Page 8 - Kashmir

Amarnath Yatra temporarily suspended after rain lashes parts of Kashmir

The Amarnath Yatra was suspended on Friday due to bad weather as rain lashed many parts of Kashmir, officials said. The yatra was suspended along both the Baltal and the Pahalgam routes, they said. "The yatra has been suspended and no pilgrim is being allowed to move towards the holy cave shrine this morning," the officials said. Heavy showers, which started early on Friday, forced the temporary suspension of the pilgrimage, they added. The pilgrims have been stopped at the Baltal and the Nunwan base camps. The yatra will resume once the weather improves, the officials said. On Thursday, 17,202 pilgrims paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine, taking the cumulative total of devotees who have had 'darshan' of the natural ice lingam formation in the south Kashmir Himalayas to 84,768 so far.

Kashmiri Saffron: Why is it so expensive, and how has the market revived?

The price of Kashmiri Saffron is at an all-time high of Rs 3.25 lakh per kg from Rs 2 lakh per kg last year after receiving its GI tag

At Rs 3,250/10 gm, Kashmiri saffron is now five times costlier than silver

The price of saffron in the Kashmir valley skyrocketed to Rs 3.25 lakh per kg from Rs 2 lakh per kg last year, after the golden crop received the GI tag

No outsider being allotted land, no change in law: J-K on Mehbooba's claims

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday said no outsider was being allotted land and there was no change in the law, hours after PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti alleged that its move to provide housing to homeless people was an attempt to change the demography of the Union Territory. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said the Jammu and Kashmir administration has started providing 150 square yard plots to landless families for the construction of their houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY). "The rural development department has identified 1.83 lakh families who do not have their own houses. We are working on it. It is a step that will not only provide a house to them but transform their lives," he had said, claiming that plots to 2,711 landless families across the union territory have already been allotted. At a press conference earlier on Wednesday, Mehbooba, the former chief minister of J-K, accused the Lt Governor's administration of importing slums and ...

We are fighting for our identity that is in danger: Mehbooba Mufti

The remarks were made by the PDP chief at a function to release the book titled 'Qatraen Huend Shahar' penned by Dr Gazanfar Ali Gazal at Tagore Hall in Srinagar yesterday

4th batch of 4,758 pilgrims leave for Amarnath shrine, say officials

A fresh batch of 4,758 pilgrims left the base camp here on Monday for the Amarnath shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said. Over 20,000 pilgrims have paid their obeisance at the 3,880-metre high cave shrine till early Monday. The fourth batch of pilgrims left in two back-to-back convoys and were escorted by eight security vehicles and an ambulance between 3.40 am and 4.10 am, the officials said. While 3,030 pilgrims took the 48-km traditional Pahalgam route for their yatra, 1,728 pilgrims took the shorter but steep 14-km Baltal route, they said. With this, a total of 17,565 pilgrims have left the Jammu base camp for the valley since June 30 when Lt Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch. Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Jammu, Mukesh Singh on Sunday visited Ramban district along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway and took stock of security at the transit camp in Banihal and en route the shrine, a police spokesman said. During the security review,

IAF rescues 2 mountaineers stranded on Thajiwas Glacier in Kashmir

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Sunday rescued two injured civilians from Thajiwas Glacier in Kashmir's Sonamarg area, a defence spokesman said here. "In a swift and successful operation today evening, IAF ALH Mk III helicopter rescued two injured civilian mountaineers in the nick of time from Thajiwas Glacier, one of whom had suffered multiple fractures, hypothermia and other injuries," the spokesman said on Sunday. He said Faisal Wani and Zeeshan Mushtaq were spotted by ground party in inhospitable glacier where the helicopter had no landing field and a low hover operation was resorted to. "The entire operation from request to the IAF to successfully evacuating the persons into IAF hospital ended in little over an hour including to and fro travel," the spokesman said. He said the Air Force Station Srinagar was in charge of the entire operation from where the helicopter was launched and operation was controlled.

