Trump announces a USD 22.5B makeover of Dulles airport that will eliminate people movers
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a USD 22.5 billion renovation of Washington Dulles International Airport that will end the use of the widely disliked people movers, the mobile lounges that have been used for decades to shuttle travellers to and from the main terminal. In place of the people movers, the airport will []
Jantar Mantar protest shattered divisive narratives, parties: Dr Farooq Abdullah
Says Kashmiriyat remains strongest antidote to communal politics Asserts pluralistic ethos far stronger than attempts to fragment society Warns drug menace greatest threat to valleys youth Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said the historic Jantar Mantar protest marked a defining moment in J&Ks democratic journey, decisively exposing the []
Rajya Sabha passes bill to make insult to Vande Mataram criminal offence
New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill to make insult to national song Vande Mataram a criminal offence. The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 was passed with a voice vote. As soon as the House convened in the post-lunch session, following two back-to-back adjournments earlier in the day, []
Committed to equitable development across all regions of J&K: CM Abdullah
Srinagar: Several legislators from different parts of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at the Civil Secretariat here and apprised him of various developmental issues and public concerns pertaining to their respective constituencies. Among those who met the Chief Minister were Member of Legislative Assembly Kathua Dr Bharat Bhushan, MLA []
KU among Indias top institutions with Category-I autonomy
Defining moment in universitys academic journey: VC Nilofer Khan Srinagar: In a landmark achievement that underscores its sustained pursuit of academic excellence, the University of Kashmir (KU) has been accorded the prestigious Category-I status by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under the UGC (Categorisation of Universities for Grant of Graded Autonomy) Regulations, 2018. According to []
Says recognition reflects Kashmir Universitys academic excellence Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has congratulated the University of Kashmir on being accorded the prestigious Category-I status by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under the UGC (Categorisation of Universities for Grant of Graded Autonomy) Regulations, 2018, describing the achievement as a landmark milestone for higher education in []
J&K launches QR code-based Anganwadi centres
Srinagar: In a significant step towards strengthening transparency, digital governance and quality service delivery under Mission POSHAN, the Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo on Wednesday launched the QR Code-based Anganwadi Centre (AWC) initiative in Jammu and Kashmir. The initiative marks a major milestone in leveraging digital technology to make Anganwadi Centres more accessible, transparent and accountable []
IFFJK receives overwhelming global response; 875 film entries received from 50 countries
Submissions open till Jul 30; festival scheduled from Sep 7 to 10 Srinagar: The 1st International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJK) 2026 has evoked an enthusiastic response from filmmakers across the globe, with 875 film submissions received from around 50 countries so far, reflecting the growing international interest in the J&K Governments flagship []
Chief Secy reviews Rs 4,303 crore RIDF projects across J&K
Srinagar, Jul 29: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the High-Powered Committee (HPC) constituted for reviewing the implementation of NABARD projects being executed under various tranches of the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF). The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department; Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works (R&B); Additional Chief Secretary, Finance; Director General, Resources; Chief General Manager, NABARD; and senior officers from Health, Jal Shakti and other concerned departments. The Chief Secretary impressed upon the concerned departments to maintain a ready shelf of projects complete in all respects, including Administrative Approval and Technical Sanction, so that the same can be submitted to NABARD immediately upon the opening of a new RIDF tranche or receipt of sanction, thereby ensuring timely appraisal, approval and commencement of works without any avoidable delay. The Chief Secretary emphasised that RIDF has emerged as one of the most significant sources of institutional finance for strengthening rural infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir. He observed that the successful implementation of these projects is vital for improving rural connectivity, irrigation facilities, agricultural productivity, drinking water infrastructure, horticulture, fisheries and other essential public services. He further instructed the departments to closely monitor the physical and financial progress of each project, conduct periodic field inspections, strengthen inter-departmental coordination and ensure compliance with NABARD guidelines. The executing agencies were also advised to maintain the highest standards of quality, transparency and accountability during project implementation. On this occasion the Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, Shailendra Kumar underscored the need for regular monitoring at all administrative levels so that the benefits of RIDF investments reach efficiently to the intended beneficiaries. He suggested constitution of District level monitoring Committees under the respective Deputy Commissioners for time-bound implementation of such projects here. A detailed presentation was made by CGM, NABARD informing the Committee that 908 projects sanctioned under RIDF Tranches XXVIII to XXXI involve a cumulative loan assistance of Rs 4,303.08 crore, against which an amount of Rs 2,301.48 crore has been disbursed so far. Additionally out of the total sanctioned projects, 157 projects have been completed, while 751 projects are presently under execution. The Committee also reviewed the department-wise implementation status of RIDF projects. It was informed that the Public Works Department (PWD) accounts for the largest share with 660 projects involving a total loan assistance of Rs 2,987.25 crore, followed by the Jal Shakti Department with 36 projects worth Rs 491.93 crore, the Agriculture Production Department (APD) with 110 projects involving Rs 414.27 crore, the Horticulture Department with 19 projects worth Rs 104.52 crore, the Animal/Sheep Husbandry & Fisheries Department with 63 projects amounting to Rs 190.14 crore, and H&ME with 20 projects involving Rs 114.97 crore. Overall, 908 projects with a cumulative loan assistance of Rs 4,303.08 crore have been sanctioned under RIDF Tranches XXVIII to XXXI, against which Rs 2,301.48 crore has been disbursed. A total of 157 projects have been completed, while 751 projects are under execution, with 193 Scheme Monitoring Proformas (SMPs) currently under monitoring. The meeting concluded with a comprehensive review of department-wise progress, identification of critical issues requiring immediate intervention, and issuance of directions for ensuring timely completion of all ongoing RIDF projects across the Union Territory.
Hanguls survival hinges on quiet seasons as human interference poses threat
Srinagar, Jul 29: A landmark study has for the first time mapped the reproductive calendar of the critically endangered Kashmir red deer or Hangul (Cervus hanglu), revealing that human disturbance during crucial breeding and birth months couldbe underminingthe recovery of the species whose population has dwindled to around 400 animals. The research, led by scientists from the Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species(LaCONES),Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, in collaboration with the Wildlife Trust of India, provides what experts describe as a scientific blueprint for protecting Hangul during its most vulnerable periods. Published in the prestigious journal Scientific Reports, the study monitored the only viable wild population of Hangul in Dachigam National Park using non-invasive hormone analysis from 1,172 fresh faecal samples collected over a year. Researchers found that while male Hangul exhibit a synchronised rutting season between October and December, females display a more dispersed mating pattern extending over several months. Pregnancies peak between January and March, while April marks the principal birthing season, when females experience heightened physiological stress. The findings suggest that these months should be treated as critical conservationwindows,with minimal human activity inside Hangul habitats. Our findings establish the reproductive seasons of Hangul for the first time and provide a baseline for conservation breeding programmes, the authors wrote, adding that anthropogenic disturbances during mating and parturition should be minimised to improve population recovery. The study also detected elevated stress hormones in both male and female Hangul during the breeding season. More significantly, researchers recorded another sharp spike in stress during May, coinciding with the annual movement of migratory livestock herders, their sheep, goats and guard dogs into upper Dachigam. While the study says further investigation is needed to conclusively establish the link, scientists believe the timing strongly suggests that livestock movement and associated human activity could be adding pressure on the endangered species. Earlier studies have already shown that Hangul are increasingly shifting towards lower elevations during summer to avoid disturbance, indicating that human presence is altering their traditional habitat use. Researchers also found that Hangul's reproductive cycle differs from that of red deer living in northern Europe and Arctic regions. As a mixed feeder, Hangul has access to food for a longer period than grazing deer, allowing females to have a relatively extended breeding season. Nevertheless, births remain synchronised with spring, ensuring calves arrive when vegetation is abundant, they said. The study reads that satellite-derived vegetation data showed that food availability peaks from May to June, matching the period when newborn fawns require maximum nutrition. It warns that climate change, shifting vegetation patterns and increasing human activity could disrupt this delicate timing, affecting breeding success in future. The findings are expected to have immediate implications for wildlife management in Jammu and Kashmir. Scientists have recommended restricting tourism, grazing, infrastructure work and other disturbances inside Dachigam during the breeding and birthing periods. They also advocate expanding camera-trap monitoring, improving habitat connectivity between isolated Hangul populations and strengthening captive breeding efforts using the newly established reproductive calendar. Once numbering between 3,000 and 5,000 animals across Kashmir, the Hangul has suffered a catastrophic decline over the past century due to habitat fragmentation, grazing pressure, poaching and human disturbance. Today, Dachigam National Park supports the only viable population, with a few tiny, isolated groups surviving in Wangat-Naranag, Overa-Aru, Tral and Lolab landscapes. The researchers say the hormone profiles generated through the study now provide an essential scientific foundation for future conservation breeding programmes and long-term management strategies, especially as climate change continues to reshape Himalayan ecosystems. The study concludes that protecting Hangul during its mating and birthing seasons may prove as important as habitat restoration itself, warning that without reducing disturbance during these critical months, the future of Kashmir's iconic red deer will remain uncertain.
IFFJK 2026 draws global response
Srinagar, Jul 29: The 1st International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJK) 2026 has evoked an enthusiastic response from filmmakers across the globe, with 875 film submissions received from around 50 countries so far, reflecting the growing international interest in the J&K Government's flagship cinematic initiative. The film submission window for the festival will remain open until tomorrow, 30 July 2026, providing filmmakers with the final opportunity to register their entries for participation in the inaugural edition of the festival. The IFFJK, organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) in collaboration with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), is scheduled to be held from 7 to 10 September 2026. The festival aims to establish Jammu and Kashmir as a vibrant destination for cinema, creativity, and cultural exchange, while providing a prestigious platform for filmmakers from across the world to showcase their work. The encouraging response from both national and international filmmakers underscores the growing confidence in Jammu and Kashmir as an emerging hub for film production, cinematic excellence, and creative collaboration. The diversity of submissions received from around 50 countries is expected to enrich the festival with a wide spectrum of storytelling traditions, artistic perspectives, and innovative filmmaking. The four-day festival will feature screenings of selected films, interactive sessions, masterclasses, panel discussions, and cultural engagements, offering opportunities for filmmakers, industry experts, students, and cinema lovers to exchange ideas and explore new avenues of collaboration. The IFFJK is envisioned as a significant step towards promoting artistic excellence, strengthening cultural dialogue, and showcasing the rich heritage, scenic grandeur, and creative potential of Jammu and Kashmir before a global audience. The festival also aims to promote the culture of Jammu and Kashmir through cinema, promote artistic excellence, cultural exchange, and cinematic innovation by exhibiting and recognising outstanding films from around the world. It also envisions contributing to the understanding and appreciation of film cultures of different nations within the context of their social and cultural ethos, besides promoting friendship and cooperation among the people of the world through the medium of cinema. Pertinently, the curtain raiser ceremony of the festival was held on 17 July 2026, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah formally launching the first-ever international film festival of Jammu and Kashmir and inviting filmmakers, artists, producers, and cinema enthusiasts from around the world to participate in the landmark event.
Srinagar, July 29: The University of Kashmir (KU) has been accorded the prestigious Category-I status by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under the UGC (Categorisation of Universities for Grant of Graded Autonomy) Regulations, 2018. According to an official communication issued by the UGC Secretary, Prof Shyama Rath (D.O. No. 91-1/2024(SU-1)/142186), the decision was approved during the Commission's 598th meeting held on July 6,2026, makingthe University eligible for enhanced academic, administrative, and financial autonomy available to India's top-performing higher education institutions. The University shall now be eligible for all the benefits as stipulated under Clause 4, i.e., Dimensions of Autonomy for Category-I Universities, of these Regulations, the UGC communication states. Expressing her delight over the achievement, Vice-Chancellor Prof Nilofer Khan described the recognition as a defining moment in the University's journey towards academic excellence. The grant of Category-I status by the UGC reflects the University's sustained academic progress and our collective commitment to quality. I sincerely thank our Hon'ble Chancellor, Shri Manoj Sinha, Pro-Chancellor, Mr Omar Abdullah, and Minister for Higher Education, UT of J&K, Ms Sakina Itoo, for their continued guidance and support in strengthening higher education in Jammu and Kashmir. I also congratulate our students, scholars, faculty and non-teaching staff, whose dedication and unwavering commitment have made this recognition possible. We will utilise the enhanced autonomy to further expand academic opportunities, research, innovation, and institutional collaborations, she said. Prof Khan further noted that the Category-I status would significantly enhance the University's global academic footprint by enabling collaborations with leading international universities, facilitating the engagement of foreign faculty, admitting international students, and offering new Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programmes in accordance with UGC regulations. She said the enhanced autonomy would further strengthen research, innovation, interdisciplinary learning, and internationalisation initiatives. The recognition follows the University's outstanding performance in the NAAC Re-accreditation Cycle (2025), in which it secured an A++ Grade with a CGPA of 3.68the highest accreditation score in the University's history. Under the UGC Regulations, Category-I status is conferred on universities that achieve a NAAC score of 3.51 or above. With this recognition, the University of Kashmir will enjoy greater flexibility to introduce new academic programmes, revise curricula, promote interdisciplinary education, establish research and innovation ecosystems, forge national and international collaborations, and undertake a range of academic and administrative initiatives with minimal regulatory approvals. The conferment of UGC Category-I status marks a significant milestone in the University's evolution as a centre of academic excellence and innovation, while reinforcing its commitment to the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and positioning it among the country's leading institutions of higher learning.
