Category: Union Territory

Srinagar: Farmers of the world’s costliest crop, ‘Saffron’ are worried these days in view of rainfall deficit and hot weather conditions in Kashmir.

After witnessing huge losses in 2019 due to untimely snow in November and shutdown for months following abrogation of Article 370, Mohammad Ashraf, a Saffron grower in South Kashmir’s Pampore area was hopeful of good returns in the upcoming season.

But the rainfall deficit, dry spell and hot weather conditions in Kashmir have become a worry for Ashraf.

“We are not able to dig the Saffron fields due to dry and hot weather. The situation has worsened to such an extent that Saffron fields have developed cracks due to hot weather,” he told.

He is cultivating Saffron over one hectare of land. “If there is no rainfall in the next two weeks, we will suffer heavy damages and our Saffron won’t grow,” he added.

Last year, he could grow less than 2 kilogram of Saffron as the production declined due to untimely snowfall in November.
One hectare of land produces around 4 kilogram of Saffron. Each kilogram of Saffron costs Rs 2 to 3 lakh depending upon the demand from the consumers.

He said the government has failed to keep the irrigation facilities available.

“Had there been proper irrigation facilities available, we would not have been dependent on rainfall,” he said.

Saffron flowers are sensitive to vagaries of the weather. Its production depends on the weather conditions and the irrigation facilities.

Abdul Majeed Wani, another Saffron grower from Pampore said the Saffron fields have turned dry due to rainfall deficit.

“We are not able to dig our fields. The production of Saffron will depend upon the weather conditions in the next few weeks. If the dry continues, then there will be heavy damage to Saffron production. I can only pray that there is sufficient rainfall,” Wani said, who is also President Saffron Growers Association.

He said last year the rates of Saffron went down and they sold one kilogram of Saffron for less than Rs 2 lakh.

The harvest season of Saffron begins from ending October. More than 16,000 families are associated with this crop production in the valley.

Kashmiri saffron is of superior quality because of the higher concentration of crocin, a carotenoid pigment that gives saffron its colour and medicinal value.

Saffron, despite its price, is in high demand for its antioxidant properties.
Each year, Kashmir produces 16 tonnes of Saffron.

Saffron is cultivated in three districts: Pulwama, Srinagar and Budgam of the valley.
Pampore, the township in Pulwama district produces the most.

Kashmir has recorded the highest temperature of over 36 degrees celcius in August, the first time in 40 years, which is believed to be due to global warming.

“We have received less rainfall this time and temperature is above normal,” Director Meteorological Department Sonam Lotus said.(KINS)

PTI

Jammu: Several organisations of Kashmiri Pandits observed Martyr’s day here and in Delhi on Monday, demanding their rehabilitation in the Valley and setting up of a panel to probe the “genocide” the community was allegedly subjected to.

The Kashmiri Pandits have been observing ‘Balidan Divas’ (Martyr’s day) since 1990 to pay homage to the community members and security forces who laid down their lives fighting terrorism in the Union Territory.

Several organisations including the Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj (YAIKS), the Panun Kashmir, the All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC), the All Party Kashmiri Pandit Conference (APMCC) and the All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS) observed Martyr’s day in Jammu and Delhi.

YAIKS activists, led by president R K Bhat, put up pictures of slain community members on a wall near the Raj Bhawan here, raised slogans and offered floral tributes.

“Today, we are paying tributes to Kashmiri Pandit members who were killed brutally by the Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. They killed the cream of this community in the initial phase of terrorism in 1990. They threatened people to leave or be killed,” Bhat told reporters.

APMCC president Vinood Pandit claimed the government has “failed” to return and rehabilitate Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley.

The All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS) and its affiliated units in the country and abroad paid rich tributes to slain members of the community through a webinar.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kahsmir reported 1229 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking its count to 55325, official said on Monday. It is for the 12th consecutive day that daily caseload has exceeded one thousand.

With 84 travelers among them, official sources told GNS 837 cases were from Jammu and 392 from Kashmir Valley.

Giving breakup of the cases, they said Srinagar reported 119, Budgam 78, Baramulla 14, Pulwama 40, Anantnag 24, Kupwara 17, Bandipora 45, Kulgam 2, Ganderbal 43, Shopian 8, Jammu 392, Udhampur 54, Rajouri 87, Kathua 27, Samba 38, Poonch 57, Ramban 14, Doda 113, Reasi 29 and Kishtwar 26.

Moreover, they said, 644 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and were discharged from various hospitals— 231 from Jammu Division and 413 from Kashmir Valley. (GNS)

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Members of Parliament on Monday sought discussion on the situation of Jammu and Kashmir in the Parliament during the current session citing the unprecedented situation in the region in wake of the unilateral, unconstitutional and undemocratic rescinding of Articles 370 and 35A.

The Party’s Members of Parliament Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Muhammad Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi alluding to the unprecedented situation in Jammu and Kashmir have sought a discussion in the Parliament on Jammu and Kashmir, according to a statement issued here by party to GNS .

They said last year GOIs 5th August decision of shearing the erstwhile state of J&K of its constitutional position and its division and downgrading into two union territories has resulted in an unprecedented situation in the entire region. They asserted that the measures taken by GOI, besides giving a lie to the sovereign commitments of the country to the people of J&K have pushed the entire region into a precarious situation.

