SRINAGAR: The Meteorological (MeT) department on Saturday forecast mainly dry weather with chances of light rain at isolated phases in Jammu and Kashmir during next 24 hours.
“Mainly dry weather with chances of light rain at isolated places is likely in J&K during next 24 hours,” an official of the MeT department said.
Meanwhile, Srinagar registered 11.4 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam 6.1 and Gulmarg 6.4 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature this morning
Drass town in Ladakh region clocked 3 degrees, Kargil 9.1 and Leh 5, while Jammu recorded 23.1 degrees, Katra 21, Batote 13.1, Banihal 9.6 and Bhaderwah 11.2. (IANS)
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SRINAGAR: The Directorate of School Education Kashmir has ordered the change in school timings in all private and government schools within Srinagar Municipal limits in Kashmir.
As per the order, no 490 DSEK of 2022 the new timings from October 1 to all recognized private and government schools will be from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm while those located outside Srinagar municipal limits will remain functional from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
“All schools are instructed to follow the new timings” reads the order.
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SRINAGAR: At least 13 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) were been reported at a school in Srinagar following which authorities issued a health advisory.
Quoting a top official of Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme(IDSP) news agency KNO reported that 13 students have got affected so far and all are in the age group of 4 to 5 years.
School administration was briefed properly about all the guidelines and they were asked to report immediately there are any more such cases, he said.
All these viral illnesses are self-limiting and isolation, proper hygiene, Cough etiquette, hand washing is key to success, he said, adding that tomato flu is a variant of HFMD.
“Disease (HFMD) Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a human syndrome caused by Intestinal viruses of the Picornaviridae family,” reads an advisory issued by Directorate of Health Services Kashmir
The most common strains causing HFMD are Coxsackie A virus and Enterovirus71 (EV71) and it is a common viral illness of infants and children (less than 10 year olds) and is extremely uncommon in adults,” it said, adding that Coxsackie virus A16 produce Mild Infection HFMD and Enterovirus 71 produce HFMD with severe neurologic involvement including fatal encephalitis.”
The advisory reads that the infection is spread from person to person by direct contact with infectious virus which is found in the nose and throat secretions, saliva, blister fluid, and stool of infected persons and Incubation Period is 3-7 days
The common symptoms are, fever, sore throat, headache, ulcers in mouth, throat and tongue, loss of appetite etc.
“There is no specific treatment for HFMD Fever should be treated with antipyretics, Pain can be relieved with acetaminopherubruprofen, or other over-the-counter pain relievers, Mouth washes or sprays that numb pain can be used to lessen mouth pain, Fluid intake should be emphasized to prevent dehydration, If moderate to severe dehydration develops, intra-venous fluids can be administered and HFMD is disease that is self limiting and takes its own time to subside, many doctors do not prescribe medicine for this illness, unless the infection is severe Infection in children, adolescents, and adults is normally very mild and lasts around 3 days or sometimes less,” it adds.
The advisory said that no vaccine is available to protect against the enteroviruses that cause HFMD. “In order to prevent disease from spreading, Washing hands frequently and correctly especially after changing diapers and after using the toilet, Children should be kept away from crowded public places (such as schools, preschools. Play groups, markets and public transport) if they show signs of infection persons with HFMD, Cleaning dirty surfaces and soiled items, including toys, first with soap and water and then disinfecting them by cleansing with a solution of chlorine bleach (made by adding 1tablespoon of bleach to 4 cups of water; larger quantities can be made by adding, cup of bleach to 1 gallon [16 cups] of water), avoiding close contact (kissing, hugging sharing eating utensils and cups, etc.) are of utmost importance,” it reads.
Meanwhile, district surveillance unit IDSP, Srinagar has issued another advisory regarding HFMD/Tomato Flu (Hand Foot Disease and Mouth Disease).