82,971 kg narcotics seized in J&K between 2020-2024
Centre cites four-tier NCORD mechanism for coordination Year 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total Seizures (kg) 27,361.35 22,082.41 17,192.41 11,358.53 4,977.21 82,971.91 Table: J&K narcotics seizures, 2020-2024 Srinagar, Jul 29: Jammu and Kashmir saw the seizure of 82,971.91 kg of narcotics under the NDPS Act between 2020 and 2024, the Ministry of Home Affairs told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, as it pointed to a four-tier Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) mechanism set up to strengthen enforcement coordination between Central and State agencies. The data was tabled in response to an unstarred question by MP Jebi Mather Hisham on cross-border narcotics trafficking and border security, with a focus on the North-Eastern states. Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai gave the reply, citing National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2020-2024. Year-wise, seizures in J&K stood at 27,361.35 kg in 2020, 22,082.41 kg in 2021, 17,192.41 kg in 2022, 11,358.53 kg in 2023, and 4,977.21 kg in 2024, marking a consistent year-on-year decline over the period. The NCORD mechanism To explain how enforcement is coordinated on the ground, the ministry detailed the structure of the NCORD mechanism, which it said operates at four levels. At the top, an Apex Committee and an Executive Committee meet at the Centre. Below this, State-level NCORD meetings are chaired by the Chief Secretary on a quarterly basis, while District-level NCORD meetings are held monthly under the District Magistrate to review enforcement, intelligence sharing and preventive measures. The ministry said a dedicated Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), headed by an Additional Director General or Inspector General rank police officer, has been set up in each State and UT to function as the NCORD Secretariat and follow up on decisions taken at the various NCORD levels. Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meetings, involving Central and State agencies, are also held regularly to discuss important narcotics cases. North-East remains the bigger worry While J&K's numbers form part of the national NCRB dataset, the government's answer devoted most attention to the North-Eastern states, which it said remain especially vulnerable to trafficking of Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS) and heroin owing to their location near the Death Triangle and porous borders with Myanmar. The ministry said 4,626 kg of ATS and 2,652 kg of heroin were seized nationally between 2021 and 2025 as reported by drug law enforcement agencies to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). The reply said trafficking patterns in the region have shifted, with a marked rise in Methamphetamine (Crystal Meth/YABA) smuggled from Myanmar through Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland, alongside continuing heroin trafficking. The Moreh Tamu border was flagged as a major transit point, with syndicates increasingly using forest routes, courier and parcel networks, and encrypted communication apps to coordinate deliveries. Other measures announced The government also cited a Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026-2029), released on June 26, 2026, built around four focus areas: enforcement, precursor and synthetic drug control, demand and harm reduction, and capacity building. The NCB currently operates a Zonal Unit in Srinagar among its key border area offices, alongside Siliguri, Agartala and Itanagar. Six new zonal offices have been approved, four of them in North-Eastern states, namely Dimapur, Aizawl, Shillong and Gangtok. Other measures cited include anti-dronesystems, enhanced CCTV and night vision surveillance, and new design border fencing along vulnerable stretches.
The Teacher-Student Bond and the Future of Learning
The relationship between a teacher and a student is one of the oldest and most sacred human bonds. It is a relationship that has shaped civilizations, guided moral compasses, inspired revolutions in thought and given societies their thinkers, reformers and leaders. In every culture worth its name, the teacher has been placed at a high pedestal, not merely as a transmitter of knowledge but as a builder of character, a guide in confusion and a light in the darker corridors of ignorance. The student, on the other hand, has been seen not as a passive recipient of facts but as a seeker, a learner, a future custodian of society. When this relationship functions with trust, respect and sincerity, education becomes transformative. When it weakens, the entire architecture of learning begins to crack. In our time, the teacher-student relationship is under visible strain. The crisis is not only in the classroom but also in the wider social environment that surrounds it. Once upon a time, a teachers word carried weight. A student listened, questioned, absorbed and respected. Discipline was not fear; it was a framework within which learning flourished. Today, that balance has become fragile. In many places, the authority of the teacher has eroded, the attention span of the student has diminished, and the classroom has turned into a battleground between distraction and duty. This is not merely a complaint about manners or changing times. It is a deeper social warning. A society that weakens the moral bond between teacher and student weakens its own future. The relationship between teacher and student is not built on command alone. It rests on a delicate mix of respect, empathy, patience and responsibility. A teacher is not just an employee delivering a syllabus; a teacher is someone who enters the lives of young minds at a formative stage. The words spoken, the attitude displayed, the encouragement offered or denied all of it leaves a mark. Many of the most enduring lessons of life are not remembered from textbooks but from the conduct of a teacher who taught honesty by being honest, humility by being humble and courage by being courageous. A good teacher does not merely inform; he or she shapes the moral climate in which learning becomes possible. At the same time, students too have a responsibility. Respect for the teacher is not old-fashioned submission; it is recognition of a role that carries wisdom, labor and care. A student who constantly resists discipline, mocks authority or treats the classroom as a stage for indifference is not only harming his own prospects but also undermining the spirit of education itself. True learning demands effort. It asks for attention, humility and the willingness to be corrected. The best students are not those who never question, but those who question respectfully, listen carefully and grow steadily. A student does not lose dignity by respecting a teacher; rather, he acquires the discipline required to become a responsible adult. The problem, however, is that in todays fast-changing world, the old grammar of education is often being replaced by a culture of impatience. Smartphones, social media, instant entertainment and an overactive digital environment have shortened attention and diluted seriousness. Many students now arrive in classrooms carrying worlds of distraction in their pockets. The habit of deep listening has been replaced by the urge to scroll, skip and respond instantly. Teachers are no longer competing only with bad habits or weak study patterns; they are competing with an entire ecosystem that rewards speed over reflection and amusement over discipline. In such a climate, the teacher-student bond cannot survive unless it is consciously rebuilt. But it would be unfair to place the burden on students alone. Teachers, too, must introspect. Respect cannot be demanded merely by position; it must be earned through conduct. A teacher who humiliates, ignores, discourages or enters the classroom without preparation damages the very trust that education depends on. Authority without empathy becomes arrogance. Discipline without fairness becomes cruelty. Students, especially the young, are quick to sense insincerity. They may obey out of fear for a while, but they seldom learn deeply from a teacher who lacks compassion. A teacher must be firm, but also just; strict, but also understanding; knowledgeable, but also human. The strongest classrooms are not those built on fear, but those built on mutual regard. There is also a larger social dimension to this issue. In many societies, including ours, the teacher has gradually lost the moral stature once associated with the profession. Part of this decline is due to the commercialization of education, where institutions are often judged by results, fees and rankings rather than by the quality of human formation they provide. Part of it is due to the broader erosion of respect for institutions, where everyone is expected to serve convenience rather than principle. And part of it is due to the shrinking authority of public ethics, where values like humility, patience and responsibility are treated as optional rather than essential. When a society stops honoring its teachers, it should not be surprised when its students grow up directionless. In our own context, this concern is especially urgent. Education here is often discussed in terms of infrastructure, syllabus reforms, appointments and examinations. These matters are important, but they are not enough. What is missing in many debates is the emotional and moral condition of the classroom. Are students able to trust their teachers? Do teachers feel respected enough to teach with passion? Is the classroom alive with inquiry, or dead with routine? Are schools nurturing curiosity, or merely producing certificates? These questions matter because education is not simply the transfer of information. It is the cultivation of mind and character together. Without a healthy relationship between teacher and student, the rest becomes hollow. There was a time when a teacher was seen almost like a parent in the school setting. The relationship was not without discipline, but it had warmth. The teacher could correct a mistake and still remain loved. The student could fear punishment and still feel safe. This is the ideal that must be recovered, though not by romanticizing the past, but by adapting its values to present realities. A modern classroom needs structure, but also dialogue. It needs discipline, but also dignity. It needs accountability, but also encouragement. A student must learn respect, but a teacher must earn trust. That balance is what makes education humane. We must also remember that many of the wounds in this relationship begin early. Children observe adults carefully. If they see contempt in homes, violence in public life, dishonesty in politics and cruelty in institutions, they will carry that emotional grammar into the classroom. Respect cannot be taught only by lecture; it is learned by atmosphere. If the wider society is rude, cynical and self-absorbed, the school will struggle to remain a sanctuary of civility. This is why the teacher-student relationship cannot be isolated from the moral health of the society itself. A broken society produces impatient children. An insecure society produces anxious teachers. A distracted society produces shallow learning. At the same time, schools and colleges must create systems that protect and strengthen this bond. Teachers should be trained not only in subject knowledge but also in communication, classroom management and emotional intelligence. Students should be taught from the earliest stages that education is a shared moral space, not a consumer transaction. Parents should support teachers rather than undermine them at the first sign of conflict. Administrations should defend the dignity of educators while also ensuring accountability. Discipline should be understood as a pathway to freedom, not a prison of obedience. In such an atmosphere, the teacher can guide, the student can grow and learning can recover its sacred purpose. Ultimately, the teacher-student relationship is about the future. Every student carries the possibility of becoming a doctor, writer, engineer, parent, activist, entrepreneur or leader. But before that, each student must first become a human being capable of judgment, empathy and responsibility. This is where the teacher matters most. A syllabus may fill a mind, but a teacher can shape a conscience. A school may produce graduates, but only a meaningful teacher-student bond can produce citizens. In a time when our society is struggling with confusion, aggression and moral fatigue, we cannot afford to treat this relationship lightly. The classroom should once again become a place where the teacher speaks with authority earned through commitment and the student listens with respect earned through maturity. It should be a place where questions are welcomed, discipline is valued and learning is not reduced to examination scores alone. If we succeed in restoring this bond, we will not merely improve education; we will strengthen the social fabric itself. For a nation does not rise only through buildings and budgets. It rises when its teachers inspire, its students respect and its classrooms become workshops of conscience. The teacher-student relationship is not a relic of the past. It is the foundation of every serious future. If we neglect it, we will continue producing educated minds with little wisdom and trained hands with little direction. If we nurture it, we may yet recover the dignity, seriousness and human depth that education was always meant to carry. (The author is an educationist and columnist)
Centre advances tunnel plans for Tangdhar, Gurez
Srinagar, July 29: The Union government has moved forward with plans to provide year round road connectivity to the border regions of Tangdhar and Gurez by initiating key tunnel projects aimed at reducing winter isolation. Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said work has begun on preparing the Detailed Project Report for the proposed Sadhna Tunnel on the Kupwara, Tangdhar stretch of National Highway 701. The project is expected to improve access to Tangdhar, which remains cut off during heavy snowfall. For Gurez, the Ministry has invited bids to appoint a consultant for preparing the DPR of a proposed tunnel beneath Razdan Pass, a route that remains closed for several months every winter because of snow. The Minister said the government cannot yet indicate the estimated cost or completion timeline of either project as both are still in the planning stage. He also clarified that Gurez and the Marwah, Warwan region are not part of the National Highway network, so tunnel construction there does not fall directly under the National Highways programme. Until permanent infrastructure is completed, the Border Roads Organisation will continue snow clearance operations on highways and other roads under its control to maintain connectivity during winter as far as possible. The Centre also highlighted steps to strengthen healthcare facilities in these remote areas. Under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, new health units have been approved for Gurez, including facilities at Dawar, Sheikhpora and Bhagote. Similar Block Public Health Units have also been sanctioned for Tangdhar and Teetwal. The government said free helicopter and air evacuation services remain available for critically ill patients from Gurez requiring treatment at major hospitals outside the region. These services are coordinated jointly by the district administration and the Health Department. For the Marwah, Warwan region, the Centre has sanctioned a Block Public Health Unit at Community Health Centre Marwah, an Ayushman Arogya Mandir at Margi and a six bed prefabricated facility at Primary Health Centre Afti. The Union government said healthcare is primarily the responsibility of the J&K administration, while the Centre continues to support the Union Territory through centrally sponsored health infrastructure and service programmes.
Govt orders probe into patients death at SKIMS Bemina
Srinagar, Jul 29: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has constituted a three-member inquiry committee to investigate the circumstances that led to the death of a patient at SKIMS Medical College Hospital (JVC Hospital), Bemina, on April 26, 2026. In an order of the Health and Medical Education Department, the committee has been tasked with conducting a detailed inquiry into the case and examining whether established medical protocols were followed during the patient's treatment. The committee will be headed by the Principal, Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar, as Chairperson. Other members include the Head of the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, GMC Srinagar, and the Medical Superintendent of Children's Hospital, Bemina. As per the order, the panel will scrutinise all relevant medical records, treatment sheets, monitoring charts, nursing notes, investigation reports, operative notes, consent forms and other documents related to the case. The committee has also been directed to assess whether postpartum haemorrhage or any other obstetric emergency was adequately recognised and investigated after the patient reportedly complained of worsening symptoms. It will examine whether post-delivery monitoring was conducted in accordance with prescribed medical protocols and determine if the patient was shifted prematurely from the delivery area. The inquiry will further examine whether retained placental tissue, trauma during delivery, uterine abnormalities or clotting disorders contributed to the bleeding. It will also review the timeliness and adequacy of surgical intervention and subsequent management provided to the patient. Besides evaluating the role and conduct of doctors, nursing personnel and other staff involved in the patient's treatment, the committee has been asked to fix responsibility, if any, for lapses, negligence, omission, misdiagnosis or deviation from accepted standards of medical practice. The panel has also been directed to recommend corrective measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents in the future. The government has instructed the Principal of SKIMS Medical College Hospital, Bemina, and all concerned officers to extend full cooperation to the committee and provide all required records and documents. The inquiry committee has been asked to submit its detailed fact-finding report, along with documentary evidence, within 15 days from the date of issuance of the government order.
Mehbooba visits slain cops family, flood victims in Budgam
Srinagar, July 29: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday visited Lalpora village in Beerwah Tehsil of Budgam district to offer condolences to the family of martyred Jammu and Kashmir Police Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi, who lost his life in a terror attack in Anantnag earlier this week. During her visit, Mehbooba Mufti paid rich tributes to the brave police personnel and expressed solidarity with the bereaved family. She conveyed her heartfelt condolences and praised Head Constable Qureshi for his courage and sacrifice in the line of duty. Later, the PDP chief visited families affected by the recent flash floods in Beerwah, Budgam, and took stock of the losses caused by the natural calamity. Interacting with the flood victims, Mufti said the disaster was not limited to damage to buildings and property but had deeply affected the lives and livelihoods of many families. She said several traders had lost their shops, businesses, and belongings, leaving them uncertain about their future. She urged the government to take immediate steps for their rehabilitation and provide necessary assistance. Mehbooba Mufti appealed to the authorities to make the vacant Municipal Building in Beerwah available on a temporary basis for affected shopkeepers so that they could safely store the goods and belongings they managed to recover from the flood damage. She also demanded adequate compensation and rehabilitation measures for all shopkeepers whose establishments were damaged in the recent flash floods.
CM Omar Abdullah Congratulates KU On Securing UGC Category-I Status
CM Omar Abdullah Congratulates KU On Securing UGC Category-I Status
Srinagar-Jammu Highway: Police Issue Fresh Traffic Advisory
Police urge commuters to avoid unnecessary travel on NH-44, announce cut-off timings and alternate routes
Jammu Kashmir Launches QR-Enabled Anganwadis, Plans Integrated Digital Profile For Every Child
Chief Secretary directs integration of education, health and immunisation records to strengthen early childhood care and improve service delivery
Jammu Kashmir Transport Department Transfers Five Motor Vehicle Inspectors
Officials posted to new ARTO offices across Kashmir with immediate effect to strengthen administrative efficiency.
