Category: Union Territory

SRINAGAR – The weather department on Thursday predicted fresh rain and snowfall from next week, even as cold wave prevailed in the Kashmir valley, where majority water bodies and taps were frozen yet again when minimum temperature witnessed a further drop and many areas, including Srinagar, recorded coldest night.

The first day of ”New Year” is likely bring some relief as a first Western Disturbance (WD) could hit the region and could result in scattered rain in Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir and isolated in UT of Ladakh region, A Met department spokesman said.

He said that weather will remain dry till December 31. However, a fresh WD could hit the region on the first day of “2020”, when there could be scattered rain or snow in Kashmir and Jammu and isolated in Ladakh region, he said. This system will help increase in the minimum temperature, he said.

Drass, a border town in UT Ladakh, was again coldest at minus 30.2 degree minimum temperature while at Leh it was minus 18 degree against yesterday’s minus 17.8 degree. The sky would remain mainly clear during the next 24 hours and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around zero degree and minus 18 degree respectively at Leh during the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the Sun again greeted people as they woke up this morning though the intensity of the heat remained low due to icy cold winds. Dry and chilly weather conditions had resulted in increase in cold related diseases, including headache, bad cold, chest infection.

Doctors have already issued a warning that elderly persons besides those having heart problem and children should avoid going out, particularly in the morning and evening hours when temperature remained sub zero.

Due to clear sky, the minimum temperature continued to witness drop though maximum temperature remained near or above normal in the valley.

Majority water bodies, including Dal Lake and “ Chunt-Khul” were frozen this morning after Srinagar recorded coldest night of the winter so far at minus 5 degree, three notches below normal. Water supply in many areas was disrupted after taps were frozen. However, frozen water defreeze as the day progress. The Public Health Engineering (PHE) department is stopping water supply through pipes during night to avoid damage though water supply during the day remained normal.

Srinagar, Dec 25: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Wednesday advised people not to use unvented gas heaters in closed spaces. “People are dying due to use of unvented gas heaters,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan said in a statement issued to the wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).

“Two weeks back, a young couple was found dead in HMT area of Srinagar. They had gone to bed leaving a gas heater switched on in a closed room. Last winter in January, five members of a family died under similar circumstances in Bemina area of Srinagar,” he said.

Dr Nisar said the best way to prevent deaths due to unvented gas heaters is to discontinue their use. People should use vented gas heaters instead.

“But, if people continue using unvented gas heaters, they should not use them in bedrooms, bathrooms or enclosed spaces,” he said adding “these heaters should only be used in rooms with adequate ventilation.”

He further said unvented gas heaters should be used no more than 4 hours per day, since they are meant to supplement other heating methods rather than provide the main heating source.

Dr Nisar said unvented gas heater is a commonly used heating appliance in Kashmir Valley during winter to keep rooms warm particularly at night. It has no chimney to vent the combustion products like carbon monoxide outside the home, as a result, this toxic pollutant remains in the room and exposure to high levels of this toxin causes death.

“Carbon monoxide is a silent killer as you can’t see it, you can’t smell it and u can’t taste it. The individual is rendered completely helpless without feeling the harm thus becoming unconscious during sleep leading to death. Some people are particularly vulnerable to carbon monoxide poisoning, such as children, elderly, pregnant women and those with chronic medical conditions,” informed Dr Nisar.

SRINAGAR – The minimum temperature across Kashmir and Ladakh decreased on Monday but in some respite to the residents, the weather remained dry and clouds made way for sunshine, a Meteorological Department official said.

The weather remained dry in Kashmir and the night temperature went down across the valley and the Ladakh region, the MeT official said here, adding the cloud cover receded, allowing sunlight to reach the ground in the morning.

He said Srinagar recorded the minimum temperature of 0.8 degree Celsius on Sunday night down from 1.2 degrees Celsius the previous night.

The night temperature in the city was 2.8 degrees above the normal for this part of the season, the official said.

The minimum temperature in Drass plummeted about six degrees from minus 21.6 degrees Celsius a day earlier to settle at a low of minus 27.4 degrees Celsius, the official said.

The ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 8.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday night down from the previous night’s minus 7.6 degrees Celsius, he said.

The night temperature at Pahalgam resort, which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 10.8 degrees Celsius four degrees down from minus 6.8 degrees Celsius a day earlier, he said.

