TRIBAL HERITAGE
“Mapping Tribal Heritage” workshop recently held at IIT Jammu underscores a crucial truth often overlooked in policy discourse: tribal heritage is not a static relic but a living, evolving knowledge system rooted in language, belief, and everyday practice. His emphasis on participatory, community-driven research marks a progressive shift away from top-down models of cultural […]
CORRECTIVE STEP
The drafting of a fresh Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for investigation and prosecution under the NDPS Act marks a crucial corrective step in Jammu and Kashmir’s fight against the growing drug menace. The move acknowledges a hard truth: stringent laws alone are insufficient if procedural lapses repeatedly weaken cases and allow offenders to walk free. […]
BSF Constable Dies After Fire Guts Barrack in North Kashmir
A Border Security Force (BSF) constable died after a fire broke out in a barrack of the 62nd Battalion camp in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district late last night, officials said. An official said that the incident occurred in the Madar area of Bandipora, where a fire engulfed the barrack, completely gutting the structure. The constable, […]
NH Blocked at Shiedra Near Kalai Due to Landslide; Mughal Road Reopened for LMVs
Traffic on the national highway was disrupted on Monday after a landslide blocked the road at Shiedra near Kalai, officials said, adding that men and machinery were immediately deployed to clear the debris and restore connectivity. Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police Traffic Rural, Farooq Qaiser, said the Mughal Road has been reopened for light motor […]
SUSPENSION OF IWT
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s latest remarks on proposed projects over the Jhelum and Chenab mark a significant political and strategic moment for Jammu and Kashmir. The scrapping of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) has reopened a long-suppressed debate on equitable water use, power generation and regional development issues that have historically constrained J&K despite being […]
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
The draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025 marks a significant and much-needed overhaul of India’s pesticide regulatory framework, replacing the decades-old Insecticides Act of 1968. At a time when agriculture faces mounting challenges from climate change, pest resistance, and food safety concerns, updating the law to reflect present-day realities is both timely and necessary. The […]
Comprehensive Review
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s dedication of development works worth over Rs 11.58 crore in Kathua, along with a comprehensive review of progress in both Kathua and Samba districts, reflects a renewed emphasis on grassroots development and administrative accountability. The projects inaugurated and foundation stones laid span critical sectors rural enterprise, agriculture, education and infrastructure signalling […]
GIA expenditure
The Jammu and Kashmir Government’s recent decision to introduce detailed sub-heads for Grant-in-Aid (GIA) expenditure from the financial year 2026–27 is a welcome step towards improving fiscal discipline and transparency. By replacing the earlier practice of booking all such expenditure under a single head with three clearly defined categories—GIA (General), GIA (Creation of […]
ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE
The proposed extension of environmental clearance for the 850-MW Ratle hydroelectric project once again brings into focus the uneasy balance between development ambitions and environmental accountability in Jammu and Kashmir. At its core, the issue is procedural but far from trivial. The original environmental clearance granted in 2012 expired in December 2022, […]
Sub-Zero Cold Grips Kashmir as Gulmarg Freezes at –8.6°C
Cold conditions persisted across Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, with most parts of the Kashmir Valley recording sub-zero minimum temperatures. Gulmarg, the famed tourist resort, emerged as the coldest location in the Valley, registering a minimum temperature of minus 8.6 degrees Celsius. Pahalgam followed at minus 6.8 degrees Celsius, while Shopian recorded minus 6.0 degrees […]
