10% of J&K Population Struggling with Substance Abuse, Yet Long-Term Rehab Remains a Mirage By: Javid Amin | 26 October 2025 The Hidden Epidemic Jammu and Kashmir is facing one of India’s most severe drug addiction crises, with over 10% of its population—approximately 13.5 lakh individuals—struggling with substance abuse, according to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment. Behind the numbers lies a grim picture: a generation caught between trauma, unemployment, and easy access to narcotics. Despite government campaigns and public awareness drives, long-term rehabilitation remains a distant…
Read MoreTag: #publichealth
Couriers Turned Carriers: The Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis in Kashmir
A New Face of Addiction in Kashmir By: Javid Amin | 21 October 2025 Prescription drug abuse, once considered a fringe issue, has now entered the mainstream of Kashmir’s public health crisis. Traditionally overshadowed by heroin and synthetic narcotics, pharmaceutical abuse is quietly reshaping patterns of addiction. Recent reports and investigations reveal that courier services—once a lifeline for online orders—are now being exploited as conduits for trafficking addictive medications. Drugs meant for legitimate therapeutic use are slipping into the hands of youth, creating a legal high with dangerous consequences. Couriers…
Read MoreJ&K’s Roads Claim More Lives Than Anywhere in the Country: A Deep Dive Into a Growing Public Safety Crisis
A Deadly Road Reality in Jammu & Kashmir By: Javid Amin | 16 October 2025 Every year, the picturesque valleys and rugged mountains of Jammu and Kashmir attract millions of tourists, yatris, and pilgrims. But beneath the scenic beauty lies a grim reality: J&K’s roads are among the deadliest in the country. A recent study has revealed that the Union Territory records nearly double the national average in road accident fatalities, outpacing many larger states with far denser populations. Between 2019 and October 2024, 4,899 lives were lost and 40,065…
Read MoreJammu Battles Rising Dengue Outbreak: 1,200 Cases Expose Civic Gaps
Mosquito Menace: Jammu Fights a Growing Dengue Crisis By : Javid Amin | October 6, 2025 | Srinagar Over 1,200 Cases Reported in 3 Weeks; Hospitals Overloaded as Civic Inaction Deepens Outbreak A silent epidemic is creeping through Jammu. With more than 1,200 confirmed dengue cases in just three weeks, the city is witnessing one of its worst post-monsoon health crises in years — a battle fuelled by unchecked mosquito breeding, poor sanitation, and delayed government response. Hospitals are overflowing. Fogging trucks hum through the streets far too late. And…
Read MoreCentre Orders Rational Use of Cough Syrups After Toxic Batch Kills 11 Children in Madhya Pradesh
Toxic Cough Syrup Tragedy: Centre Orders States to Review Pediatric Medicines By: Javid Amin | 05 October 2025 National Health Emergency: Toxic Cough Syrup Claims 11 Young Lives India is reeling from yet another pharmaceutical tragedy. The Union Health Ministry has ordered all states and Union Territories to review and regulate the use of cough syrups, following the deaths of 11 children in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain district. Preliminary investigations confirmed the cause: a toxic batch of pediatric cough syrup contaminated with diethylene glycol (DEG) — a deadly industrial solvent known…
Read MoreHC Miffed Over Tardy Action on Unhygienic Meat Sale in J&K: Public Health, Accountability & The Fight for Safe Food
Judicial Rebuke: A Wake-Up Call from the Bench By: Javid Amin | 10 September 2025 The Jammu and Kashmir High Court recently came down heavily on the administration for failing to act against the rampant sale of unhygienic meat and poultry across the Union Territory. The court described official responses as “cosmetic”, highlighting that reports filed by departments lacked both substance and seriousness. The Bench minced no words when it observed: “There may be officers who will do nothing, but you as amicus file your response in writing and also…
Read More340 Kg of Unlabeled Meat Seized at Srinagar Airport: Inside Kashmir’s Risky Food Trade
A Risky Trade in Kashmir By: Javid Amin | 07 September 2025 On September 7, 2025, enforcement officials at Srinagar Airport made a startling discovery—340 kilograms of unlabeled meat stashed in the cargo section, ready for distribution in the Valley. The consignment had no labels, no manufacturer details, no billing, and no traceability. It wasn’t rotten. It wasn’t smuggled across borders. Yet it was illegal, unsafe, and unaccounted for. The seizure wasn’t just about meat—it exposed a shadow food supply chain in Kashmir, where traders gamble with law and public…
Read MoreStray Dog Menace in Srinagar: A Public Health Emergency, Governance Failure & Moral Dilemma
Stray Dog Menace in Srinagar: A Growing Crisis of Public Health, Safety & Compassion By: Javid Amin | 19 Aug 2025 Srinagar’s Stray Dog Dilemma Early mornings in Srinagar are beautiful—mist rolling off the Dal Lake, shopkeepers raising shutters in Lal Chowk, children rushing to schools with their backpacks, and the aroma of freshly baked kulchas drifting from bakeries. Yet, there’s another sight that has now become inseparable from the city’s daily life: packs of stray dogs wandering the streets, loitering near garbage dumps, chasing bikers, or sleeping on pavements.…
Read MoreSupreme Court Orders Stray Dog Removal in Delhi-NCR, Calls for Similar Action in Jammu & Kashmir
Supreme Court Orders Removal of Stray Dogs from Delhi Streets; Urges Action in Jammu & Kashmir By: Javid Amin | 11 Aug 2025 In a significant shift in India’s animal control policy, the Supreme Court of India has ordered the removal of all stray dogs from the streets of Delhi-NCR within eight weeks, citing alarming public safety risks. The decision marks a departure from the long-standing Animal Birth Control (ABC) program’s sterilize-and-release method, replacing it with a capture-and-shelter approach. The Court’s Directives: A Tough New Framework The two-judge bench, comprising…
Read MoreHeatwave Crisis in J&K: Officials Advise Precautionary Measures
Srinagar District Magistrate Issues Advisory Amid Heatwave Conditions Srinagar, May 21, 2025 : As temperatures continue to rise sharply across Jammu & Kashmir, the District Magistrate Srinagar has issued a public advisory to safeguard residents from the prevailing heatwave conditions. The advisory, released by the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), urges people to take precautionary measures to prevent heat-related illnesses and ensure public safety. Key Recommendations for Residents The advisory outlines essential steps to help residents cope with the extreme heat: Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water, lemon juice, and buttermilk…
Read More