“The best solution for prevention is maintenance of proper hygiene and sanitization of the surrounding necessities and environment as well as preventing the infected child from sharing toys, clothes, food, or other items with other non-infected children,” the advisory said. “Avoid immediate contact with the infected person, educate your child about the signs and symptoms and its side effects, tell your child not to hug or touch children having fever or rash symptoms, You should encourage your children about hygiene maintenance and stopping thumb or finger sucking habits, Encourage the child to use a handkerchief in case of running nose or coughing to avoid the spread of the disease and don’t scratch or rub the blister and wash every time you touch these blister.”
It said that try to keep hydrated “your child by motivating them to drink plenty of water, milk, or juice, whatever they prefer, if your child develops symptoms of tomato fever, immediately isolate them from other children to inhibit disease progression, all utensils, clothes, and other utility items (for e.g. bedding) should be separated and sanitized regularly, always use warm water to clean skin or for bathing the child, take a nutrition-rich, balanced diet to boost immunity.”
“It is essential to get enough rest and sleep to promote healing as yet, no antiviral drugs or vaccines are available for the treatment or prevention of tomato flu,” he said.
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SRINAGAR: Two militants, who were killed in an encounter in Yedipora village of Pattan in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday, were planning to carry out attack on Army’s Angniveer recruitment rally in the district, police said here.
Quoting senior superintendent of Police Baramulla, Rayees Mohi-u-Din Bhat the news agency KNO reported that the killed militants had come to Baramulla with a motive to attack army’s recruitment rally, which is going on at 10 Sector Hyderbeigh headquarters in the district.
He said that based on a specific intelligence inputs, a joint cordon and search operation was launched in the village and during searches contact was established with the hiding militants.
He said that in the ensuing encounter two militants were killed and as per preliminary investigation it came to fore that they were planning to attack Agniveer recruitment rally.
He added that the killed militants belonged to Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit and their identity was being ascertained.
“An AK-74U, a new version of AK-47, which is being carried by foreign militants was also recovered from the encounter site. In addiction, one AK rifle, 3 magazines, pistol along with magazine and 2 bullets were also recovered,” SSP said.
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SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday claimed to have booked a notorious fraudster and land grabber booked under PSA.
A police spokesman in a statement said that acting tough against the habitual offenders, trespassers and land grabbers, Police in Budgam have booked a notorious fraudster identified as Shoki wife of Ghulam Rasool Dar@ Las Shikari resident of Gangbugh Srinagar under Public Safety Act for her unrelenting involvement in criminal/anti-social activities and deceiving/looting the gullible people.
The spokesman in a statement said that the booked lady has been continuously deceiving, befooling and looting the gullible people with her craftiness.
He said that many a time she was found to be involved in forcibly trespasses the land of people on the pretext of land deals and grabs the same through deceitful means.
He added the said lady also used to attack the owners of said land/property with the help of her goons and used to threaten common masses of her area to face dire consequences if not allowed such illegal activities.
“The booked lady is wife of a land broker namely Ghulam Rasool Dar @ Las Shikari and these both are acting in hand and glove in selling the land/property on fake revenue documents and subject has also been found in interfering in the matters relating to sale/purchase of land in her vicinity,” said the spokesman.
“Her repeated behaviour of indulging in offences and activities had created resentment among the public and turned into law & order situation,” he said.
He added that the said shrewd and swindling lady has been detained under PSA after obtaining sanctions from the concerned authorities for her involvement in 07 cases of cheating already registered against her in district Srinagar and Budgam.
“Community members are once again advised to be aware and not to fall prey to such fraudsters/land grabbers and report any such suspicious or fraudulent activity as early as possible,” said the spokesman.
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SRINAGAR: A Kashmir based journalist Samaan Lateef has been nominated by Society of Editors UK for the prestigious Freelancer of the year award.
Lateef has been invited to the award ceremony at London on November 12.
He has been working for Daily Telegraph London and covering south Asia for the past four years.
His work has appeared in Haaretz, Independent UK, DW Germany, and many other international and national newspapers.
Last week according to Srinagar based news agency Kashmir Dot Com, Samaan Lateef was selected as a finalist along with Mr. Joe Wallen, Daily Telegraph’s south correspondent, in Best Investigative Journalist Award by the Asian Media Awards in London. He has been invited to Manchester UK to attend the award ceremony.
