The discovery of major lithium deposits is being seen as a mixed blessing in India’s troubled Kashmir region, where hopes for a major economic boost are tempered by fears of human displacement and damage to the territory’s fragile ecology. The finding of the lithium, key to the manufacture of batteries used in electric cars and other electronic devices, is likely very good news for India as a whole, promising to save the country billions of dollars as it seeks to move its economy away from fossil fuels. It also offers…
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Kashmir caught in Pakistan – India Moon Tussle: Uncertainty over whether Ramadan moon was sighted or not
As Ramazan moon was not sighted anywhere in India or Pakistan till late hours on Wednesday Kashmir Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, like many others, made his customary announcement about the first day of fasting starting from Friday. However a late night announcement from the neighbouring country that the Ramazan moon has been sighted put many of them in quandary. Interestingly Grand Mufti this time around maintained his stand breaking from the tradition of following Pakistan on the matters related to moon sighting. Nasir-ul-Islam had said that no evidence from any part…
Read MoreSmart City Projects in disarray due to poor Execution, Resulting in Chaos
Haphazard execution of Smart City projects is taking heavy toll on commuters who face immense problems to reach their respective destinations. Commuters including students, office-goers and traders in Srinagar have been decrying simultaneous construction of Smart City Projects along MA Road, Residency Road, Polo View, Regal Chowk, and the Bund saying this has hampered their movement. Farhan Kitab, president of the Regal Chowk traders association, said that they have been urging authorities to keep all stakeholders, especially traders in the loop. “These works have crippled trade and affected footfall of…
Read MoreStrong Earthquake hits Afganistan, tremors felt across north India; Dos and Don’ts for staying safe during an Earthquake
At least 12 people were killed in Pakistan and Afghanistan following a powerful 6.5-magnitude quake that struck the two neighbouring nations, with tremors also felt across north India. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the epicentre of the Tuesday night tremor, with a depth of 187.589 km, was initially determined to be at 36.5227 degrees north latitude and 70.9787 degrees east longitude in Jurm, Afghanistan, reports Xinhua news agency. In a statement on Wednesday, the Disaster Management Authority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said five men, two women and two children were…
Read MoreLG Manoj Sinha announces the continuation of eviction drive in J&K
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday said the drive to evict illegal occupants of state land in Jammu and Kashmir will be resumed and the recovered land used to fuel industrial revolution in the Union Territory. “We took the lands. Let me make it clear that we will take back all state land. The state land must remain with the government,” Sinha said at the foundation-laying ceremony of first FDI project in Jammu and Kashmir at Sempora here. The Union Territory administration launched the eviction drive in January this year…
Read MoreBhand Pather: Kashmiri artist on mission to revitalize traditional folk theatre
While the “Bhand Pather” a traditional folk theatre of Kashmir is dying with each passing day in the valley, a young Kashmiri artist, Rayees Wathoori who hails from central Kashmir’s Budgam district has started a mission to breathe it again. Notably, Bhand Pather is an age-old traditional folk theatre of Kashmir. It is usually held in open spaces. It belongs to the oral tradition in which the scripts are handed down from one generation to the other following Guru Shishya Parampara. The vocabulary used in Bhand Pather has connections to…
Read MoreOver seven Lakh ration cards to be scrutinized in Kashmir: FCS&CA
The government on Monday said that the process to scrutinize over seven lakh ration card holders falling in the category of AAY and PHH in the Valley. Talking to the news agency— KNO, Director Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA), Abdul Salam Mir said that the process to identify the undeserving families who have been categorized in AAY and PHH has been started. “We have directed the officers to complete the process across Kashmir within the period of one month,” he said. He added that a total of 1.5…
Read MoreA Mesmerizing Springtime Scene – Blossoming Almond Trees in Kashmir
The pink and white flowers on the almond trees are no less than a floral wonderland. And the famous Almond Garden, ”Badamwari’ of Srinagar city has thousands of these almond trees, which are in full bloom and all set to welcome tourists as well as locals. The Gardens of the Valley are finally turning into colourful palettes with almond and cherry blossoms. And thousands of tourists are thronging the Kashmir Valley only to witness these beautiful visuals. These are the first flowers to bloom in a season and Badamwari garden…
Read MoreKashmir in Spring: A Vibrant Medley of Colors and Scents
Kashmir, also known as “Paradise on Earth,” is a place of unparalleled beauty, and the spring season brings out the best of it. As the winter chill recedes, and the snow begins to melt, the valley comes to life with a riot of colors and fragrances. The spring season in Kashmir starts in March and lasts until May. It is a time when the landscape is transformed into a canvas of flowers, with colorful blooms dotting the meadows, gardens, and roadsides. The valley is covered with a carpet of vibrant…
Read MoreTargeted Killing: Fear grips among Kashmiri Pandits those staying back since 1990s
Local Muslims held protests and in hundreds joined the family of slain Kashmir Pandit Sanjay Sharma for the last rites in Pulwama’s Achan area on February 27, but the targeted killing has further shattered the confidence of the miniscule population of those Pandits who preferred to stay back despite raging militancy in the 1990s in the Kashmir valley. Putting her arms repeatedly around the three minor orphans — Sakshi, Diksha and Aryan — Sharma’s wife, in her late 30s, is still grappling to come to terms with what unfolded before…
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