Category: Environment

Environment

Valley grappling with widespread seasonal allergy caused by pollen from Russian poplars

Editor

The Kashmir valley is grappling with a seasonal health hazard — pollen-induced allergy. Despite thousands of Russian poplars being cut down last year on the orders of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, the pollen allergy is widespread. Though pollen allergies in the spring in the region are common, the allergy induced by the pollen of the poplar varieties imported from Russia, Australia and the US has turned into a perennial health hazard in Srinagar and other major towns, particularly Baramulla and Kupwara towns, where thousands of poplars line up…

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Earthquake of 8.5 magnitude long overdue in Himalayan region: Scientists

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A mega earthquake of magnitude 8.5 or more is long overdue in the Himalayan region but India has not learnt from past mistakes and is far from being prepared for such an eventuality with no strategy to minimise loss of life and property, scientists say. The government must ensure seismic safety, scientists from all over the country who gathered here last week for a global workshop said.The April 18-20 International Workshop on Climate Change and Extreme Events in Himalayan Region, hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi, was…

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Non biodegradable disposables banned across J&K

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Jammu and Kashmir government Wednesday imposed ban on the non-biodegradable disposable items being used in the daily chores.The department of forest, environment and ecology issued a notification ordering complete ban on the disposable articles made of non-biodegradable material within the territorial jurisdiction of the state. “Government imposed complete ban on (the) articles made of non-biodegradable material listed in the schedule of the said Act, within the territorial jurisdiction of the state,” an official statement reads.The articles include disposable plates, cups, bowls, tumblers, spoons, forks and knives. The order shall be…

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Kashmir’s iconic attraction Dal Lake is facing a slow death by sewage

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Sitting near a shop in the interiors of Dal Lake, 65-year-old Abdul Rehman is old enough to remember a time when the lake’s water was clean enough to drink. Today, he gazes sadly at the highly degraded state of its water. “Even after filtering multiple times, this water will not be fit to drink,” he said.Rehman now makes it a point to ask every tourist in a shikara who glides by his shop to not throw waste overboard. “This city’s tourism economy is heavily dependent on the lake,” he added.…

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For polluting Chenab and Tawi rivers, NGT slaps Rs 2 crore fine on HCC and Gammon India

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The NGT has slapped a penalty of Rs 1 crore each on the Gammon India Limited and the Hindustan Construction Co (HCC) Ltd for damaging the environment by dumping soil in Chenab and Tawi rivers for construction on a stretch of the Udhampur-Banihal Highway in Jammu and Kashmir. A bench headed by National Green Tribunal (NGT) Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel also ordered them to furnish a performance guarantee of Rs 1 crore for improving the situation within the next three months. “The deposit of compensation be made with the…

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Unabated cold wave continues across Kashmir Valley

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An unabated cold wave continues in the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday, with Ladakh plunging into a deep freeze and Kargil recording minus 14.9 degrees Celsius. The Met forecast the cold wave would continue for another week with night skies remaining clear. Leh recorded minus 6 degrees Celsius, Srinagar minus 2.8, Pahalgam minus 8.4, Gulmarg minus 4.0, Jammu city 6, Katra 7, Batote 3.3, Bannihal 0.5 and Bhaderwah 0.4.

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At -9.5 degrees Gulmarg coldest in Kashmir

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Higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir received fresh snow on Thursday while the plains witnessed intermittent rain as the minimum temperature settled below the freezing point at most places in the Valley and Ladakh region. Snow has been recorded in the higher areas of the Valley like Qazigund, Kokernag, Pahalgam and Mughal Road during the night, MeT officials said. There are reports of snow in other areas in the higher reaches of the Valley and Jammu region as well, including near the Jawahar tunnel on Srinagar-Jammu highway, they said. However,…

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Despite spending crores govt fails to restore Dal’s lost glory

Editor

In less than two decades, the authorities have spent a whopping amount of money on the conservation of the Dal Lake, but the government as well as experts admit that there has been “little or no change” in the lake’s worsening situation. Experts have blamed the outdated conservation plans and the unscientific ways for the failure. Recently, the government, in its report, had informed the High Court that Rs 759 crore had been spent on the conservation of the lake since 2002. The court observed that the “lackadaisical approach on…

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Intense cold wave continues across Kashmir Valley, Fresh snowfall expected on Dec 18, 19

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An intense cold wave continued on Thursday across the Ladakh region with Leh recording minus 8.6 degrees Celsius, a Met department official said. He said the minimum temperatures remained below freezing point in the Kashmir Valley. “It will be partly cloudy for the next 24 hours till Friday in the Valley,” the official said. Jammu city recorded 8.8, Katra 8, Batote 2.7, Bannihal 0.2 and Bhaderwah 0.7 as the night’s lowest temperatures. The plains and upper reaches of Kashmir may receive another spell of rain and snowfall in the third…

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Mercury plunges further, Srinagar shivers at -3.2

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With the winter’s core period — famously known as ‘Chillai Kalan’ — still weeks away, the minimum temperatures across the Kashmir valley have dropped several degrees below the freezing point marking an early arrival of winter in the region. The night temperatures across the Valley, including in the summer capital, have dropped several degrees below the freezing point over the past week. The overnight temperature in the city was recorded at -3.2°C, which was two degrees below the normal, and marked a continuity of freezing night temperatures. The Valley is…

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