Launched earlier this year, the Awards set the benchmark for a celebration of UK public interest journalism and shine a light on the crucial role that UK journalists play in promoting media freedom, championing the public’s right to know and holding power to account.
Recognizing excellence across 21 categories including freedom of information, campaigns and investigations, the awards will bring together more than 200 journalists from all sectors of the news media industry for a high-profile champagne reception, dinner and ceremony at the Globe Theatre in London on the evening of 9 November 2022.
Announcing the shortlist, Dawn Alford, Executive Director of the Society said: “The nominees for the Media Freedom Awards not only illustrate the excellence of UK public interest journalism, but they also highlight the exceptional courage and determination of journalists both at home and abroad to go to extreme lengths to ensure a story is told despite the difficulties, dangers and barriers they often face in doing so. We look forward to welcoming all those shortlisted – and their colleagues – to the ceremony on 9 November to honour their achievements.”
Other awards presented on the night will include the International News Media Organisation of the Year and the Bob Satchwell Award in memory of the Society’s founding director who was considered a great champion of press freedom before his death last year.
Sponsors for the awards include Camelot which has supported the Society of Editors since 2001, Cision and Newsworks.
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SRINAGAR: Supreme Court Collegium has recommended to Government the elevation of Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey as Chief Justice of High Court of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey
Quoting reliable official sources newspaper Daily Excelsior reported that “SC Collegium comprising Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit and four senior most Judges -Justices D Y Chandrachud, Sanjay Kishan Kaul, S Abdul Nazeer and K M Joseph in its meeting today passed the resolution recommending the elevation of Justice Magrey and also transferred the present Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal to Rajasthan High Court”.
Source elaborated, “it is also for the first time that the Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India UU Lalit, is accessing records of past judicial performances to make recommendations for appointment of Judges to the Apex Court”.
Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey was appointed as Permanent Judge of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir vide notification No. K.13021/01/2012-US.II dated 7th March, 2013 and took oath of office on 8th March, 2013.
Earlier, he enrolled as Advocate in the year 1984 and started practicing law in the District Courts, including Revenue Courts/Tribunals and simultaneously started conducting matters in the High Court. He served as Standing Counsel from 1986 onwards for the State Financial Corporation; Jammu & Kashmir Bank and SIDCO; Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences; Power Development Department; Service Selection Board and Jammu & Kashmir Wakf Board.
He was appointed as Additional Advocate General in February 2003 with allocation of General Administration Department, Health and Medical Education Department, Service Selection Board, State Public Service Commission, Estates Department, SKIMS and Vigilance Department and was appointed as Senior Additional Advocate General in September 2009 with additional charge of Home Department.
He appeared and conducted important criminal, Division Bench and Full Bench matters involving important questions of law, on behalf of the State in the High Court as also in numerous appeals in the Supreme Court of India. He had also appeared and conducted important Public Interest Litigation matters, constitutional matters, service matters, tax matters, civil matters involving high stakes and important issues, arbitration matters and appeared in Commissions of inquiry also on behalf of erstwhile State of J&K etc.
It is pertinent to mention here that Justice Pankaj Mithal had been appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on December 31,2020.
Justice Pankaj Mithal enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh in 1985 and practiced before the Allahabad High Court until 2006 when he was elevated as an Additional Judge of that High Court. He became Permanent Judge in 2008.
“With elevation of Justice Magrey to the post of Chief Justice and transfer of Justice Pankaj Mithal, there will be one vacancy in the High Court of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh,” newspaper Daily Excelsior quoted sources as having said.
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SRINAGAR: One more militant was killed in an encounter with the counter-insurgent forces at Yedipora village in Pattan area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Thursday, taking the death toll of militants to two, an official said.
He said that one more militant was killed in the gunfight at Yedipora village of Pattan.
SRINAGAR: The Meteorological (MeT) department on Friday forecast dry weather in Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours.
“Dry weather is likely to continue in J&K during the next 24 hours,” an official of the MeT department said, adding that the weather was similar on Thursday also.