Third batch of 4,903 pilgrims leave for Kashmir to join Amarnath Yatra

A fresh batch of 4,903 pilgrims left the base camp here on Sunday to join the annual pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre high cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said. With this, a total of 12,807 pilgrims have so far undertaken the pilgrimage since June 30 when Lt Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch. Over 8,000 pilgrims offered prayers at the shrine on the first day of the 62-day yatra which commenced from both the twin tracks - the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter but steep 14-km-long Baltal route in Ganderbal district on Saturday. The officials said 2,557 devotees, including 379 women and 226 sadhus, left in 104 vehicles for Pahalgam, while 2,346 pilgrims left in a convoy of 131 vehicles for the Baltal base camp early today. More than 3.5 lakh people have registered themselves online for the pilgrimage so far.

Situation from Kashmir to Kerala makes sedition law crucial: Law panel head

Amid a clamour for repeal of the law on sedition, Law Commission chairman Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi on Tuesday said the present situation from Kashmir to Kerala and Punjab to the North-East makes it must to retain the law to safeguard the "unity and integrity of India". Defending the panel's recommendation to retain the law, which is at present under abeyance following directions of the Supreme Court issued in May last year, he said enough safeguards have been proposed to prevent its misuse. In an exclusive interview, he told PTI that special laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the National Security Act operate in different fields and do not cover the offence of sedition and therefore, the specific law on sedition needed to be there too. Justice Awasthi asserted that while considering the usage of the law on sedition the panel found that "the present situation right from Kashmir to Kerala and Punjab to the North-East is such that the law on sedition is necessary

ADGP Kashmir reviews security measures in Anantnag ahead of Amarnath Yatra

The Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Kashmir Zone Vijay Kumar visited South Kashmir's Anantnag district on Monday to evaluate the security measures put in place for the smooth conduct of Shri Amarnath ji Yatra (SANJY)-2023 on Monday.Given the importance of SANJY and the security challenges it poses, the ADGP Kashmir's visit aimed to assess the preparations and provide necessary guidance to the officers.The meeting was attended by GoC Victor Force, IG CRPF, IG BSF, Sector commander sector 1 & 3, DIG SKR Anantnag, DIG CRPF Awantipora, DIG CRPF Anantnag DIG ITBP, SSP Anantnag, SSP Kulgam, SSP Awantipora, CO NDRF and other senior officers.The report submitted by the joint team of the Yatra track was also discussed. ADGP directed all SSPs and COs of CAPFs to conduct mock drills and joint briefings on the spot.Recognizing the vital role of public safety, ADGP Vijay Kumar emphasized the need to prioritize the well-being of pilgrims as well as the general public throughout ..

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NIA conducts searches at many locations in Kashmir in terror-related case

The NIA is conducting searches in more than half a dozen places in four Jammu and Kashmir districts as part of an investigation in a terror-related case, officials said on Monday. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is carrying out searches in the Bandipora, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian districts of the Valley, the officials said. Further details are awaited, they added.

Is govt trying to turn Manipur into Kashmir? asks Trinamool Congress

With Union Home Minister Amit Shah holding an all-party meeting on the Manipur situation on Saturday, the Trinamool Congress demanded an all-party delegation be sent to the violence-hit state within a week as it wondered if the the government was "trying to turn Manipur into Kashmir". In a statement for the all-party meeting, in which the TMC was represented by its Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien, the Mamata Banerjee-led party accused the Centre "ignoring" the needs of the people of Manipur. Derek O'Brien, sources said, is likely to read part of the statement in the meeting. Leaders of different political parties, including the BJP, Congress, TMC, Left parties and others, are taking part in the meeting which is underway. In the statement, the TMC tabulated a timeline of the violence in the state, highlighting the story of a seven-year-old boy who was allegedly burned to death with his mother and aunt while on his way to a hospital with a bullet wound. "This is one story," the TMC said

