Opinion

Nepal Floods: Rescuers continue search for missing as identification of dead remains challenge

Kathmandu, Sep 06: Rescuers in Nepal continued searching for those missing, as authorities faced continuing difficulties in identifying the dead, 11 days after devastating floods struck large parts of the country. The death toll stood at 1,344, while nearly 5,000 people remained missing, according to Nepal Police. More than 13,100 people have been rescued so far. The disaster was triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, sending a massive surge of water and debris downstream through the Bhotekoshi River and devastating settlements in northern and central Nepal. Homes, vehicles, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure were swept away or damaged. At least 31 people were killed on the Chinese side, while more than 500 people remained missing in Tibet, according to Chinese media reports. Of the bodies recovered in Nepal, at least 85 were children, while around 500 were recovered with body parts missing, according to officials. The condition of many bodies has complicated efforts to establish their identities. Chitwan district accounted for the largest number of recovered bodies, with 362, followed by other affected districts including Nawalparasi East, Nawalparasi West, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Gorkha, Dhading and Tanahun, according to Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). Only 98 bodies had been identified and handed over to their families, according to NDRRMA. Identifying the dead has emerged as a major challenge, with many bodies recovered after being swept downstream severely damaged, decomposed or recovered only in parts. The police have said that bodies carried far from the disaster sites and those that remained in water and mud have made identification particularly difficult. Nepal Police has begun collecting DNA samples from relatives of missing people to help identify unclaimed bodies and human remains recovered after the floods. Relatives in Nepal can provide samples through the Nepal Police Hospital in Kathmandu or their nearest district police office. More than 1,000 unidentified bodies have been buried after DNA samples were collected to facilitate their identification in the future, officials said. Nepals Information and Communication Minister Bikram Timilsina said the government would ensure that there was no shortage of relief materials or mismanagement in their distribution to flood victims in Rasuwa. Speaking to the online edition of the government-owned Gorkhapatra, Timilsina said the government was actively involved in relief and rehabilitation efforts despite the scale of the disaster. He said there was currently no shortage of relief materials and that the government would not allow discrepancies in resource management. The minister said temporary accommodation had been arranged for flood victims in schools and hospital buildings, while plans were being prepared for their long-term settlement. He also said the government was mobilising its forces and mechanisms to restore disrupted communication, electricity and road networks in the affected areas. Nepal demands climate justice at this moment and the international community should be serious about this, Timilsina said, adding that the disaster underscored the need for greater preparedness for future climate-related disasters. Meanwhile, a fresh flood in Gorkha district early Sunday swept away four houses and a suspension bridge, although there were no casualties. The flood occurred in Chumnubri Rural Municipality-4 after the Namrung Khola River overflowed, according to the police. The four houses were swept away after residents became aware of the approaching flood and fled to safety. Authorities said the river may have been temporarily blocked near its source before releasing a surge carrying mud and debris downstream. The Namrung Khola flows into the Budhigandaki River, and residents along the Budhigandaki have been urged to remain alert. The flooding also damaged two small hydropower projects in the wider Namrung area, according to local reports. It also affected movement in the area after the suspension bridge was swept away.

60-year-old man crushed to death by truck in Sopore road mishap

Sopore, Sep 06: A 60-year-old man was killed in a tragic road accident after being crushed by a truck in the Chankhan area of Sopore in north Kashmirs Baramulla district on Sunday, reports said. The deceased has been identified as Ghulam Nabi Ganaie, a resident of Untoo Hamam, Sopore. According to preliminary reports, Ghulam Nabi was travelling on a tonga and had reportedly just got down from it when a Truck vehicle allegedly ran over him. The impact was so severe that he sustained critical injuries and died on the spot. The incident sent shockwaves across the area, with locals expressing grief over the tragic loss of life. The accident also raised concerns among residents regarding road safety and the movement of heavy vehicles in populated areas. The body was later shifted to Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Sopore for medico-legal formalities. After completion of the required procedures, the body was handed over to the deceaseds family for the last rites. Meanwhile, police have initiated necessary proceedings and are ascertaining the circumstances leading to the accident.

Govt notifies draft Transfer Policy for RReTs, Grade-II &III teachers

Srinagar, Sep 06: In a latest development, the School Education Department (SED) has proposed a comprehensive transfer policy for Rehbar-e-Taleem (RReT), Grade-II and Grade-III teachers wherein a three-year tenure and maximum five-year stay has been prescribed for place of postings. The department has however introduced the provisions to prevent transfers between these categories and General Line Teachers (GLTs). The draft Jammu and Kashmir Regularized Teachers (RReTs) Transfer Policy-2026 has been issued inviting objections and suggestions, with the department and the framework is aimed at ensuring need-based, student-centric transfers, staff rationalisation and administrative efficiency. Under the proposed policy, every RReT teacher covered by it would have to complete three years at a place of posting before he or she becomes eligible for consideration for another transfer. However, the department has proposed exceptions for compassionate and other exceptional grounds. No teacher would ordinarily be allowed to remain at a single place of posting for more than five years. On completion of the maximum tenure, the teacher would become liable for transfer in the interest of administration, reads the draft transfer policy. The department has also proposed that transfers will be normally conducted once a year through an Annual Transfer Drive (ATD), preferably at the end of the academic session and before commencement of the new session o minimise disruption to teaching activities. Mid-session transfers would be avoided except in cases involving serious medical grounds, security concerns or administrative exigencies, it reads. The draft categorises transfers into administrative transfers, mutual transfers, security-related deployments and compassionate transfers. For inter-district mutual transfers, the policy proposes exchanges between teachers of the same cadre, qualification, subject and status, subject to verification and approval by the competent authority. Such transfers would not ordinarily be allowed within two years of a previous transfer, reads the draft transfer policy. It reads that the teachers transferred under the inter-district mutual transfer provision would retain their lien and promotion prospects in their parent districts. Special consideration will be given to teachers facing serious personal or family circumstances. Compassionate consideration will be given to cases involving life-threatening medical conditions, disability, widowhood, single parenthood and spouse unification, particularly where both spouses are government employees serving in different areas, it reads. As per the draft policy, the deployments on security grounds would be considered by the Administrative Department after following the prescribed procedure. The draft further proposes that the Cluster Heads will make suitable internal arrangements where a teacher is deployed on compassionate or security grounds to ensure that school functioning is not disrupted. Another provision seeks to protect reserved-category teachers by ensuring that their mandatory stay period under the Reservation Policy is fulfilled while processing transfers. The policy has also proposed a 10-day grievance redressal window at the Joint Director level following issuance of transfer orders. As per the draft policy, the department will restrict frequent transfers, proposing that an employee should ordinarily not be transferred again within two years of the previous transfer, unless necessitated by administrative exigency. Employees facing disciplinary proceedings would generally not be considered for transfer, except where their transfer is required in the interest of inquiry or administration, it reads. As per the draft, key provision specifically deals with RReTs who have not yet attained regularisation status. Such teachers would continue within their originally assigned place/zone, keeping in view the nature of their initial engagement, it reads. However, once RReTs attain regularisation or are placed as Grade-II or Grade-III teachers, they would be governed fully by the proposed Transfer Policy, the document reads Department has also proposed a clear separation between RReTs, Grade-II and Grade-III teachers and GLTs. Transfers would take place between RReTs to RReTs, Grade-II to Grade-II and Grade-III to Grade-III, with no transfers of any kind between GLTs and ReT teachers, except those who have already been transitioned and adjusted against regular and substantive posts, it reads. As per the draft policy, the department will decentralise certain transfer powers while retaining administrative control over inter-district movements. Transfers within the same zone would be ordered by the concerned Zonal Education Officer after approval from the Chief Education Officer, it reads. Also, the transfers between zones within a district would be ordered by the concerned Chief Education Officer after approval from the Joint Director. Inter-district transfers and deployments would be ordered only by the Administrative Department recommendations of the concerned director, it reads. The department has proposed that the policy be reviewed every five years, or earlier if required, along with periodic assessment of teacher deployment to ensure rationalisation and effective implementation.

US ambassador calls violent Israeli settlers terrorists after weeks of West Bank unrest

Jerusalem, Sep 06: The United States ambassador to Israel condemned Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank again on Saturday, calling the behaviour an act of terror as he visited with Palestinian American residents shaken by months of attacks. Ambassador Mike Huckabee referred to such settlers as terrorists, a word that US officials usually reserve for Palestinian militants. If there are squatters that come in and put up their own flags and take possession of something that does not belong to them, if they burn a car, if they torch a mosque, if they go into someones home and vandalize it, paint graffiti on the walls, thats a criminal act. But it extends beyond a criminal act. Its an act of terror, Huckabee said during his visit to the village of Turmus Ayya, which has reported frequent attacks by settlers over the past year. Such attacks have surged since the war in Gaza began with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, according to the United Nations humanitarian office. Huckabee also used the term terrorists last month after weeks of unrest in the West Bank town of Qusra, where settlers surrounded several homes including one owned by a Palestinian American. Days later, residents of the West Bank village of Bazariya said settlers burned a mosque and left a message on a wall in graffiti reading Huckabee regards from the terrorists in Hebrew. Im glad they admitted it, the ambassador said Saturday of the incident, adding: I dont think thats what they intended to do, but I do think that they represent a very tiny minority. A week ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the actions of a handful of rioters, and the foreign ministry called the settlers actions a disgrace. Netanyahus government is the most ultranationalist and religious in Israels history. It has presided over a surge of settlement construction in the West Bank. Most of the international community views settlements as illegal. On Saturday's visit to Turmus Ayya, the ambassador began his remarks by making clear he was addressing US citizens, who make up a small percentage of the roughly 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank but a significant part of the village's population. Im very aware that a lot of the American people who live in Turmus Ayya and other communities across this region are not enjoying the life they deserve to live, not enjoying it in a peaceful way, Huckabee said. Its a life that is disturbed by people who have created extraordinary challenges that are unfair and illegal. The US Embassy can't investigate criminal activity, he said, but it can tell its host government there are needs that need to be addressed, there are issues that cannot go unnoticed, and specific crimes and acts of terror that cannot continue without that country doing the investigation and adjudication that every person has a right to expect. Huckabee met with about 10 Palestinian American residents who described the impact of the violence on their lives and properties, the municipality told The Associated Press. Israel captured the West Bank, along with Gaza and east Jerusalem, in the 1967 Mideast war, territories the Palestinians want for a future state. The UN and much of the international community consider them to be illegally occupied. Since then, the Israeli government has built nearly 150 settlements that are home to well over 500,000 Jewish settlers. Many settlements resemble developed suburbs. Israels military operates in all parts of the West Bank, but rights groups have said the military frequently turns a blind eye to settler violence. The settlers are Israeli citizens, and Israels defense minister recently announced plans to fully transfer law enforcement among settlers to the Israeli police.

J&K steps up drive to digitise primary agricultural credit societies

Commissioner Secretary, Cooperative Department, Yasha Mudgal, today chaired a meeting of the Union Territory Level Implementation and Monitoring Committee (UTLIMC) to review the implementation of the Centrally Sponsored Project for computerisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) in J&K. The meeting was attended by the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, J&K; Deputy General Manager, NABARD; representatives of the Finance Department; Managing Director, J&K State Cooperative Training Board (JKSTCB); representatives of the System Integrator and other senior officers of the Cooperative Department. A detailed PowerPoint presentation was made on the current status of the PACS computerisation project, covering progress achieved so far and issues requiring attention. The Committee also discussed handholding support to PACS, scanning and digitisation of legacy data, deployment of manpower and data reconciliation. Detailed deliberations were held on the implementation status and operational challenges, with particular emphasis on providing adequate field-level support to PACS to facilitate their smooth transition to the computerised system. Reviewing the progress, Yasha Mudgal directed the System Integrator to complete all assigned deliverables within the stipulated timelines. She stressed that the approved implementation schedule must be adhered to strictly and that avoidable delays should not affect the overall objectives of the project. The Commissioner Secretary emphasised close and continuous coordination among the Cooperative Department, Registrar Cooperative Societies, NABARD, District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs), System Integrator and other stakeholders. She said effective field-level coordination would be critical for resolving operational bottlenecks and ensuring timely delivery of the benefits of computerisation to PACS. Yasha Mudgal directed that regular monitoring of the project be undertaken at the level of the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, J&K. She stressed that monitoring should extend beyond routine reporting and include verification of the actual completion of every milestone and deliverable. She further directed that each milestone and deliverable be duly verified, supported by appropriate documentation and records, before being treated as completed. She said a robust verification mechanism would provide a reliable assessment of the actual implementation status. Emphasising institutional accountability, transparency and proper record-keeping, the Commissioner Secretary directed that all communications and instructions issued to the System Integrator regarding project implementation should be conveyed in writing and properly documented. She also directed that the Administrative Department be kept regularly and timely apprised of the projects progress, particularly regarding achievement of milestones, completion and verification of deliverables, manpower deployment, scanning and reconciliation of legacy data, and any issue that could affect the approved implementation schedule. Reiterating the importance of the PACS computerisation initiative, Yasha Mudgal said the project is aimed at strengthening the functioning of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies through modern technology, improved record management, greater operational efficiency and enhanced service delivery. She directed all stakeholders to maintain close coordination and ensure timely resolution of issues so that the approved objectives and implementation targets of the PACS computerisation project are achieved effectively.

Valley Vita Agro opens new office in Srinagar, unveils AI-driven orchard technology

Valley Vita Agro (OPC) Private Limited inaugurated its new city office at Hyderpora, Srinagar, with the company positioning the facility as a hub for technology-driven horticulture and modern orchard management in Kashmir. Located near 14th Avenue, Hyderpora, the office will cater to farmers, orchard developers and horticulture entrepreneurs seeking access to high-density apple orchard technology, planting material, farm machinery and orchard-management services. The inauguration was attended by Managing Director Muzamil Jabar and special guest Mohd Jabar Dar, besides farmers, business associates and other guests. AI-enabled spraying technology unveiled a key highlight of the launch was the introduction of an AI-enabled spraying system for orchards. According to the company, the technology is designed to improve the precision and efficiency of spraying operations, reduce dependence on manual labour, minimise wastage and lower operational costs for growers. The company said the technology is aimed at addressing some of the challenges confronting Kashmirs fruit industry, including rising labour costs and the increasing need for precision and efficiency in modern orchard management. The new Hyderpora office is intended to provide growers with a single point of access to orchard planning, nutrition and crop-protection guidance, technical support and mechanisation services. Valley Vita Agro primarily focuses on high-density apple orchard development and supplies planting material, imported apple rootstocks and orchard systems to growers transitioning from traditional cultivation practices. Speaking at the event, Managing Director Muzamil Jabar said technology and high-density plantation systems would play an important role in the future of Kashmirs horticulture. The future of Kashmirs horticulture is not only high-density it is intelligent, precise and technology-driven, he said. Jabar said the new office would help bring artificial intelligence, mechanisation and technical expertise closer to growers across the Valley.

SKUAST-K scholar breaks into Indias top 10 in Esri GIS scholarship

Saniya Amin, a Masters student of the Faculty of Forestry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), has secured a place among the Top 10 winners across India under the prestigious Esri India Masters Scholarships in GIS Programme 2026. In recognition of her achievement, Amin was awarded a one-time scholarship of 1 lakh at the Esri India User Conference 2026 held on September 3 at Hotel Pullman, Aerocity, New Delhi. Saniya Amin is pursuing her Masters degree under the supervision of Dr Akhlaq Amin Wani, Professor and Head, Division of Natural Resource Management (NRM), Faculty of Forestry. As part of the national scholarship selection process, she presented her research work titled Shallabugh Wetland Dynamics Using a GIS-Based Machine Learning Approach, highlighting the application of advanced geospatial techniques to understand and assess changes in the wetland ecosystem. Her research earned her a place among the top 10 scholars selected from across the country. The achievement is in line with the vision of Prof. N.A. Ganai, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, who has consistently encouraged students and faculty to pursue excellence and achieve significant milestones at national and international levels. He has emphasised the importance of research, innovation, skill development and participation in competitive platforms that provide students opportunities to showcase their talent and strengthen the Universitys academic and research standing. The Esri India Masters Scholarships in GIS Programme supports final-year postgraduate students working in GIS, spatial modelling and remote sensing. In addition to the 1 lakh financial award, the scholarship provides a complimentary one-year ArcGIS Personal Use License and a direct interview opportunity with Esri India, offering valuable exposure to career opportunities in the geospatial technology sector. Dean, Faculty of Forestry, Prof AH Mughal, congratulated Saniya Amin and her supervisor, Dr Akhlaq Amin Wani, on the achievement. He appreciated the efforts of the Faculty in encouraging students to participate in national-level academic and professional programmes and emphasised that such opportunities enable students to translate their research into wider academic and professional recognition. The achievement highlights the growing importance of GIS, remote sensing and spatial modelling in natural resource management research and reflects the Faculty of Forestrys efforts to equip postgraduate students with emerging technologies and skills relevant to contemporary environmental and natural resource challenges. The other institutions represented among the Top 10 winners include the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (ISRO), IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, Symbiosis Institute of Geoinformatics, Azim Premji University, IIT Tirupati and IIT Ropar.

J&K NHM employees announce 72-hour UT-level strike from September 9

The UT-level Joint Coordination Committee of NHM Employees of Jammu and Kashmir has said that it has received no concrete or satisfactory response from the J&K Government and authorities concerned, within the stipulated ultimatum period regarding their long pending demands. Therefore, the NHM employees have decided to observe a 72-hour UT-level strike from September 9. The decision was taken during a virtual meeting of the UT-level Joint Coordination Committee held on Saturday, which was attended by core members and representatives of NHM employees from both Jammu and Kashmir divisions, including representatives of the RNTCP/NTEP Association J&K and other schemes under the National Health Mission. The committee had earlier served a final ultimatum to the government and concerned authorities up to September 5, seeking concrete and meaningful action towards resolving the long-pending issues and genuine demands of NHM employees. However, despite the expiry of the stipulated deadline, the committee expressed disappointment over the absence of any concrete response or tangible action from the concerned authorities. After detailed deliberations on the prevailing situation, the committee unanimously resolved that all NHM employees across Jammu and Kashmir, including NTEP employees and those working under other NHM schemes, shall observe a 72-hour UT-level strike from September 9. The committee made it clear that the strike would be observed across the Union Territory, with all district, block and field-level NHM employees extending their collective support to the programme. Dr Vikas Sharma, Divisional President, All JKNHMEA Jammu Division, said the decision to proceed with the 72-hour strike had not been taken in haste but had become necessary due to the continued non-resolution of the genuine and long-pending issues of NHM employees despite repeated representations, discussions and assurances. He appealed to all NHM employees of Jammu Division to remain united, disciplined and peaceful during the strike and extend their full support to the collective decision of the UT-level Joint Coordination Committee. Muneer Andrabi, Divisional President, All JKNHMEA Kashmir Division, said NHM employees had repeatedly demonstrated patience and faith in the process of dialogue, but the continued lack of concrete action had left them with no option but to adopt a democratic and collective course of action. He appealed to all NHM employees across Kashmir Division to participate in the strike in a united, peaceful and disciplined manner and ensure complete solidarity with the UT-level programme. Musadiq Rafiq Parra, UT President, NTEP J&K, said NTEP employees and those working under other NHM schemes stood firmly with the UT-level Joint Coordination Committee in support of the genuine demands of NHM employees. He said the contribution of NHM and NTEP employees towards the public healthcare system of Jammu and Kashmir could not be overlooked and urged the government to take the matter seriously and initiate meaningful steps to resolve the long-pending issues. The UT-level Joint Coordination Committee reiterated that the strike was being undertaken as a last resort after the failure of repeated efforts to secure a concrete resolution through dialogue and representations. The committee further appealed to the presidents and office-bearers of all district and block NHM units, as well as all NHM employees across Jammu and Kashmir, to extend their full support, cooperation and solidarity to the 72-hour strike programme and remain united throughout the course of action. The committee also urged all employees to maintain peace, discipline and unity during the strike and refrain from spreading or acting upon any unverified information, rumours or unofficial messages. Employees were advised to follow only official communications issued by the UT-level Joint Coordination Committee. The committee once again expressed its willingness to engage in meaningful dialogue with the government and concerned authorities for an amicable resolution of the issues in the larger interest of NHM employees and the public healthcare system of Jammu and Kashmir. Our demands are genuine, our resolve is united, and our voice shall remain peaceful but firm.

Kanlibagh colony residents seek action over garbage dump

Residents of Kanlibagh, a residential colony in Baramulla town, have expressed strong resentment over the dumping of municipal waste at a spot within the colony, saying the site has turned into a major health and safety nuisance. According to locals, sanitation workers of the Municipal Council Baramulla have been using an abandoned house belonging to a Kashmiri migrant family, whose boundary walls have collapsed, as an unofficial garbage collection and disposal point. They said waste collected from the area is routinely dumped at the site instead of being transported to a designated waste-disposal facility. The accumulated garbage, residents said, has not only marred the surroundings but has also created unhygienic conditions in the densely populated locality. The decomposing waste has resulted in a foul smell, while the presence of a large number of stray dogs has added to the residents concerns. Locals said the spot is located along a route frequently used by commuters travelling towards Sangri and other adjoining areas. They said students, women and elderly residents are particularly apprehensive while passing through the area because of the large number of stray dogs around garbage. The situation has become unbearable. We cannot understand how a residential area can be turned into a dumping site. The authorities should immediately remove the garbage and stop using this place for waste disposal, said Manzoor Ahmad of Kanlibagh, Baramulla. Residents also said the garbage has made movement difficult for people living in the vicinity, besides posing a potential threat to public health and safety. They have urged the Municipal Council Baramulla and district administration to intervene immediately, clear the accumulated waste and identify a proper site for garbage disposal. The residents have also appealed to the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister to take note of the issue and ensure that the civic authorities address their grievances.

Bumhama villagers demand upgrade of middle school

Alleging that successive dispensations have taken the people for a ride, locals from the Bumhama area of north Kashmirs Kupwara district have demanded the upgrade of the Girls Middle School to a High School. Established in 1964, the school caters to a large population, but for unknown reasons, it has not been upgraded despite repeated pleas by locals. The residents of the village told Greater Kashmir that over a dozen primary schools feed into this school, but no one has shown interest in upgrading the decades-old institution. The residents said their children, after passing Class 8, are forced to either enroll at Drugmulla or Kupwara, which, according to them, is proving difficult for them. The girl students face the most brunt as they have to travel several kilometres either to reach Kupwara or Drugmulla. If the school had been upgraded, they could easily study in their native village, said a local. I fail to understand why this school has not been upgraded despite being among the oldest schools in the whole Kupwara district, he added. The locals have appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to look into the matter and get the school upgraded for the benefit of students.

MLA Sopore expresses dissatisfaction over repair work on vital bypass bridge

MLA Sopore Irshad Rasool Kar has expressed concern and dissatisfaction over the ongoing repair and maintenance work being carried out on the vital Bypass Bridge in Sopore, stating that the quality and pace of the work are not up to his expectations. Kar, while taking note of the ongoing works, said the condition and importance of the bridge require proper attention and quality execution. He observed that the work presently being undertaken does not appear to be satisfactory and stressed that the concerned agency must ensure that the repair work is carried out in a proper and durable manner. The MLA said he would take up the matter with the concerned authorities and place the issue before the appropriate forum so that necessary corrective measures are taken and the bridge is repaired according to the required standards. The Bypass Bridge is considered a vital link for the movement of traffic in and around Sopore, and its proper maintenance is important for ensuring smooth and safe transportation. Any prolonged disruption or inadequate repair work on the bridge can cause inconvenience to commuters and affect the movement of vehicles. Notably, the responsibility for the maintenance of the bridge lies with the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). The bridge has reportedly suffered damage on several occasions in the past, with concerns being raised repeatedly over its maintenance and timely repairs. Residents have also maintained that the absence of a proper and consistent maintenance mechanism has contributed to the bridges deteriorating condition, with repair works often being undertaken only after the structure develops significant damage. Kars intervention has once again brought the issue into focus, with people hoping that the matter will be taken up with the concerned agency at the appropriate level and that the ongoing repair work will be improved to ensure the long-term safety and functionality of the important bridge.

