January 2022 | Page 5 of 7

Cold wave intensifies across Kashmir, Harsh Chillai Kalan to Go On

January 13, 2022 Editor

Intense cold conditions continued in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as Srinagar recorded a low of minus 3.6°C on Wednesday. A meteorological department official said that the minimum temperature in Srinagar, the summer capital of JK, dropped from the previous night’s 0.2°C and was 1.5°C below the normal for this time of the year. Gulmarg, the world-famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, recorded a drop of nearly 1°C as the mercury settled at minus 11.5°C against minus 10.6°C on the previous night, he said. Pahalgam, the famous resort…

Infection causing viruses flourish in cold temperatures: Experts

January 12, 2022 Editor

With Kashmir witnessing sub-zero weather conditions, common cold, flu, and other respiratory illnesses spike during winter as infection-causing viruses thrive in cold temperatures, experts said on Tuesday. “People are indoors more often, allowing viruses to pass more easily from one person to another. And the cold, dry air may weaken resistance,” Epidemiologist and Assistant Director, Health Services, Kashmir, Dr. SM Qadri, told. “Colds are more common in winter but the temperature isn’t the reason, it is because we spend more time indoors, close to the people and in closed spaces,”…

Kashmir Valley in grip of freezing cold

January 12, 2022 Editor

Gulmarg records a low of minus 10 degrees Celsius for the second consecutive night Gulmarg tourist resort in north Kashmir continued to reel under extreme cold as the minimum temperature stayed below the freezing point at most places in the valley, officials said on Monday. The resort recorded a low of minus 10 degrees Celsius for the second consecutive night, Met officials said. They said Pahalgam in south Kashmir, which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a low of minus 2.6 degrees Celsius. Srinagar, the…

National Highway shuts again due to fresh landslides in Ramban

January 12, 2022 Editor

The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway has closed again due to fresh landslides in Ramban district on Tuesday, triggering massive traffic jams on the stretch, officials sources said. Many truckers, who are stranded on the highway for the past several days, blamed the traffic management authorities for not allowing them to move on, causing them huge financial losses as perishable goods they carry have been damaged. The highway was closed for traffic due to a landslide in the Mehar area of Ramban, the official sources said. The men and machines are working…

Outcry across J&K after army gets land in Gulmarg and Sonamarg

January 12, 2022 Editor

The corps commander, as per the order, has been asked to ‘ensure strict adherence to environment laws’, which is a customary directive The Jammu and Kashmir government has handed over to the army a big chunk of land in tourist favourites Gulmarg and Sonamarg, triggering allegations that the erstwhile state was being turned into a military garrison. A government spokesman said 1,358 kanals (around 170 acres) of land had been notified as “strategic areas” in the twin tourist hotspots, effectively handing it over to the army. The army already holds…

Supreme Court to hear plea over ‘Haridwar Dharam Sansad Hate Speeches’ on Wednesday

January 12, 2022 Editor

It is scheduled to come up for hearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Wednesday a petition seeking a direction to ensure investigation and action against those who allegedly made hate speeches during two events held recently in Haridwar and the national capital The plea is scheduled to come up for hearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli. The petition, filed by…

Fresh Covid cases breaches 1100 mark in J&K; 5 Samples test positive for Omicron

January 12, 2022January 12, 2022 Editor

Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday recorded two deaths and 1,148 Covid cases, witnessing an increase of 62% than the previous day, an official health bulletin said. In comparison to January 1, when just 169 cases were detected, the surge is about 600%. Kashmir health officials informed that five cases of Omicron variant have been found in the Valley. The patients, whose samples were taken in December, have already recovered, they added. “Of the five, two are locals while three are tourists from outside,” said Dr. Talat Jabeen, epidemiologist and state…

Why has fruit from Iran become ‘Apple of Discord’ in Kashmir?

January 11, 2022 Editor

By: Auqib Javeed Decrying the fact how a bad apple spoils the whole barrel, the Kashmiri growers have upped their ante against what they call the free flow of the “tax-free” Iranian apples “eating” their market share. Kashmir valley’s apple traders and growers have expressed their resentment over this “illegal trade” via Afghanistan—resulting in huge losses. Asia’s second-largest fruit Mandi in North Kashmir’s Sopore has already witnessed some protests over the “permitted passage of Iranian apples”. The disgruntled apple-growers argue that the Iranian apples in large quantity have flooded Indian…

Delimitation: Anxiety in Kashmir as India panel proposes to redraw election map

January 10, 2022 Editor

The controversial proposal to raise assembly seats in Jammu causes anger among Muslims, who form the majority in the disputed region. A controversial proposal to redraw the electoral map of Indian-administered Kashmir has caused anxiety and anger among the region’s Muslims, who say the move is aimed at “disempowering” them. In March last year, a delimitation commission headed by a former judge of India’s Supreme Court was appointed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and tasked with redrawing the boundaries of the constituencies sending representatives to the state assembly. On…

One dead, 13 hurt in bus mishap in Kathua district

January 10, 2022 Editor

A 32-year-old woman was killed and 13 others were injured when a bus turned turtle in Kathua district on Sunday, officials said. The accident took place at Galak village on the Dayalacheck road when the driver lost control over the vehicle at a sharp curve. The bus was going towards Jammu. Rescuers were rushed to the accident site and 14 injured persons were admitted to the Ramkote Community Health Centre. A woman, identified as Sushma Devi, succumbed to injuries during treatment. Six of those injured were referred from the Community…