BJP has imposed undeclared emergency in Jammu and Kashmir: JKPCC chief

Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Vikar Rasool Wani on Monday said the BJP government has imposed an "undeclared emergency" in Jammu and Kashmir by not holding assembly elections in the Union Territory since 2019. "Congress believes in conducting elections at every level like panchayat, DDC (district development council), BDC (Block Development Council), and especially at the assembly level," Wani said. "In November this year, nine years will be completed without elections. If every state gets the right to vote in an election after every five years then why not here. Here BJP has made an undeclared emergency. Definitely in Jammu and Kashmir elections should take place," Wani told reporters at Khonmoh in the outskirts of Srinagar. The JKPCC chief also said Congress is preparing for municipal elections in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in other parts of the country. When asked if Congress will ally with the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) in the elections, Wani

G20 Leaders' Summit 2023: The world knocks on a door more than ajar

A rich, many-faceted dialogue is underway in India as part of the G20 meetings, and diplomats hope for a successful summit, never mind the alarm bells

Unchecked Kashmir box

India has worked hard to earn a sweet spot on Kashmir. But full statehood remains to be restored as we approach the fourth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370

G20 in Kashmir kicks off amidst security, delegates given rousing welcome

Delegates of all G20 countries, barring China, arrived in Srinagar on Monday for the third working group meeting on tourism - a much-anticipated event for which authorities have made extensive security arrangements and spruced up the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. The delegates were given a traditional Indian welcome at the Srinagar airport with performances by local artistes, and the three-day meet kicked off with a side event on 'Film Tourism for Economic Growth and Cultural Preservation'. All the G20 countries except China participated. This meeting had an overwhelming response. We had 61 delegates here. All countries except China are present here, India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant told reporters at a press conference. Kashmir, where tourism is a major industry, is embarking on an exciting journey with the G20 event in the Valley and it will send a strong message against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, Union ministers who have been camping here to oversee the event ...

Govt chalking out comprehensive strategy for tourism in Kashmir: Reddy

Film tourism has emerged as a powerful medium to promote the tourism industry and the government is chalking out a comprehensive strategy for its growth in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said on Monday. He said tourism helps in creating employment opportunities in hospitality and gastronomy. "We are chalking out a comprehensive strategy for tourism growth. Film tourism has emerged as a powerful medium to promote tourism, to promote a destination, Reddy, the Minister for Culture and Tourism, said. He was addressing the delegates from the G20 countries on the side event 'Film Tourism for Economic and Cultural Preservation' at SKICC here. The event is a part of the three-day third Tourism Working Group Meeting of the G20 countries being held here. The minister said Srinagar is India's of one of the most beautiful cities. "I would like to highlight the beauty and cultural heritage of the host destination. Srinagar is India's one of the oldest cities," he added. Redd

Pak FM Bilawal visits PoK ahead of G20 Tourism Working Group meet in J-K

Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday kickstarted his 3-day long visit to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) where he will also deliver an address

Skyrocketing airfares force many tourists to visit Kashmir by bus

Skyrocketing airfares have forced many tourists to visit Kashmir by bus this summer. Due to high demand, a return air ticket from Delhi to Srinagar these days can cost anywhere between Rs 25,000 and Rs 40,000. This makes some holiday destinations abroad such as the UAE, Thailand and Malaysia look cheaper with return air ticket per person costing as low as Rs 18,000. "We travelled to Kashmir by bus. We could have come by air but tickets were so costly. At such prices, we could go to Dubai as well," Rajesh, a tourist from Gujarat, told PTI. Varsha Mankwada also took a bus to Kashmir in view the expensive airfares. "The air tickets were so expensive. To and fro fare was around Rs 25,000. So, we came through travel agency by bus. Comparatively it was reasonable," she said. Tushar Bhai, hailing from Gujarat, travelled to Srinagar by a flight from Mumbai. "I came here from Mumbai. We planned travel according to our budget but it has cost us dear. From Mumbai to Srinagar, it costs us Rs