Jammu Kashmir: Transport Commissioner Orders Transfer of Five Motor Vehicle Inspectors
SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Transport Department has ordered the immediate transfer and posting of five Motor Vehicle Inspectors (MVIs) as part of an administrative reshuffle intended to ensure the smooth functioning of the Motor Vehicles Department. As per Order No. 140-TC of 2026, issued by the Office of the Transport Commissioner on July 29, []
Sadhotra Urges Omar To Expedite LPG Scheme, Recruitment And Statehood Efforts
SRINAGAR: National Conference Additional General Secretary and former minister Ajay Kumar Sadhotra on Wednesday met Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and discussed a range of organisational matters and public issues, including the restoration of statehood, welfare measures, recruitment, flood protection and the return of Kashmiri migrants. During the meeting, Sadhotra urged the Chief Minister to ensure []
Budgam: CRPF vehicle hits Chinar tree, 3 jawans injured
Budgam, Jul 29 : Three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were injured after their vehicle collided with a Chinar tree near Sheikhpora in Central Kashmir's Budgam district on Wednesday. Officials told the news agencyKashmir News Observer (KNO) that the accident occurred after the driver reportedly lost control over the vehicle, causing it to crash into the roadside Chinar tree. They said three CRPF personnel sustained injuries in the incident. One of the injured personnel, was shifted to a hospital in Srinagar for advanced treatment, while the other two were admitted to a nearby hospital and are stated to be under medical care. Meanwhile, local residents, along with police personnel, immediately rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. Eyewitnesses said the rescuers helped evacuate the injured CRPF personnel, who were trapped inside the damaged vehicle, before shifting them to hospitals for treatment(KNO)
Rights Can Be Restored Only Through Dialogue, Not Protests: Altaf Bukhari
SRINAGAR: Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Wednesday said the rights that Jammu and Kashmir lost following the constitutional changes of August 5, 2019, could not be restored through protests or confrontation but only through dialogue, consultation and a clear roadmap. Addressing reporters after a joining programme at the party headquarters in Srinagar, []
Jammu Kashmir Sports Council to Hold Open Selection Trials for Junior Boys Football Team
SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council has announced open selection trials to pick the Union Territorys Junior Boys Football Team for the Dr B C Roy Trophy 2026-27 National Football Championship, organised under the aegis of the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The division-level trials will be held on July 31 and August 1 []
Mirwaiz Condoles Passing of Niaz Ahmad Khan, Dr Abdul Saeed and Others
Srinagar, July 29, 2026: Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr. Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq today visited Sheesh Bagh, Hawal, to condole the passing of prominent businessman and longstanding well-wisher of the Mirwaiz family, Niaz Ahmad Khan. He conveyed heartfelt condolences to his son Mohammad Hussain Khan, his brothers and other family members, and recalled the deceaseds deep attachment to the historic Jama Masjid Srinagar and the Mirwaiz family. Mirwaiz also visited the family of Dr Abdul Saeed at Ishber, Nishat, where he offered condolences to Mushtaq Ahmad Vakil and other members of the bereaved family and offered Fateha for the departed soul. He recalled the longstanding association of the Vakil family with the Mirwaiz family and conveyed his heartfelt sympathies to them in their hour of grief. Mirwaiz also expressed grief over the passing of Abdul Rashid Mir of Aali Masjid, Eidgah, and the wife of Haji Ghulam Mohammad Shah of Hubbi Colony, Lal Bazar. He prayed to Almighty Allah to grant all the departed souls Jannat-ul-Firdous and bestow patience and strength upon the bereaved families.
Rahul Gandhi targets Home Minister Amit Shah over police action against student protesters
NEW DELHI:In a no-holds-barred attack, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that Home Minister Amit Shah had authorised police excesses against student protesters, triggering a massive uproar in the Lok Sabha during a debate on the bill to amend the anti-paper leaks law. Gandhi also took an oblique dig at the BJP and []
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir supported 6,962 children under Mission Vatsalya during 2025-26, including 1,870 beneficiaries receiving institutional care and 5,092 supported through non-institutional services, according to data presented by the Union Government in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The Ministry of Women and Child Development said 338 Anganwadi Centres in Jammu and Kashmir had also []
Lok Sabha clears anti-paper leak amendment bill amid Opposition din
Jitendra Singh said the government acted swiftly in the NEET paper leak case, and as many as 52 FIRs have been lodged since the anti-paper leak law came into force in 2024.
Nine injured after passenger vehicle overturns in Jammu
Jammu: At least nine people were injured after a passenger vehicle overturned in the Muthi Dream City area of Jammu on Wednesday, officials said. An official said that the accident occurred in the Muthi Dream City area, leaving nine passengers injured. He said the accident took place after the passenger vehicle overturned. Locals, along with []
Jammu Kashmir Tops Among UTs in Anganwadi Water Testing, Nearly 2.93 Lakh Samples Checked Since 2022
Rajya Sabha reply says over 96,000 drinking water samples from Anganwadi centres were tested in J&K in 2025-26; Centre says 17,000 provided per Anganwadi for drinking water facilities under Poshan 2.0
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir had six operational National Highway fee plazas in 2025-26, up from four in 2021-22, while toll collections from National Highways and expressways in the Union territory rose to Rs 502.002 crore during the latest financial year, according to data presented by the Union Government in the Rajya Sabha. The Ministry of []
Woman Electrocuted To Death In Jammu Kashmir
SRINAGAR: A 40-year-old woman died after suffering an electric shock in the Majalta area of Udhampur district on Wednesday, officials said. Quoting an official, the news agency KNO reported that the woman suffered an electric shock at Majalta and died on the spot. She was identified as Sushma Devi (40), a resident of Majalta. The []
Jammu Kashmir Records One Major NH Infrastructure Failure, 10 Deaths in Five Years: Centre
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir recorded one major structural failure on a National Highway during the last five years and the current year, resulting in the deaths of 10 workers, according to data presented by the Union Government in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The incident occurred in 2022 when an adit portal at Khooni Nallah []
J&K Govt Announces Uniform Building Permission Fee Across Union Territory
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has announced a uniform building permission fee for the entire Union Territory. The order was issued on 29 July 2026 by the Housing and Urban Development Department. As per the new rules, the fee for houses and housing colonies has been fixed at 80 rupees per square metre. For []
Tangdhar and Gurez Set for All-Weather Connectivity as Centre Advances Tunnel Plans
SRINAGAR: The Centre has initiated steps towards providing all-weather connectivity to Jammu and Kashmirs seasonally isolated Tangdhar and Gurez regions, with consultancy work for the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the proposed Sadhna Tunnel awarded and tendering underway for a DPR for a tunnel at Razdan Pass. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin []
Jammu Kashmir Recorded Highest-Ever 3,453 Narcotics Arrests in 2022: Centre
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir recorded 3,453 arrests under narcotics-related cases in 2022, the highest figure reported in the Union territory during 2020-24, while 2,214 people were arrested in 2024, according to data placed by the Union Government in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The data provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs showed that JK []
875 Films From Around 50 Countries Submitted for Jammu Kashmirs First International Film Festival
SRINAGAR: The inaugural International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJK) 2026 has received 875 film submissions from around 50 countries, signalling strong global interest in the Union Territorys flagship film initiative, officials said. The submission window for the festival will close on July 30, giving filmmakers a final opportunity to register their entries for []
Arms, ammo seized during joint search in Kulgam orchards
Kulgam: Security forces on Wednesday recovered arms and ammunition during a joint search operation in the TantryporaSursnoo orchard area of south Kashmirs Kulgam district. Sources said that acting on specific intelligence shared by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, a joint search operation was launched by Kulgam Police, the 34 Rashtriya Rifles and the 18 Battalion []
Bill to make delayed registration of births and deaths more stringent introduced in Lok Sabha
According to the Bill, the system will largely remain unchanged for births or deaths reported between one and two years after the event
SC closes case against former PM Manmohan Singh in coal block allocation case
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday closed a criminal case against former prime minister Manmohan Singh in a coal block allocation case while setting aside a summoning order passed against him. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana accepted the CBIs closure report giving a clean chit []
Srinagar: MeT on Wednesday said J&K will experience more rain, and that there was significant rainfall in the past 24 hours. Samba received the highest at 87 mm, followed by Katra with 71.2 mm, Udhampur with 65 mm and Jammu with 52 mm. The MeT Centre Srinagar has forecast more wet weather across J&K over []
Amarnath Yatra: Fresh Batch of 2,051 Pilgrims Leaves Jammu for Baltal
SRINAGAR: A fresh batch of 2,051 pilgrims departed from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu early Wednesday for the Baltal base camp to undertake the ongoing annual Shri Amarnath Yatra, officials said. The 22nd batch left at 2:45 a.m. under stringent security arrangements in a convoy of 82 vehicles, comprising 48 buses, eight medium []
Rajouri , July 29 : Recent flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district caused major damage to the local power and water infrastructure in the region, resulting in the entry of water into houses in the region, government officials said on Wednesday. According to Executive Engineer, Jal Shakti Department, Rajouri, Zulafqar Ali, water supply sources including dug wells, pump wells, and borewells suffered extensive damage due to the flash floods in the area. The Jal Shakti Department official further mentioned that to deal with the overflow of water into residents' homes, the administration is setting up tanks and extending a pipeline to supply water to residents of Rajouri for drinking and household needs. Damage has occurred to water sources such as dug wells, pump wells, and borewells ...water has entered the homes...we have set up tanks, extended a pipeline, to supply water to residents for drinking and household needs...we are assessing the situation... Ali told ANI. Earlier, the flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district washed away 15 transformers and damaged roughly 200 others, causing widespread disruption to electricity supply across the district, Power Development Department (PDD) authorities stated on July 24. Rajouri Power Development Department (PDD) Executive Engineer, Javed Akhtar, stated that power restoration work is currently underway on a war footing. Electricity has already been restored in several affected areas, while restoration work continues in the remaining locations. Earlier, heavy rainfall lashed Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district from early July 21 morning, prompting the district administration and Rajouri Police to issue advisories asking residents to remain alert amid apprehensions of a rise in river water levels and the risk of flash floods, landslides and waterlogging. The district administration advised people to avoid unnecessary travel during the ongoing spell of heavy rain and urged them to stay away from rivers, streams and flood-prone areas. Residents were also asked not to attempt crossing flooded roads or bridges and to follow weather updates and instructions issued by the administration. (ANI)
Death Toll Reaches 13 After 7.1-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Japan
SRINAGAR: At least 13 people were killed after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japans southwestern Kumamoto region on Tuesday, collapsing buildings, damaging roads and infrastructure, and leaving people trapped beneath rubble as rescue operations continued. The earthquake hit the southern island of Kyushu at about 4.27 pm local time, causing widespread damage to buildings, roads, factories []
The Majesty of the Supreme Court: A Constitutional Shield for Indias Students
Noted Senior Advocate Ashok Bhan has said that Supreme Court has reiterated its resolve to uphold rule of law and Constitutionalism by passing todays order. The Supreme Courts order passed today by the Bench headed by the Honble Chief Justice of India is a reassuring affirmation of the Constitutions enduring commitment to the protection of civil liberties, the rule of law and democratic accountability.By recognising the need for a fair, impartial and independent investigation into the allegations of injuries suffered by both students and police personnel during the recet nationwide protests, the Court has once again demonstrated that constitutional rights cannot become casualties of moments of public unrest. He said. Bhan said, The Courts indication that it may constitute a Special Investigation Team under the leadership of a former Judge of the Supreme Court reflects the seriousness with which it views the issues raised before it. Equally significant are the interim directions for preserving CCTV footage, drone recordings, body-worn camera footage, wireless communications and PCR logs. These measures will help safeguard the integrity of evidence and strengthen public confidence that the truth will emerge through a transparent judicial process rather than through competing narratives. Ashok Bhan also added that , The directions protecting the privacy of student protesters, preventing the disclosure of their personal data, directing the release of students without criminal antecedents, and restraining coercive action against peaceful protesters are deeply rooted in the constitutional guarantees of dignity, liberty, privacy and freedom of expression. These safeguards reinforce the principle that peaceful democratic dissent is an essential feature of our constitutional democracy and that the rights of young citizens deserve vigilant judicial protection. Todays order is a powerful reminder that the majesty of the Supreme Court lies not merely in its constitutional authority but in its unwavering resolve to uphold justice without fear or favour. At a time when students across the country have sought to voice their concerns through democratic means, the Court has reaffirmed that constitutional remedies remain available to every citizen. This order will strengthen faith in the judiciary as the ultimate guardian of fundamental rights and as the institution entrusted with preserving the constitutional balance between State authority and individual liberty. He added.
DC Sgr reviews progress of flagship welfare, pension schemes
Srinagar, Jul 28: To assess the progress achieved under various flagship welfare and pension schemes, including Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana (PM-SYM), JK Samadhan, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana (PM-KMY), and the National Pension Scheme for Traders and Self-Employed Persons, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Akshay Labroo, on Tuesday chaired a comprehensive review meeting at DC Office Complex. The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner, Joint Commissioner SMC, District Programme Officer, ICDS, Chief Planning Officer, General Manager DIC, Assistant Commissioner Development, Deputy Director Employment, Chief Education Officer, Chief Agriculture Officer, Chief Horticulture Officer, Assistant Labour Commissioner, AD Handicraft/Handloom, ARTO, District Health Officer, District Officer, KVIB/KVIC, DPM NRLM, District Manager CSC and other concerned. During the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner was given a department-wise presentation on the progress achieved under the PM-SYM, JK Samadhan, PM-KMY and the National Pension Scheme for Traders and Self-Employed Persons in the District. The presentation highlighted the status of enrolment, beneficiary coverage and implementation of these flagship welfare and pension schemes. The DC reviewed the status of beneficiary registration, enrolment progress, awareness campaigns and the overall implementation of the schemes by the concerned Departments and implementing agencies. He stressed the need to intensify outreach and awareness efforts to ensure that every eligible beneficiary is enrolled under the schemes within the stipulated timelines. The DC also underscored the importance of coordination among all stakeholders for the effective implementation of the welfare programmes. The DC further directed the concerned Departments to organise special awareness-cum-registration camps under the National Pension Scheme for Traders and Self-Employed Persons to accelerate awareness generation and voluntary registrations. He emphasized the need to maximise outreach and ensure wider coverage of eligible beneficiaries under all the welfare and pension schemes.
