Community Archives | Page 38 of 185

Third wave of corona-virus has crossed peak in J&K: Health Experts

February 1, 2022 Editor

The third Covid wave has crossed its peak in Jammu and Kashmir as infections are declining continuously for the past six days, health experts said. The UT on Monday recorded 15 deaths and 2,550 cases, the lowest daily tally in the past 18 days. Kashmir saw 1,576 cases and five deaths while 974 cases and 10 deaths were reported in the Jammu division. “What I can see from the weekly data is that we have certainly crossed the peak,” said Dr. Rouf Hussain Rather, community medicine specialist and in charge…

Aspirants cry foul as Kashmir varsity goes ahead with recruitment process of lapsed assistant registrar posts

January 28, 2022 Editor

In a clear violation of its own recruitment rules, Kashmir University is going ahead with the hiring process for assistant registrar posts that had lapsed in October last year, eliciting allegations of nepotism by prospective aspirants. The university advertised seven positions of assistant registrar/assistant controller of examination on October 24, 2019, and as per the varsity statutes, the posts should have been filed within two years of the date or else re-advertised. Interestingly, when the posts were advertised in 2019, the varsity had asked those candidates who had already applied…

How Kashmir’s Half-Widows are denied their basic property rights

January 27, 2022 Editor

By: Safina Nabi Thirty winters have passed since Atiqa Begum, 59, last held her husband’s hand. Married at the young age of 19, Atiqa spent the next eight years of her life happily with her husband, who worked as a contractual employee in Kashmir’s power development department. The couple lived in Zogiyar village in Baramulla district with their four children. The youngest was four months old when a knock on their front door on a cold February night in 1990 changed the course of their life. “We were woken up…

Journalist body shocked over ‘Forcible Takeover’ of Kashmir Press Club, Govt stalls Re-Registration process

January 16, 2022 Editor

After authorities withdrew registration of the Kashmir Press Club (KPC), a group of journalists on Saturday unilaterally formed an interim body in what several journalist bodies in the region said was “arbitrary” and “illegal” while many termed it a “state-backed coup”. The group of journalists entered the Kashmir Press Club premises earlier on Saturday amidst the presence of security personnel of J&K police and announced themselves as a new interim body, which they later in a statement termed as a “takeover” of the press club. The self-appointed interim body nominated…

Pherr Or Smoked fish -Kashmir’s winter delicacy

January 16, 2022 Editor

By: Urvat il Wusqa With the arrival of the winter season in Kashmir, many traditional delicacies are prepared. One of among them is “Pherr” or “Smoked Fish”. When its appetising aroma fills the room, one forgets the harshness of the cold weather. From ancient times people of Kashmir have been fond of smoked fish especially the elderly people of the downtown area of Srinagar. It is believed that Pherr provides energy to beat the harsh cold winters and helps keep the body warm. The pherr is usually cooked with Kashmiri…

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…

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…

Kangri – A friend of Kashmiris in the harsh Winter and Chillai Kalan

January 9, 2022January 9, 2022 Editor

North Kashmir district Bandipora’s Kaloosa village is known for Kang’ir making as most of the people in the village are associated with the business. Kang’ir is a traditional earthen pot covered with a wicker basket. It is filled with coal embers used by people during winters to keep warm. Kashmir’s kangri: How residents beat the cold using traditional portable heaters in the Valley The kangri, or kanger as it is locally known, is filled with embers and held against the body under a pheran, an overgarment unique to Kashmir, for…

Kashmir and Kangri

January 5, 2022 Editor

Kangri, the firepot, which has served the people of Kashmir for centuries now, is battling for its own survival in the wake of new heating appliances available to the people. In cold and freezing days of winter when the temperature drops below zero, it is kangri that thaws and makes life a little easier. The popularity and utility value of kangri can be gauged from its wide acceptance in Valley; the general percept being that in almost every home in Kashmir you can find a kangri. Its importance is also…

‘Lingering Kashmir conflict continues to consume lives’: Hurriyat (M)

January 5, 2022 Editor

All Parties Hurriyat Conference Tuesday said that 2021 was one more year lost to killings, bloodshed, and violence in J-K -a result of the lingering Kashmir conflict. In a statement issued here, a spokesperson said, “And as the year 2022 begins, each day since its beginning, precious human lives of young boys killed in gunfights are being lost, which is extremely sad.” APHC said that the lingering conflict continues to consume lives on all sides bringing only pain and sorrow with it. “It has been seventy-five years since J-K was…