Handwara residents protest delay in developmental works

Several locals from the Rajwar area of Handwara on Saturday staged a peaceful protest outside the BDO office at Zachaldara, raising concerns over the alleged delay in the execution of developmental works across Block Rajwar. Despite a substantial portion of the financial year having passed, several works under schemes including SBM, ADF, CDF and VBGRAM are yet to commence on the ground, causing distress among locals. People are waiting for basic developmental works, but the delay has caused frustration among residents, said Javid Ahmad, a resident of Sarmarg. The concerned department must explain why sanctioned works have not been taken up, he added. There should be a time-bound inquiry into the matter, and all pending works must be started without further delay so that people can benefit from the schemes, said Abdul Hamid, another local from Shatigam. The protesters alleged that the delay was adversely affecting development activities and depriving residents of benefits intended under various government schemes. They sought accountability from the concerned Rural Development Department officials and demanded an inquiry into the reasons behind the delay. Meanwhile, the Assistant Commissioner Development (ACD), Kupwara, assured the protesters over the phone that a team would be constituted to examine the allegations and ascertain the reasons for the delay.

Central University of Kashmir celebrates Teachers Day

Central University of Kashmir (CU Kashmir) celebrated Teachers Day on Saturday through online mode, paying glowing tributes to the teaching fraternity and reaffirming the significance of teachers in instilling values and nurturing responsible, enlightened and socially conscious citizens who contribute meaningfully to nation-building. The programme was organised by the School of Education. In his presidential address, Vice-Chancellor Prof. A. Ravinder Nath conveyed Teachers Day greetings from Chancellor and Honble Governor of Bihar, Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain, and said the day should be seen as an occasion to recognise both formal and informal teachers, including parents, society and nature. He emphasised that higher education must focus not merely on imparting knowledge but on transforming knowledge into wisdom and preparing students to become responsible contributors to society. He called upon teachers to embrace multidisciplinary education, innovation, experiential learning and stronger collaborations with industry and communities. The CUK Vice-Chancellor emphasised that universities must evolve from traditional temples of learning into centres of excellence, where knowledge and intellectual property contribute to economic empowerment and societal betterment. Delivering the keynote address on Role of Teachers in Building a Nation, COO and Academic Director, AIMST University, Malaysia, Dr Kerron G. Reddy said teachers are nation builders and that meaningful nation-building was impossible without their contribution. She urged educators to discharge their responsibilities with passion, commitment and affection, stressing that teachers have a vital role in guiding young people towards appropriate career choices and helping them identify their aptitude, skills and aspirations. She said the advent of AI had not diminished the importance of teachers but had increased their responsibilities manifold. With information readily available at students fingertips, teachers must constantly update their knowledge, adapt pedagogy and make learning creative, relevant and engaging. She also highlighted the importance of establishing a personal connection with students, saying that a simple smile, greeting or conversation could make a lasting difference. In his special remarks, Dean Academic Affairs Prof. Shahid Rasool said the role of a teacher, particularly in higher education, has always been central to the creation and transmission of knowledge. Traditionally, the teacher was regarded as the expert, the authority, and the principal source of knowledge. But today, that model is undergoing a profound transformation. The arrival of digital natives and the emergence of artificial intelligence have changed everything, he said. Prof Shahid added, If knowledge and information is available everywhere, and artificial intelligence can increasingly perform many tasks that teachers were performing, then what is the role of the teacher? The answer is simple. The teacher is not becoming less important and will remain central to the transmission of knowledge, he further said. Earlier, in her welcome address, Dean, School of Education, Prof. C. Naseema said Teachers Day was not merely an occasion for celebration but a moment for reflection, gratitude and reaffirmation of the profound responsibility shouldered by teachers. She observed that a teachers influence often remains invisible but can endure for a lifetime. We do not simply teach subjects, we touch lives and build confidence, she said, adding that teachers help young people discover their potential and prepare them to face an uncertain and rapidly changing world with confidence, resilience and compassion. Deans of Schools, Heads and Coordinators of Departments, faculty members, scholars and students attended the online event. Senior Assistant Prof Dr Firdous Ahmad Sofal conducted the proceedings, while HoD, Department of Education, Prof. Syed Zahoor Ahmad Geelani proposed the vote of thanks.

Female patients face discomfort at Shopian hospital over lack of female ECG technician

Female patients at District Hospital Shopian are sometimes left embarrassed and uncomfortable while undergoing diagnostic tests because of the absence of a female ECG technician at the facility. Patients said the lack of female staff to conduct ECG tests can discourage some women from visiting the hospital or undergoing tests recommended by doctors. Several female patients said they feel uncomfortable when an ECG is performed by a male technician, particularly because the procedure requires electrodes to be placed on the chest. Last time a doctor suggested my wife undergo an ECG. She felt embarrassed when a male technician came to perform it, said Abid Hussain, whose wife had visited the hospital for treatment. Other women patients said they would feel more comfortable if a female technician was available to conduct ECG tests. Sometimes women prefer not to visit the hospital because they feel uncomfortable undergoing such tests by male staff, said a female patient. An official at District Hospital Shopian said there is one sanctioned post of ECG technician at the facility, and the post is currently occupied by a male technician. The official said there is no female ECG technician posted at the hospital at present. Patients said the absence of female staff for such diagnostic procedures can become a barrier, particularly for women who may already feel hesitant about undergoing examinations involving physical contact. Mitha Gatoo, a social activist from Shopian, said patients comfort and privacy are important during diagnostic procedures and that providing the option of a female technician could help address concerns among women. He urged the health authorities to consider posting a female ECG technician at the district hospital. The availability of female staff ensures women patients undergo the test without discomfort or embarrassment, Gatoo added. Many residents also said the availability of female staff would help ensure that women do not avoid or delay medically necessary diagnostic tests because of concerns over privacy. The hospital caters to patients from Shopian and adjoining areas, making the availability of specialised diagnostic staff important for timely access to healthcare services.

UGC notifies 33 new allied healthcare degrees, restructures 21 courses

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has notified 33 new undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in healthcare and allied fields. States and UTs across India, including J&K, have been directed to adopt the new standardised allied-health curricula from the 202627 academic session. To create a common curriculum and clearer pathways, the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP), under the regulatory framework, has revised courses covering fields including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, optometry, medical laboratory sciences, emergency medical technology, anaesthesia and operation theatre technology, nutrition and dietetics, psychology, radiology and imaging, respiratory technology, dialysis therapy and health information management. New courses in these disciplines have also been introduced. The notification issued earlier this week has also restructured 21 existing programmes, in a bid to bring greater uniformity in courses being offered across India. All colleges and institutions have been directed to incorporate changes that reflect revised course structures, eligibility criteria and mandatory clinical training in their courses. The UGC notification has specified the updated names of the degrees, their duration and eligibility requirements as well as the course durations. The reforms will also allow students to pursue specialised postgraduate courses, including nine specialisations in Master of Occupational Therapy, eight in Master of Physiotherapy, four in Master of Medical Laboratory Sciences, three in Master of Medical Radiology and Imaging Technology and two in Master of Respiratory Technology. The NCAHP Chairperson Dr Yagna Unmesh Shukla has said the notification would bring uniformity in the duration, names and entry requirements of allied healthcare courses in the country. These are under the One Nation, One Curriculum framework of UGC. The NCAHP has already released competency-based curricula covering 28 professions, with increased emphasis on practical and clinical training. There are now mandatory internships in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. The new curriculum is to be implemented from the 2026-27 academic session by states and Union Territories. The Commission has said it is also working on the remaining curricula. These are expected to be introduced from the following academic year. The changes are aimed at improving the quality of allied healthcare education and creating a better-trained workforce.

Kashmir hosts specialised high-altitude ecology course for young wildlife enthusiasts

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Chief Wildlife Warden, J&K, Dr Suneesh Buxy, IFS, on Saturday inaugurated a Two-Week High-Altitude Ecology Course at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), Shalimar Campus. Organised jointly by SKUAST-K and the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru, under the aegis of the Indica School of Field Ecology and Conservation and supported by the Murthy Trust, the course will be held from September 5 to 18. Designed for young wildlife enthusiasts aspiring to pursue careers in high-altitude ecology and conservation, the course seeks to strengthen field-based ecological training, research capabilities and conservation education in the Himalayan region. The commencement of the course in Kashmir marks a further step in the collaboration between SKUAST-K, NCBS and the Department of Wildlife Protection, J&K, with a shared focus on quality research, capacity building and conservation. Prof. Khursheed Ahmad, Programme Coordinator and Head of the Division of Wildlife Sciences, SKUAST-K, welcomed the dignitaries and participants. Briefing the gathering about the programme, he highlighted the growing challenges associated with high-altitude field ecology and said the course would help bridge existing capacity gaps. Dr Suneesh Buxy, the chief guest, appreciated the efforts of Dr Khursheed Ahmad and stressed the need for specialised programmes to build professional capacities among the next generation of wildlife biologists in the Himalayan region. Prof. Azmat Alam, Registrar, SKUAST-K and guest of honour, shared his experiences in wildlife-related fieldwork and encouraged participants to make the most of the course. Former APCCF and Chief Conservator of Forests Farooq Geelani, IFS, also addressed the participants and motivated them to undertake quality research. Prof. Manzoor A. Shah, Director, DIQA, University of Kashmir, described the programme as a unique opportunity for participants to strengthen their research careers. Dr Sachin Sridhara, course coordinator, provided an overview of the themes and topics to be covered during the 15-day programme. Dr Tawqir Bashir, Assistant Professor, Division of Wildlife Sciences, SKUAST-K, proposed the vote of thanks and termed the initiative a significant step towards strengthening wildlife conservation efforts in J&K.

Altaf Bukhari demands power bill amnesty, reopening of tourist destinations

Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Saturday demanded an amnesty on accumulated household power bills, reopening of closed tourist destinations and an immediate increase in internship stipends for MBBS and BDS students. Addressing a party workers convention at Watakuloo in Charar-e-Sharief, Bukhari also criticised the National Conference government, alleging that it had failed to address key public issues despite securing a strong mandate in the 2024 Assembly elections. On the issue of detainees, Bukhari said the government should raise the matter with the appropriate authorities and work for the release of those who have remained in jails for years. Take, for instance, the issue of detainees. Years and even decades have passed, yet many of our youth continue to remain in jails. This government, despite having received a clear public mandate, has not even raised their plight or made their release a matter of serious public concern, he said. Bukhari said the government should announce an amnesty for accumulated household power bills and immediately revise the stipends paid to MBBS and BDS interns. He also expressed concern over unemployment and urged the government to focus on creating sustainable livelihood and employment opportunities for youth. Urging young people to stay away from drugs and violence, he said the two had caused immense damage to society and appealed to the younger generation to reject the culture of drugs and guns. On tourism, Bukhari called for the reopening of destinations that remain closed, saying thousands of families depend on tourism-related activities for their livelihoods. As far as security measures and initiatives are concerned, there should be no compromise. At the same time, the government must also consider that these places provide livelihoods to many households. Therefore, they should be thrown open to tourists now, he said. Bukhari also demanded restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, appealing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to fulfil their commitment in this regard. The loss of statehood along with our special constitutional status on August 5, 2019, was a profound loss for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, he said. I earnestly appeal to both the Honble Prime Minister and the Honble Home Minister to fulfil their commitment and restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir without any further delay. This is not merely a political demand; it is a matter of dignity, trust and justice for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, he added. Bukhari said the government must work collectively to address the issues confronting people, acknowledging that certain powers rest with the Lieutenant Governor but asserting that the Chief Minister has substantial executive authority. He alleged that the NC had made hollow promises during the elections and had failed to meet public expectations after assuming office. On local issues, Bukhari said residents had apprised him of inadequate infrastructure at the local hospital and other developmental concerns. He assured them that the issues would be taken up with the authorities concerned. Apni Party vice president Javaid Mustafa Mir said the developmental deficit in Watakuloo, Charar-e-Sharief and adjoining areas reflected the failure of successive governments to adequately address the needs of the people. Chief spokesperson Muntazir Mohiuddin said the partys policies were based on truthfulness and integrity and urged people to support its political agenda. Several political and social activists also joined the Apni Party during the convention, including PDP Halqa President Farooq Khan, Mohammad Rafi, Raja Rafi, Ghulam Hassan Ahanger, Bashir Ahmad, Abdul Khaliq Dar, Mohammad Shafi, Mohammad Ashraf, Tawfeeq Ahmad, Zahoor Ahmad, Haji Rashid, Zubair Ahmad, Abdul Rehman Naja, Abdul Qayoom Naja, Javid Ahmad Najar, Riyaz Ahmad Najar, Junaid Dar, Adil Ashraf and others. Senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir, Vice President Javaid Mustafa Mir, Chief Spokesperson and State Secretary Muntazir Mohiuddin, District President Budgam Advocate Owais Ashraf Shah, Block President Nagam Abdul Majeed, youth leader Raja Rafiq and other party leaders and workers were present on the occasion.

MBBS interns should trust government, return to their job: Sakina Itoo

Minister for Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Sakina Itoo on Saturday said the MBBS interns, who are on protest demanding hike in their stipend should trust the government and call off their strike, considering their role in handling patient care in the hospitals. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Teachers' Day function organised at SKICC, Sakina Itoo said the talks held with the MBBS interns did not fail. I do not buy this. The talks did not fail. The government is engaged with the protesting doctors, she told reporters here. She said the MBBS interns' demand was genuine. I met the MBBS interns several times. I held a meeting with them for nearly one-and-a-half hours a day earlier, she added. She said they (Interns) were not strangers but our own children. It takes years of effort and significant sacrifices by students and their families to become a doctor and to reach the internship stage. These interns play an important role in hospitals and work for long hours treating patients, she added. The Minister said the issue should not be reduced to a competition between the government and protesting interns. There is no need to make it a competition. Governments doors for dialogue are still open, she said. She said the proposal concerning the interns demand was already under process and had moved between the concerned department and the Finance Department for clarifications and observations. The department took the initiative and got this process done. This file went to the Finance Department and we got some clarification from there as well. Then we answered an observation, she said. She said the department did not act after the MBBS interns' protest but the initiative was taken earlier. She urged the protesting MBBS interns to trust the government, saying that she, as the health minister, would not make any such commitments that could not be fulfilled. As Health Minister, being responsible for my children, they should trust me. The government would do whatever is possible for them, , she said. Sakina Itoo also said the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was concerned about the issue and several meetings were already held on the issue. I hope that the children will come back to work because treatment of people in hospitals is very important, she said.

NC Central Zone Committee holds meeting in Budgam

Budgam, Sep 5:An important meeting of the Working Committee of the Central Zone of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference was held in Budgam on Saturday. The meeting, as per a party statement, was presided over by Provincial President Advocate Showkat Ahmad Mir and organised by Zonal President Ali Mohammad Dar. The meeting was attended by Chief Spokesperson and MLA Zadibal Tanvir Sadiq, MLA Eidgah Haji Mubarak Gul, senior leader Aga Syed Mahmood, MLA Hazratbal Salman Ali Sagar, MLA Khansahib Advocate Saif-ud-Din Bhat, Srinagar District President Peer Afaq Ahmad, Budgam District President Ghulam Nabi Bhat, Ganderbal District President Sheikh Ghiyas-ud-Din, Batamaloo Coordinator Mir Umar, Youth Wing Provincial President Mir Mushtaq and other party functionaries. The meeting held detailed deliberations on the prevailing political situation in Jammu and Kashmir, organisational affairs of the party, future strategy and several other important issues. The meeting reiterated the National Conferences resolve to continue its struggle for the restoration of the constitutional and democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. A resolution was unanimously adopted, reaffirming the partys commitment to continue its struggle for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmirs special status while continuing to raise the demand for Statehood, rationalisation and balancing of the reservation policy at every appropriate forum. The meeting further resolved that the party would utilise every constitutional and democratic forum to pursue the political, constitutional and democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Teachers dignity more important than Teacher Eligibility Test: Sakina Itoo

Minister for Education Sakina Itoo on Saturday said the government will move a resolution in the upcoming Assembly session seeking relief for in-service teachers affected by the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) exam, saying the issue was not merely about an examination but about the dignity and honour of the teachers. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a Teachers' Day function organised at SKICC Srinagar, Sakina Itoo said the government had already approached the Supreme Court on the TET issue, saying that affected teachers were under considerable mental stress. We have already gone to the Court about TET, but the teachers are in a lot of depression which takes a toll on the childrens education in schools, she said. The minister said the government considered the dignity and honour of teachers paramount, saying the teachers who prepare millions of children for examinations should not be placed in a situation that undermines their own standing. When the teacher is mentally disturbed, how can he educate the child? The issue is not about the test but the dignity of teachers, she added. Itoo said she would bring a resolution to the Legislative Assembly once the upcoming session begins and expressed confidence it would pass by a majority. We will pass that resolution in the majority so that the teachers who are depressed can come out of their depression and teach the school children properly, she said. She further said that the teachers play a vital role in a childs development, saying that once parents leave their children in school, teachers assume responsibility not only for their education but also for teaching them basic skills and values. Teachers teach children how to walk, how to speak and help shape them during their formative years. The contribution of teachers is greater than what could adequately be acknowledged on Teachers Day, she said. She further said that J&K has achieved a 98.4 percent literacy rate and claimed that the School Education Department (SED) had now declared the Union Territory 100 per cent literate. She said J&K had attained the milestone after the remaining districts were covered. Earlier in her address to the teachers, Sakina Itoo said the government was taking the issues confronting the teaching community seriously. She also defended teachers against disproportionate amplification of isolated incidents on social media, saying that the contribution of teachers, who spend years working with students, was often ignored while minor negative incidents are highlighted on social media platforms. Today, if there is even a small mistake of our teacher, it is presented in such a big way; his contribution is not remembered, she said. She said the dignity of teachers cannot be protected by the government alone, but society also has a responsibility to respect and appreciate them. She, however, called upon teachers to ensure that students are treated with care and compassion, saying every child should feel safe, important and loved in school. Every child who goes to school should feel they belong and are loved, she said. She said the government wanted to transform the education department into the best-performing department in Jammu and Kashmir. She appealed to teachers and officers to work as a team to strengthen government education and reduce dependence on private schools. We want to build a better education system for the children of Jammu and Kashmir so that they do not have to go to private schools, she said.

M Y Tarigami urges teachers to foster scientific temper, pluralistic values

Srinagar, Sep 5:M.Y. Tarigami, President, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), J&K, felicitated the teaching fraternity on the occasion of Teachers Day, paying tribute to the teachers for their invaluable contribution in shaping the minds and future of generations. Teachers Day is not merely an occasion to honour individual teachers but also an opportunity to reflect upon the enormous responsibility entrusted to the teaching community in building a just, democratic, scientific and inclusive society. Teachers are the real nation-builders, as they influence not only the academic development of children but also their outlook towards society, fellow citizens and the world at large. Emphasising the need to strengthen the scientific and rational outlook among younger generations, Tarigami, as per a statement issued on Saturday, said that education must enable students to question, enquire, reason and distinguish between evidence and superstition. Teachers have a vital role in cultivating scientific temper, critical thinking, curiosity and a spirit of inquiry among students. A modern education system must prepare young minds to meet contemporary challenges through knowledge, reason and innovation rather than prejudice and unscientific beliefs. Jammu and Kashmir had taken an important lead under the Naya Kashmir programme in the post-Independence period by providing universal free education, irrespective of sex, up to the postgraduate level, reflecting the recognition that education is a fundamental instrument of social progress. The objective now must be to ensure free, compulsory, inclusive and quality education for every child, irrespective of caste, colour, creed, religion, region, gender or economic status. Every child must have equal access to quality education, irrespective of whether they come from a rich or poor family or live in an urban centre or a remote rural area. He expressed concern over the shortage of qualified teaching staff, particularly in rural and far-flung areas, and called for immediate filling up of vacant posts from the primary level to colleges and universities. He also called for the regularisation of the services of temporary, ad hoc, contractual, part-time and other categories of teachers with full pay scales and all permissible service benefits. The contribution of teachers cannot be valued merely in terms of the temporary nature of their appointments, he said, adding that insecurity and uncertainty among teachers also adversely affect the quality of education. He further emphasised that Indias strength lies in its pluralistic and diverse character. Teachers, therefore, have a profound responsibility to inculcate respect for diversity, tolerance, fraternity and democratic values among students. Respect for different faiths, languages, cultures, regions and traditions should be an integral part of education. Young minds must be taught that diversity is not a weakness but one of the greatest strengths of the country. Teachers, whether addressed as Gurus, Ustaads or by any other name, command a position of immense respect in society. Their responsibility goes far beyond imparting lessons from textbooks. They help shape the character, conscience and worldview of future generations. They must therefore guide students towards scientific thinking, constitutional values, social justice, equality, fraternity and respect for the dignity of every human being. Tarigami said that a strong, peaceful and democratic India can be built only by nurturing generations that are scientifically minded, socially sensitive, democratic in outlook and respectful of pluralism. He called upon the authorities to strengthen public education, adequately fund educational institutions, fill all vacant teaching posts and ensure dignity, security and fair service conditions for the teaching community. He conveyed his warm greetings to all teachers and expressed the hope that the teaching fraternity would continue to inspire generations towards knowledge, reason, equality, compassion and a commitment to building a just and peaceful society.

Protecting peoples interests, well-being remains NCs core agenda: Dr Farooq Abdullah

Srinagar, Sep 5:The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President, Dr Farooq Abdullah, Saturday, said that young people are the architects of a nations future and that the responsibility of leading the country and society will eventually rest on their shoulders. As per a party statement, he stressed the need to cultivate among the younger generation a spirit of public service, patriotism, commitment to the welfare of the nation and society and respect for people belonging to all sections and faiths. He made these remarks in Beerwah, Budgam. Dr Farooq Abdullah said that the National Conference has always encouraged the youth and provided them opportunities to advance in the political and social spheres. He said this is clearly reflected in the partys present legislators, many of whom have previously been associated with the Youth National Conference. He added that all party legislators remain closely connected with the people at the grassroots and are actively working to address their problems and difficulties. On the restoration of Jammu and Kashmirs special status, Dr Farooq Abdullah reiterated that the National Conference remains firmly committed to its restoration and will continue its constitutional and democratic struggle towards this objective. He said that the special status was the right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and that the constitutional relationship between India and Jammu and Kashmir was established within the framework of the Constitution of India through Articles 370 and 35A. Dr Farooq alleged that, from time to time, forces outside Jammu and Kashmir, along with certain circles in Delhi, have conspired to weaken the National Conference with the aim of creating divisions within the party and weakening it through attempts to lure or buy off its members. However, he said, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have repeatedly defeated such designs. Taking opposition parties to task, Dr Farooq said that they lacked a concrete and constructive agenda and were therefore engaged in criticism for the sake of criticism. He said the role of the opposition should be to constructively assist positive governance and raise genuine public issues, but unfortunately, this was not being witnessed. He expressed hope that restoration of statehood would enable the government to function more effectively and with greater authority, helping reduce the difficulties faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Urging people to remain vigilant against divisive forces, Dr Farooq Abdullah said that the core agenda of the National Conference is the protection of the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, their prosperity, development and well-being. Earlier, Dr Farooq Abdullah visited Manzhamah, Magam, where he met senior party leader and MLA Beerwah Dr Mohammad Shafi Wani to offer condolences over the demise of his pious and virtuous sister. He expressed solidarity with the bereaved family and prayed for the forgiveness of the deceased, her eternal abode in Jannat-ul-Firdous and the elevation of her ranks in the Hereafter. Dr Farooq was accompanied by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, senior leaders Peer Mohammad Hussain, Sheikh Mohammad Rafi, Professor Abdul Majeed Mattoo, Advocate Hashim Hussain and other party functionaries.