Budgam Man Convicted, Jailed for Using Fake JKBOSE Certificate to Secure IRP Job
SRINAGAR: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Kashmir, formerly the Crime Branch Kashmir, has secured the conviction of a Budgam resident in a recruitment fraud case involving the use of a forged academic certificate to obtain appointment as a Constable in the 9th Battalion of the Indian Reserve Police (IRP). According to the EOW, the Court []
Crime Branch Kashmir Secures Conviction In Fake Certificate Recruitment Fraud
Srinagar: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Kashmir, formerly Crime Branch Kashmir, has secured the conviction of a man for fraudulently securing a job in the police by using a fake qualification certificate. In a handout, the CBK said that a court in Srinagar convicted Nazir Ahmad Malik, son of Abdul Aziz Malik, resident of Budgam, []
Supreme Court Bars Unauthorised Sharing of Audio-Video Recordings of Court Proceedings
SRINAGAR: The Supreme Court has imposed interim restrictions on the use and circulation of audio and video recordings of judicial proceedings, directing that such material cannot be extracted, shared, uploaded, transmitted, modified, stored, hosted or commercially exploited on social media or other digital platforms without prior official approval. The interim order requires permission from the []
KU begins 5-day capacity building workshop for Urdu teachers
Srinagar, Jul 28: The Centre for Distance & Online Education (CDOE), University of Kashmir (KU) in collaboration with National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL), New Delhi, commenced a five-day Capacity Building Workshop for Urdu Teachers in light of NEP 2020 at Main Campus. The workshop has been organised for school Urdu teachers to enhance their pedagogical and professional competencies in line with the provisions of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. It aims to familiarise participants with learner-centric teaching approaches, innovative classroom practices, curriculum reforms and the effective use of digital tools in Urdu language education. In her inaugural address, Vice-Chancellor KU, Prof. Nilofer Khan, emphasized the importance of continuous professional development for teachers in a changing educational landscape. The successful implementation of NEP 2020 depends greatly on well-trained teachers who can adapt to evolving pedagogical practices. Workshops of this nature equip educators with knowledge and skills required to create more engaging and effective learning environments, she said. Dean, School of Open Learning KU, Prof. Shahnaz, said that teacher training remains an important component of quality education. She noted that workshops focusing on subject-specific pedagogy contribute to improving classroom instruction and encourage educators to engage with emerging educational approaches. Assistant Director, NCPUL, Dr. Shama Kausar Yazdani, highlighted the need to equip Urdu teachers with modern teaching techniques while preserving the linguistic and literary richness of the language. Earlier, Director, CDOE KU, Prof. Mohd Altaf Ahanger, welcomed the participants and provided the objectives of the workshop. He said the programme has been designed to improve the teaching skills of Urdu educators through expert sessions, practical training and discussions. The five-day workshop features lectures by subject experts, training sessions, interactive discussions and practical modules on innovative teaching methods, instructional technologies and effective classroom practices for Urdu language teaching. The proceedings of the inaugural session were conducted by Dr. Mohammad Rafi, faculty member, CDOE, KU, while the vote of thanks was presented by Dr. Showkat Rashid, faculty member, CDOE, KU.
KMCH Sempora observes World Hepatitis Day, stresses awareness and early detection
Srinagar, Jul 28: Kashmir Medical College and Hospital (KMCH), Sempora, on Tuesday observed World Hepatitis Day with an awareness programme highlighting the importance of hepatitis prevention, early detection, timely treatment, and public awareness to eliminate the disease. The programme, organised by the Department of Microbiology, brought together senior faculty members and health professionals who emphasised the need to strengthen public awareness, promote routine screening, and encourage preventive measures to reduce burden of viral hepatitis. The event was attended by Executive Director KMCH Insha Qazi, Principal Prof. (Dr.) Nazir Ahmad Khan, Head of the Department of Microbiology Prof. (Dr.) Syed Khursheed, Medical Superintendent Dr. Syed Mubashir, Heads of various departments, faculty members, and doctors. Addressing the gathering, Executive Director Insha Qazi underlined the importance of regular screening and timely medical intervention in preventing complications associated with viral hepatitis. She said awareness, early diagnosis, vaccination, and access to appropriate treatment are essential to achieving the global goal of eliminating hepatitis as a public health threat. Speaking on the occasion, Principal Prof. (Dr.) Nazir Ahmad Khan described hepatitis as a dangerous disease that spreads silently and gradually damages the liver. He said creating awareness about hepatitis is a shared responsibility of healthcare institutions and doctors. He urged doctors to make hepatitis screening a part of routine clinical practice to ensure early diagnosis and timely treatment. Doctors have to become the first line of defence in protecting liver health and preventing liver diseases. It is our duty to promote awareness, encourage regular screening, and work towards eliminating hepatitis, he said. Head of the Department of Microbiology, Prof. (Dr.) Syed Khursheed, said many people infected with hepatitis remain unaware of their condition, making routine screening crucial to prevent the spread of the infection. At KMCH, we strongly advocate routine screening for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. These tests are already available at our hospital, and we will soon introduce molecular diagnostics along with other advanced conventional testing methods to further strengthen our diagnostic services, he said. Describing hepatitis as a silent killer, he said the disease can be effectively controlled through early detection, vaccination, timely treatment, and sustained public awareness. Programmes like these are vital to sensitise people and convey the message that awareness, regular screening, and early treatment are essential to eliminating hepatitis, he added. Medical Superintendent Dr. Syed Mubashir congratulated the Department of Microbiology for organising the World Hepatitis Day programme and appreciated its efforts in spreading awareness about the disease. At KMCH, we are providing free vaccines under the Universal Immunisation Programme. In addition, vaccines for both children and adults are available free of cost. We are also offering hepatitis screening at highly subsidised rates compared to the market, making early detection and prevention more accessible to the public, he said. The programme concluded with a renewed commitment by KMCH to continue organising awareness initiatives, expand community outreach programmes, and strengthen preventive healthcare efforts to promote liver health and encourage timely healthcare-seeking behaviour.
CUK holds awareness prog on gender sensitisation
Ganderbal, Jul 28: The Internal Committee (IC), Central University of Kashmir (CUKashmir), organised an awareness programme on Gender Sensitisation and Legal Provisions with Special Emphasis on POSH Act on Tuesday. The session was presided over by Prof. (Dr.) Sandhya Tiwari, Presiding Officer, Internal Committee (IC), CUKashmir, and featured Prof. (Dr.) Savita Nayyar, Professor, Department of Law and Director, Centre for Womens Studies, University of Jammu, Jammu, as the keynote speaker. The programme commenced with the opening remarks by Chairperson, Prof. (Dr.) Sandhya Tiwari, who warmly welcomed Prof. (Dr.) Savita Nayyar, briefly introduced her to the participants, and invited her to deliver the awareness session. In her remarks, Prof. Sandhya Tiwari, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. A Ravinder Nath, for his continued guidance and support in organising such programmes. Speaking on the occasion, Prof. (Dr.) Savita Nayyar emphasised that sexual harassment is a serious violation of dignity, equality and fundamental rights and should never be ignored or treated as a trivial issue. She elaborated on the constitutional provisions relating to equality, the landmark Vishaka Judgment, and the important judicial developments that led to the enactment of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act). She also discussed the objectives and scope of the Act, the concept of an aggrieved woman, the definition of workplace, the various forms of sexual harassment, and the responsibilities of employers in ensuring a safe and respectful working environment. She explained the legal provisions governing the complaint mechanism under the POSH Act. The programme culminated with concluding remarks delivered by Prof. (Dr.) Sandhya Tiwari, who expressed her appreciation and gratitude to Prof. (Dr.) Savita Nayyar for delivering an informative and insightful session. Prof. (Dr.) Sandhya Tiwari also thanked the faculty members, research scholars and students from various Departments of the University who joined the session for their active participation. During her concluding remarks, Prof. (Dr.) Sandhya Tiwari briefly apprised the participants about the role and functioning of the Internal Committee (IC) of the Central University of Kashmir. She reiterated the University's commitment to promoting a safe, inclusive, and harassment-free environment for all members of the University community.
SKUAST-K Scientist Prof. Syed Mudasir Andrabi bags JC Bose Fellowship
Srinagar, Jul 27: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) has earned national recognition after its senior scientist, Prof. Syed Mudasir Andrabi, was awarded the prestigious JC Bose Fellowship, one of India's highest scientific honours, for his pioneering contributions to biotechnology, innovation and translational research. Prof Andrabi, Professor and Head of the Division of Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, has been selected for the fellowship in recognition of his sustained excellence in research, technological innovation and scientific leadership. The fellowship is awarded to outstanding scientists whose work has made significant contributions to advancing science and technology in the country. An internationally acclaimed researcher, Prof Andrabi has built an extensive body of work spanning animal biotechnology, molecular diagnostics, vaccine development, regenerative medicine, bioengineering and translational biomedical research. His research has focused on developing technologies that address critical challenges in human and animal health while supporting agricultural development and public welfare. Currently, he leads several major research projects funded by premier national agencies, including the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). His ongoing work covers antimicrobial resistance, gene editing, regenerative medicine, vaccine development and the One Health approach. Prof Andrabi's research has resulted in several notable innovations, including SalOvac, a recombinant Lactobacillus-based vaccine against poultry salmonellosis, the RealTick Multiplex Real-Time PCR Diagnostic Kit for human rickettsial infections, LungHealth-MDx, a digital PCR-based epigenetic diagnostic platform, advanced burn recovery bandages and regenerative biomaterials. He holds 13 granted patents, including two U.S. patents, besides several international patent applications and licensed technologies with commercial potential. Congratulating Prof. Andrabi, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai said the honour reflects the growing stature of SKUAST-K in frontier scientific research and innovation. He said the recognition would further inspire the university's research community to pursue high-impact science and accelerate the development of technologies that benefit agriculture, livestock and society. The university described the fellowship as a landmark achievement for both SKUAST-K and Jammu & Kashmir, noting that it reinforces the institution's emergence as a national hub for translational research, innovation and technology development.
DG Rural Sanitation calls for Mission-Mode execution of SBM (G) initiatives across J&K
Srinagar, Jul 28: Director General, Rural Sanitation, J&K, Anoo Malhotra on Tuesday chaired a comprehensive review meeting to assess the implementation and progress of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) across all districts of Jammu & Kashmir. The meeting was attended by Deputy Director Rural Sanitation, Jammu/Kashmir, Shabir Ahmad Hakak, Accounts Officer of the Directorate Ajay Singh, Assistant Commissioners Panchayat (ACPs) of all the districts, other officers and consultants of the Directorate. During the meeting, the Director General conducted a detailed review of the expenditure status under SBM(G), emphasizing the need for timely and effective utilization of available funds to achieve intended outcomes. Districts were directed to closely monitor financial progress and ensure that resources are utilized efficiently for priority interventions. The progress of spillover works was also reviewed, with instructions to expedite the completion of all pending projects within the prescribed timelines. The Director General stressed that delayed works should be closely monitored to ensure early completion without compromising quality. A detailed assessment of the Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) was undertaken, focusing on the status of tendering and implementation of approved works. Districts were instructed to fast-track pending tendering processes and ensure timely execution of infrastructure and sanitation projects. The meeting also reviewed the District Sanitation Plans, highlighting district-specific interventions aimed at improving solid and liquid waste management, strengthening community participation, and enhancing Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities. The Director General directed the districts to intensify field-level monitoring, strengthen documentation, improve service delivery, and ensure greater community participation to enhance overall performance in the national survey. The Model Verification Status of villages and the functionality status of sanitation assets, including Solid and Liquid Waste Management infrastructure and Community Sanitary Complexes, were also reviewed. The Director General directed district officials to undertake regular inspections and ensure that all sanitation assets remain fully functional, properly maintained, and effectively utilized by rural communities. The meeting further reviewed the progress made in the identification and verification of Bulk Waste Generators (BWGs) across rural areas as per the Solid Waste Management Rules 2026. Districts were instructed to complete the identification process at the earliest and ensure compliance with the provisions of the Solid Waste Management Rules through appropriate monitoring and institutional engagement. The Director General underscored the importance of convergence among stakeholders, effective utilization of available resources, and continuous public engagement to sustain the gains achieved under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) and improve the quality of life in rural J&K. The meeting concluded with district-wise action points and timelines for compliance, reaffirming the Directorate's commitment to strengthening rural sanitation systems and achieving the objectives of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) through coordinated and result-oriented implementation.
Zelenskyy has a good meeting with Trump at White House as he seeks more cooperation with US
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Tuesday ahead of Sen Lindsey Grahams funeral, with the two leaders discussing ways for Ukraine to produce its own powerful weapons and other ideas that could help in its ongoing war against Russia. The sit-down in the Oval Office, which was closed to the media, []
7,730 drug traffickers arrested, over 1 lakh users treated in J&K in 3 years
Srinagar, Jul 28: A total of 7,730 drug traffickers were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir over the last three calendar years, while 1,03,716 drug users were treated and rehabilitated in the Union Territory during the same period under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA), the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. The figures were placed on record in response to an unstarred question by MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, who had sought details of de-addiction centres, awareness camps, and rehabilitation services set up in J&K under the anti-drug campaign. Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment B.L. Verma gave the reply. According to data tabled by the ministry, 3,072 traffickers were arrested in 2023, 2,158 in 2024, and 2,500 in 2025. On the treatment side, 35,639 drug users were treated and rehabilitated in 2023-24, 39,711 in 2024-25, and 28,366 in 2025-26 so far adding up to 1,03,716 over the three years. Alongside the enforcement and treatment numbers, the ministry said 31,136 awareness programmes were conducted in J&K over the three years, sensitising a cumulative 1.01 crore people. The year-wise break-up shows fluctuation in activity: 18,939 programmes were held in 2023-24 reaching just over 10 lakh people, falling to 5,851 programmes in 2024-25 even as the number sensitised jumped to nearly 85 lakh, before dropping again to 6,346 programmes in 2025-26. Separately, the ministry noted that since NMBA's launch on August 15, 2020, more than 1.20 crore people have been sensitised in J&K in all, including over 69.14 lakh youth and 51.20 lakh women, with 8,565 volunteers called Nasha Mukti Mitra having joined the campaign in the Union Territory. Infrastructure on the ground The ministry's reply listed the treatment infrastructure available in J&K under the Centrally Sponsored National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR). This includes 21 Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) set up in government hospitals across all districts, from Anantnag and Baramulla to Jammu, Udhampur and Reasi, in collaboration with the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre at AIIMS, New Delhi. Beyond the hospital-based ATFs, the Department is also supporting one Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts (IRCA), six District De-Addiction Centres (DDACs), three Outreach and Drop-In Centres (ODICs), and two Community-based Peer Led Intervention (CPLI) programmes for adolescents, run through NGOs including the J&K Society for the Promotion of Youth and Masses and the National Educational Society and Social Welfare Organisation. The government also pointed to its toll-free de-addiction helpline, 14446, which has received more than 4.6 lakh calls nationally, including over 11,000 from Jammu and Kashmir. How the campaign is monitored On the mechanism to assess NMBA's effectiveness, the ministry said implementation is reviewed through monthly meetings with states and UTs, Chintan Shivirs, and national-level conferences, with states urged to set up NMBA committees at the state, district and block levels. The reply said the campaign has led to sustained awareness generation, increased community participation, and improved outreach for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, though it did not cite an independent evaluation of outcomes. The NMBA was launched in 272 districts identified as most vulnerable, based on inputs from the Narcotics Control Bureau and findings of the first National Survey on drug use, and was extended to all districts of the country in August 2023.