The MPs maintained that post 5th of August 2019; there has been a surge in the incidents of violence and skirmishes on LOC and LAC almost on daily basis. They said there has been no thaw in violence related incidents inside J&K as well and the situation is nowhere near to what was promised while abrogating the state’s constitutional. So far the situation in the entire region has brought to front our valid apprehensions; the promised development, creation of jobs is still not perceptible on ground, they added. On the contrary, the industries, handicrafts, tourism, and other vital sectors of the entire region are reeling under huge losses, the MPs said.

The gags and curbs on internet continue to hamper student’s access to digital world, they maintained. The MPs also said the measures undertaken on 5th of august last year have failed to bring promised dividends and that the situation is converse to what was promised by the ruling dispensation in the parliament.

Hundreds are languishing in jails far away from their homes, they said adding that the much touted peace was nowhere in sight.

“The matter is of urgent nature and calls for immediate discussion,” the MPs demanded.(GNS)

Srinagar: After remaining closed for more than a year, the schools in Kashmir are all set to reopen next week.

An official told news agency Kashmir Dot Com – (KDC) that the government has chalked out a detailed plan for reopening the schools. “Under this plan 50 percent of the staff will have to attend the schools on the alternative days,” said the official.

Regarding students, the source said, they will be allowed to return to classrooms only after getting written consent from the parents.

Regarding students of class 9, 10 and 11, the schools authorities will allow 50 percent attendance. “The schools will be reopened while ensuring strict adherence to all COVID-19 SOPs and health guidelines,” said an official.

He said the final decision to send their wards to the schools will however rests with the parents. “The schools will not force the students to return to schools, and at the same time the online classes which were started many months ago will continue,” the official added.

The schools were first closed in August last year when the government of India unilaterally abrogated Article 370, a constitutional provision that guaranteed special position to Jammu and Kashmir in Union of India.

The clampdown that was started on August 5 continued for more than six months and was followed by the COVID lockdown that started in March when Kashmir reported first coronavirus case from Srinagar. (KDC)

PTI

Jammu: A man has been arrested after 7 kg of heroin worth Rs 35 crore was recovered in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, police said on Monday.

The recovery came after specific information that high-grade narcotic substance was being smuggled along the Jammu-Poonch national highway, a police official said.

The recovered heroin is valued at Rs 35 crore in the international market. A person has been arrested and further details are awaited, the officer said.

PTI

Leh: The death toll due to COVID-19 in Ladakh has reached 40 after one more patient succumbed to the infection in the Union Territory, officials said on Monday.

The 83-year-old patient, who recently tested positive for COVID-19, died in Leh district on Sunday, they said.

The officials said this was the seventeenth in Leh due to COVID-19 while the rest of the 23 fatalities had occurred in Kargil district.

Ladakh had recorded 3,345 COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic in March. While 2,436 patients have recovered from the disease, 869 others, including 465 in Leh and 404 in Kargil, are still undergoing treatment, the officials said.

PTI

Jammu: A 23-year-old woman died during treatment at a hospital here nearly two weeks after giving birth to a dead child, triggering protests by her relatives who alleged medical negligence and demanded a probe into her death, officials said on Sunday.

Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Sushma Chauhan said a three-member committee has been formed to investigate the case and asked to submit its report within seven days.

The protesters, carrying the body of the woman, staged a sit-in on the main road at Chatta on the outskirts of the city on Sunday, alleging that she died within 10 minutes after intravenous injection was administered to her, the officials said.

After several hours of protest, the body was cremated by her relatives only after the intervention of senior civil administrative officers who rushed to the spot and assured action in the case.

Kuljeet Kour, who delivered a dead baby early this month, complained of abdominal pain and breathlessness at home on Friday evening and was subsequently admitted to Government Medical College Hospital here, one of the protesters said.

He said the woman died in the hospital on Saturday afternoon but doctors took away all her medical records when the accompanying family members questioned their claim that she was COVID-19 positive and would be cremated as per the set protocol.

“She tested negative for the virus on her admission in the hospital. She was sick but was not in a critical condition. We questioned the false claim and after our protest, a re-test was done which turned out negative and the body of the deceased was handed over around 11.30 pm for last rites, the protester said.

Demanding a fair probe and stern action against doctors for their alleged negligence, he said “we have given a week’s time to the government to complete its inquiry and take necessary action against those involved”.

“If justice is denied to us, we will restart our agitation,” he added.

PTI

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday congratulated two residents of the union territory for scoring high percentiles in the prestigious JEE Mains examination.

With 99.77 percentile, Aryan Gupta of Jammu has topped the union territory, while Naveed-ul-Amin scored 99.23 percentile, an official spokesperson said.

In his message, the Lt Governor observed that the youths of J-K inherently are very capable and ambitious and the union territory administration is committed to providing them with the best enabling environment to facilitate and nurture their capabilities.

The Lt Governor underlined that their success is not only a matter of pride for the entire J-K, but it will also inspire many more youngsters to prepare, compete and excel at national and international levels, the spokesperson said.

Sinha wished all the qualified candidates success in their future endeavours.

PTI

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday recorded 1,686 fresh cases of COVID-19, while fourteen patients died in the last 24 hours, officials said.

The total number of cases has now reached 54,096 and the death toll mounted to 878, they said.

It was for the eleventh time in as many days that the number of fresh cases has crossed 1,000 in 24 hours.

“The UT recorded 1,686 fresh cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours– 875 in Jammu and 811 in the Kashmir Valley,” the officials said.

Jammu district reported the highest number of 405 new cases, followed by 185 in Srinagar district, the officials said.

There are 17,481 active cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), while 35,737 patients have recovered so far, they said.

Meanwhile, eight coronavirus patients died in Jammu and six in the valley in the last 24 hours.