Meanwhile, Srinagar registered 11.4 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam 6.6 degrees and Gulmarg 6.4 degrees as the minimum temperature this morning.
Drass in Ladakh region reported 2.9 degrees, Kargil 6.6 and Leh 2 degrees, while Jammu had recorded a minimum of 22.8 degrees, Katra 20.2, Batote 12.4, Banihal 10.4 and Bhaderwah 10.9. (IANS)
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SRINAGAR: A gunfight broke out between militants and counterinsurgent forces in Yedipora village in Pattan area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday early morning.
Reports said that a joint team of Army, CRPF and Police launched a cordon and search operation in Yedipora village in Pattan area after having credible inputs about the presence of some militants in the area.
#Encounter has started at Yedipora, Pattan area of #Baramulla. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice
SRINAGAR: A gunfight broke out between militants and counterinsurgent forces in Chitragam area in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Friday late night.
Reports said that a joint team of Army, CRPF and Police launched a cordon and search operation in Chitragam area after having credible inputs about the presence of some militants in the area.
#Encounter has started at Chitragam area of #Shopian. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice
SRINAGAR: Days after being expelled from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for alleged anti-party activities, Balwant Singh Mankotia on Thursday joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi.
Balwant Singh Mankotia
Mankotia,as per the news agency KNO joined the party in presence of senior BJP leader and Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, Tarun Chug and Ravinder Raina.
Sources said that the deliberations between Mankotia and BJP were going on for the last several weeks and it was the reason that AAP expelled him from the party.
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SRINAGAR: A Kashmiri footballer falls in The Guardian list of 60 best young talents in world football in 2022. The British newspaper, one of the most respected publications in London and the oldest one, is carrying out a survey every year and an Indian footballer has been there for the last three consecutive years.
Kashmir footballer is one of the 60 young talents in the game globally, the Guardian list for 2022 says
Identified as Suhail Ahmad Bhat, the Kashmir footballer is associated with the Indian Arrows Football Club.
This hard-working striker was identified as one of the brightest talents in the Kashmir region even before he was a teenager. Willing to run at defenders and full of self-belief, he has excelled at every youth level he has been thrown into so far. He has scored on his Under-16 debut for India against the United Arab Emirates in 2021. There are high hopes that the 17-year-old player will eventually be the long-term successor of India’s striking legend Sunil Chhetri.
Suhail was born on April 8, 2005, and he currently plays as a forward for Indian Arrows. In 2017, Bhat joined the Sports Council Football Academy after he got selected from a football camp in Srinagar.
The Guardian’s coveted list comprises top players from different countries.
Suhail Bhat’s Wikipedia page reveals that he was first called up for the Indian national under-16 football team in 2021, scoring on his debut against the United Arab Emirates
Last Year, The Goal reported Suhail was in a quandary when AIFF ( All India Football Federation) offered him an opportunity. He has always dreamt of representing India on the international stage, and yet he was in a dilemma before putting pen to paper, as he thought his studies would take a backseat if he went on to join the India U16 squad.
However, he soon proved himself to be too good for his age. Mehrajuddin Wadoo, the academy-in-charge, decided to promote him to U15. After spending almost a year he was once again promoted and this time to the U18 team.
“We had our eyes on him because he was showing a lot of promise. He has a good height and is well-built. Mujhe laga yeh aagey jayega ( I felt that he would go forward in his career),” The Goal quoted Wadoo as having said.
The youngster had played in the youth leagues of AIFF but Dar and Wadoo wanted to test him against more senior opposition and fielded him in the Premier Division of the Jammu and Kashmir state football league. After watching him excel against the big boys, both his coaches felt that he can break through into the India U16 squad. In the follow-up, they connected with coach Bibiano Fernandes and requested a trial. Bhat went to Goa and within a few training sessions, Fernandes was impressed.
Suhail Bhat was a student of class 1 0 at Shah-i-Hamdan Educational Institute, Bemina, Srinagar. He has always excelled in school. But his passion for football finally got the better of him and the 15-year-old agreed to join the India U16 side.