CAPEX review : Not having money easier to explain than not spending it: CM
Srinagar, Jul 28: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday chaired a high-level review meeting on Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) at the Civil Secretariat here and directed all departments to significantly accelerate the pace of expenditure, emphasising that timely utilization of available funds is critical for infrastructure development, public service delivery and sustained economic growth. The Chief Minister underscored the need for focused attention on departments lagging in expenditure and cautioned against the practice of delaying spending until the closing months of the financial year. To have money and not spend it is incompetence. This is very difficult to justify. Not having money is easier to explain, but it is impossible to explain when funds are available and remain unutilized, the Chief Minister said while addressing the meeting. He said the review was intentionally convened at the beginning of the financial cycle rather than towards the end of the year so that corrective measures could be taken in time and departments could utilize the remaining working season effectively. There is still ample working season available in both the Kashmir Valley and the Jammu plains. There should be no reason why funds already released are not spent appropriately. Every department must give this focused attention, he said. The meeting was attended by Ministers Sakina Itoo, Javed Ahmed Rana, Javid Ahmed Dar and Satish Sharma. Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary, Power Development Department, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works Department, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, all Administrative Secretaries, Director General Budget, Director General Codes, Heads of Departments and other senior officers attended the meeting. Outstation officers participated through video conferencing. Reviewing the implementation of the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI), the Chief Minister directed departments to ensure full utilization of allocations under the scheme, warning that any unspent amount during the current financial year would reduce Jammu and Kashmirs allocation in the next fiscal. He stressed that every rupee available under SASCI Part-I must be utilized and instructed departments to identify eligible projects without delay. He also directed ministers to personally review reform-linked targets under the scheme on a fortnightly basis so that Jammu and Kashmir could qualify for additional financial assistance under the reform component of SASCI. The earlier we implement the specified reforms, the sooner we receive additional funds and the more time we will have to utilize them productively, he observed. The Chief Minister asked departments to immediately begin work on projects where administrative approvals and tendering had already been completed, stating that such projects could initially be funded through the CAPEX budget and later shifted to the reform-linked component of SASCI once additional funds become available. He further directed departments to prepare a robust pipeline of projects for the next financial year instead of waiting for funding before identifying development works. Expressing concern over the inability of some departments to identify projects despite the availability of financial resources, the Chief Minister remarked that the governments challenge had shifted from shortage of funds to inadequate project preparedness. He advised departments to revisit the development priorities submitted by Members of the Legislative Assembly during the Budget consultations and utilize proposals, particularly projects exceeding the 2 crore threshold, for inclusion under future SASCI funding. The Chief Minister also instructed departments to initiate administrative approvals and other statutory formalities well in advance so that projects for the 2027-28 financial year remain implementation-ready as soon as funds are sanctioned. Highlighting the need to improve expenditure under Centrally Sponsored Schemes, the Chief Minister directed departments to closely monitor utilization levels and ensure that funds released under all development programmes are spent efficiently and within stipulated timelines. He also took note of suggestions made by ministers regarding simplification and streamlining of the tendering process and directed the concerned departments to evolve an appropriate mechanism to make procurement procedures more efficient while maintaining transparency and accountability. Expressing confidence that departments would respond with urgency, the Chief Minister said the next review would assess tangible improvements in expenditure performance across sectors. Earlier, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, Shailendra Kumar, gave a detailed presentation on the Capital Expenditure position for the financial year 2026-27, covering expenditure under UT sector, District CAPEX and Centrally Sponsored Schemes. He also highlighted departments where expenditure remained below expected levels and outlined the factors contributing to slow utilization of funds.
Govt jobs alone not solution: CM Omar
Srinagar, Jul 28: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday reaffirmed his governments commitment to expanding employment opportunities for the youth, saying that while government jobs alone are not the solution to unemployment, it is the governments responsibility to create more avenues for youth through private sector recruitment, entrepreneurship and industry partnerships. The Chief Minister made these remarks while addressing the valedictory session of the 77th State-Level Mega Job Fair at Amar Singh College, Srinagar. The event was organised by Desh Bhagat University, Punjab, and Cluster University of Srinagar in collaboration with NIELIT, Nations Development Association (NDA) and MY Bharat. Minister for Education Sakina Itoo, Commissioner Secretary School Education Ram Niwas Sharma, Vice Chancellor Cluster University of Srinagar, Vice Chancellors of several universities from Jammu and Kashmir, President Desh Bhagat University Punjab Dr. Sandeep Singh, Principal Amar Singh College, principals and deans of various colleges, members of the teaching fraternity and students were present on the occasion. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that institutions of higher learning have a responsibility that extends beyond awarding degrees. He observed that universities and colleges must actively support students in transitioning from education to employment through continuous engagement and career facilitation. He noted that for decades, educational institutions in Jammu and Kashmir had largely considered their responsibility fulfilled once students graduated. Appreciating the initiative taken by Cluster University Srinagar and Desh Bhagat University in organising the mega job fair, he described it as a significant step towards bridging the gap between education and employment. The Chief Minister highlighted the encouraging outcome of the job fair, stating that of the nearly 5,300 registered candidates, around 470 youth secured job offers, while another 430 candidates reached the final stages of recruitment, requiring only the completion of interview formalities. He said that nearly 900 young men and women had either secured employment or were on the verge of being employed, describing it as an impressive success rate for an initiative that is still in its early stages. He expressed confidence that with more such employment drives, the number of placements would continue to rise. Calling the event a landmark initiative for Cluster University Srinagar, he said it demonstrated the immense potential of structured campus recruitment in Jammu and Kashmir. The Chief Minister stressed the need to institutionalise campus recruitment across all universities and colleges in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that universities, including the University of Kashmir, Islamic University of Science and Technology, University of Jammu, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology and other higher educational institutions, should organise recruitment drives regularly so that students get employment opportunities before completing their studies. Stating that merely asserting government jobs are not the solution to unemployment is not enough, Omar Abdullah said the government cannot abdicate its responsibility after making such a statement. If we cannot provide government employment to every young person, then it becomes our duty to open more doors of opportunity. We cannot simply tell our youth to look elsewhere; we must create opportunities for them through private sector engagement, skill development and industry partnerships, he said. Emphasising the immense talent among the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister said that what they require is greater exposure and wider opportunities. The Chief Minister also underscored the importance of promoting entrepreneurship alongside employment. Referring to the governments recent initiatives to strengthen the startup ecosystem, he said efforts were underway to connect young entrepreneurs with venture capital fund and handholding of startups so that those wishing to establish their own enterprises receive the necessary institutional support. He reiterated that the government would continue making every possible effort to ensure that the youth of Jammu and Kashmir receive opportunities comparable to those available elsewhere in the country and abroad. Congratulating the candidates who secured placements during the recruitment drive, the Chief Minister wished them success in their professional careers. He also extended his best wishes to those who had reached the final stage of the recruitment process, expressing hope that they too would soon secure employment. Earlier, the Chief Minister handed over offer letters to students who were selected during the campus recruitment process. Congratulating the newly recruited candidates, he expressed confidence that they would excel in their respective careers and serve as an inspiration for other aspiring youth. On the occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between Cluster University of Srinagar and Desh Bhagat University, Punjab in presence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, aimed at strengthening academic collaboration, skill development initiatives and enhancing employment opportunities for students. The mega job fair brought together more than 50 reputed employers from various parts of the country, including companies with operations in the Gulf and Middle East. The event offered direct employment opportunities to graduates, postgraduates, diploma holders and skilled youth through on-the-spot interviews, screening and recruitment, while also providing career guidance and valuable industry exposure.
Embrace innovation, lifelong learning: LG Sinha to youth
Srinagar, Jul 28: You are not merely job-seekers. You are the makers of India's future. In your hands rests your career as well as the direction of the nation's development. You are the strength of Skill India, the face of Digital India, and the true bearers of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Tuesday. He was addressing the aspiring youth and representatives from leading industries at the 77th State-Level Mega Job Fair, held at Amar Singh College, Srinagar. The LG described the job fair as a powerful means of connecting the aspirations of youth with opportunities and an important step toward building the nation's bright future. Organised by Desh Bhagat University, Punjab, and Cluster University, Srinagar, in collaboration with NIELIT, Nations Development Association (NDA), and MY Bharat, the Mega Job Fair brought together more than 50 reputed companies across diverse sectors including information technology, healthcare, banking, financial services, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, education, logistics, and engineering. The Lieutenant Governor outlined six key objectives: ensure meaningful employment for youth to become self-reliant and contribute to society; pave the way for industry-academia partnerships to bridge the gap between degrees and workplace skills; ensure skill development programmes are aligned with digital literacy and technical capabilities; create a roadmap for simplified recruitment through on-the-spot interviews and direct hiring; promote entrepreneurship to encourage job creators alongside job seekers, and prepare a future-ready workforce to strengthen India's development journey. Sinha urged students to embrace three guiding principles: never make dreams small, never stop learning, and always embrace innovation. Dream big and focus on new discoveries. The future belongs to those who seek new solutions, develop new thinking, and lead change. Success is meaningful only when achieved with ethics and responsibility, he said. The LG stressed that colleges and universities must evolve into institutions that prepare students for life beyond examinations. He called upon industry representatives to act as recruiters, mentors, and partners in shaping the future workforce. If industry and education work together, we can create an environment where knowledge and experience strengthen each other, and innovation and employment advance together, he said. The Lieutenant Governor underscored the growing interest of youth in entrepreneurship, citing that since 2020, lakhs of youth became entrepreneurs. He recalled that the Union Territory led the country in PMEGP in 202122 and expressed confidence that the UT will carve a new identity in innovation, startups, and modern industries. He said that unemployment cannot be solved through government jobs alone, outlining three priorities: aligning skills with industry needs, promoting private sector job creation through MSMEs and SMEs, and bridging the transition from college to workplace through internships, mentorships, and career guidance. Let us resolve that this 77th Mega Job Fair will mark the beginning of a new chapter in the employment history of Jammu Kashmir, the Lieutenant Governor said. The event was attended by Commissioner Secretary Higher Education Ram Niwas Sharma, Cluster University of Srinagar Vice Chancellor Prof Mohammad Mobin, Cluster University of Jammu Vice Chancellor Prof K.S. Chandrasekar, IUST Vice Chancellor Prof Shakil Ahmad Romshoo, Desh Bhagat University President Dr Sandeep Singh, Amar Singh College Principal Prof Tehmina Yousuf, senior officials, representatives of leading industries, heads of educational institutes, and a large number of youth.
39 Amarnath Yatris injured in Ganderbal bus accident
Ganderbal, July 28: Thirty-nine Amarnath Yatra pilgrims sustained injuries after a bus carrying devotees returning from the holy Amarnath Cave Shrine overturned and rolled down into a gorge at the S-Mode stretch of Hari Ganiwan in Gund area of central Kashmir's Ganderbal district on Tuesday morning, triggering a massive rescue and emergency medical operation involving police, security forces, civil administration and health authorities. The bus, bearing registration number AR11A-5655, wason its way towardsSrinagar after the pilgrimshadpaid obeisance at the holy cave shrine when the accident occurred at the sharp S-Mode stretch along the Srinagar-Sonamarg highway. Officials said the accident took place during the early hours of Tuesday, prompting an immediate response from Gund Police and various security agencies stationed along the Yatra route. Led by SHO Gund Rayees Ahmad, personnel from the ITBP, CRPF 118 Battalion, 2 Assam Rifles, 21 Rashtriya Rifles, Yatra Police and local volunteers rushed to the accident site and launched a large-scale rescue operation. Despite the difficult terrain, rescue teams evacuated all the injured pilgrims from the gorge and shifted them to nearby health facilities in the shortest possible time. As soon as information about the accident reached the health authorities, the emergency response system at Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Kangan was activated. Hospital officials said 39 injured pilgrims were brought to SDH Kangan, where doctors, paramedics and other healthcare workers were already prepared to receive the victims. The Medical Superintendent of SDH Kangan reached the hospital at around 6:00 am and personally supervised the emergency response. All injured pilgrims underwent immediate medical examination, trauma assessment and stabilisation. After receiving emergency treatment, all 39 patients were referred to SKIMS Soura for specialised medical management and advanced care. Officials later confirmed that 39 pilgrims had sustained injuries in the accident and were undergoing treatment at SKIMS. Soon after the accident, the district administration and senior civil and police officers closely monitored the rescue and medical response. Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal and Senior Superintendent of Police Ganderbal remained in constant touch with field officers and health authorities to ensure smooth evacuation of the injured and uninterrupted medical care. Senior officials coordinated ambulance movement, referrals and hospital arrangements to prevent any delay in treatment. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha immediately reviewed the situation after the accident. In a post on X, the Lieutenant Governor said he spoke with the Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal and health officials regarding the condition of the injured pilgrims. He said 39 devotees returning after the darshan of Baba Barfani sustained injuries and were undergoing treatment at SKIMS. The LG directed health authorities to provide every possible assistance and ensure the bestavailable medical care tothe injured devotees. I pray to Lord Shiva for the speedy recovery of the injured pilgrims, he said. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed deep concern over the accident and directed the Health Department to ensure the best possible treatment for all injured pilgrims. The CMdeputed Health Minister Sakina Itoo to visit SKIMS Soura and personally oversee thetreatment of the injured. Later in the day, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha visited SKIMS Soura to enquire about the condition of the injured pilgrims. He was accompanied by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar; senior police officials; Medical Superintendent SDH Kangan; Chief Medical Officer and other senior civil and police officers. SKIMS Director Dr Ashraf Ganie was also present there along with the hospital staff. They interacted with doctors treating the injured and reviewed the medical arrangements made for the pilgrims. MLA Kangan also visited SKIMS Soura, met the injured pilgrims and enquired about their health and well-being. The legislator also interacted with doctors and hospital authorities regarding their treatment and wished the injured a speedy recovery. Officials identified the injured pilgrims as: Mukesh Singh (Ajmer, Rajasthan), Rizwan (Delhi), Mukesh Gowala (Madhya Pradesh), Chanda Kanta (Madhya Pradesh), Ishwar Lal Prajapati (Madhya Pradesh), Changan Lal (Madhya Pradesh), Hari Prakash (Madhya Pradesh), Mira Bai (Madhya Pradesh), Devinder Lal Rathore (Madhya Pradesh), Prahlad Pawar (Madhya Pradesh), Kishore (Madhya Pradesh), Gayanthi (Madhya Pradesh), Surender Rathore (Rajasthan), Shikha (Rajasthan) ,Chanda (Rajasthan) Govind Raja Rathore (Rajasthan), Hema Bai (Madhya Pradesh), Indra Bai (Madhya Pradesh), Yashoda Pawar (Madhya Pradesh), Sama Bai (Madhya Pradesh), Sita Bai (Rajasthan), Kanaka Lal (Madhya Pradesh), Lakshmi Bai (Madhya Pradesh), Kishwas Rathore (Madhya Pradesh), Sangeeta Bai (Madhya Pradesh), Salagram Rathore (Madhya Pradesh), Monika (Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh), Peram Bai (Madhya Pradesh), Hari Prakash Patidar (Madhya Pradesh), Sampat Bai (Madhya Pradesh), Parvati (Madhya Pradesh) Officials said the remaining injured pilgrims were also receiving treatment and their details would be updated after verification. Authorities said the timely rescue operation by security forces, police, local residents and emergency responders, followed by the swift medical response at SDH Kangan and SKIMS Soura, played a crucial role in preventing the tragedy from becoming more severe. The administration said it continues to monitor the health of the injured pilgrims and has directed all concerned departments to provide every possible assistance until their full recovery.