Sainik School Nagrota crowned overall champion at AISSNG 2026

Jammu, Sep 5: Sainik School Nagrota emerged as the overall champion of the All India Sainik Schools National Games (AISSNG) 2026 Group A, as the five-day sporting extravaganza concluded on Saturday at the school with a grand closing ceremony. The ceremony was graced by Maj Gen Anupinder Bevli, ADG, NCC J&K and Ladakh Directorate, as the chief guest. It commenced with an impressive march past by the participating contingents, followed by the prize distribution ceremony honouring outstanding teams and athletes. Sainik School Nagrota put up an impressive all-round performance, securing first position in junior boys basketball, junior boys volleyball, junior girls basketball and English debate, besides performing strongly in athletics and other events. Royal International Residential School (RIRS), Fatehabad secured the runners-up position, while Sainik School Kunjpura finished third. Addressing the participants, Maj Gen Anupinder Bevli congratulated the winners and commended all participating schools for their dedication, discipline and sporting spirit. He highlighted the vital role of sports in building teamwork, resilience, leadership and character among young cadets. Captain (IN) Shibu Devasia, Principal, Sainik School Nagrota expressed his gratitude to the chief guest and acknowledged the valuable support of all officials of Directorate of Youth and Sports and also the participating schools for the successful conduct of the championship.

MP Mian Altaf asks Health deptt to upgrade medical infrastructure in Rajouri

Member of Parliament for the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency, Mian Altaf Ahmad, has called upon the Jammu and Kashmir Health and Medical Education Department to take urgent steps to overhaul health infrastructure and fill critical staff vacancies across hospitals and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in district Rajouri. In a statement issued, the Member of Parliament expressed serious concern over the growing operational constraints faced by Government Medical College (GMC) Rajouri, sub-district hospitals, and rural healthcare facilities. Highlighting the difficulties faced by local residentsparticularly those living in remote, hilly, and border belts, Mian Altaf emphasised that access to quality healthcare remained a fundamental need. He pointed out that key medical facilities in the district were currently overburdened, operating under acute shortages of specialist doctors, medical officers, nurses and technical staff. Mian Altaf said upgrading Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs) with essential diagnostic machinery, life-saving drugs, and round-the-clock power back-ups to minimize referrals to urban hospitals besides Deployment of fully equipped Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances to ensure timely transportation of critical patients from far-flung rural zones. Healthcare is a basic right for every citizen, and rural districts like Rajouri cannot be left to suffer due to administrative delays or workforce gaps. The Health Department must prioritize filling sanctioned vacancies and upgrading critical diagnostic equipment so that local families receive timely care at home rather than travelling to Jammu or Srinagar, stated Mian Altaf Ahmad. He also expressed grief over the death of a local resident Showket Ahmad who reportedly suffered a heart attack while aggrieved family members and local residents alleged that adequate emergency and specialised healthcare facilities were not available at Thannamandi Hospital, raising serious concerns about the healthcare infrastructure catering to the vast population of the sub- region. National Conference MP demanded immediate strengthening and upgradation of the existing health facilities. He said that Thannamandi Hospital caters to a large population not only from Thannamandi but also from several adjoining areas, and urged the government and the Health department to take immediate and concrete steps to upgrade Thannamandi Hospital to a Sub-District Hospital and provide it with adequate doctors, specialists, emergency facilities, diagnostic services, ambulances, medical equipment and other essential infrastructure.

Khelo India Action Plan:Roadmap discussed for creating sports infrastructure in Srinagar

Srinagar, Sep 5: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Akshay Labroo, on Saturday chaired a comprehensive meeting at the Meeting Hall of the DC Office Complex, Srinagar to discuss and formulate the Action Plan for 2026-31 under the Khelo India Movement for District Srinagar. The meeting, as per an official statement, was convened to deliberate on a comprehensive and structured roadmap aimed at strengthening sports infrastructure, promoting greater participation in sports and creating sustainable opportunities for young and aspiring athletes across the District. Detailed discussions were held on measures to improve existing sports facilities, identify infrastructure gaps, create and upgrade facilities for priority sports, organise sports competitions, identify sporting talent and provide avenues for its systematic development. On the occasion, the DC stressed the need for a coordinated and result-oriented approach involving all concerned Departments and stakeholders to ensure effective formulation and implementation of the Action Plan. He emphasised that the plan should focus on expanding access to sports facilities at the grassroots level, particularly in rural and underserved areas, while providing young people with adequate opportunities to participate in various sporting disciplines. The DC also emphasised the need for strengthening and developing sports infrastructure in the Downtown/Shahr-e-Khaas areas of Srinagar District, with a view to providing accessible sporting facilities to youth in these densely populated areas. He directed the concerned Officers to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the existing sports infrastructure and identify locations requiring new facilities, upgradation or renovation. He also called for proper mapping of sports facilities and sporting disciplines being practised across the District so that interventions under the Khelo India framework are planned in a systematic, need-based manner and unnecessary duplication of facilities is avoided.

LoP Sunil Sharma visits Chatroo minor victims house, assures justice

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in J&K Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma on Saturday visited Gurninal in Chatroo and met the bereaved parents of the minor victim, expressing heartfelt solidarity with the grieving family during this difficult time. Sunil Sharma conveyed his deepest condolences to the family and shared their pain and anguish over the tragic loss. He assured the bereaved parents that they were not alone in their pursuit of justice and that the entire Kishtwar community and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stood firmly with them. The LoP, accompanied by a team of party leaders and workers, assured the family of the partys full support. He said that, in accordance with the familys demand, the case had been handed over to the Crime Branch for investigation. He further stated that he was in constant touch with the Lieutenant Governor regarding the matter and would continue to closely follow the case to ensure that the concerns of the family were duly addressed. He urged the concerned authorities to ensure a fair, impartial and transparent investigation, while giving due consideration to the familys legitimate demand for justice. Sunil Sharma assured the family that he would raise their concerns at the appropriate forums and continue to pursue the matter through every lawful and appropriate channel. He emphasised that justice for the victim and dignity for the grieving family must remain the foremost priority. LoP prayed for eternal peace for the departed soul and for courage and strength for the bereaved parents and family members to bear this irreparable loss. The familys pain is our collective concern. We stand firmly with them and will pursue the matter through every appropriate and lawful forum. We will ensure that justice is delivered to the victim and the bereaved family, Sunil Sharma said. He asserted that the barbaric act by a teacher against a minor of the Gujjar community in Kishtwar shamed humanity. This is a fight for justice and no power obstructing it will be spared; justice will be delivered, he reaffirmed.

Athwas India XI FC begin KSL Season 2 campaign with 1-0 win

Srinagar, Sep 5:Athwas India XI FC began their Khyber Cement Kashmir Super League (KSL) Season 2 campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Sanctorum North United FC at the TRC Ground here on Saturday. In the second match of the league, Athwas India XI FC, as per a statement, secured the decisive goal through a penalty, which proved enough to settle a closely contested encounter. Both teams battled hard throughout the match, but Athwas India XI FC held their composure when it mattered to walk away with all three points. The victory gives Athwas a winning start to their campaign, while Sanctorum North United FC will look to bounce back in their upcoming fixture. The match was played at the TRC Ground as the second season of the franchise-based league continued following Friday's thrilling 3-3 draw between Aqua Kashmir Avengers FC and United Elegant FC. New JK United FC, Swift Strikers FC to meet Sunday The KSL Season 2 action will continue on Sunday when New JK United FC take on Swift Strikers FC Rainawari at the TRC Ground. The match is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. The second edition of the KSL features six franchise teams, United Elegant FC, Aqua Kashmir Avengers FC, Athwas India XI FC, Sanctorum North United FC, New JK United FC and Swift Strikers FC Rainawari, competing for the league crown.

A card we must discard

Writing in The Valley of Kashmir, published in 1895, Walter Roper Lawrence described the Kashmiri of his time as one who was not extravagant and who happily spends little on marriages and similar occasions. But Lawrence immediately added a note of apprehension: as prosperity increased, he feared, the Kashmiri might follow the example prevailing elsewhere and increase expenditure on marriages. More than 130 years later, his apprehension seems to have been justified beyond imagination. Marriage expenditure in Kashmir today takes innumerable forms, but broadly it may be viewed under three heads: food, particularly the ever-expanding demands surrounding wazwan; decoration and display; and a variety of incidental expenditures which, over time, have acquired the force of social custom. All three deserve examination. But there is one expenditure which particularly disturbs me: the expensive printed wedding invitation card. I do not defend extravagance in food. The quantities of meat and other eatables consumed at our weddings can certainly be questioned. Yet, at the end of the day, food is food. Someone eats it. Someone is fed.Nor can extravagant decoration easily be justified. Enormous sums are sometimes spent on flowers, lighting, stages and entrances which disappear within hours. Yet even these, one may argue, satisfy an aesthetic desire and lend colour to a memorable occasion. But what does an expensive wedding card leave behind? Thousands of rupees are spent on designing and printing cards on expensive paper, placing them in elaborate envelopes or boxes and arranging their delivery. The recipient opens the card, reads the names, notes the date and venue and puts it aside. Its purpose is over. Sooner or later, the card has to go. How many wedding cards can a person preserve? For how many years? And for what conceivable purpose? But in our case there is a further, and more sensitive, difficulty. Our wedding cards frequently carry a verse from the Holy Quran, a Hadith, a prayer or an invocation. The name of Allah may appear on the card or even on its envelope. These sacred words are presumably printed to invoke divine blessings upon the marriage. But they create an unintended dilemma. A conscientious person naturally hesitates to discard a piece of paper bearing the name of Allah or words from the Holy Quran. So the card finds its way into a drawer, cupboard or shelfnot because it is needed any longer, but because one does not know how to dispose of it respectfully. Even where no sacred verse or invocation is printed, there remains another consideration. Every wedding card necessarily bears the names of the bride and the bridegroomthe two persons whose union it was created to celebrate. There is something unseemly about an elegantly printed announcement of their marriage, carrying their names prominently, eventually lying crumpled among household refuse. Thus the difficulty does not disappear merely by leaving sacred words off the card. If they are printed, disposal becomes a matter of reverence; even if they are not, considerations of dignity and sentiment make the dustbin an uncomfortable destination. There is an irony here worth pondering. We spend substantial sums to create something beautiful for a fleeting purpose, knowing that almost from the moment it is delivered, the recipient must confront a simple question: what am I eventually supposed to do with it? And all this happens in an age when almost every household has access to a mobile phone. A tasteful digital invitation can convey the names, programme, date, venue, location and contact details instantly, without expenditure on paper and printing. There may, of course, be exceptions. Elderly relatives unfamiliar with digital communication may need a conventional invitation. A family may also wish to preserve a few printed cards as keepsakes. Nothing prevents the printing of a limited number of simple cards where genuinely necessary. But why hundreds? There is sometimes an amusing contradiction hidden inside the elaborate card itself. An invitee opens an impressive, expensively printed invitation containing a list of several marriage functions, only to discover crosses against almost every event and a solitary tick against one. Occasionally, the invitation is restricted even furtherto one person alone. There is nothing objectionable in limiting the number of guests. Indeed, that itself may be a welcome exercise in restraint. But it raises an obvious question: if the invitation is ultimately for one person to attend one function, why does it require an elaborate card, expensive paper, ornamental printing and elaborate packagingonly to convey, through a series of crosses and a solitary tick, that the recipient is not expected at several functions and is invited to just one? A simple telephone call or digital invitation could convey the same message more gracefully and conveniently. The contrast is difficult to miss: the invitation grows larger while the invitation itself grows smaller. Perhaps the problem with our attempts at marriage reform has been that we have always tried to reform everything at once. We discuss the number of dishes, the size of gatherings, gold, clothes, gifts and decorations. Eventually, social pressure proves stronger than our resolutions. Perhaps reform should begin with something smaller. Let us, for the moment, leave the wazwan alone. Let us not count the dishes on the trami. Let us not ask how many flowers decorate the entrance or how many lights illuminate the lawn. Those debates can continue. Let us begin with the wedding card. This requires no legislation or government order. It does not diminish the happiness of the bride or the groom, deprive a guest of hospitality or interfere with any essential religious or cultural practice. It merely requires society to accept that an invitation need not be an exhibition of ones financial capacity. Let religious scholars, social organisations and, above all, educated families lead by example. Let sending a simple digital invitation become socially respectable. Nobody should have to apologise for not sending an expensive printed card. Every social custom was, at some stage, an innovation. What society has created, society can also change.Sir Walter Lawrence saw the danger more than 130 years ago. We have spent generations proving his apprehension right. Perhaps it is time to prove that we are also capable of reversing the process. We may not be able to reform the Kashmiri marriage overnight. We may not even agree on what constitutes extravagance in every sphere.But surely we can agree on one small beginning.The expensive wedding card feeds no guest, creates no lasting beauty and serves no purpose once its message has been read. And when it carries sacred words, even its disposal becomes a responsibility. If we cannot discard all our extravagances, let us at least discard one.Let us discard the wedding card. Farooq Ahmad Khan is an Advocate practising before High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh at Srinagar.

Commissioner launches SMC education initiative for children of sanitation workers

Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Faz Lul Haseeb, on Saturday formally launched an education initiative aimed at supporting the academic aspirations of children of the Corporations sanitation workers. The initiative was inaugurated in the presence of Joint Commissioners, sanitation workers and their children and parents, besides representatives of participating educational institutions. The programme seeks to facilitate scholarship-based coaching and academic support for eligible students, particularly those studying in Classes IX to XII and those aspiring to pursue competitive examinations such as NEET and JEE. Speaking at the inaugural programme, the Commissioner said the initiative was rooted in the Corporations recognition of the contribution made by its sanitation workforce and its responsibility towards creating meaningful opportunities for their children. Those who work every day to keep our city clean deserve to see their children move forward with dignity, confidence and opportunity. Education can be one of the strongest pathways to make that possible. This initiative is an investment in the aspirations of the next generation, he added. Faz Lul Haseeb said the initiative should not be viewed merely as an assistance programme, but as an effort to build a sustained ecosystem of opportunity, mentorship and educational advancement. The initiative has been structured as a collaborative effort, with participating educational institutions extending academic support to eligible students. The Private Coaching Centres Association of Srinagar has facilitated the participation of its member institutions. SMC will facilitate the identification and verification of eligible students through a transparent mechanism. The programme will cover students across Classes IX to XII as well as those preparing for NEET and JEE, in accordance with the prescribed eligibility and selection modalities. The Commissioner said that the larger objective was to ensure that the contribution of the sanitation workforce translates into greater opportunities for the generation that follows. The presence of sanitation workers and their children at the inaugural programme gave the initiative a distinctive human dimension, placing their educational aspirations at the centre of the Corporations intervention. Commissioner Faz Lul Haseeb expressed appreciation to the institutions that have joined the initiative and called for sustained collaboration to progressively widen its reach. The initiative is envisaged as an evolving platform through which SMC will continue to strengthen educational opportunities for eligible children of its sanitation workforce.

Juvenile justice system must remain rooted in fairness, rehabilitation, developmental needs of children

The Juvenile Justice Committee, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, with the support of UNICEF India, organised a one day annual consultation on Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015: A Decade of Implementation and the Way Forward at the J&K Judicial Academy, Mominabad, Srinagar. The consultation was attended by the Judges of the High Court, Judicial Officers, Principal Magistrates of Juvenile Justice Boards, Chairpersons of Child Welfare Committees, officers of Special Juvenile Police Units, senior officers of concerned departments, Legal Services Authorities, child protection professionals, mental health experts, civil society and academia besides participants joining virtually from Jammu and Ladakh. The consultation reviewed a decade of implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act and identified priorities for strengthening the Juvenile Justice and Child Protection System. Justice Sindhu Sharma, Judge, High Court of J&K and Ladakh and Chairperson, Juvenile Justice Committee, in her presidential address, emphasised that a child in conflict with law remains, first and foremost, a child and that the juvenile justice system must remain rooted in fairness, rehabilitation and the developmental needs of children, in keeping with principles reflected in the Beijing Rules. She highlighted the continuing challenge of balancing the reformative approach with concerns arising from serious offences. She stressed the need for adequately resourced institutions, trained personnel, effective data systems and accountability. She observed that while the first decade focused substantially on building the institutional architecture of juvenile justice, the next decade must focus on ensuring that these institutions deliver meaningful, child-centered outcomes and provide every child with dignity, rehabilitation and a genuine opportunity for a better future. Justice Mohd. Akram Chowdhary, Judge, High Court of J&K and Ladakh and Member, Juvenile Justice Committee, described the completion of ten years of the Act as an opportunity to objectively assess its implementation. While acknowledging the functioning of Child Welfare Committees and Juvenile Justice Boards across J&K and Ladakh, he emphasized that success must ultimately be measured by its impact on children. He called for stronger infrastructure, trained personnel, continuous capacity building, adequate administrative and financial support, periodic evaluation and improved inter-departmental coordination. Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal emphasized that juvenile justice extends beyond law and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Reflecting on a decade of the Juvenile Justice Act, he stressed the need to address implementation gaps and strengthen delivery on the ground. He highlighted the concerns regarding children above sixteen years accused of heinous offences, confidentiality of juvenile records and effective functioning of Juvenile Justice Boards and Child Welfare Committees. He also called for child-centric adoption, adequate infrastructure, trained personnel and administrative support, stressing that the Act must be implemented in letter and spirit to ensure protection, rehabilitation, dignity and hope for every vulnerable child. Jesper Moller, Deputy Representative (Programme), UNICEF India Country Office, described ten years of the Juvenile Justice Act as an important milestone and emphasized the need to assess its impact on children. He highlighted Jammu & Kashmirs progress in prevention and family-based care, Child-Friendly Spaces, Adolescent Resource Centres, strengthening of Child Care Institutions and training of more than 9,000 frontline workers. He identified prevention, family-based care, institutional coordination, accountability and disability inclusion as key priorities for the next decade. Earlier, Naseer Ahmed Dar, Director, J&K Judicial Academy and Ex-Officio Member Secretary, Juvenile Justice Committee, welcomed the participants and emphasized that juvenile justice and child protection are shared responsibilities requiring coordinated institutional efforts. He highlighted the key areas of the consultation and called for candid, constructive and solution-oriented deliberations leading to practical recommendations for the 202627 Action Plan, keeping the best interests, dignity, safety and rehabilitation of children at the centre.

BJPs Srinagar Rally

The massive mobilisation of Bharatiya Janata Party workers at Srinagars historic Lal Chowk has delivered a political message that cannot be dismissed as just another protest. The September 2 rally represents an important shift in the politics of Jammu and Kashmir and demonstrates the BJPs determination to challenge the National Conference not merely inside the Legislative Assembly, but also on the streets of Kashmir. BJP workers assembled at Ghanta Ghar in Lal Chowk and attempted to march towards the Civil Secretariat, raising issues including unemployment, electricity tariffs, alleged corruption, outsourcing and backdoor appointments, delay in grassroots elections and what the party described as the National Conference governments failure to honour its electoral commitments. The importance of the mobilisation, however, goes much beyond these immediate issues. For decades, BJPs political opponents have attempted to portray it as essentially a Jammu-centric force with limited political space in the Kashmir Valley. The Srinagar mobilisation challenges that narrative. A political party does not establish itself in a new political territory overnight. It does so by building cadres, raising public issues, creating local leadership and, most importantly, demonstrating the organisational capacity and political confidence to take its message directly to the people. That is precisely why Lal Chowk matters. The BJP presently has no Assembly seat from the Kashmir Valley. Yet the sight of hundreds of its workers assembling at the symbolic heart of Srinagar and seeking to march towards the seat of government demonstrates that electoral representation and organisational presence are not necessarily the same thing. The message from the BJP is clear: it intends to fight for political space in Kashmir. Perhaps the most significant feature of the rally was the choice of issues. The BJP did not restrict its campaign to constitutional questions or nationalism. It raised unemployment, electricity tariffs, recruitment, roads, water, corruption and governance. This represents an important evolution in its Kashmir strategy. The constitutional transformation of August 2019 fundamentally altered the political framework of Jammu and Kashmir. But the next phase of politics will increasingly be determined by something much more immediate to ordinary citizens: who can deliver better governance? A young Kashmiri looking for employment is concerned about recruitment. A household struggling with electricity charges is concerned about its monthly bill. A daily wager wants regularisation and economic security. A village wants roads, water and development. These are questions of everyday life. By taking these issues to Lal Chowk, the BJP sought to place the Omar Abdullah government directly in the dock of public accountability. The National Conference secured the mandate to govern. With that mandate came responsibility. There is a fundamental difference between being in opposition and being in government. An opposition party can make promises; a government must deliver them. The BJP is now seeking answers on commitments concerning jobs, electricity and other public issues. Its political message is straightforward: the election is over; now show the results. The NC cannot indefinitely answer questions about its performance by shifting every political debate towards the Centre. Where the elected government possesses authority, it must exercise that authority. Where it has made promises to the electorate, people are entitled to ask what has happened to those promises. That is the essence of democratic accountability. The political significance of the rally was further underlined by the response it generated. The National Conference too took to the streets, seeking to march towards the BJP headquarters while raising the demand for restoration of statehood and other constitutional issues. For the first time, the ruling NC and the principal opposition BJP confronted each other through parallel street mobilisations in Srinagar. The contrast between their respective political narratives was striking. The BJP asked the NC government about jobs, electricity, corruption, recruitment and governance, while the NC sought answers from the BJP-led Centre over statehood and constitutional commitments. This has effectively crystallised an emerging political contest in Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP wants the public debate centred on the performance of the elected NC government. The NC wants the debate centred on decisions and commitments of the Union Government. Ultimately, the people will judge both. As Chief Spokesperson of BJP J&K, I have consistently emphasised, democratic politics must ultimately be measured by governance and delivery rather than slogans. The BJPs Srinagar mobilisation seeks to bring that principle into the centre of the political debate in Kashmir. BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur, meanwhile, has repeatedly questioned the National Conference leadership over its electoral commitments and challenged the government to explain its performance on issues affecting ordinary people. The Srinagar mobilisation has given those questions a larger public platform. Political rallies should never be assessed merely through competing claims about attendance. Location, symbolism and political context matter equally. Lal Chowk occupies a unique position in Kashmirs political history. A strong BJP mobilisation there therefore carries a significance different from that of an ordinary party meeting elsewhere. It demonstrates the changing character of public politics in Kashmir. The BJP worker in the Valley today is increasingly visible and politically assertive. That organisational confidence is important for a party seeking long-term expansion in a region where it has historically faced considerable political resistance. Elections are eventually won at polling booths, but political journeys begin much earlierin mohallas, villages, markets and public squares. The Srinagar rally should therefore be understood in that larger context. One successful mobilisation does not transform an electoral landscape. BJP would be making a mistake if it regarded the Srinagar rally as an end in itself. It should instead be treated as a beginning. The party now needs sustained programmes across Kashmir focusing on employment, tourism, horticulture, electricity, infrastructure, corruption, recruitment transparency and the concerns of young people. It must develop credible local leadership capable of articulating Kashmir-specific concerns while remaining connected with the partys larger national vision. If the BJP can convert episodic mobilisation into sustained grassroots politics, the consequences could be significant. The larger message emerging from Srinagar is that Jammu and Kashmir politics is gradually moving towards a new phase. Old political narratives will continue to have relevance, but they will increasingly have to compete with questions of performance. How many jobs were created? How quickly were recruitments completed? What happened to electricity promises? Have ordinary families received economic relief? Are local democratic institutions functioning? Has corruption declined? Has development reached the ground? These questions cannot be answered by slogans. They require governance. And that is where the BJP has attempted to place the National Conference through its Srinagar mobilisation. The Omar Abdullah government still has considerable time to demonstrate its performance. But the BJP has made it clear that it intends to scrutinise that performance aggressively and take those questions directly to the people. The most important outcome of the Srinagar rally may therefore be psychological. The BJP has demonstrated that it is prepared to enter the political battlefield of Kashmir directly and visibly. The National Conferences immediate counter-mobilisation shows that it understands the challenge. The battle ahead will not merely be BJP versus NC. It will increasingly be promise versus performance, rhetoric versus delivery and traditional political narratives versus the everyday aspirations of a changing Jammu and Kashmir. Lal Chowk has witnessed many defining moments in Kashmirs political history. The BJP mobilisation of September 2 may eventually be remembered as another important momentthe day when the party emphatically declared that Kashmirs political space cannot remain the exclusive preserve of any party or political family. Democracy belongs to everyone. And from the heart of Srinagar, the BJP has made it clear that it intends to contest every inch of that democratic space. Advocate Sunil Sethi, Chief Spokesperson BJP J&K. Altaf Thakur, Spokesperson BJP J&K.

