#Kashmir Archives | Page 13 of 14

Kashmir Grapples with Prolonged Dry Spell: 80% of Region Experiencing Moderate to Severe Dryness

September 3, 2023September 3, 2023 Editor

By Faizan Arif Over the past four weeks, Jammu and Kashmir has been grappling with a significant shortfall in rainfall. According to India Meteorological Department data related to the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), approximately 80 percent of the area in Kashmir region (8 out of 10 districts), has been impacted by moderate to extreme dryness between August 3rd and August 30th. The SPI, relying on precipitation data, is a widely utilized index for characterizing meteorological drought on a range of timescales. This index is negative for drought and positive for…

Combatting Youth Drug Addiction: A Multi-Front Battle in Kashmir, from Mosques to Classrooms

September 3, 2023 Editor

Religious centres and educational institutions are assuming a new role in Kashmir by doubling up as counselling and testing centres to curb the fast-spreading menace of drugs. These rare interventions come as the Valley is battling a drug addiction crisis; over 10 lakh people were officially designated drug addicts by the Jammu and Kashmir administration this year. Otherwise restricted for the clergy, the pulpit at Magam Imambara in north Kashmir’s Baramulla, where Shia Muslims organise large religious congregations, recently saw Muzaffar Khan, a clinical psychologist who heads the Drug De-Addiction and Rehabilitation…

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Under House Arrest for 210th Consecutive Friday, Calls for Release Grow Louder

September 2, 2023 Editor

The prolonged house detention of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a prominent religious figure, has sparked concern and calls for his release. Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar expressed deep dissatisfaction with the authorities for keeping him under house arrest for over four years. In an official statement, the Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid emphasized that today marks the 210th consecutive Friday that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been denied the opportunity to perform his vital religious duties, such as offering Friday prayers and delivering sermons. The statement further lamented that due to his extended…

Kashmir leaders slam BJP for ‘Peddling Lies’ in Supreme Court hearing on Article 370

September 1, 2023 Editor

Political parties and leader across Jammu and Kashmir have expressed their disappointment in the submissions by the Union government in the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday. After solicitor general Tushar Mehta submitted in the apex court that the Union government is ready for elections at any time in J&K but cannot provide a timeline for restoration of its statehood, former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre of peddling lies before the SC. National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), People’s…

Wazwan: The Pride of Kashmir, or Just a Symbol of Inequality?

September 1, 2023September 1, 2023 Editor

The psychological impact that such standards of hosting weddings in Kashmir create has been beautifully depicted in a recent Coke studio song By: Romana Majeed Probably everyone has heard of the word wazwan and knows what it is. Literally speaking waze means cook and wan means shop but wazwan in real is the ultimate banquet in Kashmir which is served on special occasions. It is the ultimate feast in Kashmir that is prepared on important occasions. It is the pinnacle of Kashmiri culinary art. When Timur invaded Hindustan in 1398, he took with him chefs (Waze) from the land of Samarkand (Uzbekistan).…

Kashmir’s Drug Crisis: A Growing Threat to Young People

August 31, 2023August 31, 2023 Editor

Kashmir’s Drug Crisis: A Call to Action By: Javid Amin The Himalayan region of Kashmir is facing a growing drug addiction crisis. A recent survey found that nearly a million people in Jammu and Kashmir – around 8% of the region’s population – use drugs of some kind. This is a significant increase from previous years, and experts say it is a major cause for concern. There are a number of factors that have contributed to the rise in drug addiction in Kashmir. One is the long-running conflict between India…

Kashmir’s Pain Can Only Be Healed by the Return of Pandits: Mehbooba Mufti

August 31, 2023 Editor

Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday visited the ancient Thajiwara temple and met Kashmiri Pandits in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. The former chief minister advocated for the return of Kashmiri migrant Pandits and said that the “Painful situation” will dissipate after that. Mufti extended her wishes to Kashmiri Pandits on the occasion of their annual hawan to mark Raksha Bandhan at the temple in Bijbehara. “Despite being a Muslim-majority state, Kashmir has long been celebrated for its co-existence and shared heritage. The visit by Mufti underlined this spirit…

Kashmir’s Vulnerability to Earthquakes: Is the Region Prepared for the Next Big One?

August 31, 2023 Editor

Experts warn that the earthquake-prone valley must step up its seismic-resilience game. By: Sajid Raina & Attaul Munim Zahid The earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria last year had a profound impact on Kashmir, heightening concerns about the potential devastation caused by earthquakes. This anxiety, although transient in the immediate aftermath of such events, frequently affects the people of Kashmir. From January to June of this year, Jammu and Kashmir experienced 32 seismic events, with magnitudes ranging from 3.2 to 5.4 on the Richter scale. These tremors serve as a stark reminder…

Article 35A: The Debate Continues in the Supreme Court

August 30, 2023 Editor

Article 35A empowered Jammu and Kashmir’s legislature to decide who the erstwhile state’s permanent residents were The ongoing hearing in the Supreme Court on petitions challenging the centre’s 2019 decision to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status has brought Article 35A of the Constitution back into the spotlight. What was Article 35A? Article 35A empowered Jammu and Kashmir’s legislature to decide who the erstwhile state’s permanent residents were and to extend special rights and privileges to them. This was added to the Constitution in 1954 by a presidential…

Heat Wave Tightens Its Grip on Kashmir Valley

August 23, 2023August 23, 2023 Editor

Severe heat wave conditions have been consistently reported since the beginning of the summer season in Kashmir and the mercury touched 34.6 degrees Celsius in Srinagar on Tuesday. Other areas of J&K also recorded high temperatures even as the Meteorological Department predicted respite in heat wave from August 25 onwards. This year, May and June saw early and unprecedented heat conditions across J&K. May, June, and July months were the warmest. Though heat wave over large parts of north and central India is an annual phenomenon in May, the maximum temperatures in…