CM directs depts to ensure timely utilization of funds
Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday chaired a high-level review meeting on Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) at the Civil Secretariat here and directed all departments to significantly accelerate the pace of expenditure, emphasizingthat timely utilization of available funds is critical for infrastructure development, public service delivery and sustained economic growth. The Chief Minister underscored the []
You are makers of Indias future: LG Sinha
Addresses 77th State-Level Mega Job Fair in Srinagar Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday addressed aspiring youth and representatives from leading industries at the 77th State-Level Mega Job Fair, held at Amar Singh College, Srinagar. Organised by Desh Bhagat University, Punjab & Cluster University, Srinagar in collaboration with NIELIT, Nations Development Association (NDA) and []
39 Amarnath Pilgrims injured as bus skids off road in Ganderbal
LG visits SKIMS, meets injured pilgrims CM Omar deputes Sakina Itoo to oversee treatment Gund (Ganderbal): At least 39 Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra pilgrims were injured after a bus carrying devotees skidded off the road near the S-Mode at Hariganiwan in the Gund area of central Kashmirs Ganderbal district along the Srinagar-Leh National Highway on []
Over 4.35 lakh pilgrims pay obeisance since Jul 3
Srinagar: A fresh batch of 3,029 Amarnath pilgrims, including 30 foreign male devotees, reached the Baltal base camp on Tuesday after departing from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu under tight security arrangements, officials said. The 21st batch left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas at 2:45 am in a convoy of 151 vehicles, comprising 57 buses, []
Apologise if my remarks on violence against protesters in Kashmir hurt anyone: Mehbooba
Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday apologised for her remarks made at Jantar Mantar that appeared to be justifying the use of force against Kashmiris, saying she meant to say that security forces have an excuse in the valley due to militancy. If the remarks have hurt the people, I apologise, []
Where is the apology, asks Omar
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday slammed PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti for not apologising for her remarks at Jantar Mantar, where she allegedly justified the use of force against Kashmiris. Earlier this week, Mufti appeared to defend past usage of pellet guns in the Valley, saying it was different in Kashmir []
PDP announces protests on Aug 5 for Art 370 restoration
Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday announced that her party would hold peaceful protests at district headquarters across Jammu and Kashmir on August 5 to press for the restoration of Article 370 and resolution of the Kashmir issue. The Centre revoked J-Ks special status by abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution []
J&K accelerates business reforms to boost investment, growth
Srinagar: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Tuesday chaired a meeting of the concerned Administrative Secretaries to review the progress achieved under the next phase of the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) programme and assess the implementation status of the identified deregulation and compliance reduction reforms across Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting was convened to evaluate []
Short: A School Lost is a Future Delayed
Short: J&K gets Rs 154.57 cr fisheries projects under PMMSY
Short: 58 hydro projects with 324 MW potential identified: Govt
Kashmir, often celebrated as Paradise on Earth, is blessed with majestic mountains, lush green valleys, crystal-clear lakes, and rich biodiversity. However, beneath this breathtaking beauty lies a fragile Himalayan ecosystem that is increasingly vulnerable to natural disasters such as cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides. In recent years, these disasters have become more frequent and severe, resulting in the tragic loss of lives, destruction of homes, damage to roads and bridges, disruption of livelihoods, and immense economic losses. The unique topography of Kashmir plays a significant role in the occurrence of these disasters. The region is characterized by steep mountain slopes, unstable geological formations, glaciers, river networks, and heavy seasonal rainfall. Climate change has further intensified the frequency of extreme weather events, while rapid urbanization, deforestation, encroachment upon floodplains, and unplanned construction have increased vulnerability. Natural disasters should not be viewed merely as unavoidable acts of nature. Their devastating impact is often magnified by human negligence and inadequate planning. Disaster risk reduction must become a shared responsibility involving the Government, local bodies, experts, educational institutions, civil society organizations, and every citizen. Message to Government Authorities: Strengthen early warning systems, enforce environmental laws, improve drainage, restore rivers, regulate construction in vulnerable areas, and invest in scientific disaster management and resilient infrastructure. Message to Local Bodies: Identify high-risk zones, maintain drainage, conduct awareness programmes and mock drills, and ensure quick emergency response through trained volunteers and community participation. Message to the General Public: Respect nature. Avoid illegal construction on floodplains and unstable slopes. Protect forests, conserve wetlands, follow official weather warnings, and keep emergency kits ready. Parents and schools should educate children about disaster preparedness. Climate change makes extreme weather more unpredictable. Every tree planted, every river protected, and every environmentally responsible decision reduces future disaster risks. Sustainable development and environmental conservation must go hand in hand. Kashmir's natural beauty is a priceless heritage entrusted to us. The responsibility of protecting it cannot rest on the Government alone. Every citizen has a role to play. Preparedness saves lives, awareness prevents panic, and collective action builds resilience. Let us work together to create a safer and stronger Kashmir for future generations. Disasters may be inevitable, but disasters turning into tragedies is not . Preparedness, environmental responsibility, and collective action are our strongest safeguards. (The author is a former tutor, Department of Health Services, Jammu & Kashmir)
Tourism-Based Employment Opportunities for Youth in Kashmir
Kashmir, often described as Paradise on Earth, is one of the most breathtaking tourist destinations globally. Tourism should have some main qualities, which Kashmir fulfils: beauty and hospitality. Kashmir holds a unique position on the world tourism map due to its unparalleled natural beauty, cultural richness, and hospitality. World-renowned tourist destinations like Dal Lake, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonmarg, along with other offbeat tourist destinations such as Teetwal, Karen, Gurez, and Bungus, as well as traditional handicrafts and vibrant festivals, add cultural depth to the visitor experience. This combination of natural allure and cultural heritage has earned Kashmir a reputation as a top-tier tourist destination worldwide. Every part of Kashmir is a tourist destination due to its uniqueness, but mainly there are some recognised and unrecognised tourist destinations that can be a milestone for youth engagement and can prove to be a source of economy for the state. Yet, many of these places are not well developed and do not follow the due protocols of environmental preservation. There is no doubt that tourism has contributed to the local economy. Over the last decade, tourism in Kashmir has been in full swing due to the participation of local youth and government initiatives to open up new places. The youth have taken the opportunity to fully promote tourist destinations on social media and have even promoted border tourism more than the mainland tourist destinations. Therefore, youth need to be given full opportunities to be engaged. Kashmir offers a rich array of tourism types, catering to diverse interests throughout the year. Pilgrimage and religious tourism play a significant role, as Kashmir is home to several sacred sites for Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Buddhists. The Amarnath Cave pilgrimage, Hazratbal Shrine, Shankaracharya Temple, and various Sikh gurudwaras attract devotees from across the country and abroad. Adventure tourism is also popular, with Kashmirs snow-capped mountains and verdant valleys providing ideal conditions for trekking, skiing, paragliding, and river rafting. Additionally, ecotourism thrives in Kashmir due to its pristine environment and biodiversity hotspots, offering opportunities for eco-friendly tourism that promotes conservation and awareness. Cultural tourism is deeply rooted in traditional Kashmiri arts, crafts, music, dance, and cuisine, enriching the visitor experience. The valleys natural springs and tranquil atmosphere also present great potential for wellness tourism, focusing on yoga and Ayurveda retreats. Youth engagement in the tourism sector is vital for sustaining and advancing the industry in Kashmir. The youth play a crucial role not only in boosting the economy but also in preserving the cultural and natural heritage of the region. Their innovation, energy, and adaptability bring fresh perspectives to this evolving sector, helping to meet the changing demands of tourists and enhancing the overall experience. Opportunities for youth engagement in tourism are various. They can be hoteliers and hospitality workers, managing hotels, guesthouses, and homestaysoffering tourists an authentic Kashmiri living experience. Youth also serve as knowledgeable and enthusiastic tourist guides, sharing historical, cultural, and ecological insights. Transport services such as operating taxis, buses, and bike rentals are popular, especially for reaching offbeat and remote destinations. Additionally, young adventure and trekking guides lead expeditions and activities, ensuring safety and satisfaction. Other opportunities include providing camping and tenting services for outdoor enthusiasts and promoting environmental tourism by organising eco-tours and raising awareness about sustainable practices. To meet the growing demands of the tourism industry, fresh recruitment drives focus on attracting young talent as tourist guides, hospitality staff, and eco-tourism promoters. Training programs and certification courses are increasingly available to enhance skills in languages, hospitality management, first aid, and environmental stewardship. Enthusiastic youth with a passion for tourism and the environment are encouraged to join these initiatives to create a professional and responsible tourism workforce. Additionally, the Department of Tourism needs to revive and update current employment schemes to better align with the evolving needs of the industry and the aspirations of young people. Beyond the traditional roles, there are numerous additional opportunities for young entrepreneurs to explore. These include promoting and selling traditional Kashmiri handicrafts such as Pashmina shawls, carpets, and papier-mch items, which can boost local craftsmanship and the economy. Digital tourism marketing is another promising avenue, where youth can utilise social media and online platforms to promote Kashmir tourism and develop innovative travel services. Culinary tourism, through cafes or food tours showcasing authentic Kashmiri cuisine, as well as organising cultural performances and festivals, can further enrich the tourism experience while providing employment and creative outlets for youth. Tourism in Kashmir is a dynamic and growing industry offering vast employment opportunities for the youth. With its rich natural beauty, cultural heritage, and diverse tourism sectors, Kashmir has the potential to become a sustainable tourism hub. Engaging youth as hoteliers, guides, transporters, environmentalists, and entrepreneurs not only empowers them economically but also preserves the regions unique identity. To fully realise this potential, the Department of Tourism must actively create and expand opportunities that engage youth across these diverse roles, driving socio-economic growth and fostering a resilient and sustainable tourism ecosystem. (The author is a columnist and can be reached at: Fidafirdous8@Gmail.com ) Box: Tourism in Kashmir is a dynamic and growing industry offering vast employment opportunities for the youth. With its rich natural beauty, cultural heritage, and diverse tourism sectors, Kashmir has the potential to become a sustainable tourism hub
When Cruelty Becomes a Spectacle
The alleged gang rape in Baramulla, and the reported filming of the assault, is a wound on the moral and civic fabric of Jammu and Kashmir. It is not merely another case to be filed, processed, and forgotten in the slow grind of the criminal justice system. It is a reminder that when predators move with impunity, and when violence is documented instead of deterred, society itself stands accused. According to the police, a young woman and her male friend were attacked after being accosted in Jalsheeri Drangbal, sexually assaulted, and humiliated further by the recording of the crime on video. If the allegations stand proven, this is not only an act of rape but an act of deliberate degradation, an attempt to turn a human beings suffering into a trophy of power. The fact that such footage was reportedly shown to others only deepens the obscenity. It signals a culture of brutality where shame is shifted from the guilty to the victim, and where criminality seeks validation through circulation. The arrest of the two accused is necessary, but arrests alone do not equal justice. The public has seen too many cases where initial outrage fades into procedural fog, leaving survivors to bear the burden of memory while the system grows selective in its urgency. What is needed now is a ruthless, transparent, and time-bound investigation, with no room for delay, dilution, or quiet compromise. If the evidence is strong, the prosecution must move with force. If there were more involved, they too must be identified. If any network of intimidation, sharing, or concealment exists around the video, it must be exposed. This case also demands a larger question: what has happened to the moral reflex of our society? When violence is filmed, shared, and treated as a spectacle, we are no longer dealing only with individual depravity. We are confronting a deeper rot, an erosion of empathy, dignity, and fear of law. The answer cannot be only police action. It must include swift courts, stronger deterrence, better public safety, and a civic refusal to normalise cruelty. The survivor must be protected with absolute sensitivity and dignity. The accused must face the full force of the law. And the administration must ensure that this case does not become another headline swallowed by time. In a society that still claims to value honour, justice, and humanity, there can be no forgiveness for those who turn rape into theatre.