When training becomes service

The ongoing strike by MBBS and BDS interns across government medical colleges in Jammu & Kashmir has brought a long-simmering issue to a boil. At its core, the dispute touches on the purpose of medical internships, the historical evolution of stipends, the status of foreign medical graduates, and the question of what constitutes fair compensation. The compulsory rotatory internshipinstituted as a mandatory 12-month bridge between theoretical medical training and independent practicewas historically viewed purely as an educational extension. In the 1970s, receiving 200 per month was standard across many Indian state medical institutions. At that time, it was explicitly framed as a nominal pocket-money allowance rather than remuneration for labour, as the state bore the brunt of medical education costs, and living expenses were low. Over the decades, however, two structural shifts transformed this equation: Government tertiary care facilities now handle immense patient volumes. Interns do not merely observe; they shoulder frontline clinical dutieshandling emergency triage, night shifts, ICU monitoring, and surgical assistance for 8090 hours a week. A token sum from 1970 translates to a significant financial strain today. Protesting doctors in J&K note that their current stipend of 12,300 per month amounts to roughly 400 a dayless than the daily wage of unskilled labour in many sectors. The situation becomes even more complex when examining Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) returning from countries like Bangladesh, Iran, Russia, and former Soviet republics. After completing their degrees abroad, these students must pass the mandatory Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) / Next-STEP exam conducted by the National Medical Commission (NMC). Even after passing this rigorous exam, they are mandated to undergo 1 to 2 years of internship in recognized Indian hospitals to adapt to local clinical protocols before acquiring full registration. Historically, many states denied FMGs any stipend whatsoever, forcing them to work intensive hours without pay. Recent NMC guidelines, however, stipulate that FMGs should be paid on par with Indian graduates, but implementation across states remains highly inconsistent. The willingness of FMGs to work even under uncompensated conditions reflects the high stakes of acquiring the license required to practice or sit for NEET-PG, rather than an agreement that zero stipend is fair practice. Interns across GMC Srinagar, GMC Jammu, GMC Anantnag, and SKIMS launched an indefinite strike since 31st August this year, seeking a hike from 12,300 to 30,000 per month, citing that stipends in states like Assam, West Bengal, and Central Institutes range between 26,300 and 44,000. Health Minister Ms Sakina Itoo and the Health and Medical Education (HME) department have acknowledged the demand as genuine and inflation-justified. A government committee in 2023 had already recommended a hike to ~25,00026,300. Recent parleys between the Health Minister and intern delegations ended in a deadlock. The ministry requested a one-month window to clear the file through the Finance Department, asking interns to resume duty. However, interns have refused to call off the strike without a written government order, pointing out that similar verbal assurances and departmental proposals have bounced between the Health and Finance departments for years without implementation. From a legal, ethical, and operational perspective, several arguments define what a fair policy should look like: While internship is legally part of the degree requirement prior to full NMC registration and NEET-PG eligibility, it is also active service. Modern hospitals rely on interns as the primary workforce for routine clinical tasks and immediate triage. Compensating that labour at a baseline living standard is a matter of basic workplace fairness. Medical education and licensing standards are uniform across India under the NMC. Allowing extreme disparitieswhere an intern in one state earns 44,000 while another in a neighbouring Union Territory earns 12,300 for identical workcreates structural inequities. Young doctors at this stage have completed 4.5 years of rigorous, costly education. Expecting them to cover basic room, board, and exam prep costs on 400 a day in an inflationary environment is unsustainable. A balanced resolution requires moving away from viewing stipends as optional financial aid and recognizing them as a standardized, inflation-indexed compensation for essential frontline care during mandatory service. Prof Upendra Kaul , Medical Educationist anprof ud Founder Director of GKF

Kashmirs weddings and price of convenience

I attended a wedding a while back. The thing that struck me wasnt the size of the Wazwan. Or the number of guests. It was what was missing. Not a single guest received his drink in a plastic cup. Instead, they were all given drinks in glass bottles. Yes, you read that right. The chutney, curd, and pulao were served in reusable traditional copper utensils. In fact, even the dastarkhan was biodegradable. It felt unusual. And then I realised how unusual the ordinary has become. When I mentioned it to the host, he smiled and said something that stayed with me. I am trying my bit not to be party to environmental degradation. This could be a pretty important message. While many large-scale environmental campaigns are necessary, its possible that smaller-scale actions like this could be much more effective. After all, Kashmiri weddings are no longer just celebrations. They have also become some of our biggest consumption events. Hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people gather at one place. Food is prepared in huge quantities. Water is consumed in bottles. Plates, glasses, spoons, tissues and packaging are often discarded after a few hours. As a result, being convenient has become our standard operating procedure. However, convenience has a price. And we often dont see the price because the waste disappears from our sight once it leaves the wedding venue. There is another curious feature of Kashmiri weddings. Time. The invitation card may say 2 pm. Guests arrive at 2. Some arrive at 2:30. At 3, people start looking at their watches. At 4, someone whispers, Tashnaer Thas? And sometimes the Wazwan finally arrives at 5 or 6or even later. We have somehow made this acceptable. Showing up late to a wedding has become an expectation. If you do happen to show up on time, you will appear overly enthusiastic. There is another environmental element involved here as well. Once hundreds of guests are forced to spend hours sitting at a wedding site, the area remains operational for longer periods of time. Electricity is used longer (lights remain on) and heating/cooling will continue to run longer. Additionally, traffic will remain congested around the wedding site for longer times. And there is another cost. People who have other commitments lose hours simply waiting. Then there are the fireworks and music, sometimes going late into the night. The debate regarding this issue is well-known. It is a wedding. You only live once, blah blah. This may be true. Nevertheless, for someone living next door, it may be the third wedding that week. For an elderly person, a newborn, a patient or a student preparing for an examination, that one night can be very long. Noise pollution is rarely considered pollution in the same way as plastic or smoke. It should be. Celebration does not have to mean maximum volume. Perhaps the most uncomfortable sight comes after the guests leave. The same Wazwan which embodies the spirit of Kashmiri hospitality can sometimes be observed lying in a heap near the dumpster. Rice, meat, salads, desserts. Food that was prepared with care, served with pride and then thrown away. The problem is not Wazwan. The problem is waste. We need to ask ourselves a tough question: Are we preparing food for our guests? Or are we preparing food so that we can display abundance? Traditional Kashmiri celebrations had numerous practices that were inherently less wasteful than those practiced today. Utensils were cleaned and reused. Food was handled differently. Less packaging existed. A greater reliance upon items intended to be used only once did not exist either. Modernization has created some conveniences. On the other hand, modernization has allowed us to dispose of some things, including our dishes. That recent wedding provided a small example of a counterpoint. Nothing revolutionary happened. No lectures on climate change took place. Simply put, a decision to use fewer disposable products was made. Glass cups instead of plastic cups. Reusable utensils instead of throwaway ones. Biodegradable material instead of plastic. It made me realize that environmental responsibility does not necessarily require a massive campaign all the time. Sometimes it starts with a host choosing to act differently. Kashmir does not require less celebration; Kashmir requires less wasteful celebration. We can enjoy our Wazwan. Invite our relatives and friends. Celebrate our joy loudly enough to let everyone know how happy we are; but perhaps not loudly enough to disturb an entire neighbourhood. We can create beautiful weddings without creating disposable ones. Next time we attend a wedding, we should look beyond the flowers, lights and Wazwan. We should take note of what remains behind after everyone goes home. That is where the actual cost of our celebration may be waiting.

The unheard signals of a changing India

History is often remembered selectively. Those who hold power today, particularly those whose political journeys were shaped by the movements of an earlier India, would do well to remember not only what brought those movements to the surface, but also what the establishment failed to hear before they did. Indira Gandhis triumph in 1971 was one of the defining moments in Indias political imagination. It transformed the balance of political power and strengthened the authority of the Prime Minister to an extraordinary degree. Yet barely three years later, in early 1974, an agitation in Bihar over rising prices, unemployment and corruption grew into a much larger political movement. Under Jayaprakash Narayan, it acquired the moral vocabulary of Total Revolution. By 1977, it had helped transform the political landscape of the country and ended the Congresss uninterrupted rule at the Centre. Many who exercise influence in India today were either participants in that era or were politically shaped by it. After half a century, it is worth asking whether India is once again sending signals that deserve to be heard. This is not to suggest that another 1974 is upon us. History does not repeat itself so neatly. India today is a very different country: its economy is larger, its population younger, technology has penetrated almost every aspect of daily life, and its social and political landscape is considerably more complex. Yet beneath the surface of political stability, anxieties are becoming increasingly visible, particularly among Generation Z. Their protests may be scattered and their grievances may appear disconnected. They have no obvious political leader and no common vocabulary. But they possess something earlier generations did not have to the same extent: the ability to connect instantly, amplify local grievances and transform individual frustrations into a shared national conversation. The young people of the 1970s found in Jayaprakash Narayan a moral reference point capable of transforming anger into purpose. He did not merely echo their grievances. He gave them a language through which those grievances could be understood as part of a larger national crisis. Generation Z has no comparable figure today. But it has questions. Questions about employment and opportunity, education and healthcare, merit and fairness, corruption and accountability, housing and economic security, and the widening distance between aspiration and achievement. For now, these concerns remain fragmented. But political movements are rarely born fully formed. They begin as unease. They acquire language, find resonance and eventually discover leadership. The Anna Hazare movement offered an earlier glimpse of this process. It did not become the transformative political movement many had imagined, but it revealed a deep reservoir of public frustration over corruption, accountability and institutional failure. Its lasting significance may lie less in what it achieved than in what it revealed. The question before those in power today is therefore not simply whether a particular protest can be contained. It is whether the protest is revealing something about the India taking shape beneath the surface. But concentrated political authority carries a subtle danger. It can create distance between the centre of power and the institutions through which society is meant to speak to it. That was perhaps one of the deeper failures of that period. The problem was not simply the personality of the leader. It was the weakening of the channels between leadership, administration and society. When those channels cease to carry inconvenient truths upward, political leadership may remain powerful while becoming progressively less informed about the realities beneath it. The growing political influence of the Youth Congress and the role associated with Sanjay Gandhi reflected this wider tendency towards political intrusion into institutions expected to retain a measure of autonomy. An attempt to extend political control over institutions can, paradoxically, weaken the very system it seeks to strengthen. The lesson is not that todays India is 1974. It is that institutional weakness can produce political consequences even when political authority appears secure. That possibility deserves attention today. Unemployment, concerns about merit, the commercialisation of healthcare and education, housing pressures, economic insecurity and administrative delays in Cooperative societys allotment pending through decades are often treated as separate problems. But when such experiences accumulate across millions of lives, they can become something larger: a belief that the system no longer works with equal fairness for everyone. Consider the citizen waiting for an approval, an allotment, a certificate or a decision. A cooperative society may wait years for permission. A file may move from desk to desk without explanation. A legitimate entitlement may become entangled in procedure. Yet the same machinery can sometimes move with remarkable speed when influence enters the picture. Such experiences do more than inconvenience citizens. They teach citizens how the state works. Once people begin to believe that access depends more upon influence than entitlement, institutional trust begins to fray. This matters particularly to the middle class, which is invested in stability, education, employment and upward mobility. Precisely because it has placed so much faith in the promise of a fair and functioning system, its disappointment can be profound when that promise appears uncertain. Generation Z may therefore be expressing not only the frustrations of its own generation, but also frustrations accumulated silently by the generation before it. This brings us to the central question. The Prime Minister may work tirelessly. His personal energy and political commitment are evident. But the issue is not whether the leader is working hard enough. It is whether the system around him is telling him the truth. Who carries the unvarnished reality upward? Who is willing to say that a policy is failing where it is failing? Who listens to the citizen who cannot obtain what should be a routine entitlement? Who distinguishes between what the system reports and what society actually experiences? A healthy political system requires institutions to perform this function. They are the bridges between power and society. When those bridges are strong, criticism reaches the leadership before it becomes anger. When they weaken, the leadership may continue to hear praise while society quietly accumulates resentment. Political strength and institutional strength are not the same thing. A leader can be immensely popular. A government can possess a formidable electoral mandate. The opposition can appear weak. Elections can continue to deliver decisive victories. None of these, by itself, guarantees institutional vitality. India nevertheless possesses an extraordinary advantage. Its diversity, pluralism and democratic resilience provide considerable space for correction. That space should be used while correction is still possible. There is still time to listen. There is time to speak to young people without assuming that every protest is political theatre. There is time to engage professional bodies, educators, entrepreneurs, civil society, cooperative organisations and ordinary citizens who encounter the state not through speeches, but through files, forms, hospitals, universities and workplaces. Listening does not mean accepting every demand. It means understanding the anxiety behind the demand and recognising that a citizen who complains is not necessarily an opponent of the state. Often, the complaint comes from someone who still believes the state can respond. Jammu and Kashmir offers an instructive example of why this connection matters. The restoration of statehood remains an important public concern. At the same time, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has demonstrated the value of sustained engagement with different sections of society. His familiarity with the region, direct engagement with people and relatively restrained public communication illustrate an important principle: administration is most effective when it remains connected to the society it governs. Whatever ones political assessment, Manoj Sinhas approach demonstrates that governance need not always be expressed through rhetoric. Listening, understanding the local ecosystem and communicating with restraint can itself become a form of political confidence-building. But engagement must also extend to unresolved questions. Public confidence is built not only by celebrating achievements, but by demonstrating that unfinished commitments and legitimate concerns remain visible to those who govern. The same principle applies to Indias wider security and diplomatic challenges. Any meaningful reduction in tensions between India and Pakistan would be welcome, and if a substantial and durable truce emerges, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha would deserve credit for the role their respective leadership and administrative efforts played in creating the conditions for greater stability. But such developments should be judged by their durability and by whether they translate into greater security, confidence and normalcy for people on the ground. That is where the larger responsibility lies. The challenge before the present leadership is not merely to defeat an opposition, contain a protest or win the next election. It is to preserve the institutional bridges between power and society.When those bridges remain open, grievances can travel peacefully.When they close, grievances search for other routes.That is why those who govern should listen to now.The strength of a democracy lies in whether those in power can hear it while it is still a whisper. Prof. Ashok Kaul, Retired Emeritus Professor of sociology at Banaras Hindu University

AANITS executive committee welcomes NIT Srinagar Director

Srinagar, Sep 5:The Executive Committee of the Alumni Association of NIT Srinagar (AANITS) on Saturday met NIT Srinagar Director Prof Anurag Misra and formally welcomed him on behalf of the institutes alumni fraternity. A statement of NIT issued here said that during the interaction, the delegation conveyed its best wishes to Prof Misra and discussed ways to strengthen ties between the institute and its alumni network. The meeting also focused on greater alumni participation in the academic, professional and developmental initiatives of NIT Srinagar. Dean, Alumni & International Affairs, Prof M A Shah; Associate Dean, Alumni and International Affairs, H S Pali; and faculty members Dinesh and Vijay were also present and shared their views on strengthening alumni-institute engagement. The delegation discussed the forthcoming SANGAM 4-NIT Srinagar Global Alumni Meet, proposed to be held from May 29 to 31, 2027. Initial ideas regarding the event, greater participation of alumni and further strengthening of the institutes global alumni network were also discussed with the Director. The AANITS delegation comprised President Er Malay Chatterjee, who participated online; Vice President Parvaiz Qalander; General Secretary Irfan Ashai; Secretary Fayaz Sofi; Additional Secretaries Farhan Manzoor Shah and Irfan Shafi Parray; and Joint Secretary Sajad Hussain Din. The AANITS Executive Committee reiterated its commitment to working closely with the institute administration and the Office of Alumni and International Affairs to strengthen ties between NIT Srinagar and its alumni across the globe. The interaction concluded on a cordial note, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to strengthening the institute-alumni partnership.

Mere possession of books with dispiriting titles does not justify preventive detention: HC

Srinagar, Sep 5:The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir has quashed preventive detention of a man under Public Safety Act (PSA), noting that a mere possession of the books with dispiriting titles does not by itself make a person a criminal against whom the preventive detention is required to be invoked. A bench Justice Moksha KhajuriaKazmi made the observation while quashing the detention order dated September 9, 2025 issued by the District Magistrate Kupwara against ShafatMaqboolWani of KukroosaVilgam. Assailing the preventive detention, Wani in his plea had argued that there was non-application of mind as the detaining authority had acted mechanically while issuing the order against him by relying solely upon an FIR (69/2025) registered at Police Station Handwara wherein he was already bailed out by the competent court of law. The respondents (authorities) in the grounds of detention among others had alleged that anti national literature was seized from the possession of the Wani that included books authored by him titled Construction of an Islamic Order in HindutvaReimagination and The Saffronisation of Occupied Kashmir, DemystifingHindutva Settlers, Colonial Designers. The court observed that the detaining authority did not appear to have made any effort to derive satisfaction as regarded the prejudicial activity of the petitioner warranting his preventive detention. It held that the detention order issued by the Kupwara District Magistrate was based on grounds that were not supported by material demonstrating any subversive activity by Wani. The court also noted that the only thing that emerged from the perusal of the grounds of detention, and the counter affidavit filed was that the detenue had inculcated a separatist ideology since his childhood, for, his father had been an ex-militant having surrendered in the year 1990. The assertion, it said, was delusory and the preventive detention, ordered so conveniently on such imaginary belief, was nothing but an unmindful exercise of power. The court pointed out that the alleged anti-national literature shown to have been seized from the detenue had also presumably weighed with the respondents to brand the detenue as an anti-national. However, the said literature had wrongly been attributed to the detenue having been authored by him, it said. The court also agreed with the argument that the detenue being an academic scholar, was expected to be in possession of a variety of literary means. Therefore, a mere possession of the books with dispiriting titles does not ipso facto make the petitioner a criminal against whom the preventive detention was required to be invoked, it said. Allowing the plea, the court quashed the detention order 2025 dated September 13, 2025, and directed that Wani be released from preventive custody forthwith.

Catch the sun before it sets

Srinagar, Sep 5:Jammu and Kashmir has a fresh opportunity to accelerate its transition to solar power, with the Centre significantly expanding financial support for renewable energy. But to make the most of this window, J&K will need to put substantial resources of its own behind the effort and treat solarisation as a long-term infrastructure mission rather than another subsidy programme.The question of financing is central to J&Ks solar future. The Centre has already demonstrated what public policy backed by public money can achieve through the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, which aims to take rooftop solar to one crore households across the country. The schemes budgetary allocation has risen sharply from Rs 6250 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 20,000 crore in 2025-26 and Rs 22,000 crore in 2026-27. PM-KUSUM and other renewable-energy programmes provide additional avenues of Central support.The scale of this financial commitment makes one thing clear: solar power is no longer a peripheral environmental initiative. It is increasingly becoming a mainstream component of Indias energy security strategy. Several states have recognised this and are putting their own money alongside Central assistance to multiply its impact. Assam, for instance, has supplemented the Central subsidy under PM Surya Ghar with additional assistance of up to Rs 45,000, depending on system capacity.Delhi has gone further. On September 2, it announced a programme to provide 3-kW rooftop solar systems without upfront installation costs to around 2.30 lakh eligible households, combining Central subsidy with its own financial support.J&K too has begun moving in this direction. Successive budgets have provided resources for renewable energy, while J&K has offered additional assistance over Central support for residential rooftop systems. It has also earmarked substantial expenditure for solarisation of government buildings and pursued PM-KUSUM and other renewable-energy programmes.The forthcoming industrial policy is also expected to consider support for rooftop solar in the industrial sector, potentially offering a cleaner and more productive alternative to conventional subsidies for diesel generator sets. There has also been sustained administrative attention. Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo has repeatedly reviewed solarisation programmes, pushed implementing agencies to accelerate execution and fixed targets, while Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has also periodically reviewed progress.That administrative focus has helped create momentum. But it now needs to be matched by financial ambition.J&K should extract every possible rupee from Central schemes, but it should not allow the scale of its solar programme to be determined solely by the money available under centrally sponsored schemes. J&K needs to put substantially more of its own resources alongside the Central assistance.The governments commitment to provide 200 units of free electricity makes this even more important. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has indicated that the commitment should be realised through solarisation, an approach that could fundamentally change the economics of free power.The choice is straightforward. Government can continue purchasing electricity and subsidising 200 units every month, year after year. Or it can invest in generating capacity that produces those units for decades.Solar investment should therefore be treated as capital formation in the power sector, not simply as another subsidy.The obvious challenge is financing. J&K's fiscal position is constrained, but there are potential resources within the power economy itself.J&K collects water-usage charges from hydroelectric generating companies for using its water resources. A substantial portion of these receipts could be ring-fenced for a dedicated J&K Solar Mission Fund.There is a compelling logic to such an arrangement: revenue generated from the exploitation of J&Ks rivers could help finance the next generation of cleaner, more distributed energy infrastructure.J&K should also consider responsible long-term borrowing for productive solar assets whose operating lives extend over two decades.Concessional financing from multilateral institutions such as the World Bank, along with climate and green-energy financing windows, could provide an additional source of capital. If immediate budgetary constraints are the only obstacle, borrowing specifically for solar infrastructure deserves serious consideration. J&K Bank could become another important partner by creating a dedicated solar-financing window offering comparatively affordable credit. Interest subvention, guarantees or other risk-sharing mechanisms could be used where necessary to reduce financing costs and encourage household and institutional investment. In short, J&K may need to budget, borrow and leverage if it wants to accelerate solarisation at the scale the opportunity demands.There is another critical component that cannot be overlooked: the local solar industry.A solar transition of this magnitude cannot be delivered by government departments alone. It will require a strong ecosystem of installers, equipment suppliers, technicians and maintenance providers.Solar vendors should therefore be encouraged as an emerging MSME sector, with access to applicable incentives, skill development, quality certification, working-capital support and easier credit. Such an ecosystem would not only speed up solarisation but also create new businesses and employment opportunities within J&K. What J&K needs now is a comprehensive financing architecture for a Solar Mission Central subsidies as the foundation, UT budgetary support on top of them, water-usage revenues as a dedicated source, institutional and multilateral financing, affordable bank credit and an incentivised local vendor ecosystem. The ingredients are already available. Central support has never been stronger. Technology has matured. Administrative monitoring has gathered momentum. The political commitment to expand access to electricity is already on the table.What is missing is investment at a scale matching the opportunity.J&K was late in harnessing its hydropower wealth. It cannot afford to repeat that mistake with solar energy.The sun is offering J&K a new energy opportunity and this time, the resources to seize it are already beginning to line up. What J&K needs now is the resolve to invest before another opportunity passes by.