“He is a very serious student and good in academics. But I let him join because AIFF provides the best platform to grow. There were other teams willing to sign him in Kashmir but I thought it would be best for him to join AIFF’s set-up,” Sajid Dar, Suhail’s coach and Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council Football Academy’s honorary technical director, told The Goal.
In 2017, he was selected as a forward from the Srinagar camp in the U-13 category.
“The only difference between success and failure is the ability to take action,” Suhail has put the line on his Twitter account. “Tomorrow is never promised. Make today beautiful.”
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SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday claimed to have arrested one militant associated with AuGH outfit in central Kashmir’s Srinagar district.
“One Categorised militant of AGH militant outfit namely Junaid Ahmad Parray of Nawakadal arrested by a joint team of Srinagar Police and 24 RR from Palpora, Srinagar. One pistol, magazine and live rounds also recovered. Case under sections of UAPA registered in Safakadal PS,” Srinagar Police tweeted.
One Categorised terrorist of AGH terror outfit namely Junaid Ahmad Parray of Nawakadal arrested by a joint team of Srinagar Police and 24 RR from Palpora, Srinagar. One pistol, magazine and live rounds also recovered. Case under sections of UAPA registered in Safakadal PS. pic.twitter.com/QlJzP0eNgs
SRINAGAR: India on Thursday reported 4,272 fresh Covid infections in the past 24 hours against the previous day’s 3,615 count, as per the Union Health Ministry data
During the same period, 27 more Covid-related deaths took the nationwide death toll to 5,28,611.
Meanwhile, the active caseload stands at 40,750 cases, accounting for 0.09 per cent of the country’s total positive cases.
The recovery of 4,474 patients in the last 24 hours took the cumulative tally to 4,40,13,999. Consequently, the recovery rate stands at 98.72 per cent.
Meanwhile, the Daily Positivity rate has been reported to be 1.35 per cent and the Weekly Positivity Rate stands at 1.51 per cent.
Also in the same period, a total of 3,16,916 tests were conducted across the country, increasing the overall tally to over 89.47 crore.
As of this morning, the Covid-19 vaccination coverage exceeded 218.17 crore.
Over 4.09 crore adolescents have been administered with a first dose of Covid-19 jab since the beginning of vaccination drive for this age bracket. (IANS)
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SRINAGAR: The Meteorological (MeT) department on Thursday forecast mainly dry weather with chances of light rain in Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours.
“Weather is likely to remain mainly dry in J&K during the next 24 hours with chances of light rain,” an office of the MeT department said.
Meanwhile, Srinagar recorded 14.4 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam 7.2 and Gulmarg 5 degrees as the minimum temperature this morning.
Drass in Ladakh region clocked 5 degrees, Kargil 9.6 and Leh 5.6 degrees.
Jammu registered 22.8 degrees, Katra 20.5, Batote 14.8, Banihal 10.2 and Bhaderwah 12.5 degrees. (IANS)
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The costliest and most fascinating Sapphire from Padder Mountains continues to remain unmatched across the globe. Though the mining is halted for more than half a century, the stones recovered earlier continue to keep the Kashmir gems in news.David AtkinsonandRustam Z Kothavala, who visited the twin mines in 1981, offer the history of the discovery
A fascinating photograph of Gullabgarh (Paddar), which has remained the base camp for mine-exploration expeditions. Photograph: Wikipedia
Since their discovery in 1881, the legendary sapphire deposits of Kashmir have acquired a reputation based on a mixture of fact and fantasy that is usually associated with the ancient gem mines of the world. Situated in the high Himalaya Mountains of northwest India and described in early reports as “the region beyond the snows,” the locality is so remote that to this day only a handful of trained geologists have visited the site. Consequently, little has been published on the deposits in recent years and even less on the stones mined there.