Srinagar: The deputy mayor of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Sheikh Imran, was removed from his post on Monday after majority of corporators passed a no-confidence motion against him.
SMC commissioner Khurshid Sanai said an application seeking removal of the deputy mayor was signed by 47 of the total 70 corporators.
He said new deputy mayor would be elected in next three to four days.
The councilors from Peoples Conference, National Conference and Congress and Independent corporators moved no confidence motion against Imran and expressed their support to Mayor Junaid Azam Mattu.
Many corporators told that confidence motion was moved to keep BJP away from electing its own Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
A coporator wishing anonymity said they have decided to support incumbent Mayor to foil designs of BJP. “It was a collective decision taken in the interest of people”.
When Imran was elected as Deputy Mayor, he was backed by Congress. However, he later joined Peoples Conference (PC) of Sajjad Gani Lone.
Another corporator said another group of corporators from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and independents are mulling to move no confidence motion against the SMC Mayor.
“Within 2-3 days, there will be new Mayor also,” he said.
BJP’s Kashmir Media Incharge Manzoor Bhat said moving no confidence against Deputy Mayor was long pending demand of the SMC Corporators.
“We have 11 coporators in the SMC and BJP backed the no confidence motion. We supported the no confidence motion because public works were suffering in Srinagar,” he said.
Imran is under detention at MLA Hostel here along with several other political leaders after the Centre scrapped provisions of Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated the state into Union territories.

Srinagar: Fresh snowfall was received across Kashmir valley on Friday — the eve of the winter’s 40-day long core period known as chillai kalan — which led to air traffic disruptions as 12 Srinagar-bound flights were cancelled.

Chillai Kalan from today

The winter’s core period, which lasts 40 days and is known as Chillai Kalan in local parlance, will begin from Saturday, the day of winter solstice when the northern hemisphere has its maximum tilt away from the sun. Chillai Kalan is marked by freezing climatic conditions and frequent spells of precipitation.

The snowfall was received in several parts of Kashmir valley since late morning and continued for several hours.

An official of the Meteorological Centre said the snowfall was received in several parts of Kashmir valley, including the city here, and also in the higher reaches of the region.

In Srinagar, the intensity of snowfall was light as it continued for several hours during the day.

The Meteorological Centre official said the snowfall was likely to continue with varying intensity during the night and the weather was expected to improve on Saturday with precipitation at isolated places.

The fresh snowfall – which was the fourth such spell since November this year when heavy snow was received in the region – also caused disruption in the air traffic.

A senior official at the Srinagar International Airport said the disruptions were caused in the afternoon when the snowfall began in the city and fog clouded visibility.

The official said 12 flights scheduled in the afternoon were cancelled. “During the pre-noon hours, 13 flights operated but 12 flights scheduled in the afternoon were cancelled of which one flight coming from Delhi was sent back to Delhi,” the official said.

Kashmir valley faces a bitter and harsh winter this year as mercury has plunged to freezing levels during the past weeks, much ahead of the core period of the winter.

Srinagar, Dec 20: As extreme cold blankets Kashmir, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Friday said frigid temperatures put people at greater risk of high blood pressure.

“The drop in temperature during winter actually raises mercury in blood pressure gauges,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a statement.

“High blood pressure is harder to control in cold weather. Even healthy people aren’t off the hook. They also tend to have higher blood pressure in winter,” he said. “Various studies have shown that winter chill brings elevated blood pressure in adults, elderly and children,” Dr Nisar said.

Quoting a study, he said blood pressure was found to be 30 mm Hg higher in winter than at other times of the year. Dr Nisar said freezing temperatures constrict blood vessels which increases blood pressure because more pressure is needed to force blood through narrowed vessels. “Hormones, like adrenaline increase in response to cold and they cause hike in blood pressure,” he said adding “lack of sunlight during winter reduces vitamin D levels which increases blood pressure.”

Dr Nisar said people are sedentary in winter, staying inside and eating more, that causes weight gain which contributes to hypertension. “Also, air pollution is higher in winter than summer which could be a factor,” he added.

“High blood pressure is a risk for majority of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failures which are the leading causes of death and disability in Kashmir valley,” he informed. “In order to maintain your blood pressure keep yourself warm. If you move out, dress in layers, wear a hat, gloves and scarf. Avoid going in chill for walk and move your workout inside. Eat healthy diet and don’t forget to take your vitamin D. If you are on blood pressure lowering pill take it regularly and at bedtime,” advised Dr Nisar.