Mushtaq Chaya-backed consortium wins Sangarmal land auction for Rs 421.75 crore

Srinagar, Sep 5:When the Srinagar Development Authority decided to put around 45 kanal of prime land at Sangarmal up for online auction, prominent hotelier Mushtaq Ahmad Chaya had already made up his mind to bid for it.His decision had been taken before the auction was put up, and he was prepared to pursue the property regardless of how high the bidding went.Come what may, I had made up my mind that I would bid for it. I was ready to go for the bid at any cost, Chaya told Greater Kashmir in an exclusive conversation. That determination culminated in a winning bid of Rs 421.75 crore by a consortium backed by Chaya, following a marathon online auction that began on August 25 and continued until 1:48 am on August 26.The property had a reserve price of Rs 125 crore. The winning offer was therefore more than 3.3 times the reserve price and Rs 296.75 crore above the minimum amount fixed for the auction.At around 2 am on August 26, we finally closed the bid and we won it, Chaya said. The 45-kanal property, offered on a full-lease basis, comprises land in front of and behind the existing Sangarmal City Centre. It is located a few hundred metres behind the Kashmir Golf Course, opposite Polo View and around a kilometre from LalChowk. Dal Lake is also roughly a kilometre away, while one end of the property touches ChuntKhul.The transaction is among the most significant commercial property deals in Srinagar in recent years, but Chaya's interest in the site goes beyond the value of the land. I had decided that I wanted to take this property and develop something big for Kashmir. There were other consortia, there was competition, but I was very clear in my mind, he said.Chaya, who heads the Mushtaq Group of Hotels, has been in the hospitality business since the mid-1980s and has built a substantial presence across Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi. His group has operated and developed hospitality properties in association with international hotel brands and has been involved in the expansion of the region's tourism infrastructure.He has also held leadership positions in industry bodies, including the Jammu & Kashmir Hoteliers Club, representing issues concerning tourism, investment and the hospitality sector. That experience now feeds into his plans for the Sangarmal site.The Chaya-backed consortium plans an integrated commercial and hospitality development featuring a hotel, shopping spaces, banquet facilities, exclusive retail, entertainment and leisure components. My idea is to create something big for Kashmir. It should have a hotel, shops, banquets and exclusive retail spaces. I want it to be a blend of international malls and international facilities, but with the Kashmir touch, Chaya said.The proposed project is expected to involve an overall investment of around Rs 1000 crore, including the Rs 421.75-crore bid and approximately Rs 650 crore in construction and development. A major feature planned for the development is parking capacity for around 5000 vehicles. The scale of the parking facility is expected to make the proposed destination more accessible to visitors and shoppers and address one of the key challenges associated with large commercial developments in central Srinagar. The project is also envisaged as a new shopping and leisure destination for both residents and tourists. Its location near LalChowk, Polo View, the Kashmir Golf Course and Dal Lake places it within a high-traffic commercial and tourism corridor.Chaya said the objective was to create a destination where shopping would be only one part of the experience.We want to create a destination. People should come there not only for shopping but also to spend time, eat, stay and experience something different. We want international standards, but we also want the project to reflect Kashmir, he said. The investment could also have a significant employment impact. Chaya estimates that the project could generate around 10,000 direct and indirect jobs. My aim is to create more jobs. We have seen years of peace and now people should get its dividends. Investment should ultimately benefit the people of Kashmir, he said.Asked about the broader investment environment in Kashmir, particularly with the Valley witnessing increased economic activity and investment, Chaya said both local and outside investment were necessary for sustained growth. He cited the takeover of the Centaur Hotel on Dal Lake by the Leela Group as an example of outside investment, while the Sangarmal auction represented a major investment by a locally backed enterprise.According to Chaya, the two should not be viewed as competing models. Outside investment can bring capital, expertise and new brands, while local investment can keep a greater share of economic activity rooted in the region. What matters, he said, is that both contribute to business expansion, economic activity and employment. The consortium plans to engage specialised consultants, designers and professionals with experience in large-scale commercial and hospitality developments. Chaya said the project was backed by his group and that specialised expertise would be brought in wherever required.The formal successful bidder is Parmesh Construction Company Ltd, a consortium involving Pahalgam Green Hotels and Bhutani Infra Ltd, with Chaya backing the project and driving its proposed development vision. The location is central to the project's business proposition. The site sits close to Srinagar's established commercial centre while also being within easy reach of major tourism and recreational landmarks.You have LalChowk, Polo View, the Golf Course and Dal Lake all nearby. If you develop the property properly, it can become a landmark for Srinagar, Chaya said. The Sangarmal City Centre itself has struggled to achieve the commercial activity originally envisaged for it. The complex includes commercial spaces, a Craft Bazaar, kiosks, food courts, a restaurant and office spaces, besides landscaped areas, fountains, parking facilities, lifts and escalators.Despite its strategic location, significant portions of the complex have remained underutilised.The proposed development could change the commercial character of the area by bringing together retail, hospitality, entertainment and leisure facilities in a single destination. The planned parking capacity would further expand its ability to accommodate large visitor volumes.For the local economy, the proposed project represents more than a high-value property transaction. Its success would depend on whether the planned capital investment translates into operational businesses, sustained footfall, employment and new demand for local suppliers and services. The auction itself demonstrated the premium investors are willing to pay for strategically located commercial property in Srinagar. Against a reserve price of Rs 125 crore, the final bid reached Rs 421.75 crore. The consortium is required to execute the project within the stipulated lease conditions, including a three-year construction timeline.We have to complete the construction within three years as per the conditions. We are going to start work and move ahead with the project, Chaya said.The immediate outcome of the auction is aRs 421.75-crore lease commitment. The larger proposition is the proposed Rs 1000-crore development, which could add a major new retail, hospitality and entertainment destination to Srinagar.

Crime Branch files fresh chargesheet in Rs 1.38 cr treasury fraud case in J-K's Reasi

Jammu, Sep 5: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch Jammu on Saturday filed a fresh chargesheet against 10 accused in connection with the alleged misappropriation and diversion of over Rs 1.38 crore from Sub-Treasury Dharmari in Reasi district, an official said. The supplementary chargesheet was presented before the Court of Reasi's Chief Judicial Magistrate, in a case registered in 2024 in connection with alleged manipulation of the Treasury-Net system and preparation and use of forged bills and vouchers under pension and National Pension System (NPS) heads, resulting in the alleged diversion of Government funds, a spokesperson of the Crime Branch said. He said the case was initially registered at Arnas Police Station based on a complaint by Reasi District Treasury Officer Qamar Rehman. Subsequently, the investigation was transferred to the Crime Branch (EOW) Jammu, the spokesman said, adding that the investigating agency conducted a detailed examination and scrutiny of the Treasury records, bank account transactions and relevant bills and vouchers pertaining to the case. During the investigation, the spokesperson said relevant bills and vouchers were subjected to forensic examination. He said the FSL report, along with other documentary and oral evidence collected, indicated that the questioned bills and vouchers were allegedly prepared by the principal accused. The investigation also examined the signatures appearing on the relevant documents and their connection with the officials concerned, he said. Based on the evidence collected during the investigation, offences under various sections of the IPC have been established against three principal accused -- Ali Hussain Shah, Balbir Singh and Ajeet Kumar, the spokesperson said. He said the investigation also established offences under relevant sections of law against seven additional accused persons -- Arshad-e-Azam, Abrar-e-Azam, Rubeena Kousar, Mohd Rafiq, Shokat Ali, Mohd Ashraf and Nasib Mohammad -- in connection with the alleged dishonest receipt and retention of government funds. The investigation remains open for tracing any further diversion of government funds and for ascertaining the involvement, if any, of other persons, the spokesperson said.

Eight HC chief justices appointed

New Delhi, Sep 5: Eight high court chief justices were appointed on Saturday, days after their names were recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium. In a post on X, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said Justice Valluri Kameswar Rao, currently a judge of the Delhi High Court, has been appointed Chief Justice of the Patna High Court. Justice Ravindra V Ghuge of the Bombay High Court will head the Calcutta High Court. Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal of the Chhattisgarh High Court has been appointed Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, while Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi of the Allahabad High Court has been appointed Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. A controversy erupted following serious, unprecedented allegations levelled against Rajasthan acting chief justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma by Supreme Court judge Sandeep Mehta. Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has been appointed Chief Justice of the court. Justice Krushna Ram Mohapatra of the Orissa High Court has been appointed Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court. Justice Alpesh Yeshwant Kogje of the Gujarat High Court will head the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati of the Rajasthan High Court has been appointed Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court.

PM Modi says India demonstrating its strength amidst global turmoil, hits out at naysayers

New Delhi, Sep 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asserted that India is not only growing at 7.8 per cent but also creating employment opportunities despite wars and disruptions, demonstrating the country's strength, and said that those responsible for pushing the economy into the fragile five cannot digest it. Addressing the centenary celebrations of the Delhi University's Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), PM Modi also said that those who once spread terror have been silenced and if today Pakistan commits any misdeed, the Indian Army strikes back on their own soil. He said from Jammu and Kashmir to the Northeast, there is peace and Naxalism has been dismantled. Recalling that the country was struggling on every front in 2013, when he last addressed SRCC students as Gujarat chief minister, Modi said corruption, terrorism and inflation were unchecked, but India is now far more secure economically and socially. However, some people's frustration is increasing after seeing this, he said. For such people, I had given a homoeopathy dose from the Red Fort (during Independence Day address)... 'dimagi Naxal'. When I said 'dimagi Naxal', all such people came to the forefront and started criticising me. People who were promoting dimagi Naxalism, their true colour can be witnessed by the people, he said. The prime minister said the world was at that time worried about India's policy paralysis, but today they are talking about India's policy dynamism. Modi said that in other words, India is not only growing, but also creating employment opportunities. They once called us the 'Fragile Five'. Today, they are talking about India as the fastest-growing major economy, he said He recalled that his address at SRCC in 2013 had made a wave and even today, 13-14 years later, its impact remains intact. In 2013, when I came to SRCC, I presented a vision. Whatever I said back then was my conviction... I gave the example of a glass filled with water. Some people see the glass as half full... It was a time when the country was lacking hope. So I said, 'I see the glass as fully filled', he said. Those who saw the glass as half empty in 2013, when I had visited the SRCC, still chose to see it the same way today. India's 7.8 per cent growth has also come at a time when the war in West Asia is ongoing and when disruptions related to trade have persisted. Achieving such growth during that time demonstrates India's strength, he said, referring to GDP growth rate for April-June quarter. We all know that those responsible for pushing India into the'fragile five' cannot digest the numbers of Indias growth, he said in a veiled attack at the Congress and its allies that have questioned the credibility of the growth figures. The prime minister said in the past six years, the country has faced many challenges, be it COVID or the conflicts in West Asia, and every time, it was said that PM Modi would not be able to survive these challenges. But India has such immense capability that the wishes of those who want to see India fail are repeatedly being left unfulfilled, he said. Referring to his 2013 visit to SRCC, just before becoming the prime minister of India, Modi said that 13 years ago, the seniors of the present generation of students could not dream of doing many things, but today, the current generation is dreaming big because India has created the ecosystem to achieve those dreams. I am happy that you are all ambitious. Ambition comes from the environment around you. Today, you talk about start-ups, becoming entrepreneurs and bringing innovation to agriculture, he said. Outside the campus, the prime minister said, the students will find two types of people-- hose who positively transform the power of society into the power of the nation and the others who turn into angry uncles (naraz fufa) as soon as any work begins. He said such egative people's favourite activity is to oppose every task and they have just one dialogue - 'What is the need for this' . The prime minister said in 2013, when he talked about 'Make in India', people in that ecosystem thought it was not possible, and they still mock 'Make in India'. But now, you are witnessing the brand value of Make in India. Today, every person has a smartphone. Made in India smartphones are reaching every corner of the world. In 2014, India used to import mobile phones. Today, India is exporting mobile phones worth more than Rs 2.5 lakh crore, he said. Modi said India will have its own space station, and everyone will witness that day too. When India one day hosts such Olympics that the world will be left in awe. These are not mere words; these are resolutions, and work is underway in the country to turn these resolutions into reality, he said. The prime minister said that earlier most things for India's armed forces were bought from abroad, but he worked with the country's armed forces to make a plan, prepared a list of items and told Indian companies to manufacture all of them. Today, the country's defence manufacturing is at an all-time high. Today, India is producing defence goods worth nearly two lakh crore rupees. In 2013-14, we used to do defence exports worth 600-700 crore rupees; today, this figure has reached nearly Rs 40,000 crore rupees, he said. Lauding SRCC for shaping generations, PM referred to college alumni as OG, striking a chord with Gen Z. When a human being lives for 100 years, they are considered a person of deep knowledge and great experience. When an institution completes 100 years, it becomes an ocean of achievements. SRCC has shaped generations and connected them to a brighter future. In its 100-year journey, Shri Ram College of Commerce has shaped generations, connecting them to a bright future. Those who came, they studied; those who left, they left sculpted. SRCC alumni have been very special. In your language, they are OGs, he said. The prime minister also released a commemorative Rs 100 coin to mark the centenary celebration. Modi's visit to the SRCC comes amid the BJP's ongoing outreach to the young generation. In April this year, the prime minister met the governing body and a delegation from the college at his residence to mark the institution's 100th anniversary. He also released a special commemorative postage stamp on the occasion.

Between begging & belligerence: The psychology of getting customer service to help

The ability to persuade effectively is critical for achieving successful interactions in customer service environments. Customers frequently turn to emotional appeals or confrontational tactics when seeking help, often resulting in unproductive dialogues. Finding a harmonious balance between personal agency and authoritative influence is paramount. As AI increasingly replaces human roles in customer service, it prompts a reevaluation of future persuasion dynamics.

Politicians are emerging as India's new breed of brand endorsers

In India, politicians play a prominent role in advertisements and public campaigns, often endorsing products and government initiatives. Their visibility surpasses that of celebrities and models, adding a sense of credibility to the products advertised. It's a strategic move where businesses can exchange endorsements for political backing, thereby enhancing their market reach and influence.

Working Naam Ke Vaaste on Benami Dealings: The politics of a name

The US President's decision to rename geographical sites has ignited a fierce debate about identity and national sovereignty. This act resonates with deeply rooted cultural and historical beliefs concerning the importance of names. Critics argue that such renaming could erode international relations and national borders. The article examines the powerful influence of nomenclature within different cultures, illustrating how names can shape global perspectives and power balances.

Two dead as oil tanker plunges into gorge in Kishtwar

Jammu, Sept 5: Two persons were killed after an empty oil tanker skidded off the road and rolled down into a deep gorge in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, officials said. The accident occurred in the Palmar area of Dachin when the driver of the tanker reportedly lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a curve, the officials said. Following the accident, locals launched a rescue operation, however, both persons travelling in the tanker were found dead on the spot, they said. The deceased were identified as Shakoor Ahmad of Doda and Abdul Majid Wani of Ramban district.

Sangarmal project to transform Srinagars business landscape: Mushtaq Chaya | GKTV

An auction for a 45-kanal land parcel around Sangarmal City Centre, located in the heart of Srinagar, has fetched the J&K government a whopping Rs 421.75 crore. The highest bid was jointly submitted by Parmesh Construction Company Ltd, Pahalgam Green Hotels and Bhutani Infra Ltd. In an exclusive interview with Greater Kashmirs Saqib Malik, CMD of Mumtaz Group of Hotels, Mushtaq Chaya said the project, with an estimated construction cost of Rs 600 crore, will feature sprawling shopping and leisure amenities. Chaya said the project is expected to be completed within the next three years and will transform Sangarmal City Centre while turning the area into a major hub of business activity in Srinagar. He added that the completed project is expected to generate significant employment opportunities. Host: Saqib Malik Camera: Mohammad Syed Nayak - Murtaza Bilal

Drug peddler jailed under PIT-NDPS Act in J-K's Kathua

Jammu, Sep 5: A drug peddler was jailed in Kathua district under the stringent Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act on Saturday, officials said. Jasbir Singh, a resident of Chak Drab Khan village, was named in three FIRs registered at Police Station Kathua under various provisions of the NDPS Act in 2018, 2022 and 2026, police said. A police spokesperson said to prevent his illegal activities, a dossier was prepared against him and sent to the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, for his detention under the PIT-NDPS Act. Accordingly, the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, issued a detention warrant against Singh. He said the warrant was executed, and he was lodged in jail. Police arrested another drug peddler and recovered seven grams of heroin from him at Galak in the Ramkot area of Billawar in Kathua district early Saturday. Police intercepted Arjun after he was found moving under suspicious circumstances, leading to the recovery of the narcotic substance. He said the peddler was booked under the NDPS Act, and further investigation is underway.

Putin orders 72-hour pause in strikes on Kyiv as US envoys visit Russia, Ukraine

Moscow, Sep 5: Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a 72-hour pause in strikes on Kyiv, the Kremlin said Saturday, as US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow to try to revive a stalled push to end Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Putin has ordered that no strikes be carried out against Kyiv for three days, starting at midnight today, presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russia's Tass news agency. He said the decision was tied to preparations for Witkoff and Kushner's planned visit to the Ukrainian capital, which Kyiv has said will take place on Sunday. The envoys' trip comes as both sides escalate aerial attacks, some 4.5-years after the Kremlin's invasion of its neighbour. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that Ukraine would halt airstrikes during the envoys' visit and urged Moscow to do the same. Washington's push to end the fighting, now in its fifth year, has lost momentum as US attention has been focused for the last six months on its war with Iran. The last known visit to Moscow by Witkoff and Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, was in January, when they met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. They have never previously visited Kyiv. The envoys were met at the airport by Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, Tass reported. Dmitriev shared photos of him meeting the US delegation as they disembarked, alongside the caption, Welcome to Moscow Peacemakers. With peace efforts stalled, Russia has intensified its attacks on Kyiv and other cities with relentless bombardments recently stretching into daylight hours, taking advantage of Ukraine's shortage of air defensive systems. On Friday, a Russian drone hit one of the most important government buildings in Kyiv -- the headquarters of Ukraine's Security Service, known as the SBU, which is one of the agencies involved in carrying out deep-strike operations inside Russia. The long-range strikes by Ukraine have hit Russian military facilities, oil refineries and e-commerce hubs, seeking to undermine the Kremlin's war effort and economy, as well as make ordinary citizens feel the consequences of the war. Zelenskyy links Russian strikes to envoys' visit The air war between Russia and Ukraine has intensified as troops have struggled to make progress along the 1,250-kilometre front line. Russia has recently been using fast-flying, jet-powered drones, and the recurring wail of air-raid sirens has become part of daily life in Kyiv. In a social media post on Saturday, Zelenskyy said that Russia had carried out overnight strikes on Kyiv and Boryspil international airports, and linked the attack to the planned US visit. Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions and preparations for the possibility of the US side using an aircraft to travel to Ukraine, he said. We have taken note of this Russian move, and next week we will adjust our operation accordingly regarding Russian airspace, which has become dangerous because of our drones and missiles in the sky. Of course, there are and will be no threats to diplomacy from our side. Strikes kill 5 at Ukrainian industrial site Russian attacks killed five people and wounded five more at an industrial facility in Ukraine's southern Dnipropetrovsk region, local military administration head Oleksandr Hanzha said. He described those killed as employees at the site. A locksmith, an electrician, a plumber and a machinist. People of peaceful professions. They were simply working their shift. They were doing their job when enemy missiles cut off their lives, he said. A 62-year-old man was wounded and several homes and an apartment building were damaged in a separate attack on the region's Nikopol district, Hanzha said. In a statement Saturday, Russia's Ministry of Defence said it had carried out strikes on two metallurgical plants in the region, describing them as major suppliers of metal products for Ukraine's military production. A further two people were wounded in an overnight Russian attack on Ukraine's Kyiv region, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the regional military administration. In the Boryspil district, a fire sparked by a strike partially destroyed a nine-story residential building. Russian forces also repeatedly struck a shopping centre in the southern Mykolaiv region with drones overnight, damaging retail premises and sparking fires, Ukraine's state emergency services said. A 72-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl were hurt. Emergency crews responding to the incident were repeatedly forced to withdraw to safety because of the threat of further strikes, returning whenever conditions allowed, the emergency services said. Russia launched ballistic missiles from its Rostov and Voronezh regions and deployed 167 attack drones overnight, Ukraine's air force said. The drones included Shahed-type aircraft -- around half of them jet-powered -- as well as Geran and decoy drones. Ukrainian air defences shot down or suppressed 128 drones, according to the air force. Elsewhere, Ukrainian attacks wounded three people, including a 14-year-old girl, in Russia's border region of Belgorod, local officials said. In a statement, Russia's Ministry of Defence said that its forces had shot down 53 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Education Minister to introduce assembly resolution on TeT issue

Srinagar, Sep 5: Education Minister, Sakina Itoo Saturday said that the government will introduce a resolution in legislative assembly against the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET). According to the news agencyKashmir News Observer (KNO), the minister said, The matter of TeT is pending with the supreme court and Jammu and Kashmir Education department is continuously approaching the apex court wherein we are seeking reconsideration of the decision. She said, The teachers of J&K are mentally disturbed with regard to this matter and with this constant issue they cannot teach the students with full concentration. Our teachers are preparing lakhs of students for exams and they are efficient enough to qualify any test but as far the TeT is concerned, it isnt a matter of test only but the respect and dignity of the teachers, the minister said. Itoo said, The respect of teachers is important for the government and to keep their integrity, we will introduce a resolution in upcoming legislative assembly and will pass it so that the teachers will come out of this disturbances.

Kashmir receives first snowfall of season

Srinagar, Sep 5: The higher reaches of Kashmir received the first snowfall of the season on Saturday, while the plains were lashed by brief rains accompanied by hailstorms at some places, officials said. The mountainous areas of Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Gumri witnessed the first snowfall of this season, the officials said. They said parts of Srinagar city and adjoining districts received rainfall early in the morning and in the afternoon, bringing down the day temperatures a couple of notches. There were reports of a hailstorm and gusty winds in some parts of the city, the officials said. According to the MeT department, there is a possibility of brief showers on Sunday but the weather is expected to be generally dry over the next few days.

Dy CM accuses BJP of drama over Lal Chowk protest, questions silence on students death

Regulation enabling High Court Bench in Ladakh comes into effect from today: LG Saxena

Leh, Sep 5: The Union Territory of Ladakh (Sitting of Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in Ladakh) Regulation, 2026, which provides for a Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to sit in the Union Territory of Ladakh, has come into force today onwards, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena said on Saturday. The Regulation was promulgated by the President of India on August 27, 2026. The Regulation specifically provides that it shall come into force on such date as the Administrator may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint. Accordingly, the Lieutenant Governor has now appointed September 5, 2026, as the date for its coming into force. The coming into force of the Regulation marks an important institutional step towards operationalising the provision for a High Court Bench in Ladakh. It will facilitate further action for establishing and operationalising the Bench, including consultation with the Honble High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and the concerned Departments on the required judicial, administrative, infrastructural, financial and logistical arrangements. The establishment of a High Court Bench in Ladakh is expected to significantly improve access to justice for the people of the Union Territory, particularly litigants from remote and far-flung areas. At present, people requiring proceedings before the High Court may have to travel outside Ladakh, involving considerable expenditure of time and money. A Bench sitting in Ladakh will bring higher judicial services closer to the people and reduce the difficulties associated with long-distance travel and accommodation. LG Saxena said that the move is particularly significant for a geographically vast and challenging Union Territory such as Ladakh, where difficult terrain, long distances and harsh weather conditions can make access to institutions outside the region especially demanding. The Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in Ladakh is a historic step towards bringing justice closer to the people. For the people living in our remote and far-flung areas, this will substantially improve access to justice and make the judicial system more accessible to our citizens. I express my sincere gratitude to the Honble President of India, Honble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, and Honble Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji for strengthening the justice delivery system in Ladakh, said LG Saxena.

Shifting of 21 govt offices draws mixed response in Srinagar

The shifting of 21 government offices, including the partial relocation of the Civil Secretariat from central Srinagar to the citys peripheral areas, has drawn a mixed response from traders and the public. The move is part of the Srinagar Master Plan-2035. While traders and transporters are seeking a mechanism to ensure that the relocation does not adversely affect their business interests, many residents who spoke to GKTV said the location of government offices matters less than the speedy redressal of public grievances. Report: Saqib Malik Camera: Mubashir Khan

Higher reaches of Zojila pass received light snowfall

Food Safety Department seizes expired peanut products in Anantnag

Terrorist killed in Yusmarg encounter identified as LeT's Yasir: J&K Police

Budgam, Sept 05: The terrorist killed in a joint operation in the Ashdar Gali area of Budgam district has been identified as Yasir, a Pakistani national affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the Jammu and Kashmir Police said on Saturday. In a post on X, J&K Police confirmed the identity of the slain terrorist, stating, You Can Run But You Cant Hide! Yasir was killed during Operation Ashdar, a joint search operation launched by the Indian Army, J&K Police and CRPF in the Ashdar Gali area based on specific intelligence inputs. Earlier, according to the Army, security forces observed suspicious movement during the operation and challenged the suspected terrorists, who opened fire on the troops. A fierce exchange of fire followed, resulting in the neutralisation of one terrorist. An AK-series rifle and other war-like stores were recovered from the site, the Army said. The operation had been underway since Thursday, with security forces conducting extensive searches in the area following the encounter. Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, Sujit Kumar, also visited the operation site on Friday and took stock of the security situation and the ongoing search operation.