Because outsiders were strictly forbidden to enter the Paddar region of Kashmir until 1979, Dr Kothavala’s earlier efforts to visit the sapphire deposits were refused. In 1981, he invited Mr Atkinson to join him in a renewed attempt to reach the mines. Until the authors’ visit during the summer of 1981, the last known Westerner to inspect the site was RV Gaines in 1944.
More recently, in 1961, the state government of Jammu and Kashmir undertook a detailed feasibility survey, but the results of this study remain confidential. One reason for the dwindling worldwide interest in these mines is the paucity of fine gems produced after 1908. Such scarcity would long ago have doomed the locality to insignificance were it not for the unique beauty of the few stones that still emerge.
This possibly could be the costliest Brooch on earth, involving a Kashmir Sapphire
Similarly, the inaccessibility of the mines is tempered only by the awe-inspiring beauty of their surroundings. Even the 19th-century geologists felt compelled to devote entire paragraphs to describe carpets of wildflowers and majestic scenery in their otherwise staid reports.
Few gemmologists would dispute that a fine Kashmir stone displays a character that sets it apart in a world relatively abundant in corundum gems. Over the years, the term Kashmir has come to signify the most desirable and expensive of blue sapphires. The protracted territorial dispute between India and Pakistan over the state of Kashmir, plus the outlawing of private trade in Kashmir sapphires since the early 1880s by the maharajah, have conspired to surround the mining and trading of these stones with an aura of secrecy and suspicion. Add to that the extreme cultural isolation of the local people, whose small villages lie in narrow valleys among mountains that rise to more than 6,000 m (20,000 ft), and one has the necessary ingredients for a legend that compares with Shangri-La.
The purpose of this article is to set the particular conditions pertaining to the area in perspective. It seeks to chronicle the major developments at this occurrence in the 100 years since its discovery, review what little literature exists on the subject, and provide some insights into the very limited but continuing trade in Kashmir sapphires today. In addition, a brief commentary on the geology of the area and a discussion of the gemmological characteristics of Kashmir stones are provided
History
As early as 1882 (Mallett) and 1890 (La Touche), reports by government geologists to the Geological Survey of India concurred that the discovery of sapphires in a glacial cirque above the village of Sumjam, on the southwest slopes of the rugged Zanskar Range, was the result of a landslide that took place sometime in 1881. Minor quakes and avalanches are frequent in this geologically active region. It is clear from various letters and communications by missionaries and traders, who lived in the area at the time that the local inhabitants had been aware of several different corundum deposits (Mallett, 1882; Shepard, 1883).
Conversations with villagers during the expedition in 1981 verified that opaque, greyish corundum crystals had been used as flints and as crude abrasive tools from very early times. The exposure in 1881 of a concentrated pocket of gemmy blue crystals sparked enough local excitement to initiate exchanges with itinerant traders from the neighbouring valleys of Zanskar and Lahul. After crossing the Umasi-La Pass (5290 m) in order to reach Sumjam, in the valley of Paddar, these merchants were at first sceptical and had to be cajoled into trading the nilom (“blue stone”) for salt on a weight for weight basis. Eventually, these stones found their way to larger commercial centres, usually in the company of more traditional and humble minerals, notably borax and salt. It was in the marketing centres of Kulu and Simla (the summer capital of India) that the crystals were positively identified and their true value recognized. The news spread quickly. By the end of 1882, a syndicate of jewellers had paid the equivalent of US$90000 for a lot of fine crystals (Mallett, 1882).
From these reports, it can be inferred that the early production was quite abundant.
By 1883, the maharajah of Kashmir had claimed his rightful ownership of the mines and declared all private trade in the stones a punishable offence. Not surprisingly, the local Paddaris, disconnected from affairs of state, deeply resented the stationing of a contingent of the maharajah’s elite Dogra guards at the mine. This sentiment persists still in the valley, where the authors had the opportunity to talk with both the local villagers and the police stationed at the mines. Until 1887, various government officials were dispatched to the mine to oversee the collection of sapphire on behalf of the state and to prevent rampant smuggling and raiding of the site, which later became known as the Old Mine.