A School Lost is a Future Delayed
Jammu and Kashmirs education story has acquired a troubling new headline. Official data placed before Parliament shows that the Union Territory has lost 4,386 government schools in five years, with the number falling from 23,173 in 202122 to 18,787 in 202526. Even if the language of merger and consolidation is used to soften the blow, the reality remains stark: thousands of public schools have disappeared from the map, and with them the promise of easy, neighbourhood access to education for countless children. The Centre is right in saying that education falls under the Concurrent List and that school opening, merger or closure is a matter for the UT administration. But that constitutional fact cannot become a convenient shelter for administrative complacency. If school consolidation is being done under NEP 2020, it must be judged by one simple test: has it improved learning without making children travel farther, drop out earlier, or lose the familiarity and safety of a nearby school? If the answer is no, then policy has failed its most basic duty. A government school is not merely a building with a bell. In a place like Jammu and Kashmir, it is often the only affordable educational lifeline for poor families, girls, children in remote hamlets, migrant households, and those who cannot absorb the cost of transport or private tuition. When a school closes, the burden does not vanish; it shifts to the child. Longer walks, unsafe routes, transport costs, irregular attendance, and eventually dropout often follow. The loss is therefore not administrative alone, but social, economic and deeply human. The official reply also notes that the number of government schools across the country has declined. But national decline cannot be used to normalise local distress. Jammu and Kashmir has its own geography, its own patterns of habitation, and its own vulnerabilities. What may pass as rationalisation in one region can become exclusion in another. In mountainous, scattered and weather-sensitive areas, proximity is not a luxury; it is the condition that makes education possible. The government says the NEP allows consolidation only when done judiciously and without compromising access to neighbourhood schools. That phrase must now be tested against facts on the ground. Were parents consulted? Were distances mapped? Was transport arranged where needed? Were students tracked after mergers? Were schools with low enrolment closed because of genuine demographic shifts, or because years of neglect hollowed them out until closure became inevitable? These are not minor questions. They go to the heart of accountability. What makes the situation even more worrying is the contrast between rhetoric and reality. The Centre speaks of financial assistance under Samagra Shiksha, classroom construction, transport facilities, free textbooks and uniforms. Yet if the school network itself is shrinking so sharply, then infrastructure support alone is not enough. A classroom is useful only if a child can reach it without hardship. J&K needs an honest audit of these closures, a district-wise public explanation, and a clear plan to restore access where it has been weakened. The measure of education policy is not how elegantly it sounds in official documents, but how faithfully it serves the child at the last village, the farthest slope and the poorest home. On that measure, this decline demands not defence, but correction.
The Silent Companion: From Discipline to Equilibrium
As I stand holding a stick in my hand, I am reminded of the quiet, enduring role canes have played throughout my life. To hold a stick is to hold one of humanitys oldest companions. Long before metal was forged or stone was knapped into refined tools, the humble branch was our species very first technology. Nearly half a million years ago, our ancient ancestors relied on fire-hardened wooden sticks to dig for sustenance, defend against predators, and navigate rugged terrain. Over millennia, as societies evolved, this primitive tool transformed into the shepherds staff, the travelers emblem, the royal scepter, and eventually, the classic gentlemans walking canea timeless symbol of dignity, authority, and age-old wisdom. For me, however, the stick was first an instrument of schoolyard discipline and fear. Growing up, I was no stranger to the sharp sting of a cane, courtesy of my teachers. One particular incident that still makes me shudder occurred when Molvi Noor u Din, my Class 7 teacher at Islamia High School, reprimanded me for being late to attend Namaz Zohar at Jama Masjid. The memory of being caned and fainting for hours still lingers in my mind. As I grew older, my encounters with sticks continued in different forms. During my college days at S. P. College in 1964, my friend Saleem and I were stopped by an Assistant Sub-Inspector from the Khotibagh police station for cycling double-seat. The officer, in his dirty uniform and matching turban, wielded a cane threateningly and insisted on taking us in. Although I managed to escape the blow, Saleem was not so lucky. Fortunately, my fathers friend, the late Mr. G. M. Hafizwho was serving as an Inspector at the stationintervened and reprimanded the ASI, saving us from further trouble. He kindly entertained us inside the station with hot tea and ginger biscuits, specially brought from Lal Sheikh and Sons, the famous bakers of that era. That warm gesture not only soothed our frayed nerves but also left an indelible impression on us. Yet, it is not just the haunting memories of youth that make me reach for a stick today. In modern-day Srinagar, with the rising population of stray dogs, carrying a stick has become an essential precaution for early morning walkers like me. Just as it protected ancient humans from wild beasts, it remains a reliable line of defense today. I recall a close encounter on the Kashmir University campus when a pack of dogs suddenly ambushed me; thankfully, my umbrella saved me that morning, prompting me to promptly order a sturdy stick for future protection. Most recently, however, my relationship with the stick took on its most vital meaning yet. Two years ago, a severe bout of vertigo suddenly struck, threatening to strip away my sense of stability and independence. The world seemed to tilt beneath my feet, making even simple movements an ordeal. Recovering from that ordeal was a long, patient journey. Reaching for my stick once again became my salvationa true lifeline that restored my equilibrium, allowing me to handle my balance both while traveling and within the quiet comfort of my home. Now, in this seasoned chapter of life, the stick has come full circle. For the elderly, it is far more than a defense against stray animals or a simple walking aid; it is a confidence booster, a balance maintainer, and a silent, reliable partner for every step forward. As I look back on my journey while resting my hand upon it, I realize this stick connects me to an ancient human legacy. It stands as a quiet testament to the discipline of my youth, the warmth of old friendships, the physical resilience regained after illness, and the enduring balance of a life well-lived. (The author is a former civil servant from the administrative service. Email: nisargilani57748@gmail.com )
FUTURECRAFT On 2 August, the transparency provisions of the European Unions AI Act take effect. AI systems will have to tell users they are talking to a machine, and generated content will have to carry machine-readable marks so that it can be detected. Brussels is arriving at a position New Delhi took five months ago. India got there first and went considerably further. The Information Technology Amendment Rules, notified on 10 February and in force from 20 February, created what lawyers have described as the worlds first binding provenance mandate for synthetic media. Synthetic content must carry a visible label and metadata that persists, and flagged unlawful content must come down within three hours or the platform risks its safe harbour protection under Section 79. The stated purpose is deepfake control. The architecture does something wider. India has built a system that writes a durable record of origin into media at national scale, and it binds the people who use compliant tools while leaving everyone else outside it. A filter checks content. A register checks authorship. A detection filter asks whether a video is fake and acts on the answer. A provenance system asks where a file came from and writes that answer into the file, so the record travels with the content. The 2026 amendment does the second thing. Intermediaries must embed metadata identifying synthetic material and verify what users declare about their uploads, rejecting the upload outright where the declaration is missing or false. That moves platforms from answering complaints to checking at the door. The Internet Freedom Foundation has noted that the rules name no accepted watermarking standard and no approved detection model. That gap is the design surface. Whoever ends up setting the standard decides what can be published. It binds the compliant and misses the adversary In January, a group of AI practitioners told MeitY the framework would not work on its own terms. The objection was technical, not political. Content produced by an open-source model running on someones own machine carries no provenance data at all. Content that is re-encoded or screen-recorded loses whatever provenance it started with. The outcome follows from that. An editor in Srinagar using a licensed tool leaves a trace. An operator running a local model outside Indian jurisdiction leaves none. This is where the sovereignty framing stops holding. India has argued for years, with reason, that critical digital infrastructure should sit under Indian law. A provenance mandate looks like the same argument applied to content. It is not. Jurisdiction over a data centre gives the state control of an asset. Jurisdiction over content metadata gives it a record of the citizens who complied. A provenance mandate is only as good as the people who obey it. The operator running a model on a laptop was never inside the system to begin with. Three hours is where the policy actually lives Labelling drew the headlines. The clock changes behaviour. An intermediary must act within three hours of actual knowledge, which arrives either by court order or by a reasoned intimation from an authorised government officer, with police intimations restricted to officers of Deputy Inspector General rank and above. Three hours is not long enough to assess a case. It is long enough to delete. Constitutional lawyers writing after the notification argued that compressed timelines combined with the risk of losing safe harbour push platforms to remove anything ambiguous, since verification costs more than compliance. Satire and political criticism are ambiguous by construction. The burden falls unevenly, and Jammu and Kashmir carries the most of it. Access Now counted 65 internet shutdowns in India in 2025 across twelve states and union territories. The tracker maintained by SFLC.in puts Jammu and Kashmir at roughly 449 shutdowns since 2012, against 115 in Rajasthan and 62 in Manipur. A region already subject to the heaviest use of connectivity orders now gains a second mechanism that works on individual posts rather than whole networks, and needs no suspension order at all. What the counter-argument gets right The harm is not invented. Indias internet population went from around 250 million to more than a billion in under a decade, faster than digital literacy could follow. Digital arrest scams have taken real money from people least equipped to spot them, and the Delhi and Bombay High Courts have worked through a run of personality rights cases involving synthetic impersonation. MeitY also narrowed the rules between the October 2025 draft and the February notification. The draft reached anything algorithmically created or altered. The final text limits synthetically generated information to audio and visual material likely to be taken as indistinguishable from a real person or a real event. That was a genuine concession, made in response to consultation. The stronger version of the criticism is not that the rules were written in bad faith. It is that a provenance layer built for fraud becomes available for other purposes the moment it exists, and nothing in the text confines it to the original one. Bottom Line Meta moved the other way in 2024, shifting from removing manipulated media to labelling it, on the reasoning that transparency costs less speech than takedown. Europe codifies a version of the same instinct on 2 August. India has taken the same underlying technology and wired it to a three-hour clock and the loss of safe harbour. The label reads the same in all three places. The instrument does not. In Europe, provenance data tells a reader what they are looking at. In India it also tells the state who made it, on a network where the state already switches connectivity off more often than any other democracy. That is not a case against labelling synthetic media, which India has good reason to do. It is a case for naming the second system that arrived with it, and for settling who writes the standard before the standard settles itself. (The author studies Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA. He is interested in emerging technologies and innovation, and can be reached on LinkedIn at @arssh-kumar14)
Javid Dar meets delegations; assures early redress of public grievances
Srinagar, July 28: Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Cooperative and Election Department, Javid Ahmad Dar, on Tuesday met several delegations and individuals from different parts of the Union Territory and listened to their grievances and developmental concerns. During the interaction, the Minister heard a wide range of issues raised by the visiting delegations and individuals, including the blacktopping and upgradation of roads, improvement of civic amenities, augmentation of basic infrastructure, service-related matters, pension cases, employment issues and other public welfare concerns. The Minister directed the concerned officers to take immediate cognisance of the genuine grievances and ensure their timely redress in accordance with the established rules and procedures. A deputation of the Junior Rural Stewards (JRS) also called on the Minister and apprised him of issues concerning their service conditions. The deputation particularly urged the Minister to consider enhancing their monthly stipend in view of their increasing responsibilities in the implementation of various Rural Development programmes across the Union Territory. Giving a patient hearing to the deputation, Javid Dar appreciated the significant role being played by the Junior Rural Stewards in strengthening the rural governance and ensuring effective implementation of flagship development programmes. He assured the deputation that their genuine demand would be examined and redressed.
Javed Rana assures action on MLA, contractors issues
Srinagar, July 28: Multiple deputations, including Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) from different constituencies on Tuesday called on Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana, at the Civil Secretariat here and discussed a wide range of public welfare issues. During the interaction, the MLAs apprised the Minister of the developmental needs and public concerns of their respective constituencies. They highlighted issues related to drinking water supply, irrigation infrastructure, flood protection measures, road connectivity, healthcare, education and other sectoral requirements, while also seeking timely execution of ongoing development works. The legislators urged the Minister to ensure early completion of projects of public importance and called for effective coordination among the departments to address the aspirations of the people. Giving a patient hearing to each of the legislators, Javed Rana assured them that all their genuine issues projected during the meetings would receive due attention. He directed the concerned officers to examine the matters on priority and take appropriate action wherever required. The Minister reiterated that the Omar Abdullah-led government is committed to strengthen the public service delivery, ensuring that developmental benefits reach every region in a fair and transparent manner. He said the government remains focused on responsive governance, prompt resolution of public grievances and accelerated implementation of infrastructure projects aimed at improving the quality of life of the people. Emphasising close coordination between the public representatives and the administration, the Minister said that the elected legislators play a vital role in identifying the developmental priorities of their constituencies and ensuring that governance remains people-centric. He said the government values their feedback and will continue to work in close consultation with them to achieve balanced and inclusive development across Jammu and Kashmir. Later, a delegation of contractors associated with the Jal Shakti Department also called on the Minister and projected issues related to pending payments and execution of departmental works. The Minister gave a patient hearing to the delegation and assured them that all their genuine concerns would be examined and addressed in accordance with the rules.
Sagar distributes Rs 8.4 lakh relief among Chandpora fire victims
Srinagar, 28 July:- Jammu and Kashmir National Conference General Secretary and Khanyar MLA Haji Ali Mohammad Sagar on Tuesday distributed financial assistance of 8.40 lakh among families affected by the fire incident at Chandpora Jamia Masjid in his constituency. The relief, provided from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) of the MLA Khanyar, was distributed among 14 fire-affected families, with each family receiving 60,000. Addressing the gathering, Sagar said it was the responsibility of elected representatives to stand with people during times of distress and extend timely support to affected families. He said the National Conference has always remained committed to public service and welfare, adding that every effort would be made to address the concerns of the affected families. The tradition of serving people, sharing their hardships and ensuring timely assistance has remained central to the National Conference, Sagar said. The beneficiaries and local residents expressed gratitude for the financial assistance, saying it provided relief to families affected by the incident. Earlier this month, Sagar had distributed 14.20 lakh among 17 fire-affected families in Syedpora Nowhatta and six affected families in Nowpora. During the programme, Sagar also urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to introduce special initiatives for the youth of downtown Srinagar, including self-employment schemes, skill development programmes and better employment opportunities. He said the youth of downtown had faced challenges and needed focused government support to ensure their social and economic empowerment. Sagar stressed the need for vocational training, livelihood programmes and other welfare measures to create sustainable opportunities for young people in the old city.