Anantnag Police seeks public help to trace two missing minor students

Aks Ghalib: Dast-e-Shifa Promotes Kashmiri Cinema, Introduces Ghalib to Young Generation

Give us time, have faith in govt, Sakina Itoo tells MBBS, BDS interns

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Mirwaiz Urges Government to Address Genuine Concerns of MBBS, BDS Interns

Srinagar, Sep 05: Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq has urged the Government to address, on priority, the concerns raised by MBBS and BDS interns across Jammu and Kashmir over the long-pending issue of enhancement of their monthly stipend. In a post on X, Mirwaiz said, The concerns raised by MBBS & BDS interns across J&K deserve serious and urgent consideration. A stipend of 12,300 is clearly inadequate for young doctors working long hours and carrying significant clinical responsibilities. With a government-constituted committee having already recommended an enhancement, the prolonged delay is difficult to justify. The administration should engage with the interns, address their genuine demand fairly and expeditiously, and ensure that patient care is not disrupted. Mirwaiz said that young medical professionals performing demanding duties in public healthcare institutions deserve fair recognition and adequate compensation for their services. https://x.com/mirwaizkashmir/status/2096107600274186662

NCB exposes twin heroin supply routes into J&K from Pakistan: officials

Jammu, Sep 05: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Jammu zonal unit, through a sustained intelligence-led offensive, has stated to have exposed two distinct routes being used to push heroin into Jammu and Kashmir-directly from Pakistan through the Uri sector and indirectly through Punjab. In four heroin interceptions in the Jammu division within about a month, along with a linked follow-up recovery in Punjab, NCB has seized a cumulative 6.920 kg of heroin. Significantly, two of these operations, an NCB spokesperson said, were conducted inside drug-affected 'bastis', taking enforcement action directly into vulnerable pockets being exploited for drug trafficking. In the latest operation on September 3, 2026, NCB intercepted a passenger bus near new Bus Stand, Samba and recovered 522 grams of heroin from Aqib Bashir, resident of Kakapora, Pulwama, J&K. According to the NCB spokesperson, the Bureau immediately pursued the backward linkage of the consignment. The trail led to Ludhiana, Punjab, where a separate follow-up operation resulted in the recovery of another 197 grams of heroin. The linked Samba-Ludhiana operation thus resulted in seizure of 719 grams of heroin so far, while further investigation was underway to identify and apprehend other persons connected with the supply, transportation and intended distribution of the consignment. The Punjab trail came close on the heels of another major NCB Jammu operation involving seizure of 5.160 kg of heroin. Investigation in that case indicated that the consignment had originated from Pakistan and entered J&K through the Uri sector. NCB pursued the trail beyond the point of seizure up to Leh, where the alleged supplier was apprehended, spokesperson stated. The two investigations therefore exposed two different supply channels feeding heroin into the region-one originating across the Pakistan border and another operating through the Punjab-J&K corridor. As part of the same sustained offensive, NCB conducted two separate operations inside drug-affected 'bastis' in the Jammu and Samba belt, recovering 438 grams and 603 grams of heroin respectively, the spokesperson maintained. Together with the 5.160 kg Jammu seizure and the latest 522 grams Samba seizure followed by the 197 grams Ludhiana recovery, the operations resulted in a cumulative seizure of 6.920 kg of heroin. NCB's strategy is focused not merely on intercepting drugs or apprehending carriers. Every consignment is being pursued backwards towards its source, forwards towards its intended recipients and through its financial trail, with the objective of identifying and dismantling the entire trafficking chain, spokesperson said. The Pakistan-Uri trail pursued up to Leh and the latest Samba trail pursued backwards into Ludhiana demonstrated this approach, he added. Further investigation is underway to identify the source, intended recipients, financiers and other associates of these networks and trace their wider interstate and cross-border linkages, NCB spokesperson said, urging the public to join the fight against drug trafficking. Any information relating to the sale, storage, transportation or trafficking of narcotic drugs may be shared on the MANAS National Narcotics Helpline 1933. The identity of the informant will be kept confidential, it was stated.

Eight engineering students from TN killed in highway crash in Keralams Thrissur

Thrissur, Sep 05: Eight engineering students from Tamil Nadu's Dindigul were killed when their car rammed into a lorry parked illegally on NH-66 in Thrissur district of central Keralam, police said on Saturday. The accident occurred around 11.40 pm on Friday at Panambikkunnu in Kaipamangalam, when the car, travelling from Guruvayur towards Kodungallur, collided with the rear of the Maharashtra-registered lorry, police said. According to the FIR, the lorry was parked illegally on the right side of the highway near a barricaded stretch where traffic had been diverted as part of ongoing construction work. Police said the car was travelling at high speed and its driver apparently failed to notice the diversion barricade before the collision. Six students died on the spot, while two others were declared dead on arrival at a nearby hospital, police said. The deceased were students of an engineering college in Dindigul and were travelling towards Kodungallur along NH-66. Police said five of the deceasedSurya, Yuvasanjith, Joshua, Murali and Jeevawere from Dindigul, while Santhosh and Prasanna were from Madurai and Vishva was from Salem. The students were pulled out of the mangled car during a rescue operation involving residents, fire and rescue personnel and police. Their bodies were taken to the mortuary at Thrissur Medical College, police said. Kaipamangalam police have registered a case against the lorry driver under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for culpable homicide. The driver went into hiding soon after the accident, police said. Police contacted the families of the deceased using student identity cards recovered from the victims. Some of the families were unaware that their children had travelled to Keralam, police said. Relatives told police that Santhosh had recently purchased a car and that the group had planned a trip to Kochi. As the registration of the car had not been completed, they hired a rented vehicle for the trip, they said. Postmortem examinations were conducted at Thrissur Medical College, where relatives arrived to receive the bodies. Hospital authorities arranged ambulances to transport the bodies to their respective native places. Thrissur Rural District Police Chief Mohammad Nadeemuddin said a preliminary investigation indicated that the accident occurred due to the lorry driver's fault. It is definitely a mistake on the part of the lorry driver. An FIR has already been registered. Additionally, regarding the highway authorities and the contractor, we will inspect that as part of the investigation and take strict action, he told reporters. Nadeemuddin said the lorry driver was absconding, but the vehicle owner had been identified, and the driver would be apprehended soon. He said that although a Highway Police patrol unit had been deployed in the area, lorry drivers often parked their vehicles and left the spot. Definitely, parking should not be done here. We will check whether the highway authorities and contractors have installed proper signboards. But as per the preliminary assessment, this is a mistake on the part of the lorry driver, he said. Nadeemuddin said the Kodungallur deputy superintendent of police had been assigned to investigate the case. Legal action has been initiated, and an FIR has already been registered. Given the gravity of the case, we have designated the deputy SP of Kodungallur as the investigating officer. There will be a thorough investigation, and immediate and strict action will be taken against whoever is at fault. Necessary preventive measures will be taken by the police, he said.================

Ladakh Apex Body warns of bigger agitation ahead of talks with MHA on Sep 9

Leh, Sep 05: Ahead of a sub-committee's meting on September 9 with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in Delhi on September 9, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) warned of an intensified agitation if the government fails to make concrete progress on its key demands. The outfit has been demanding legislation for Ladakh at the Union Territory level, safeguards under Article 371, withdrawal of cases filed after the September 24 violence last year, compensation for victims, and publication of the inquiry commission report. LAB and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) are jointly spearheading the agitation with the demands since the granting of UT status to Ladakh in August 2019 and have held several rounds of talks with the Centre since 2021. LAB chairman Chering Dorje Lakruk said that though the group welcomes the meeting with MHA, it would assess the talks on the basis of their outcome. If the meeting produces a positive outcome... and if there is constructive and result-oriented dialogue on these issues, we will welcome it. Otherwise, we will intensify our agitation very strongly, he said. Lakruk also expressed disappointment over the delay in the report of the inquiry commission constituted to investigate the September 24 incidents of last year that claimed four lives. He also questioned the pendency of cases against people booked in connection with the September 24 violence. Even as he welcomed the reported move to withdraw cases related to the July 20 Jantar Mantar incident in Delhi, he accused the Centre of double standard in the case of Ladakh. According to Lakruk, only 25 cases of the 80 related to last year's violence have so far been withdrawn. We are all Indians, and everyone should be treated equally. The lives of the people of Ladakh are not so cheap, he said, demanding compensation for the kin of the dead and wounded in the agitation. Meanwhile, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk said the LAB is observing September as a Martyrs' Month in memory of those killed, injured and jailed last year. Wangchuk said several programmes had been planned, but the proposed padyatra from Kargil to Leh, which was scheduled to begin on September 10, had been postponed in view of the MHA talks a day earlier. We have collectively decided to postpone the padyatra for the time being, Wangchuk said. The march could be revived if the September 9 talks fail to produce a satisfactory outcome, he said. The march would be organised around five days before September 24, if things to come such a pass. We will once again appeal to people from across India to come forward in support of Ladakh, in support of the environment, and in support of the people of Ladakh who remain steadfast on the country's borders, Wangchuk said. He said the Apex Body expects the government to bring a detailed draft on the proposed Ladakh Assembly, including its powers and rights, to the September 9 meeting. If there is progress on these issues, we will consider the talks successful, he said. Wangchuk said the circumstances surrounding September 24 were ot normal and indicated that the LAB could disclose what it knows about the violence and incidents of arson if necessary. If Ladakh is not treated in the same manner... and a stepmotherly treatment is meted out to Ladakh and the people living along the borders, then we will be compelled to launch a very large-scale agitation after September 9, the activist said.

Northern army commander reviews troops' readiness in Ladakh

Leh, Sep 05: Indian Army's Northern Commander Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma has reviewed the operational preparedness of troops deployed in the challenging high-altitude areas of Ladakh. Lt Gen Sharma visited the forward areas of the Union Territory on Friday and interacted with the troops and officers on the ground, the northern command said on X. ...the Army Commander lauded all ranks for their exemplary professionalism, high morale, unwavering vigilance and steadfast commitment to duty in the challenging weather and terrain, the post read. Lt Gen Sharma underscored the importance of discipline, fitness and regular training combined with innovation, synergy and tech-capability enhancement to remain mission-ready across domains and achieve excellence in all spheres, it added.

Eight people injured in Rajouri highway mishap

Rajouri, Sept 05: Atleast eight passengers suffered injuries in a Canter Bus accident that happened at Dandesar near Nowshera in late evening hours on Friday. Injured were shifted to Sub District Hospital Nowshera where they are under treatment. The accident happened in the intervening night of Friday and Saturday when a Canter Bus was on to Siot from Nowshera and at Dandesar, on Jammu Rajouri Poonch National Highway, the ill-fated vehicle turned turtle on the side of highway. Eight passengers got injured in the unfortunate accident who all were rescued from spot and hospitalised in Nowshera hospital. Injured include Tina (20) daughter of Nain Chand resident of Lamberi, Jyoti bala (45) wife of Nain Chand of Lamberi, Khalida Begum (40) wife of Mohammad Shabir from Dandesar, Rajesh Kumar (45) son of Ajeet Kumar of Dhanaka, Manoj Choudhary son of Chaata Choudhary resident of Tidhunai Panna MP, Nazama Kouser (11) daughter of Mohammad Shabir of Dhanaka, Mohammad Imran (8) son of Mohammad Shabir and Tej Bahadur (22) son of Rajinder Kumar of Lamberi.

Nepal floods: 5-year-old among 3 Indians rescued from Trishuli Bazaar area

New Delhi, Sep 04: Three more Indian nationals, among them a five-year-old child, have been rescued from the flood-hit Trishuli Bazaar area of Nepal, bringing the total count of Indian evacuees to 169, while 275 nationals remain missing, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday. Sharing broader updates on the safety of Indian nationals, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted that 1,907 Indians have safely crossed over to Nepal from China. The three Indian nationals rescued from the Trishuli Bazaar area since Friday have been identified as Abhijit Suresh Pawar, Dipika Abhijit Pawar, and five-year-old Samarth Abhijit Pawar, Jaiswal said, adding that the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu is facilitating their return flight home. The spokesperson said India has supplied around 95 tonnes of relief material to Nepal since the flash floods hit the country on August 26. The death toll from the floods has risen to at least 1,295 after rescue workers recovered more bodies from affected areas, according to Nepalese authorities. While emergency teams have rescued more than 12,000 people, roughly 5,000 remain missing as search and rescue operations continue. As per our information, 275 Indian nationals remain missing. We continue to be in close touch with the Nepali government, Jaiswal said at his regular media briefing. We deeply appreciate the efforts of the Nepalese authorities in this regard. Jaiswal said 169 Indian nationals have been rescued and 1,907 Indians have safely crossed into Nepal from China. As per official sources in China, there are no Indian travellers who are stranded in the Tibetan Autonomous Region in China, Jaiswal noted. The MEA spokesperson said India will continue to provide assistance to Nepal as per the requirements of the government in that country. We do plan to send more forensic kits, Bailey bridges and other materials that are requested by the government of Nepal, he said. Jaiswal said India has supplied around 95 tonnes of relief material on seven aircraft to Nepal till now. In addition to the relief material, we have also sent 54 personnel to support relief and rescue efforts in Nepal. This comprises 30 tunnel rescue experts, 19 forensic experts, and a five-member medical team. Our rescue and forensic teams are deployed on the ground, and they are working closely with the Nepalese authorities, he said. The first tranche of relief materials was sent by India hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Nepalese counterpart Balendra Shah on August 26, the day the flash floods struck the Himalayan nation. Modi had assured Shah of all possible humanitarian assistance to deal with the situation. The floods have damaged 35 motorable bridges, 45 suspension bridges, and 40 km of black-topped roads, mainly in central Nepal, according to local authorities. Jaiswal said India responded promptly to the flash floods in Nepal and will continue to support the reconstruction and recovery efforts in the country. To a question on climate change in the context of the Nepal floods, Jaiswal said India has consistently maintained that it is a common challenge, and action in this regard must be based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. Developed countries who historically are responsible for the emissions and have contributed overwhelmingly to this crisis, must take lead in reducing emissions and supporting developing countries by way of finance and technology transfer to meet this challenge, he added.

Jitendra Singh felicitates winners of International Earth Science Olympiad 2026

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Friday felicitated the winners of the 19th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) 2026 and said the government remains committed to empowering the youth through student-centric outreach programmes. Held from August 20 to 27 in Italy, the competition witnessed the participation of 39 countries. India secured a historic haul of nine medals comprising four gold, three silver, and two bronze medals across different categories. During the meeting, Singh highlighted that the government remains deeply committed to empowering the youth through student-centric outreach programmes and fostering foundational scientific temperament, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. The felicitation ceremony was of Team India school children, the winners of the 19th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) 2026 was held at a special appreciation and motivation meeting held at Prithvi Bhawan, Lodhi Road, New Delhi. Dr Jitendra Singh hailed the extraordinary milestone and expressed immense pride in the young achievers, congratulating the winners, their proud parents, and their respective schools for bringing global laurels to the nation. He highlighted the Ministrys vision and said the government remains deeply committed to empowering youth through student-centric outreach programs, fostering foundational scientific temperament, and encouraging young minds to explore Earth System Science. Indian student delegates delivered their best-ever performance at the 19th IESO, held under the aegis of the International Geoscience Organisation in Turin, Italy, from August 20 to 27, 2026. Competing against participants from 39 countries, Team India secured a historic haul of nine medalscomprising 4 Gold, 3 Silver, and 2 Bronze medalsacross Written and Practical examinations, International Team Field Investigation (ITFI), and Earth Science Project (ESP) categories. The stellar medalists who made the country proud include Soumik Mandal (DAV Model School, Durgapur, West Bengal) with two Gold, one Silver (Stood 3rd in the overall global ranking among 39 countries), Aaron Maiti (DAV Model School, IIT-KGP, West Bengal) with one Gold and Bronze each, Riddhi Ranjan (Gyan Asthali International School, Patna, Bihar) who won one Gold and one Silver, Md Ehtesham Rizwi Bihar (JNV) who won one Silver and one Bronze. Secretary Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) Dr. T. Srinivasa Kumar also joined in commending the contingent and praised the students and mentors for recording Indias highest-ever medal tally in the competitions history. Rigorous National Selection & Training Pipeline preceded the participation in the prestigious Olympiad. The journey to international victory reflects structured national backing. Fully supported by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) under its Outreach and Awareness program, the Earth Science Olympiad begins with an all-India testfacilitated by the Geological Society of India (GSI)which saw approximately 17,800 students appear across 500 centers nationwide. The top 25 meritorious students underwent an intensive three-week training camp in June 2026 at M.S. University, Vadodara, Gujarat, conducted as desired by the Union Minister to rotate camp locations across different regions of the country. Through flagship initiatives like the IESO, alongside major national missions such as the Deep Ocean Mission, Mission Mausam, and PRITHVI, the Ministry of Earth Sciences continues to build robust public scientific awareness and inspire the next generation of geoscientists and researchers.

PM Modi congratulates Meloni on becoming longest continuously serving PM in Italys postwar history

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday congratulated Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on becoming the longest continuously serving Prime Minister in Italys postwar history. The Prime Minister said that this milestone is a reflection of the trust and confidence of the Italian people in her leadership. He further noted that her friendship has been instrumental in strengthening the India-Italy Special Strategic Partnership, adding that he looks forward to continuing their close cooperation to build a prosperous future for the people of both countries. He extended his best wishes for her continued success in the years ahead. In a post on X, the Prime Minister said: Congratulations to my friend Prime Minister Meloni on becoming the longest continuously serving Prime Minister in Italys postwar history. This milestone is a reflection of the trust and confidence of the Italian people in her leadership. Her friendship has also been instrumental in strengthening the India-Italy Special Strategic Partnership and I look forward to continuing our close cooperation to build a prosperous future for the people of our countries. My best wishes for her continued success in the years ahead.

Nepal floods: 275 Indian nationals remain missing, says MEA

Two hundred seventy-five Indians remained missing while 166 others were rescued following the devastating flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday. It said that 1,907 Indian nationals have safely crossed over to Nepal from China. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India supplied around 95 tonnes of relief material to Nepal since the flash floods hit the country on August 26. The death toll from the floods has risen to at least 1,295 after rescue workers recovered more bodies from affected areas, according to Nepalese authorities. While emergency teams have rescued more than 12,000 people, roughly 5,000 remain missing as search and rescue operations continue. As per our information, 275 Indian nationals remain missing. We continue to be in close touch with the Nepali government, Jaiswal said at his regular media briefing. We deeply appreciate the efforts of the Nepalese authorities in this regard. So far, 166 Indian nationals have been rescued and 1,907 Indian nationals have safely crossed into Nepal from China, he said. As per official sources in China, there are no Indian travellers who are stranded in the Tibetan Autonomous Region in China, Jaiswal noted. The MEA spokesperson said India will continue to assist Nepal as per the requirements of the government in that country. We do plan to send more forensic kits, Bailey bridges and other materials that are requested by the government of Nepal, he said. Jaiswal said India has supplied around 95 tonnes of relief material on seven aircraft to Nepal till now. In addition to the relief material, we have also sent 54 personnel to support relief and rescue efforts in Nepal. This comprises 30 tunnel rescue experts, 19 forensic experts, and a five-member medical team. Our rescue and forensic teams are deployed on the ground, and they are working closely with the Nepalese authorities, he said. The first tranche of relief materials was sent by India hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Nepalese counterpart Balendra Shah on August 26, the day flash floods struck the Himalayan nation. Modi had assured Shah of all possible humanitarian assistance to deal with the situation. The floods have damaged 35 motorable bridges, 45 suspension bridges and 40 km of black-topped roads, mainly in central Nepal, according to local authorities.

J&K mining sector set for digital overhaul, 20 more reforms in pipeline

Srinagar, Sep 4:The Jammu and Kashmir Government is planning a sweeping digital and regulatory overhaul of the mining sector, with a series of reforms aimed at improving transparency, revenue realisation, environmental compliance and monitoring of mineral extraction. According to official documents, 100 per cent e-auction has been implemented, barring exemptions under SRO-105, with the stated objective of ensuring transparency and maximising revenue. A Star Rating System has also been rolled out to assess mines on scientific, environmental-compliance and sustainable-mining parameters, the document states. Among the measures already introduced are the Integrated Mining Surveillance System (IMSS), satellite-based monitoring and geo-fencing, marking a shift towards technology-driven supervision of mining operations. Authorities have also introduced GPS tracking for more than 9,000 vehicles, coupled with automated alerts. The system is integrated with the e-Challan/A-Form mechanism while alerts are generated when vehicles enter or exit geo-fenced areas without the required documentation, the document states. The alerts are being sent to Deputy Commissioners, SSPs, the Director, Joint Directors and District Mining Officers for necessary action, according to the document. The government has also integrated the Pradhan MantriKhanijKshetraKalyanYojana (PMKKKY) and District Mineral Foundation (DMF) into the rules, while the Mine Closure Fund has been incorporated under SRO-105. An e-market platform has also been operationalised. The governments reform push comes amid an acute shortage of construction material in the Valley, which has affected the execution of development projects and other works. Baramulla MLA Javid Hassan Baigh had earlier said that several development projects approved for the district were yet to take off due to restrictions on quarrying operations and the lifting of mining material. Baigh said restrictions on the extraction and transportation of mining material had created significant difficulties for ongoing development works. Meanwhile, the government has said that 20 additional mining reforms are currently under process. These include a satellite-based monitoring system aimed at reducing the availability time for satellite imagery from the present three months to 15 days. The proposed system is expected to strengthen the authorities ability to detect and monitor mining activity through more timely satellite imagery, the document states. The State Mineral Exploration Trust and related rules have also been approved, while authorities are working on pre-approved ready-to-operate mineral blocks with embedded No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and a unified mining portal. Another proposed reform involves the appointment of a third party to conduct Star Rating audits, for which instructions have already been issued, according to the document. The government is also proposing a new Minor Mineral Policy aimed at addressing distortions and anomalies in the existing regulatory framework.

Khyber Cement Kashmir Super League Season 2 Opener:Aqua Kashmir Avengers, United Elegant FC play out 3-3 draw

The second season of the Khyber Cement Kashmir Super League (KSL) got off to an entertaining start on Friday as Aqua Kashmir Avengers FC and United Elegant FC played out a 3-3 draw in the inaugural match at the TRC Ground here. Played under lights, the opening fixture, as per a statement, witnessed a good football crowd at the TRC Ground, with supporters turning up to watch the return of the franchise-based league for its second season. The six-goal contest saw both teams display attacking intent, with neither side able to establish an advantage as the two franchises shared the points in an absorbing opening encounter. For United Elegant FC, Shakir scored twice, while Aqif Reshi added one goal to complete their three-goal tally. For Aqua Kashmir Avengers FC, Ahteeb scored twice, while Sahil Rashid found the net once as the Avengers also finished with three goals. The result meant both teams began their Season 2 campaigns with a point apiece. Before the start of the match, Advisor to the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Nasir Aslam Wani, attended the inaugural event as the chief guest. Wani interacted with the players and team officials of both United Elegant FC and Aqua Kashmir Avengers FC ahead of kick-off and wished the teams well for the tournament. His presence marked the formal opening of the second edition of the league, which aims to provide footballers in J&K with a competitive and professionally structured platform while bringing franchise-based football closer to supporters. National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah also made his way to the TRC Ground to watch the inaugural match. Abdullahs presence added to the atmosphere at the venue as he watched the opening fixture of the second edition, which produced a high-scoring contest between Aqua Kashmir Avengers and United Elegant FC. The second season features six franchise teams, United Elegant FC, Aqua Kashmir Avengers FC, Athwas India XI FC, Sanctorum North United FC, New JK United FC and Swift Strikers FC Rainawari. The franchises finalised their squads following a player bidding process that witnessed the participation of around 200 footballers, giving local players an opportunity to earn places in the six teams competing in the league. Following Fridays opening draw, the competition will continue on Saturday with Athwas India XI FC taking on Sanctorum North United FC, while New JK United FC will face Swift Strikers FC Rainawari on Sunday.