Their efforts reaped enormous wealth for the state and led to the fabled collection of crystals and gems held in the state treasury. As dramatically as it had begun, production slowed to a trickle as the initial pocket of sapphire was worked out.
In 1887, the Kashmir Durbar acquired the services of the Geological Survey of India’s deputy superintendent, TD La Touche, to carry out the first detailed survey and estimate of future potential. La Touche’s results were presented in his landmark report of 1890. Since then, only one comprehensive survey has been published (Middlemiss, 1931). Later surveys, undertaken by various government agencies since India’s independence in 1947 and extending to the late 1970s, remain confidential.
On the recommendations of La Touche, crude washing troughs were constructed, using lumber carried from hundreds of meters below the mine.
However, his attempts to exploit the alluvial deposits already discovered on the floor of the cirque at the base of the Old Mine yielded only one spectacular stone, and the mine was abandoned for 16 years until the government leased the prospect to private interests (Minerals Yearbook, 1906).
It is evident from the frequent change in lessees that followed that the combination of impossibly harsh mining conditions, constant raiding by unauthorized parties, and the lack of major crystals made mining less and less attractive. Nevertheless, several interesting developments during this period pointed the way to future potential for the mines. La Touche had reported finding loose blocks of corundum in the matrix on the north- slope behind the Old Mine, known as the “back slope”, but was unable to trace this material to its exact source.
In addition, he postulated the existence of further placer deposits beneath the floor of the cirque. To this day, no success has been reported in finding these deposits. In 1906, CMP Wright, of the Kashmir Mining Company, lessee of the mine, reworked the earlier placer deposit with some success before abandoning the mines in 1908. On his departure, he did report several occurrences of new sapphire outcrops only a few hundred meters from the exhausted Old Mine.
In his opinion, however, they were of little significance (Middlemiss, 193 1).
The failure of sporadic mining during the next decade to produce any exciting crystals seemed to confirm the belief that the sapphire workings at Sumjam had finally been depleted. Nevertheless, in 1924 the government commissioned a detailed mapping of the area, and several new sapphire outcrops were identified. In the years that followed, the second phase of mining began at the “New Mines”.
The results, although not as spectacular as earlier, were most profitable for the private operators-so much so, it appears, that the government decided to take matters into its own hands once more. In 1927, for undisclosed “irregularities,” the mining lease was revoked and state mining laws were hastily revised (Middlemiss, 1931). A government-controlled mining project carried out that year yielded the largest seasonal production in the history of the area. Proposals for a state gem-cutting operation were drawn up, and a revival of the sapphire industry seemed imminent. In 1928, however, an experimental batch of rough was cut in Delhi and the results were analyzed. Of over 900 ct of finished stones, fewer than 20 pieces could be classed as excellent quality, only two as large as 6 ct and one of 10 ct (Middlemiss, 1931).
The new material could not compare with the early stones. Tenders were therefore accepted once more from private parties, and scanty reports suggest that at least three different operators worked the mines until 1951. Despite large quantities of rough extracted (over one million carats in 1949, when 50 workers were employed full time during the season) only a minute quantity of “incomparable” stones emerged. With the final dismantling of the maharajah’s political power in 1947, the last connections between the maharajah of Kashmir and the Paddar mines were broken.
Post-1947
Effective control of the mines now rests with the state government of Jammu and Kashmir. Over the past 30 years, mining has been intermittent. In 1981 the mines were inactive, although at the time of writing negotiations are once again underway to lease the area to private interests.
(Excerpted from a long paper, Kashmir Sapphire, authored jointly by Dr Rustam Z Kothavala, formerly lecturer on geology and director of the Science Centre at Harvard University, and David Atkinson, which was published in Gems and Gemmology in the summer of 1984.)
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SRINAGAR: Two persons were injured, while few vehicles also got damaged after a mysterious blast took place inside a parked bus near a petrol station in Udhampur district on late Wednesday evening.
Quoting an official the news agency KNO reported that the blast took place inside the parked bus at around 10:35 pm due to which two persons were injured.
He said that roof of the bus also got damaged, while window panes of several nearby vehicles were also damaged.
