Stay Alert: How Families Can Protect Daughters and Women from Fraud, Exploitation & False Promises in 2026 By: Javid Amin | 26 March 2026 Kashmir on Alert: A Silent Threat Growing Behind False Promises In the quiet neighborhoods of Srinagar and across towns in Jammu & Kashmir, a silent but dangerous pattern is emerging—one that rarely makes headlines until it is too late. Families are increasingly reporting cases where young women and girls are approached with promises of jobs, marriage, or opportunities outside the region. At first glance, these offers…
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Nearly Half of Kashmir’s Students Report Mental Health Struggles Linked to Social Media
45% of Kashmir’s Students Struggle With Mental Wellbeing Linked to Social Media: A Wake-Up Call for Schools and Parents By: Javid Amin | 07 March 2026 A new study examining adolescent behaviour in the Kashmir Valley has raised serious concerns about the mental wellbeing of school students. According to the research, around 45% of students up to Class 12 report sub-optimal mental wellbeing associated with excessive social media use. The findings highlight a growing challenge for families, schools, and policymakers: how to balance the benefits of digital connectivity with the…
Read More124-Year-Old Mohra Hydroelectric Power Project in Uri Set for Revival After Three Decades
124-Year-Old Mohra Hydroelectric Power Project in Kashmir Set for Revival By: Javid Amin | 07 March 2026 One of South Asia’s earliest hydroelectric power stations—the historic Mohra Hydroelectric Power Project—is set to return to life after remaining defunct for more than three decades. The government of Jammu and Kashmir has announced plans to restore the century-old power plant under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, aiming to combine heritage preservation with modern renewable energy development. Located in the scenic Uri region of Baramulla district, the project was originally built in 1902…
Read MoreKashmir’s Tourism Crisis: Littering, Loud Parties and “Zero Civic Sense” Are Threatening India’s Paradise
Paradise at Risk: Kashmir’s Tourism Boom Meets a Civic Sense Crisis By: Javid Amin | 05 March 2026 The early morning mist rises slowly over Dal Lake as the first shikaras begin to glide across the water. For centuries, travellers have come to Kashmir to witness scenes like this — the quiet beauty of mountains reflected in lakes, the calm of pine forests, the soft silence of snow-covered meadows. Poets once described the valley as “heaven on earth.” Today, millions of tourists arrive each year hoping to experience that same…
Read MoreJ&K Liquor Sales Cross 5.63 Crore Bottles Till January 2026; ₹435 Crore Excise Revenue Earned
Over 5.63 Crore Liquor Bottles Sold in J&K Till January 2026; Excise Revenue Touches ₹435 Crore By: Javid Amin | 26 February 2026 Official excise data reveals that more than 5.63 crore liquor bottles were sold across Jammu & Kashmir up to January 2026, generating approximately ₹435 crore in excise revenue for the Union Territory. The bulk of sales came from Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and beer, reaffirming alcohol taxation as one of the most consistent non-GST revenue streams for J&K’s administration. While volumes have shown a marginal dip…
Read MoreJ&K Reopens 14 Tourist Spots After Security Review; 26 Destinations Now Operational Post-Pahalgam Attack
J&K Reopens 14 Tourist Spots After Security Review; Tourism Revival Gains Momentum By: Javid Amin | 16 February 2026 In a significant move aimed at restoring confidence among travellers, Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, has ordered the reopening of 14 tourist destinations that were closed following the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025. The attack, which claimed 26 lives—mostly tourists—led to heightened security measures and the temporary closure of nearly 50 tourist sites across the Union Territory. Officials confirmed that the latest decision follows a comprehensive security…
Read MoreSaving Handicrafts: Beyond Slogans and Selective Concern
Challenges: Exploitation, Decline, and Market Saturation The renewed concern expressed by the Copper Handmade Utensils Union, echoed by sections of the administration, about saving handmade copperware has reopened a larger and more uncomfortable debate about the future of traditional crafts in Kashmir. While the intention to protect any indigenous craft is welcome, the selective urgency surrounding copperware raises critical questions about policy consistency, cultural priorities, and economic realism. Kashmir has historically been a global centre of handicrafts. From carpet and shawl weaving to handmade paper, kitabat (calligraphy), wood carving, papier-mâché,…
Read MoreMohra Hydroelectric Project: How Asia’s First Powerhouse in Kashmir Became a Forgotten Ruin
Mohra Hydroelectric Power Project: How Asia’s Earliest Power Station in Kashmir Slipped Into Silence By: Javid Amin | 25 January 2026 More than a century ago, when large parts of Asia still relied on oil lamps and fireplaces, electric bulbs glowed in Srinagar—powered not by coal or diesel, but by the flowing waters of the Jhelum River. At the heart of this quiet revolution stood the Mohra Hydroelectric Power Project, commissioned in 1905 during the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh. It was not merely a power station; it was a…
Read MoreKashmiri Students Return from Iran, Slam Media for ‘Distorted’ Portrayal of Ground Reality
Kashmiri Students Back from Iran Reject Panic, Criticise Media Coverage By: Javid Amin | 17 January 2025 Returned students say panic was manufactured by exaggerated coverage, insist life and studies continued normally in Iranian cities Relief at Home, Anger Over Narratives When more than three dozen Kashmiri students arrived home from Iran this week, their return was met with relief, tears, and tight embraces from anxious families. But alongside gratitude for safety, another emotion dominated their voices: anger. Anger not at Iran.Anger not at their universities.But at mainstream television channels…
Read MoreKashmir at the Crossroads: New Year Revelry or Cultural Ruin?
Kashmir New Year 2026: Celebration or Cultural Erosion? | Tourism vs. Tradition By: Javid Amin | 01 January 2025 A Valley Illuminated, A Question Unanswered As the final seconds of 2025 bled into the dawn of 2026, the Himalayan skies above Kashmir did not just witness the gentle fall of winter snow. They were set ablaze—streaked with the incandescent trails of fireworks launched from the historic Lal Chowk in Srinagar, reflected in the pristine snowy bowls of Gulmarg, and shimmering over the icy silence of Dal Lake. The air, crisp…
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