Around 1,000 Ayush doctors, paramedics await salaries for 2 months

Srinagar, Sep 4: Around 1,000 doctors, paramedics and other employees of the Ayush Department in nine districts of Jammu and Kashmir have been awaiting their salaries for nearly two months, with the delay reportedly stemming from an administrative bottleneck following the creation of new district-level posts. The affected employees are posted in Ganderbal, Bandipora, Kulgam, Shopian, Samba, Reasi, Ramban, Kishtwar and Pulwama. The prolonged delay has caused financial difficulties for employees and their families, with some saying they are struggling to meet routine household expenses and pay their childrens school fees. I am unable to pay the school fees of my children. I appeal to the authorities to solve the issue, said a paramedic working in one of the affected districts. The Health and Medical Education Department, through Government Order No. 530-JK (HME) of 2026 dated July 6, sanctioned nine posts of District Ayush Officers (DAOs), one for each of the nine districts. However, the formal posting of the DAOs is yet to take place, according to employees, resulting in an administrative gap in the drawing and disbursement of salaries. Employees said the absence of functional Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) has stalled the processing of their salaries, leaving doctors, paramedics and other staff without their monthly pay. They have urged the administration to make an interim arrangement by authorising the respective Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) of the nine districts to exercise DDO powers and facilitate the release of the pending salaries. The employees have also sought immediate posting of regular District Ayush Officers to restore the normal administrative mechanism. The affected staff said they had continued to perform their duties despite the delay in receiving their salaries. Director Ayush J&K Ajay Kumar Tickoo told Greater Kashmir that the matter was under consideration and would be resolved soon. The employees have urged the government and the Health and Medical Education Department to intervene and ensure the release of their pending salaries without further delay. They said an interim DDO arrangement could provide immediate relief while the process of posting regular DAOs is completed.

Duolingo to offer 12-month subscription to 376 million Airtel customers

Duolingo, the global language-learning platform, has partnered with Bharti Airtel to offer 12 months of Super Duolingo at no additional cost to Airtels 376 million subscribers. The offer will provide Airtel customers with access to Duolingos premium, ad-free learning experience, including unlimited energy, AI-powered real-time speaking practice, personalised exercises and mistakes review. The Super Duolingo subscription will be available to Airtel customers across mobile, Wi-Fi and DTH services. Eligible users can access the offer through the Airtel App, with no credit card required. Duolingo offers courses in more than 40 languages through bite-sized lessons, gamification, personalised learning and AI-powered features. Its platform also includes courses in Chess, Math and Music. Commenting on the partnership, Rashi Dhanani, Head of Business Development, India, said India is among Duolingos most important markets, with growing demand for language learning among students, professionals and an increasingly global workforce. Learning a language should be accessible, engaging and easy to build into everyday life. Our partnership with Airtel brings Super Duolingo to a wider audience, giving learners across India access to an enhanced learning experience and more ways to stay motivated and make consistent progress, Dhanani said.

Teachers are true nation-builders, changemakers: LG Sinha

Srinagar, Sep 4: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday extended his greetings and best wishes to teachers on the occasion of Teachers Day, being observed on September 5. In a message, the Lieutenant Governor paid tribute to former President of India and eminent educationist and philosopher DrSarvepalliRadhakrishnan on his birth anniversary. Heartiest greetings and best wishes to the teachers on the occasion of Teachers Day. I offer my humble tributes to the great educationist, philosopher, and former President of India, Dr. SarvepalliRadhakrishnan Ji, on his Janm-Jayanti. His exemplary life and visionary work continue to be a guiding light for generations to come, he said. Sinha said Teachers Day provides an occasion to express gratitude for the continuous commitment of educators towards human advancement. Teachers are true nation-builders and changemakers. By sparking curiosity and breaking down barriers, they shape young minds and help students grow into creative and compassionate leaders, he said. The Lieutenant Governor urged teachers to recognise and nurture the unique qualities of every student and make classrooms engaging and interactive spaces. On this day, let us strengthen our resolve to provide quality education for all and work together to build a Developed India by 2047, he said.

Kashmir Nissan unveils new TEKTON SUV

Kashmir Nissan unveiled the all-new Nissan TEKTON at its Kitab Mobility showroom in Srinagar on Wednesday, marking the SUVs entry into the Kashmir market. Qazi Irfan, RTO Kashmir, was the chief guest at the launch and formally unveiled the vehicle in the presence of customers, automobile enthusiasts, members of the business community and Nissan officials. The event was attended by Ajaz Ahmed Kitab, Managing Director, Kashmir Motors, Ufair Ajaz, Director, Kitab Mobility, and other dignitaries. Speaking at the launch, Ufair Ajaz said the introduction of the TEKTON would strengthen Nissans product offering in J&K. Customers in Kashmir today are well informed and look for a combination of design, technology, safety, comfort and performance. We believe the TEKTON brings these qualities together and has the potential to establish a strong presence in the SUV market in the Valley, he said. Ajaz said Kashmir Nissan was focused on strengthening the Nissan brand in J&K through professional sales and after-sales support. Qazi Irfan congratulated the dealership on the launch and expressed confidence that the new SUV would receive a positive response from customers in the Valley. The TEKTON combines a contemporary exterior design with premium interiors, modern technology and features aimed at enhancing comfort and driving experience. The SUV is currently on display at the Kashmir NissanKitab Mobility showroom in Srinagar, where customers can view the vehicle.

4 SKUAST-K students bag research fellowships in Japan

Four students from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir have been selected for competitive research fellowships in Japan, advancing the institutions international academic engagements. The selections take place amid expanding educational ties between India and Japan, which include a mutual framework aiming to host 10,000 Indian students and researchers over the next five years. The selected scholars include doctoral student Tabish Jaan and masters student Misbah Fayaz, both pursuing biotechnology under the supervision of Dr Sajad Majeed Zargar, Head of the Division of Plant Biotechnology. From the discipline of plant pathology, doctoral scholar Sayima Nargis, working under the guidance of Dr Tariq Rasool, along with masters graduate Nulevino Iralu, who completed her degree under the supervision of Dr Aflaq Hameed, have also secured placements. Tabish Jaan, Misbah Fayaz, and Sayima Nargis have been awarded the JST-LOTUS Fellowship for two years, one year, and three years respectively, while Nulevino Iralu earned a four-year Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship. During their tenures across Japanese research institutes, the scholars will focus on molecular biology and biotechnology applications aimed at mitigating biotic and abiotic stresses in crops and addressing critical nutritional challenges. During their tenures at research institutes across Japan, the scholars will focus on molecular biology and biotechnology applications aimed at mitigating biotic and abiotic stresses in crops and improving nutritional security. The programs will grant them direct access to Japanese laboratory infrastructure, research methodologies, and collaborative developmental projects. Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai commended the students and their academic mentors, observing that the fellowships align with the universitys ongoing efforts to build sustained institutional links with global scientific organisations.

Apex Body Leh defers September 10 Padyatra ahead of MHA talks

Kargil, Sep 4:The Apex Body Leh (ABL) has deferred its scheduled September 10 padyatra ahead of a crucial meeting with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi on September 9, while warning that failure to secure a concrete outcome could trigger intensified agitation across Ladakh. The decision was announced after an emergency executive meeting of the ABL, following an invitation from the MHA for regional representatives to participate in a fresh round of sub-committee talks. Addressing a press briefing, ABL leadership said the padyatra had been deferred to provide the dialogue process a genuine opportunity, but maintained that its core demands remained unchanged. The September 9 deliberations are expected to focus on long-pending demands concerning statehood, constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, an empowered elected body for the Union Territory, greater administrative autonomy and protection of local recruitment. We are deferring the padayatra to give dialogue a genuine chance. But make no mistakethis is not a step back. If the Ministry of Home Affairs fails to offer a concrete, time-bound outcome on September 9, we will re-launch an intensified, region-wide agitation immediately, ABL president CheringDorjey said. Dorjey was flanked by noted environmental activist SonamWangchuk during the briefing. The September 9 meeting comes amid months of tensions in Ladakh, marked by hunger strikes, rallies and stalled negotiations over the regions political and constitutional demands. Representatives from Leh and Kargil have maintained that the sub-committee needs to move beyond procedural discussions and work towards a viable legislative and administrative framework. The latest talks follow sustained engagement between central government officials and joint delegations representing the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). The two groups recently submitted a joint memorandum outlining their key demands to the Ladakh administration. These include an empowered UT-level elected body and the unconditional withdrawal of cases against those affected by the September 24 incident, besides dignified and adequate compensation for the victims and their families. By deferring rather than abandoning the September 10 padyatra, the ABL has kept its agitation strategy on standby while allowing space for the central government talks. Civil society groups across Ladakh are expected to assess the outcome of the September 9 meeting before deciding on their next course of action.

Govt steps in to contain lumpy skin disease in J&K

The Jammu and Kashmir Government has stepped up measures to contain the spread of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), with Agriculture Production Minister Javid Ahmad Dar directing officials to accelerate vaccination and intensify surveillance across affected areas. Dar chaired a meeting on Thursday to review the prevailing disease situation and the measures being undertaken by the Animal Husbandry Department for its containment. Officials informed the meeting that nine active LSD epicentres have been reported in Kashmir, with 59 cattle affected, including 55 active cases. No deaths have been reported so far. Ganderbal is the worst-affected district, accounting for 52 cases across seven epicentres, followed by Bandipora with three cases and Srinagar with two. The Minister reviewed district-wise disease surveillance, vaccination coverage, availability of medicines and vaccines, sample collection and testing, besides other containment measures. Dar directed officials to strictly adhere to prescribed treatment protocols and expedite the vaccination drive to prevent further transmission. He also called for intensified surveillance and timely intervention, particularly in areas reporting a higher incidence of LSD. He stressed the need for stronger field-level coordination, adequate deployment of veterinary experts and field staff, and regular visits to affected areas. The Minister also directed the department to intensify awareness campaigns, including door-to-door outreach, to educate farmers about preventive measures, early reporting and appropriate care of affected livestock. Officials were further directed to ensure adequate availability of essential medicines and vaccines in affected areas and maintain close monitoring of the situation. Heads of Animal Husbandry Kashmir, Chief Animal Husbandry Officers and other concerned officers attended the meeting.

HC refuses bail to accused in minor girls sexual assault case

The High Court of J&K and Ladakh has declined to grant bail to a man accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a girl, noting that the victim and her father turning hostile during trial was, by itself, insufficient to erase the medical, forensic, electronic and circumstantial evidence relied upon by the prosecution. A bench of Justice Sanjay Parihar dismissed the plea seeking bail to Mahir Ahmad, who is facing trial in a case (FIR No. 30/2025) registered at Police Station Parimpora under Sections 137(2), 64 and 65 BNS read with Sections 3 and 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The prosecution case is based on the contention that on April 13, 2025, the minor girl had gone to watch a circus exhibition at Parimpora Srinagar but did not return home. After failing to trace his daughter, his father reported her missing. In the early hours of April 14, the girl returned and subsequently disclosed that she had been kidnapped from near the circus venue, taken to an unknown place and subjected to sexual assault, according to prosecution. Investigators also relied on the victim's alleged identification of a house where she was purportedly taken and a restaurant where the accused purchased two shawarmas for Rs 200 through a UPI transaction. The accused took the girl to a vacant house at Bemina, where she was subjected to sexual assault. The prosecution also relied upon the forensic findings along with the testimony of the medical expert to contend that the material indicated sexual intercourse. On the other hand, the accused based his contention on the ground that the prosecution case projected in the FIR and subsequently unfolded during trial was no longer sustainable in view of the testimony of the victim. The victim, he said, failed to support the allegations forming the basis of the prosecution case and had been declared hostile. Furthermore, he contended that the victims father had also not supported the prosecution version. After hearing both sides, the Court observed that at the bail stage, it was neither expected nor required to undertake a meticulous examination of evidence or make a final determination on the credibility of witnesses. The relevant consideration, it said, was whether the available material disclosed a prima facie case, taking into account the nature and gravity of the accusation, the role attributed to the accused, the severity of the punishment, the stage of the trial and other relevant circumstances. The Court noted that the victim was about 15 years old at the time of the alleged incident, a fact not seriously disputed by the petitioner, and was therefore a child for the purposes of the POCSO Act. It said the fact that the victim had resiled from material portions of the prosecution case could not be considered in isolation. Although she has resiled from material portions of that version during trial, her deposition, read as a whole, does not amount to an unequivocal exoneration of the petitioner, the Court observed. It further noted that the victim had, during her cross-examination by the prosecution, been confronted with her earlier statement recorded before a Magistrate and had also referred to the adverse impact the incident and the proceedings had caused in her life. The court also took note of the prosecution's assertion that she had initially narrated the occurrence to the first woman she met after returning home, identified as prosecution witness-3, who subsequently informed her father. Referring to the legal position concerning hostile witnesses, the Court said the testimony of such a witness was not automatically erased from the record merely because the witness had departed from an earlier version. Portions found credible and corroborated by other evidence could still be considered. The Court held that the prosecution case was sought to be supported by evidence beyond the testimony of the victim, including medical and forensic material, testimony of other witnesses, the alleged identification proceedings, electronic evidence relating to the UPI transaction and circumstantial evidence concerning the vehicle allegedly used in the incident. These circumstances, when considered cumulatively and only for the limited purpose of the present bail application, provide prima facie support to the prosecution version, the Court said. The Court said no inference of intimidation, tutoring or inducement could be drawn merely because a child victim had turned hostile unless such an inference was supported by material on record. However, it added that the reasons behind the victim changing her version did not require a conclusive determination at the bail stage. It held that the medical evidence, forensic material, alleged identification, electronic evidence concerning the UPI transaction, the alleged movement of the vehicle and the testimony of other prosecution witnesses required adjudication during the trial. Finding no illegality, perversity or material irregularity in the trial court's decision, the High Court declined to interfere and consequently rejected the bail.

Janmashtami celebrated with religious fervour in Srinagar

Janmashtami, marking the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, was celebrated with religious fervour and festive enthusiasm across Kashmir on Friday, with temples wearing a colourful look and devotees participating in prayers, bhajans and processions. The main attraction of the celebrations in Srinagar was the traditional Shobha Yatra, which began from the ISKCON Temple at Habba Kadal and passed through the city centre at Lal Chowk before culminating peacefully amid devotional chants. Men, women and children dressed in vibrant costumes representing Lord Krishna, Radha and other religious figures led the procession. The air resonated with bhajans, kirtans and chants of Hare Krishna as devotees danced to devotional music, carrying saffron flags and religious symbols. Some devotees also presented traditional Kashmiri devotional songs, adding a distinct local flavour to the celebrations. The colourful procession moved through Lal Chowk, drawing the attention of commuters, shopkeepers and tourists, while long queues of vehicles slowed briefly as people stopped to witness the spectacle. Officials said that elaborate security and traffic arrangements were put in place by the administration to ensure the smooth conduct of the procession. Personnel from Jammu and Kashmir Police, CRPF and other security agencies remained deployed along the route, facilitating devotees and regulating traffic, officials said. To mention, Janmashtami is one of the most significant festivals in the Hindu calendar, commemorating the birth of Lord Krishna, revered as the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The festival symbolises the triumph of righteousness over evil and is observed with fasting, night-long prayers, devotional singing and cultural performances across the country. A Kashmiri Pandit devotee participating in the procession said the coincidence of Janmashtami falling on a Friday carried a special message of communal harmony. Today is Friday, a sacred day for our Muslim brothers, and as our bhajans echoed through the streets, the Azaan from nearby mosques could also be heard. Both prayers rose together in the same atmosphere. This is the real identity of Kashmir, where faiths coexist with mutual respect. We are grateful to our Muslim brothers who greeted us, participated in the celebrations and extended every possible support. We pray that this spirit of brotherhood always remains alive in the Valley, he said. The festive atmosphere also attracted a large number of tourists visiting the Valley. Riya, a tourist from Delhi who witnessed the procession at Lal Chowk, said, I had never imagined I would witness such a colourful Janmashtami celebration in the heart of Srinagar. The warmth of the people here is remarkable. Everyone respects each other's faith, and that is what makes this experience truly memorable. Devotees appreciated the district administration and security agencies for ensuring peaceful celebrations. Everything was well organised. The administration made all necessary arrangements, and the police and CRPF personnel facilitated the procession throughout the route. The celebrations concluded smoothly, allowing everyone to participate without any inconvenience, another devotee said. Similar celebrations were held at temples in Baramulla, Kupwara and Ganderbal, besides other parts of the Valley, where scores of Kashmiri Pandits and members of the local Hindu community offered special prayers, sang devotional hymns and participated in cultural programmes to mark the occasion. As devotional chants filled temple premises and echoed through Srinagar's city centre, the celebrations concluded with prayers for peace, prosperity and lasting communal harmony in Kashmir.

Committee formed to probe complaints about Doda girls hostel, ADC to head inquiry: DC

The district administration has constituted a committee headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) to conduct a detailed inquiry into complaints raised by girl students residing at the Gujjar and Bakerwal Girls Hostel, Doda, regarding alleged deficiencies in food, lighting, sanitation and other basic facilities. Deputy Commissioner Doda Krishan Lal, while speaking to reporters, said around 20 to 25 girls had recently approached the administration and brought several grievances to its notice. The complaints included allegations of inadequate food, insufficient lighting and other issues concerning hostel facilities. Taking the matter seriously, the administration has constituted a committee headed by the ADC to verify the allegations and ascertain the facts. The committee will inspect the hostel and examine relevant records, including supply registers, maintenance records and other documents, to determine whether any irregularities or shortcomings have occurred. The DC said the hostel warden had also been advised to ensure that genuine problems faced by the students were addressed promptly. In addition, a system of weekly inspections and surprise visits has been put in place so that the conditions at the hostel can be monitored regularly. During these inspections, the committee will assess the quality of food being served, sanitation and cleanliness arrangements, lighting and other facilities. The members will also interact with the students directly to understand their concerns and record their grievances. Regarding reports that some girls had fallen ill, the Deputy Commissioner said several students were taken to hospital after being examined by a team of doctors. He said the girls were currently doing well and that their shifting to hospital was undertaken on medical advice. The administration has also discussed the matter with the Medical Superintendent. Meanwhile, some hostelers have made serious allegations, claiming that they were allegedly subjected to harassment, verbal abuse and physical mistreatment when they raised concerns about hostel facilities. Some students also alleged that girls had fallen unconscious on occasions amid the tense situation. The Deputy Commissioner said that if the allegations were found to be true, appropriate action would be taken in accordance with government rules and orders. The committee is expected to submit its report after examining the complaints, relevant records and the overall functioning of the hostel. Any serious lapse or irregularity established during the inquiry will be dealt with as per law and applicable government guidelines, DC said.

The Saint of my Gurukul

Rightly, a teacher is the architect of a country and a true nation-builder. Globally, teachers are seen as precious resources and treasures of knowledge for their students and society at large. Teachers are overwhelmingly accorded high honor and exemplary treatment by institutions, societies, and governments worldwide. A teacher shapes the lives of many students, transforming them into well-rounded human beings capable of assuming challenging roles to build strong and prosperous nations. Moreover, a teachers approach to life and its intricacies is distinct, meaningful, and exemplary. It is logical, driven by knowledge, wisdom, and prudence, and not based on unfounded dogmas or assumptions. This holds true for teachers across all ranks and levels, with few exceptions. People from all walks of life are indebted to their teachers for the learning they have acquired, whether through formal teaching or informal discourse. I am certainly one of them, and this brief tribute is dedicated to all my teachers, especially to my great teacher of my Gurukul. My teacher is not simply a teacher; he is much more. He is the saint of my Gurukula treasure house of knowledge and an apostle of human values. His greatness lies not only in what he taught but in how he lived. His actions were lessons, his character a textbook, his conduct a moral compass, and his approach to life an education in itself. He encouraged his disciples to ask questions, believing that an honest question is the beginning of genuine learning. He taught us to examine assumptions, distinguish facts from opinions, think independently, and remain intellectually curious. His classroom extended far beyond textbooks. Every conversation was an opportunity to learn, every mistake an opportunity for reflection, every difficulty an exercise in courage, and every success a reminder of humility. The knowledge he imparted was not meant merely to pass examinations or acquire social status. Its ultimate purpose was to make a person more rational, compassionate, responsible, and humane. The greatest quality of my teacher was that he never separated education from humanity. He taught truthfulness, compassion, dignity, discipline, responsibility, tolerance, fairness, humility, courage, and respect. He did not preach these values through speeches alone but demonstrated them through his everyday conduct. He often reminded us that life cannot be measured exclusively by marks, money, or public recognition. A successful person may still be unhappy; an educated person may lack wisdom; a powerful person may lack character. His wisdom gave us the ability to navigate lifes complexities without losing our moral direction. He educated us not only for the present but also for the uncertainties of tomorrow. He understood that the world is changing rapidly due to technology, economic transformation, and shifting patterns of human interaction. He often said that technology may increase our speed but cannot increase our wisdom. A machine may process information faster, but it cannot replace the moral responsibility of deciding what ought to be done. He believed that intelligence without morality can become dangerous, knowledge without responsibility destructive, and power without justice oppressive. He therefore placed great emphasis on ethical conduct, teaching us that the real test of character occurs when nobody is watching. Genuine character emerges when a person chooses the right path even when the wrong path appears easier or more profitable. My teacher never viewed his disciples merely as students sitting before him. He treated them as human beings with different backgrounds, abilities, weaknesses, ambitions, fears, and dreams. This gave his teaching a rare qualityempathy. He understood that every student learns differently; some require encouragement, others discipline, some intellectual challenge, and others reassurance. He believed that every disciple deserves dignity and a fair opportunity to learn. He did not measure students by wealth, social position, or popularity. He knew the distinction between equality and equitytreating everyone identically may not always produce fairness, as individuals begin their journeys from different circumstances. Sometimes fairness requires additional support for those who face greater obstacles. If I had to identify my teachers greatest contribution, I would say he was a driver of character building. He taught us patience when we were impatient, humility when we succeeded, courage when we failed, responsibility when we made mistakes, and compassion when we encountered weakness in others. This is why I call him the saint of my Gurukul. The word saint does not imply he is without human imperfections; it means he represents a higher ideal of livingone in which knowledge is accompanied by humility, authority by responsibility, and intelligence by humanity.

Damaged culvert affects traffic on Rajouris Kha road

Damaged culvert (mini bridge) on vital Kotranka Kha Rajouri road has affected traffic with locals urging the department concerned to carry out repair immediately. The road from Kotranka to Kha to Rajouri is a vital stretch as it connects more than one dozen villages both with Kotranka sub division headquarter and Rajouri district headquarter and over ten thousand people use this road for to and fro movement. Locals said that a culvert on this road was damaged on Friday and one of its corners developed huge cracks and soil beneath was also loosening raising risk of collapse of culvert any moment. We have stopped movement of all kinds of vehicles over it (culvert) as of now to avert any possible tragedy due to collapse of culvert, locals said. They have also appealed the department concerned and PMGSY road authorities to carry out immediate repair of the culvert so that traffic is fully restored without any delay.

