REGIONAL

The Government of India has cancelled over 1,27,872 fake and duplicate Public Distribution System (PDS) ration cards in Jammu Kashmir as part of a nationwide drive to eliminate ineligible beneficiaries. In Ladakh, 702 such ration cards have been removed since 2013. This effort is aimed at improving the efficiency of food subsidy programs through digitisation, Aadhaar linking, and e-KYC verification. In response to a query in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, disclosed that 5.87 crore ration cards have been cancelled across India between 2013 and 2024. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of cancellations with over 1.93 crore, while Mizoram had the lowest at 12,578. Among Union Territories...

A former deputy superintendent of police and his three-year-old grandson were among six people who suffocated to death when their rented accommodation caught fire in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district early on Wednesday, an official said. Four other people injured in the incident were undergoing treatment in a hospital. According to police, locals noticed the house on fire around 2:30 am and rushed to rescue its occupants. The house was filled with thick smoke, suffocating its occupants in their sleep, they said. The victims were shifted to the Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital in Kathua where six of them, including two minors, were declared 'brought dead', officials said. The deceased have been identified as 81-year-old former deputy SP Avtar Krishen Raina, his daught...

Srinagar’s eco-friendly city bus service, launched in November 2023, has seen substantial growth, with 61.33 lakh passengers transported between January and November 2024. The service operates across 16 routes, with an average of 30,000 daily riders. September recorded the highest passenger count, over 7.2 lakh, while August saw more than 6.8 lakh passengers. In its inaugural month, November 2023, the service had 1.3 lakh passengers, rising to over 3.25 lakh by December 2023. The fleet includes 100 electric buses, consisting of 75 nine-metre and 25 twelve-metre variants, with two additional buses on standby. The buses feature advanced amenities such as air conditioning, air curtains, inbuilt CCTV surveillance for enhanced safety, and elevators and ramps for passengers with limi...

Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is expected to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday to discuss a range of key issues, including the early restoration of statehood, official sources said.Jammu local businesses. This will be Omar’s second meeting with the Home Minister since assuming office as the Chief Minister of the Union Territory. Sources indicate that Omar, who received “positive assurances” during his first meeting, remains optimistic that the Union Government will fulfill its promise of restoring statehood at the earliest. However, while the Union Government has repeatedly assured its commitment to the restoration of statehood, it has yet to provide a concrete timeline for the same. In addition to statehood, Omar is likely to raise concerns regarding...

Eight river stretches in Jammu Kashmir have been identified as polluted, according to data presented in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The information, revealed in response to a starred question by Sanjna Jatav, underscores the growing environmental pressure on rivers across the country, particularly in regions near urban centers and industrial zones. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has marked 311 polluted river stretches across 279 rivers in India. Maharashtra leads with 55 polluted stretches, followed by Madhya Pradesh (19), Bihar and Kerala (18 each), and Karnataka (17). These findings highlight the widespread contamination of rivers, which serve as critical lifelines for drinking water, agriculture, and biodiversity. In Jamm...

A day after reports emerged about the destruction of Karewas in the Parigam Newa area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama, authorities have canceled all related permits. Locals had raised concerns, alleging that the Karewas, which are unique elevated plateaus, were being disfigured under the guise of development work. District Mineral Officer, Er Manzoor, clarified that the permits for clay extraction were initially issued for government projects of an emergent nature, following the necessary approvals and No Objection Certificates (NOCs). He told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that after reports surfaced indicating violations of regulations, the permits were promptly revoked, and the access ramps to the site were dismantled. Locals earlier had expressed concern over the environment...

Jammu Kashmir's caesarean delivery (CD) rate stands at 41%, significantly higher than the national average of 21.5 per cent, as per data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019–2021), analyzed by The Lancet Journal. The report highlights disparities in CD rates across India, with J&K showing patterns closer to southern states like Telangana and Tamil Nadu, where over-medicalization and reliance on private healthcare are major contributors. Dr. Masuma Rizvi, HOD of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at LD Hospital, attributes the rising trend in J&K to late pregnancies, often in women over 35. Conditions like hypertension and diabetes, coupled with inadequate round-the-clock maternity services, leave many opting for cesareans over riskier vaginal deliveries. "The global C...

The Meteorological Centre Srinagar has forecast that a feeble western disturbance will likely impact Jammu Kashmir on December 21 and 22, bringing light snowfall to some isolated higher reaches of the region. However, the MeT department has indicated no significant weather activity until December 25. According to the MeT official, the weather will remain generally dry from December 16-17, with cloudy conditions expected on December 18. Dry weather is expected again from December 19-20. The western disturbance will bring light snow to higher reaches on the night of December 21, continuing into the early morning of December 22, followed by dry weather thereafter. From December 23-26, dry conditions are expected to persist. The region will continue to experience a cold wave, with su...

The Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has announced that the National Conference government will provide 200 free electricity units to the people of Jammu Kashmir starting in March 2025. This initiative, which aligns with the party's election manifesto, is set to offer significant relief to households, especially during the winter months when electricity demand traditionally spikes. Speaking in a recent interview with a Delhi news channel, Abdullah emphasized that the immediate priority is ensuring a consistent power supply throughout the harsh winter. "At present, our focus is to ensure maximum electricity availability during winter, and we will introduce 200 free electricity units from March next year," he said. The Chief Minister also addressed concerns over employment, revealing...

Kashmir Valley continued to reel under a severe cold wave on Monday, with Shopian recording the coldest temperature at -6.3°C. The freezing conditions have caused discomfort among residents and increased reliance on heating appliances. Anantnag followed with a low of -5.5°C, while Pulwama and Larnoo registered -5.7°C and -6.1°C, respectively. Other areas also faced sub-zero temperatures, including Pahalgam at -5.0°C, Khudwani at -4.9°C, and Kulgam at -5.2°C. Srinagar, the summer capital, recorded a minimum temperature of -3.4°C, while Gulmarg and Qazigund saw lows of -4.0°C each. In the Jammu region, the chill was milder but still noticeable. Jammu city recorded a minimum of 5.0°C, while Banihal stood at 1.0°C, and Udhampur and Samba registered lows of 0.6°C and 0.5°C, respecti...