where former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference leader Mian Altaf are among the 20 candidates in the fray. Voters in Kashmir valley see this as a first opportunity to express their feelings after the special status of Jammu Kashmir was revoked. "Fear has d...

Rayees Shah Nearly 60 per cent of voters cast their votes in Baramulla Lok Sabha segment spread to four districts; Baramulla, Bandipora, Kupwara and Budgam. Amid the huge crowds that turned up to cast their votes in Bandipora district of north Kashmir was Ghulam Mohammed Gojar, helping his son Ghulam Hassan to cast his vote. Ghulam Mohammed, 79, cast his vote at the Mantrigam polling station of Bandipora in anticipation of their social welfare aid, which has been withheld for the past five months. Several social welfare beneficiaries in Kashmir have been running from door to door hoping that their funds would be released. The issue came forth after the government transited the whole data online and the old aged, disabled and other beneficiaries of social welfare aid were asked to ...

A significant number of individuals who received Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin vaccine have reported adverse side effects, a study by SpringerLink has revealed. This comes weeks after Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca acknowledged similar issues with its Covid-19 vaccine. As per Economic Times, the study published on SpringerLink, revealed that nearly one-third of participants in an observational study on Covaxin experienced adverse events of special interest (AESI). The study highlighted that female adolescents and individuals with a history of allergies are at a higher risk of AESIs after receiving COVID-19. Among the 1,024 participants, which included 635 adolescents and 291 adults, 304 adolescents (47.9%) and 124 adults (42.6%) reported viral upper respiratory tract infections...

A study on the damage caused by climate change has revealed shocking information. According to the report, 122 glaciers are shrinking in the Pir Panjal, raising concerns about potential glacial lake outburst floods. Researchers have identified 122 glaciers in the Pir Panjal range, whose size has drastically decreased since 1980. Glaciers covering an area of approximately 25.7 square kilometers have diminished to just 15.9 square kilometers. This revelation comes from a study conducted by researchers from the National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, led by Mohammad Ashraf Ganai and Syed Qaiser Bukhari. The findings have been published in the International Journal of Hydrology Science and Technology. The researchers analyzed data spanning four decades, from 1980 to 2020, focusing...

Former Chief Minister of Jammu Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, released the manifesto of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, outlining key concerns and proposed solutions for the region. Titled 'Apna vote Apno ke liye', Mehbooba Mufti has shed light on the challenges faced since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The manifesto addresses several issues affecting the collective identity, land rights, and freedoms of the people of Jammu Kashmir. Furthermore, the manifesto expresses concerns about the impact on livelihoods, particularly in sectors like horticulture, due to anti-trade measures and the forced eviction of tribal communities from their lands. To address these challenges, the manifesto proposes several initiatives, including the construct...

The PDP and the National Conference (NC), both partners in the INDIA bloc in Jammu Kashmir and a part of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) are set to lock horns against each other for the three Lok Sabha seats in the Kashmir valley. This experts suggest will play in the hands of the Bhartiya Janta Party, who are yet to announce their candidate on the Lok Sabha seat of Anantnag-Rajouri, which is slated for polls on May 7. Though the People's Democratic Party has not announced its candidates yet, Sources told The Kashmiriyat that the party is likely to field Waheed u Rehman Parra or Mehbooba Mufti for the seat. "We will not contest Jammu, but the discussion regarding three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir is underway. The decision will be shared with you all in two-three da...

The Anantnag-Rajouri seat, previously a focal point of intense political drama, is anticipated to witness further intrigue with the expected entry of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) into the Lok Sabha race. Sources told The Kashmiriyat that the People's Democratic Party will announce its candidate for the Lok Sabha seat in three-five days. "The candidate is yet to be finalised, however, PDP will field its own candidate for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat," they said. The party's youthful cadre has initiated a widespread outreach program in South Kashmir, a region once synonymous with the stronghold of the PDP. Spearheaded by the leadership of individuals like Iltija Mufti, Mohit Bhan, Waheed u Rehman Parra, and Najmus Saqib, the party has been actively engaged in door-to-door campaigni...

Medical experts say there are numerous health benefits associated with fasting during the month of Ramadan. Doctors who spoke to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that fasting contributes to weight loss, improves blood sugar control, and reduces inflammation. Dr Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, Assistant Professor in the Department of General Medicine at SKIMS Soura, said that fasting instills discipline and patience while also decreasing the risk of developing metabolic disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, and fatty liver. He mentioned recent studies that indicate a lower incidence of neurological diseases and cancer among individuals who fast. Fasting promotes the regeneration of stem cells, which contribute to tissue and organ formation in the body, he said. "Fasting he...

Jammu Kashmir, a region of contrasts, is characterized by economic transformations and social challenges, as revealed in the Employment report 2024 by International Labour Organization. On one hand, average earnings of casual workers have risen significantly over the years which is an indicator of some improvement in the economy while on the other hand unemployment continues to be a major issue particularly among educated youth. But as income levels rise there are also widening disparities with gender gap regarding access to employment opportunities expanding further. Jammu Kashmir stands out against this background as a microcosm of the complex patterns that confront regions experiencing both economic development and social transformation through changing population distributions...

Hooria Gillani In Jammu Kashmir, the general category that consists of over 75 per cent of the population will have a mere 40 per cent access to government jobs in the region. The recent decision by the Manoj Sinha led administration to substantially raise Scheduled Tribe (ST) reservations by 10 per cent, thereby reducing open merit to only 40 per cent, has left many astonished and prompted serious concerns about fairness. Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act of 2024 has introduced these significant changes. Under this amendment, the Pahari Ethnic Group, Padari Tribe, Kolis, and Gadda Brahmins have been granted a 10% reservation quota, stirring both anticipation and concern within the region. The original act, enacted in 2005, focused on providing reservation quotas for Scheduled ...