Finance Deptt censures accountant for improper conduct

J&K Finance Department has imposed a penalty of censure on an accountant after his conduct, during an investigation into allegations of the illegal gratification against him, was not found in conformity with the standards expected of a government servant. As per an order issued by Financial Commissioner (ACS), Finance department, Shailendra Kumar, Sajad Ahmad Khan, Accountant, while posted in the District Treasury Office, Kupwara, was subjected to an enquiry pursuant to a verbal complaint, alleging demand of illegal gratification from a contractor. The enquiry was conducted by the Treasury Officer, District Treasury Office, in pursuance of Order number 107/DATK of 2026 dated June 16, 2026, issued by Director Accounts and Treasuries, Kashmir. The Enquiry Officer, the order mentioned, after examining the relevant records and recording the statements of the persons concerned, found that the allegation regarding demand and acceptance of illegal gratification could not be substantiated for want of documentary or independent corroborative evidence. However, the enquiry revealed certain deficiencies in the conduct of Sajad Ahmad Khan while dealing with members of the public, which were found to be not in conformity with the standards of conduct expected of a government servant, the order mentioned. Based on the enquiry report, the Director Accounts and Treasuries, Kashmir recommended the imposition of minor penalty of censure under Rule 30(i) of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956 and a non-sensitive posting for at least three years. The matter was placed before the competent authority for acceptance of the findings of the Enquiry and the recommendation for imposition of minor penalty. In exercise of the powers conferred under Rule 30(1), read with Rule 32(2), of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956, and with approval of the competent authority, sanction is hereby accorded to the imposition of penalty of censure on Sajad Ahmad Khan, Accountant, Financial Commissioner (ACS), Finance department ordered.

Story of a Teacher

Pt. Shyam Lal Labroo will be remembered as a dedicated teacher associated with Islamia High School, Rajouri Kadal, Srinagar, where he served for almost four decades. Belonging to the educational culture of old Srinagars Bulbulankar, he was known for his commitment to students and his belief that education should shape character as much as intellect. His scholarly interests found expression in an English Translation, prepared in collaboration with D. N. Raina, Principal of National High School, and Tulsi Nath, Inspector of Schools, Baramulla, and published by Kapoor Brothers. Labroos popularity did not come merely from his position but from the way people felt in his presence. He had a rare ability to make an ordinary student feel important, a poor parent feel respected, and even a troublesome boy feel that something good remained in him. In the crowded lanes around Rajouri Kadal, a teacher could become popular through examination results, but Labroo became popular through the lives he touched. His real experiments were with human beings, and each experiment began with a problem that most teachers might have treated as punishment but which he treated as a matter of understanding. One winter morning, a boy arrived late with wet shoes and a torn pheran. Other students laughed. Labroo noticed the boy had no books. Instead of asking why he was late, he quietly asked him to sit near the fire and share a book. Later, he learned the boys father had fallen ill and the boy had spent the morning helping his mother. Labroo did not announce this. He simply asked the boy to stay after school for several days to complete missed lessons. When the boy performed well in an examination, Labroo did not praise him publicly. He merely placed the result before him and reminded him that hardship could delay a person but need not defeat him. That lesson stayed with the boy for life. Years later, that former student would tell others that Labroo had saved him from believing that poverty meant inferiority. Another experiment began with a boy everyone had labelled delinquent. He fought, disturbed lessons, disappeared from school, and answered teachers disrespectfully. Most teachers had formed a fixed opinion. Labroo decided to test whether a child could change if someone trusted him before he deserved that trust. Instead of punishment, he made the boy responsible for maintaining the blackboard, arranging books, and ensuring younger students reached their classrooms. Astonished at receiving responsibility, the boy initially misused it, but Labroo corrected him and gave him another chance. Gradually, the boy began arriving early. His classmates noticed the transformation before the teachers did. The boy who had been known for fighting became the one who settled quarrels among younger children. Labroo had not defeated delinquency with fear but by giving the boy a reason to respect himself. A more difficult experiment came when a poor father arrived with a request that his son be allowed to continue studying despite unpaid fees. The father stood awkwardly, expecting humiliation. Labroo recognized his embarrassment. He did not ask why he could not pay but instead asked about the boys studies. The father explained the boy was talented but the family could not afford everything. Labroo quietly arranged for the boy to receive necessary books through the schools shared resources. No announcement was made, and no one was allowed to turn the assistance into charity before the child. The boy remained in school with dignity, and the father left without feeling he had begged. Labroo believed that helping a poor person while destroying his dignity was not true help. Soon, another experiment involved a mother who complained her son was failing in English, convinced he was incapable. Labroo asked her not to judge the child by marks. He called the boy and asked him to explain something about his daily life. The boy spoke fluently about the boats, markets, and streets he knew. Labroo realised the boy lacked not intelligence but confidence in the classroom language. He began connecting English lessons with the boys own world, asking him to describe the river, market, and activities he saw daily. Gradually, his English improved. The mother later returned with gratitude. The story spread: Labroo did not merely teach children; he understood them. His reputation grew because he did not distinguish between wealthy and poor families. He made the school a place where merit and conduct mattered more than family background. A wealthy students mistake was corrected the same way as a poor students mistake, and a poor students success was celebrated as seriously as that of a prominent familys child. This fairness became a strong foundation of his popularity. One day, two students became involved in a serious quarrel, and their families became involved, threatening to turn it into a community dispute. Instead of allowing that, Labroo brought the two boys together. He made each explain not what the other had done wrong but what he himself had done wrong. Initially silent, each gradually admitted his part. Labroo then made them sit together and complete a school task. By days end, the dispute had lost its power. Parents were impressed that the teacher had prevented a small quarrel from becoming a larger conflict. Another incident made him particularly respected. A student was caught cheating in an examination. Other teachers expected harsh punishment. Labroo knew cheating was wrong but wanted to understand why. The student revealed he was terrified of failing because his father had threatened to remove him from school. Labroo made it clear that fear could not justify dishonesty, but he also made the boy understand that one wrong act did not have to define his entire character. Punishment was accompanied by an opportunity to rebuild trust. The boy had to repeat the work honestly and accept consequences. The incident became a lesson: honesty was a habit to be developed in difficult circumstances, not merely a rule for examination halls. There was another boy who rarely spoke, sitting at the back and seeming invisible. Labroo noticed he knew the answer but did not raise his hand. Instead of forcing him to speak before everyone, Labroo gradually created opportunities: first distributing books, then reading to two classmates, then helping younger students. Slowly, the boys silence disappeared, and he became confident enough to participate in class discussions. Labroo believed some children were not weak; they were simply waiting for someone to discover the door through which they could enter learning. His popularity among the masses grew because he treated education as a responsibility toward society. Neighbours approached him with problems beyond his classrooma child losing interest, a rebellious son, a daughters education. Labroo listened patiently, never making people feel they were wasting his time. His school became associated not only with books but with guidance and hope. One of his most powerful experiments involved a boy considered hopelessrepeatedly punished, warned, and threatened with expulsion. Labroo asked him what he wanted to become and what he was good at; the boy had no answer. Observing that the boy was unusually good with his hands, capable of repairing objects and organising things, Labroo began giving him practical responsibilities. The boy discovered he could be useful. His behavior changed. Once a child experiences the dignity of being useful, Labroo believed, he begins to see himself differently. The boy eventually became one of the most dependable students. Another experiment involved a student who had lost his father. His attendance became irregular, and his performance declined. Rather than treating his absence as indiscipline, Labroo visited the family. The visit itself became a powerful messagethe teacher crossed the boundary between school and home because he understood that education could not be separated from life. He learned about the familys difficulties and helped the boy return gradually. Neighbours noticed, and the story spread as admiration. Labroo refused to humiliate students publicly. He preferred private correction whenever possible, believing that public humiliation could produce obedience for a day but resentment for years. His aim was not merely to make students fear wrongdoing but to make them understand why it was wrong. This was particularly important with adolescents, whose pride could easily turn punishment into rebellion. One day, a student was found fighting outside the school. Instead of immediately suspending him, Labroo asked him to accompany him through nearby lanes, showing him shopkeepers, labourers, boatmen, and elderly residents who depended on one another daily. He made the boy understand that strength was measured not by how many feared him but by how many could trust him. The student returned changed; aggression gradually became self-control. Labroos experiments extended to former students. He encouraged successful ones to return and help those still studyingone provided books, another guided younger students. In this way, education became a chain in which one generation helped the next, connecting the school with the wider community. His popularity grew because people recognised something unusual in him. He did not measure success only by how many passed examinations. He measured it by whether a frightened child became courageous, a dishonest student truthful, an angry boy self-controlled, a poor child remained in school, a weak student regained confidence, and a former student returned to help another. The most powerful experiment was with dignity. Whenever he helped someone, he ensured the person did not feel inferior. When he corrected a student, he preserved self-respect. When he dealt with a delinquent, he looked for reform. When he met a poor parent, he saw a human being before poverty. When he encountered a weak student, he searched for hidden ability rather than announcing failure. That was why stories about Labroo travelled beyond the school. A student carried one story home, a parent carried another to the neighbourhood, a former student carried another into his own family. Slowly, these stories joined to create a public image of a teacher who believed education was not merely the transfer of information but the transformation of human beings. His classroom became famous not for luxury or facilities but for the people who passed through it and carried something of it with themthe poor child carried confidence, the delinquent responsibility, the frightened student courage, the dishonest student the value of truth, the weak student hope, the former student gratitude. This was perhaps his greatest experiment: not on books or examinations, but on the possibility of human transformation. He took children society had classified as weak, poor, or difficult and asked: what might this child become if someone believed in him? The answer was written not on the blackboard but in the streets and homes of Srinagar. Years later, when his students became fathers, workers, professionals, and respected members of society, they remembered not only lessons but the moments when their teacher had protected their dignity, corrected mistakes, forgiven failures, challenged weaknesses, and trusted them before they had learned to trust themselves. That was how a teacher became a public figure without seeking publicitythrough hundreds of acts of fairness, compassion, discipline, and courage. Every improved student became living testimony. Every guided family became another link in his reputation. Every delinquent who found a better path became another story. And in the narrow lanes of old Srinagar, the most powerful reputation a teacher could earn was the simple belief among ordinary people that if their child entered his classroom, that child would not merely be taughtthat child would be understood. Dr. Showkat Rashid Wani, Associate Professor, Centre for Distance & Online education, University of Kashmir

JKP, BSF conduct searches, area domination in Samba

In a proactive security initiative aimed at strengthening area domination, enhancing vigilance and maintaining close coordination with the local population, Police in Samba on Friday conducted a joint search-cum-area domination exercise with BSF 52 Bn in the border areas within the jurisdiction of Police Station Ghagwal. The joint exercise commenced from village Regal and covered the areas extending towards Chillerian, Nadala and Ploora, with security personnel conducting intensive checking and area domination along the identified routes and vulnerable stretches. During the exercise, a joint special naka was established at a strategic location. The naka was supervised by Additional SP Samba, assisted by DySP SOG Samba and an Inspector-level officer of BSF 52 Bn. Personnel deployed at the naka carried out thorough checking of vehicles and their occupants, while maintaining heightened alertness throughout the exercise. As part of the exercise, police personnel also interacted with local residents and sensitised them about the importance of community participation in maintaining security and preventing any untoward incident. The locals were provided with the contact numbers of Samba Police including PCR Samba and SOG Samba and were advised to immediately communicate any information regarding suspicious persons, movements, vehicles or any other unusual activity noticed in their respective areas. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Samba Anuj Kumar stated that the joint exercise was conducted with the objective of enhancing security preparedness, strengthening inter-agency coordination, increasing police visibility and instilling a sense of security among the local population. He further assured the public that every credible input received from citizens would be assessed promptly and acted upon appropriately.

The locked account that fraud cannot touch

A GST registered taxpayer in Srinagar buys scrap iron worth 20 lakh from a supplier in other part of the country. The invoice shows GST separately. He pays the full amount, price plus tax, into the suppliers account, exactly as the law expects. A few months later, that suppliers firm turns out to be non-existent. No tax was ever deposited by the supplier. The department is now left with two choices: chase a firm that has vanished, or recover the Input Tax Credit from a taxpayer who paid honestly and has the invoice and transaction trail to prove it. This is the missing trader problem, and almost every country running a GST or VAT system has run into it at some point. Poland built a fix for it that is worth understanding, because it is one of those ideas that sounds technical but is actually very simple once you see how it works. Think of a GST invoice as having two parts: the price of the goods, and the tax on top. Normally both go to the seller in one payment, and the seller is trusted to set the tax aside and hand it to the government later when he files return. Poland removed that trust requirement. Instead, it put in place what is called a Locked Account system. When a buyer pays a bill that falls under its rule, the bank does not send one lump sum to the seller. It splits the payment automatically, the moment the money moves: the price goes into the sellers ordinary account, free to spend on anything. The GST portion goes into a second, locked account that every business is required to hold. The seller cannot draw cash from it, cannot move it to a personal account, and cannot use it for ordinary expenses. It is like Electronic Cash Ledger system that we have under GST in India. That locked account isnt frozen money going nowhere, though. It can be used to pay the sellers own GST bill, or to pay the GST portion owed to their own suppliers, so the same split carries on up the chain. If a surplus builds up, the business can apply for it to be refunded, and the tax office has to decide within about two months. Ignore the rule when it applies, and the penalty is steep: 30 percent of the GST amount, plus loss of the right to claim that expense against income tax. The idea in one line: dont wait for the seller to pay tax later, separate it the moment payment is made, so theres nothing left for a vanishing seller or non-existent supplier to run off with. Poland doesnt apply this to every transaction. It kicks in only when both parties are registered, the invoice crosses roughly 4 lakh, and the goods fall in a specific list of around 150 categories the government has flagged as high-risk: scrap and steel, precious metals, electronics, fuel, and subcontracted construction work. These are exactly the sectors Polands own enforcement data had already identified as the biggest source of missing-trader and circular-trading fraud, so the split-payment rule was built around them rather than applied everywhere. Poland also runs a separate system to work out which businesses deserve a closer look in the first place. Every bank reports account and transaction data daily to a central clearing house, which scores each business on how likely it is to be involved in fraud, weighing things like whether its turnover matches its declared business, whether it deals with known high-risk regions, and whether its part of a cluster of firms trading mainly with each other (circular trading). A high score can lead to a bank account being frozen, first for 72 hours, then longer if the concern holds up. India already has two tools aimed at similar problems, but both act after the damage is done. TDS under Section 51 works only for notified government buyers, not for one private trader buying from another. Rule 86A lets the department block a buyers Input Tax Credit once fraud is suspected, but by then the credit has usually already been claimed, and an honest buyer who dealt with a supplier that later turns out to be a shell company can have lakhs blocked overnight through no fault of his own. India doesnt need to redesign GST to borrow Polands core idea. Start with the sectors Indias own enforcement data already flags: scrap, steel, cement and similar high-risk trade. Every businesss bank account is already linked to its GSTIN for refunds, so a second, restricted GST wallet for these sectors needs no new plumbing, just a new payment rule. Split the payment the way UPI or NEFT already handles transfers, restrict the wallet to GST-related payments, and build a risk score from data India already collects, GSTR filings, e-way bills, and existing fraud-analytics tools like BIFA, BISAG etc. to flag accounts before releasing any wallet surplus. Buyers who use the system should get something in return: faster refunds and protection from Rule 86A shocks, since the tax was never in the sellers free hands to begin with. A fair question follows: what happens to a genuine sellers own Input Tax Credit if their sales tax is now locked away? Nothing changes. A trader who buys scrap for 10 lakh and pays 1.8 lakh GST at 18 percent rate of tax gets that as ITC exactly as today. When he sells the processed scrap for 15 lakh and collects 2.7 lakh GST, that lands in his own locked wallet, and at month-end he pays the difference, 90,000, straight out of it. The wallet never delays credit thats genuinely earned; it only makes sure the cash due to the government is sitting somewhere safe by the time anyone files a return. There is one gap worth admitting honestly. Split payment assumes a real sale sits behind every invoice. A good share of Indias fake-ITC cases involve no sale at all, just paper invoices from shell firms passing on credit that was never earned. A locked wallet cant tell a payment backed by a real truckload of scrap from one backed by nothing. Closing that gap needs two more steps: tying wallet payments to matching e-way bills, and running a risk score before any wallet surplus is released. Do both, and genuine traders in Srinagars scrap, steel and cement markets get faster refunds and freedom from Rule 86A shocks, while shell firms lose the one thing they relied on, collecting tax money before disappearing. Aijaz Hussain Malik, JKAS, State Taxes Officer, Circle-C, Srinagar writes about GST compliance.

Security preparedness assessed at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, route

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Udhampur Reasi range, Shiv Kumar Sharma and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) CRPF, Awdesh Pathak conducted a joint security review of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine and the enroute from Katra to Bhawan. The joint security review was undertaken with the objective of assessing the existing security arrangements and ensuring effective implementation of security measures along the entire route leading to the shrine. The DIGs were accompanied by Commandant, CRPF 6th Battalion, SP Katra, SDPO Katra, DySP Bhawan and other senior officers, personnel of the CRPF and Police. During the visit, the team conducted a thorough inspection of the Katra Bhawan route, with particular focus on vulnerable locations and critical security points. The officers also inspected various checking and frisking points established along the route and reviewed the deployment of security personnel and the existing checking procedures. The security arrangements at important locations were assessed with emphasis on effective access control, frisking, checking, surveillance and coordination among the deployed security agencies. The senior officers interacted with the personnel deployed on ground and reviewed their preparedness, alertness and response mechanisms. In the meeting, necessary directions were issued to the concerned officers for strict implementation of the prescribed security measures on ground and for maintaining a high level of vigilance throughout the route. The officers stressed the need for close coordination and seamless communication between the J&K Police and CRPF for ensuring comprehensive security of pilgrims and visitors proceeding towards the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. Officials said that the joint review reaffirmed the commitment of the security agencies towards maintaining robust security arrangements, enhanced vigilance and safe pilgrimage at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.

Janmashtami celebrations in Rajouri, Poonch

Shri Krishna Janmashtami was celebrated with religious zeal and enthusiasm across the twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch, officials said. Processions were taken out in all the towns of the two districts amid tight security arrangements, with thousands of people participating, they said. Religious slogans rent the air as the processions moved through the towns, with religious preachers accompanying the gatherings urging people to follow the path of religion and humanity. In Rajouri town, thousands of devotees attended the main procession that commenced from Mohan Sanatan Dharam Sabha and passed through various parts of the town before culminating at the Sanatan Sabha. The administration deployed adequate security personnel along the route to ensure peaceful conduct of the festivities, officials added.

The Hidden Face of Child Labour

Unfortunately, child labour remains one of the less visible social concerns in our society, particularly when it occurs within private households. While children working in commercial spaces are easily noticed but children employed as domestic workers or household helpers often remain outside public scrutiny which is a cause of concern. Since their workplace is a private residence, their working conditions are rarely documented or reported. Hence the issue requires examination not only as a labour-law violation but also as a question of education, child protection, household vulnerability and social responsibility. The most sensitive aspect of the problem is the engagement of children as domestic servants and in such cases, a child may be brought from a financially vulnerable family into another household on the assurance of accommodation, care or education. In practice, however, the child may become responsible for cleaning, washing utensils, cooking, caring for younger children and performing other domestic duties for extended periods. Education is discontinued and the child is in real meaning effectively treated as an employee. Thus the arrangement raises serious legal and child-protection concerns. The law governing the subject is Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, as amended in 2016. The amended law distinguishes between a child, meaning a person who has not completed 14 years of age, and an adolescent, meaning a person who has completed 14 years but has not completed 18 years. The law generally prohibits the employment of children below 14 years, subject to limited exceptions expressly provided in the Act and for adolescents, employment is prohibited in occupations and processes classified as hazardous. The issue of domestic work is significant because the Schedule to the Act expressly includes employment of children as domestic workers or servants among the occupations prohibited for children. Consequently, the description used by a household whether maid, helper, domestic help or another term does not determine the legality of the arrangement. The age of the child and the actual nature of the work are legally relevant. Article 24 of the Constitution of India prohibits the employment of children below 14 years in factories, mines or other hazardous employment. The constitutional protection has to be read alongside the statutory framework governing child labour and education. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 provides for free and compulsory education for children between six and fourteen years of age. Unfortunately, society seems to be flouting the law. A child who leaves school to work as a domestic helper reflects more than a labour-law concern as the child is also being deprived of an important legal and developmental entitlement. Interrupted education reduces the likelihood of acquiring formal qualifications and marketable skills, which can subsequently restrict employment opportunities and a child labour can therefore reproduce economic vulnerability rather than eliminate it. This is one reason why the response to child labour cannot be limited to removing children from workplaces. Their return to education and continued participation in the schooling system must form part of the intervention by the concerned authorities. A commercial establishment can generally be identified and inspected but a private residence does not present the same degree of visibility and hence this makes domestic child labour difficult to identify through conventional enforcement mechanisms. The issue becomes more pronounced where the child is a live-in domestic worker. Here the employers residence becomes both the childs workplace and, potentially, the childs place of residence. In such circumstances working hours can become difficult to establish, and the child may have limited contact with people outside the household and the absence of independent contact is a serious vulnerability. Families with unstable incomes may view a childs employment as a means of reducing household expenses and in some cases, sending a child to another household may be perceived as providing access to food, clothing, accommodation or education that the family itself cannot afford. Undoubtedly, this creates a difficult policy problem. Simply removing a child from employment without addressing the familys economic circumstances may not provide a sustainable solution. If the household remains financially vulnerable, the child may return to work or another child in the family may subsequently enter employment. This indicates the need to connect child-labour enforcement with social-protection and livelihood interventions. The objective should be to ensure that the economic survival of a household does not depend upon the labour of a child. Girl children require particular attention: The vulnerability can become greater when a girl is living away from her family and has limited ability to communicate her circumstances. A child performing age-appropriate chores within her own family is not equivalent to a child being placed in another household to perform domestic work on a regular basis. Not every case of child labour will involve the same degree of exploitation. Circumstances involving withholding of wages, coercion, confinement, bondage, trafficking or abuse require a broader legal response. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 also contains a specific provision dealing with exploitation of a child employee, including circumstances involving bondage for employment or withholding or using the childs earnings. This establishes an important principle for enforcement: the child should be treated primarily as a person requiring protection rather than as an offender. Where the facts indicate trafficking, forced labour, physical abuse, sexual abuse or other criminal conduct, the applicable criminal provisions would also need to be considered by the competent authorities. The child needs to be assessed for educational needs, family circumstances, health and safety concerns and other vulnerabilities. Where appropriate, the child should be restored to education and linked with the relevant child-protection mechanisms. If the economic circumstances of the family that contributed to the childs employment remain unchanged, the intervention may have only a temporary effect. A sustainable child-labour policy must therefore operate at two levels: protect the child and reduce the vulnerability of the household. The problem requires coordination among several institutions. Government institutions like Labour Department, Social Welfare Institutions, law enforcements agencies have a big role to play. Parents need to understand the risks of sending children into domestic employment. Employers need to understand their legal responsibilities and the teachers/community institutions need to recognise signs of school exclusion and possible exploitation. Civil society organisations can contribute through awareness, documentation, legal assistance, rehabilitation and community-level monitoring. A child may be cheaper, easier to control and less likely to negotiate working conditions than an adult but households employing domestic workers must also examine the age and status of the persons they employ and comply with applicable laws. The argument that a child is being provided with food and accommodation cannot automatically justify employment nor can the claim that the child is being treated like family substitute for legal compliance. The social cost of this child labour cannot be measured only in terms of hours worked or wages earned. It includes the education that was missed, the skills that were never developed and the opportunities that may never return. For a poor household, the income from a childs labour may appear significant in the short term but from the perspective of the childs entire life, however, the cost can be much greater. Development cannot be considered complete if some children remain outside the education system and inside other peoples households as domestic workers. We need to create conditions in which families do not need to send children to work, employers do not demand child labour, schools are able to retain vulnerable children, and the child-protection system can intervene before exploitation becomes severe. The most effective response will therefore require accurate data, strict implementation of the law, early identification, educational retention, family support, rehabilitation and sustained community awareness. Tahir Majeed, previously a lawyer by profession, actively engages in public policy, research, and discourse on border tourism in the Kashmir Valley.