Assembly panel to seek academic, judicial views on ethics
Srinagar, July 28: A meeting of the Ethics Committee of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly was held on Tuesday at Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Secretariat, here, under the Chairmanship of its Chairman MLA Nizam-ud-Din Bhat. The meeting was attended by Members of the Committee including MLA, Gh. Mohi-ud-Din Mir; MLA, Salman Sagar; MLA, Hilal Akbar Lone; MLA, Zafar Ali Khatana; MLA, Peerzada Feroz Ahmad; MLA, Satish Kumar Sharma; MLA, Surinder Kumar; MLA, Randhir Singh and MLA Arvind Gupta. The Chairman briefly highlighted the role and importance of the Ethics Committee. He said that the Committee has been constituted to uphold the dignity, decorum and prestige of the House by ensuring that the highest standards of parliamentary ethics, conduct and discipline are maintained by the Members. The Chairman emphasized that the Committee bears a significant responsibility in promoting accountability, transparency, integrity and ethical values in public life, thereby strengthening the public confidence in democratic institutions. He further impressed upon the Members that it is the collective responsibility of the Committee to preserve the sanctity of the Legislature by fostering exemplary standards of conduct among public representatives. The Chairman further proposed that, with a view to create greater awareness about parliamentary ethics and democratic values, the Committee should undertake interaction programmes with the students and faculty members of the Departments of Law and Political Science of the University of Kashmir and the University of Jammu. He observed that such interactions would provide an opportunity to obtain valuable feedback and perspectives from the academic community regarding the role, conduct and responsibilities of legislators in a democratic system. The Chairman also suggested that the Committee should pay a visit to the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh to interact with the Chief Justice and other Judges for an exchange of views on ethical standards in public life. He said that such interactions would be beneficial in enriching the Committee's understanding of ethical governance and in strengthening ethical values, not only within the Legislature but also in the conduct of public representatives and public servants. After detailed deliberations, the Committee unanimously endorsed the proposals of the Chairman. The Committee further resolved to undertake a study visit to the Kerala Legislative Assembly for interaction with its Ethics Committee, which has been widely acknowledged for its effective functioning and best practices. It was decided that the study visit to the Kerala Legislative Assembly shall be undertaken during the third week of the ensuing month, subject to the approval of the competent authority and completion of the requisite administrative formalities. The meeting was also attended by Shabir Ahmad Wani, Under Secretary LA, Naqeeb Jeelani, Incharge Committees and other officials of the Legislative Assembly.
Slip of conscience, not tongue: AIP
Srinagar, July 28: Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi on Tuesday launched a blistering attack on PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, saying her conditional apology over the controversial Banta Hai remarks is nothing but a desperate attempt at damage control after facing massive public outrage. Inam Un Nabi said that what has shocked the people even more is that after PDP leaders repeatedly claimed the viral video was fabricated or AI-generated, Mehbooba Mufti herself admitted that the video was genuine and merely tried to explain away her remarks by calling them a slip of the tongue. An apology qualified with the word 'if' is no apology at all. It reflects arrogance, not remorse. Kashmiris do not need conditional regret. They deserve an unconditional acceptance of responsibility, he said. Lambasting Mufti for claiming that she neither inherited power nor accumulated wealth, Inam Un Nabi said the people of Jammu and Kashmir know very well who transformed the Mufti family into one of the most powerful political dynasties in the region. It was the people of Jammu and Kashmir who elevated Late Mufti Mohammad Syed Sahab to the office of Chief Minister. The same people entrusted Mehbooba Mufti with the same office. Instead of expressing gratitude, she now attempts to portray herself as someone who owes nothing to the people. he added.
Mehbooba chose justification over repentance: NC
Srinagar, July, 28:- The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Women's Wing President and MLA Habba Kadal, Advocate Shameema Firdous Tuesday launched a scathing attack on PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, saying her latest press conference was a calculated exercise in political damage control rather than an honest expression of remorse. In a statement, Firdous said Mufti once again chose to justify her deeply insensitive remarks instead of offering the unconditional apology that the people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly its youth, deserved. Her press conference was an exercise in evasion, not repentance. Instead of admitting her mistake, she attempted to rationalise the indefensible and shed crocodile tears to escape accountability, she said. She noted that before changing her stand, PDP had attempted to dismiss the controversial video through one of its MLA's by branding it as AI-generated and accusing the National Conference of fabricating it to mislead the public. When that false narrative collapsed under the weight of facts and public outrage, Mehbooba Mufti resorted to political spin instead of accepting responsibility. The people saw through this deception, Firdous said. She asserted that Mehbooba Mufti owes the people far more than an apology for her latest remarks. She must apologise for handing Jammu and Kashmir over to the BJP, legitimising its political agenda and paving the way for the systematic erosion of the region's constitutional and political rights. History cannot be rewritten through emotional theatrics or selective outrage, she said.
58 hydro projects with 324 MW potential identified: Govt
Srinagar, July 28: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Information Technology, Youth Services & Sports and Science & Technology, Satish Sharma, on Tuesday reviewed the progress of key renewable energy, science and technology initiatives being implemented across Jammu and Kashmir, reiterating the Government's commitment to accelerate sustainable development, clean energy adoption and scientific innovation across the Union Territory. The Minister had a comprehensive review of the flagship programmes being executed by the Department of Science & Technology, Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA) and the Jammu & Kashmir Science, Technology & Innovation Council (JKSTIC). These included rooftop solarisation of government buildings, small hydro power projects, PM-KUSUM implementation, biotechnology infrastructure and science outreach initiatives. Reviewing the progress under the flagship Solarization of Government Buildings Programme, Satish Sharma expressed satisfaction over the remarkable achievement registered under the CAPEX and RESCO models. He was informed that 8,181 government buildings have already been solarized with a cumulative installed capacity of 85.8 MW, placing Jammu and Kashmir 3rd among 31 States and Union Territories in the country in terms of the number of government buildings solarized. The Minister was informed that under the CAPEX mode, 65 MW capacity has been allocated for 5,600 government buildings, of which 3,388 buildings have already been solarized with an installed capacity of 46.8 MW. In addition, material for 1,462 buildings has already been supplied while installations in another 800 buildings are in transit. Under the RESCO mode, implementation is progressing with a target capacity of 175 MW covering nearly 8,000 government buildings, with work orders already issued for 1,360 buildings. Reviewing the implementation of PM-KUSUM Component-B, the Minister was informed that against the sanctioned target of 5,000 solar-powered agricultural pumps, applications have been received for 4,891 pumps, while 4,876 pumps have already been installed and commissioned, with only 15 installations remaining under implementation. The Minister also reviewed the status of renewable energy infrastructure across the Union Territory. He was informed that around 250 MW rooftop solar capacity has either been installed or is under installation across government buildings, while 125 MW of grid-connected solar power has been added by JAKEDA. Besides, 33 MW rooftop solar systems have been installed under the MNRE scheme across nearly 5,500 households, over 70,000 solar street lights and 15,000 solar home lights have been installed during the last three years and 2,214 government schools have been solarized with an installed capacity of approximately 8 MW. The department has also commissioned seven small hydro projects with a cumulative capacity of 35.25 MW. Reviewing the small hydro power programme, Satish Sharma was informed that 58 hydro power projects with a cumulative potential of 323.90 MW have already been identified through finalized DPRs across various districts of Jammu and Kashmir. He was further informed that 32 hydro project sites with a capacity of 62 MW have already been awarded during 2025, while additional projects are planned for implementation during 2026-2030. The Minister emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir possesses enormous hydro power potential. He directed the concerned agencies to expedite execution of the identified projects so that remote and hilly regions receive reliable, locally generated clean energy. Satish Sharma also reviewed the progress of infrastructure projects being implemented by the Jammu & Kashmir Science, Technology & Innovation Council (JKSTIC). The Minister was informed that construction of the Sub-Regional Science Centre at Lal Mandi, Srinagar has reached nearly 85 per cent completion, while work is also progressing on the Science Innovation Dissemination Centre (SIDC), which is being developed to provide world-class facilities for innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs. Reviewing the biotechnology infrastructure, the Minister was informed that the Industrial Biotechnology Park at Kathua has been completed and operationalization has commenced in collaboration with IIIM Jammu, while construction of the Industrial Biotechnology Park at Handwara has reached around 85 per cent completion. He directed the concerned authorities to resolve pending issues so that the project is completed and dedicated to the youth and scientific community at the earliest.
Pohru Youth Federation seeks early redressal of public issues
Srinagar, July 28: A delegation of the Pohru Youth Federation on Tuesday met Cabinet Ministers at the Civil Secretariat and raised several key public issues concerning the people of Chakla Pohru, urging the government to take early action on long pending developmental demands. The delegation was led by Federation President Adv. Noor UL Shahbaz, General Secretary Danish Fayaz Dar, and member Shahid Amin. During the visit, the delegation called on Minister for Agriculture Production Department Javed Ahmad Dar and Minister for Youth Services and Sports Satish Sharma. The Federation submitted a memorandum highlighting several genuine demands of the area and sought timely government intervention to address developmental gaps affecting local residents. The delegation stressed the need to improve essential infrastructure, strengthen public welfare measures, address agriculture related concerns, and enhance sports facilities in the region. The members said these issues have a direct impact on the daily lives of the people and should receive priority attention. Both ministers gave a patient hearing to the delegation and assured them that the issues raised would be examined and appropriate action would be taken in accordance with government norms. Speaking after the meeting, General Secretary Danish Fayaz Dar said the Pohru Youth Federation remains committed to representing the genuine concerns of the people at every appropriate platform. He said the Federation would continue to work with the administration and public representatives to ensure the overall development and welfare of Chakla Pohru.nearly a month, while the officer holding additional charge is also managing the busy Handwara Nayabat, making it difficult to effectively discharge responsibilities in both jurisdictions. Dr. Jamsheed appealed to the J&K Government, Lieutenant Governor, Deputy Commissioner Kupwara and the concerned departments to appoint regular officers in Magam, including a full time Naib Tehsildar, Block Development Officer and other key officials, so that public services are delivered efficiently and without unnecessary delay.
North Kashmir schools told to install complaint boxes in 7 days
Srinagar, July 28: The Directorate of School Education Kashmir has directed all educational institutions and offices across North Kashmir to install complaint boxes within seven days to strengthen transparency, accountability and the grievance redressal mechanism. According to Circular No. JDN/SED/2026/641 to 45, dated July 28, 2026, issued by the Office of the Joint Director North, all Chief Education Officers, Zonal Education Officers, Heads of Institutions and subordinate offices in the districts of Bandipora, Baramulla and Kupwara have been instructed to place complaint boxes at prominent and easily accessible locations in their respective schools and offices. The circular states that every complaint box must be properly labelled and opened periodically by the Head of the Office or Institution, or an officer authorized by him or her. The grievances received are to be examined promptly, appropriate action taken, and a proper record of complaints along with the action taken maintained. The department has directed all concerned officers to ensure strict compliance with the instructions within seven days from the date of issuance of the circular. Following the completion of the deadline, the Chief Education Officers of Bandipora, Baramulla and Kupwara have been asked to submit a consolidated compliance report regarding the installation of complaint boxes in all schools and offices under their jurisdiction to the Office of the Joint Director North. The circular, issued by Hakeem Tanveer Ahmad, Joint Director North, School Education Department, Kashmir, aims to provide students, employees and the public with a direct platform to register grievances while promoting greater transparency and accountability in the education system across North Kashmir.
Two Army soldiers injured in mine blast along LoC in Uri
Srinagar, Jul 28: Two Army personnel sustained injuries in a mine explosion along the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri area of north Kashmirs Baramulla district on Tuesday, officials said. The injured have been identified as Dafadar Vijay Kumar (42) and Naik Sharanapa Angari (28), both serving with 8 Rashtriya Rifles. The incident took place near the Upper Garh Forward Post of 8 Rashtriya Rifles (8 RR), operating under the 12 Infantry Brigade in the Kamalkote sector, which falls within the jurisdiction of Police Station Uri. Officials said the injured soldiers were immediately evacuated from the site and airlifted to the Armys Base Hospital at Badamibagh in Srinagar for specialised treatment. Officials said the exact circumstances surrounding the explosion are being investigated.
NHM employees set Aug 15 deadline, warn of fresh agitation
Srinagar, July 28: National Health Mission (NHM) employees in Jammu and Kashmir have expressed resentment over the government's failure to address their long-pending demands, including a job policy, retirement benefits, a salary hike, and other service-related benefits that they have been seeking for years. On Tuesday, again the Jammu & Kashmir National Health Mission Employees Association (JKNHMEA) in a press conference in Srinagar expressed serious concern over the continued delay in addressing their long-pending demands. The association warned the government that it will resume its deferred agitation if the Government fails to take concrete action by August 15, 2026. Abdul Rauoof, Chief Spokesperson, JKNHMEA, said the association recalled that NHM employees had observed a two-day UT-wide strike on April 1 and 2, 2026 to press for their legitimate demands, including a salary hike and the formulation of a Golden Handshake Policy for retired NHM employees. However, following the strike, a delegation of JKNHMEA met Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo, who had assured the association that the government would take early and positive steps to resolve the issues. As part of its continued engagement with the Government, a delegation of JKNHMEA recently went for a follow-up meeting with Mission Director, NHM, Akriti Sagar, to review the status of the proposal concerning the Association's demands however they were surprised. During the meeting, the MD informed the delegation that she requires 15 more days to finalize and submit the proposal to the Administrative Department for further consideration, he said. Now in response to the government's lackadaisical approach, while respecting the assurance given by the MD and in the spirit of constructive dialogue, JKNHMEA has decided to extend the time until Aug 15, 2026 to enable the Government to take a final decision on their demands. Despite repeated assurances, the Association said that no concrete progress has been made so far, causing widespread disappointment among NHM employees who continue to provide essential healthcare services across the Union Territory with dedication and professionalism. NHM employees have exercised utmost restraint and patience despite prolonged uncertainty. We have always preferred dialogue over confrontation and have honoured every assurance given by the Government, Rauoof said. In their recent meeting, the Mission Director had sought fifteen additional days to submit the proposal to the Administrative Department. However, if no concrete decision is taken within this period, JKNHMEA will be left with no alternative but to resume the deferred strike and intensify its democratic agitation across Jammu and Kashmir. The entire responsibility for any such situation will rest with the Administration, he said. The Association added that all their demands are genuine and focused on ensuring financial security and dignity for NHM employees serving the healthcare sector with unwavering commitment for years. It urged the Government to honour its commitments by approving a salary enhancement and framing a comprehensive Golden Handshake Policy without any further delay. JKNHMEA expressed hope that the Government would act decisively before the expiry of the extended deadline, thereby avoiding any disruption to healthcare services and resolving the long-pending issues amicably.
