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The weatherman Sunday forecasted another spell of light snowfall and rains in plains, while the upper reaches of Kashmir would receive moderate to heavy snowfall from January 6 onward.
Deputy Director Metrological department Kashmir, Mukhtar Ahmad told that they were expecting another spell of light to moderate snowfall and rains from January 6 to 7.
“The next 24 to 36 hours will be crucial in terms of weather conditions in Kashmir. The intensity of this snowfall will be light in the plains and moderate to heavy in the upper reaches from Monday onward,” he said.
As per the weather officials at the Indian Metrological Department, a fresh Western Disturbance (WD) runs roughly along Longitude 50°E and Latitude 30°N that is very likely to intensify further moisture feed from the Arabian Sea.
“Under its influence, there is a possibility of light snowfall and rains over isolated parts of Jammu and Kashmir from January 6 to 8,” the weather official said.
The official also said there were chances of thunderstorm accompanied with light hailstorm in parts of Jammu region.
As per the weather officials, isolated places in Kashmir received light snowfall Sunday morning while the upper reaches also received few centimeters of fresh snow, leading to more decrease in day temperatures.
Srinagar city recorded a low of minus 1 degree Celsius Saturday night – over three degrees up from minus 3.4 degrees Celsius the previous night.
The ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 10.5 degrees Celsius – six degrees up from the previous night.
The night temperature at Pahalgam settled at a low of minus 9.4 degrees Celsius, while Qazigund recorded a low of minus 3 degree Celsius.
Kokernag town, also in south, recorded a low of minus 4.9 degrees Celsius while Kupwara in north registered the minimum temperature at 4 degree Celsius, the official said.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Traffic Rural, Muzaffar Ahmad Shah told that there would be one-way traffic from Jammu toward Srinagar on the highway on Monday.
“The traffic will only be allowed to move from Jammu toward Srinagar,” Shah said. “No vehicles will be allowed from the opposite direction.”
An official at the Traffic department said Light Motor Vehicle owners had been asked to cross Nagrota junction tunnel before 12 noon and after that Heavy Motor Vehicles would be permitted.
Meanwhile, Srinagar-Leh highway, Anantnag-Kishtwar and Mughal road continued to remain closed for vehicular traffic due to accumulation of several feet of snow and slippery road conditions.

SRINAGAR – The minimum temperature in most parts of Kashmir dropped on Friday, even as the MET Office here has forecast spells of wet weather over the weekend.

The minimum temperature decreased at most places in the valley as well as in Ladakh Union Territory on Friday, an official of the Meteorological department here said.

He said Srinagar city recorded the low of minus 3.7 degrees Celsius last night nearly a degree down from minus 2.8 degrees Celsius the previous night.

The official said the ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded the low of minus 8.5 degrees Celsius last night as against the previous night’s minus 8.6 degrees Celsius.

The night temperature at Pahalgam resort settled at a low of minus 10 degrees Celsius over three degrees down from minus 6.4 degrees Celsius yesterday, he said.

Pahalgam, in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, was the coldest recorded place in the valley, he added.

The official said Qazigund the gateway town to the valley – in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 7 degrees Celsius down from the previous night’s minus 4.3 degrees Celsius.

Kokernag town, also in south, recorded a low of minus 4.8 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara, in north, registered the minimum of minus 2.3 degrees Celsius, the official said.

The mercury in Leh, in the Ladakh Union territory, settled at a low of minus 20.7 degrees Celsius, while the nearby Drass recorded a low of minus 26.3 degrees Celsius, the official said.

Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’ – the 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably.

‘Chillai-Kalan’ began on December 21 and ends on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir. The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day long ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold).

The MET Office has forecast a spell of scattered to fairly widespread light rain or snowfall in the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh from Friday.

The official said the wet weather could likely cause landslide on the Banihal-Ramban axis of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway leading to temporary disruption of surface transportation.

Srinagar: Suspected militants hurled a grenade at CRPF personnel in Kawdara locality here on Saturday, resulting in injuries to a 16-year-old boy, police said.

However, there was no injury to any CRPF personnel as the grenade missed the intended target and exploded on the roadside, a police official said.

He said unidentified militants lobbed the grenade to target CRPF personnel posted in Kawdara locality of the interior area of the city in the afternoon, causing panic among people.

A boy, who was moving on the road, received minor splinter injuries, when the grenade exploded, the official said.

Two private vehicles were damaged in the attack, he added.

The boy had been shifted to a hospital, the official said.

The area was immediately cordoned off to nab the militants involved, he said.

No outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the blast. PTI

Those who are spreading rumors will be dealt strictly

Srinagar, Jan 02: Two persons were arrested by the police on thrusday who according police were spreading the rumours in Kashmir.
ADGP law and order Muneer khan has confirmed and said two persons were identified who were spreading the rumours in Kashmir has been arrested and those who be found spreading the rumours in Kashmir valley will be dealt strictly.
He said the rumour mongering will not be accepted and all the District commissioners have been advised to keep the vigil on the rumours mongers and take the strict action against them.
Khan further said these people don’t want peace in Kashmir and they will be punished as per the law .
It is to pertinent to mention that several rumours are agog in Kashmir valley from last couple of days. (KNS)

Vegetarian food is the order of the day for two former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir who continue to be under detention since August 5 when Article 370 was repealed by the Centre.

Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti are no longer enjoying the protocol of being former Chief Ministers and have to rely on simple food being provided by the administration.

Sources said both Omar and Mehbooba have been kept away from non-vegetarian food. “For both lunch and dinner they are being served vegetables, pulses with rice. They don’t get chicken or meat and have to eat whatever is being provided by the administration,” said a source. Since the harsh winter knocked the door in Kashmir, Omar and Mehbooba were shifted to Polo View houses in Srinagar from Chashmi Shahi and the houses were declared as temporary jail for them. Even as the UT Government released a few political prisoners yesterday in Kashmir valley, there is no talk on release of either of the former Chief Ministers.The source said food is not allowed to be cooked in the houses where Omar and Mehbooba have been kept and whatever they have to eat is coming from somewhere else. “Only tea is being served in the houses and food is coming from outside,” he added. “Even though they are political prisoners but they are not being treated like former Chief Ministers,” the sources added. — TNS

Says SMS services restored, but Jio, Airtel have developed technical snag; will take strict action against rumour mongers

Srinagar, Jan 01: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday said that the internet services were restored in 28 health institutions across Kashmir today while as the services in rest of the hospitals will be restored by tomorrow.

According to the wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan said that the government has directed all the cellular companies to restore SMS services in Kashmir, but Jio and Airtel cellular companies have developed some technical snag due to which the services have not been restored so far. Khan further added that all the cellular companies have been directed to restore the SMC services from last night (December 31).

He added that the internet services in 28 health institutions were restored today while as the rest of hospitals will avail the services from tomorrow. “Some of the hospitals had not cleared the pending bills, which will be cleared by tomorrow following which the services will be restored,” he added.

Meanwhile, Khan told KNO that strict action will be taken against the people who are spreading rumours in Kashmir from last two days. “The rumours are doing rounds from last two days and we will take strict action against rumour mongers,” he said, appealing people not to pay heed to the rumours.

Pertinently, the rumours claiming that curfew passes have been issued by the government to health employees as the curbs will be imposed in Kashmir, were doing rounds from last two days. (KNO)

Jammu: The UT administration in Jammu and Kashmir today announced that broadband-based Internet services in all government-run hospitals and short messaging service (SMS) on mobile phones would be fully restored from December 31 midnight across the Kashmir valley.

On December 10, the authorities had partially restored SMS with people starting to receive OTPs for online businesses. The OTP-based SMS were enabled on mobile phones to facilitate students, scholarship applicants and traders.

It has now been decided to fully restore the service throughout Kashmir, Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department, told the media here.

Meanwhile, the administration today abolished all inter-state toll posts, including the one at Lakhanpur, and those at railway stations and airports. “The Government of Jammu and Kashmir hereby directs that the toll post established at Lakhanpur (considered the gateway of J&K) in Kathua district and all minor inter-state toll posts established at railway stations and airports in the UT of J&K… shall cease to operate with effect from January 1, 2020”, according to two notifications issued by the Finance Department.

Kansal told the media that the toll tax had rendered the industrial sector in J&K uncompetitive.

No decision on internet restoration yet but service restored in schools, hospitals

Srinagar, Dec 31: Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday said that SMS services will start in Kashmir from 12 in the midnight after a gap of almost five months while as there was no official decision on the restoration of internet services.

According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), addressing press conference at Jammu, principal secretary to Government, Rohit Kansal said that SMS services will start functioning again in Kashmir from 12 in the midnight. “J&K government has decided to restore the SMS services in Kashmir from today midnight. There is no official decision as to when the internet services would be restored. The issue is under active consideration of the government,” Kansal said. He said that internet services would be restored in Kashmir soon when the situation would be “conducive.”

He said that, however, a decision to restore the broadband internet services will be restored in all government hospitals and schools in a “phased manner.” . Pertinently, on August 5, when Centre announced to scrap the Article 370 and to bifurcate the erstwhile state into two Union Territories (UTs), mobile phone services and internet services were snapped across J&K. On October 14, postpaid mobile services were restored while as pre-paid phones were not restored. Majority of pre-paid customers have switched to post paid numbers in the past over a month. (KNO)