The official said that injured persons were rushed to a nearby hospital, while police have launched a probe into matter.
Meanwhile, following the blast forces cordoned off the area, while all exit routes have been sealed and vigil across the area has been increased.
Notably, this is the second blast in Udhampur district in the last few months. Earlier, in March a low intensity explosion occurred in a crowded junction in the district, in which one person was killed and 15 others were injured.
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SRINAGAR: The Sheikh Colony Nowhatta is facing an acute shortage in water supply leaving locals high and dry in the mornings when they need to get ready and go out for work.
The locality in the heart of Srinagar has residents strolling miles for fetching water in the morning as well as in the evening.
The area gets water supply only when there is no electricity because the electric water-fetching motors of adjacent localities become dysfunctional.
Shaheen, a local woman working as a housekeeper said, “There are frequent number of power cuts in winters because of which we get timely water supply. Winters which trouble the rest of the people in the valley are a blessing for us. During summers, there are very less power cuts, so we have to go to Bahu-ud-din Sahab to fetch water.”
She said, “The President of the locality who lives ahead of us gets uninterrupted water supply. The houses ahead of the President’s house also get good supply but we are left without water because we live behind his (President’s) house.”
Due to the lack of water supply, the locals say they feel elated when electricity is cut off unlike in other areas where people are agitated due to curtailment.
Also, the locals have to climb up the Hari Parbat to fix the blocked pipes in order to streamline the supply to their area.
The locals mainly employed in sweeping, cleaning and vending jobs opine that they need continuous water supply more than any other area because of their job profile.
Muhammad Yousuf Naik, Assistant Executive Engineer Jal Shakti Department Nowhatta said, “There were some issues in the past which have been solved a couple of days ago.”
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SRINAGAR: In the last 24 hours, India reported 3,615 new Covid-19 cases and 22 deaths, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.
The new fatalities increased the overall death toll to 5,28,584.
The active caseload at 40,979 accounts for 0.09 per cent of the country’s total positive cases.
The recovery of 4,972 patients in the last 24 hours took the cumulative tally to 4,40,09,525. Consequently, India’s recovery rate stands at 98.72 per cent.
Meanwhile, the daily and weekly positivity rates stood at 1.12 per cent and 1.55 per cent, respectively.
Also in the same period, a total of 3,23,293 tests were conducted across the country, increasing the overall tally to over 89.44 crore.
As of Wednesday morning, India’s Covid-19 vaccination coverage exceeded 217.96 crore.
Over 4.09 crore adolescents have been administered with a first dose of Covid-19 jab since the beginning of vaccination drive for this age bracket. (IANS)
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SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board Tuesday ordered restoration of ‘Shab-Khawani’ at all shrines of the Union Territory and directed the authorities to put in place all necessary arrangements.
An order issued by Executive Magistrate, Tehsildar of J&K Waqf Board, Srinagar, Ishtiyaq Mohi-ud-din, a copy of which lies with the news agency KNO, said that Jammu and Kashmir has been an abode of Sufi Saints and their shrines are spread across the length and breadth of the UT of J&K, whose administrative affairs are managed by the J&K Waqf Board.
Apart from the usual religious practices, the practice of shab Khawani’ has been a precedence of centuries at these shrines, that was observed with great religious fervour and zeal, preferably on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday,” it said, adding that the practice of “Shab-Khawani” at most shrines was discontinued because of the turmoil and deteriorating law and order situation few decades back.
The Chairperson, J&K Waqf Board has desired that in view of the improvement in overall law and order situation in the UT, the practice shall be resumed to restore the sanctity and religious fervour associated with Shab-Khawani.
“Now, therefore, general public is hereby informed that “Shab-Khawani” being restored at all shrines of Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, and shall be preferably observed on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. However, it can also be observed on any other night of the week depending upon the local custom and past practice. Executive Officers/ Administrators and the staff posted at shrines are hereby directed to put in place all necessary arrangements to ensure “Shab-Khawani” is observed in peaceful and serene environment. They shall give wide publicity through public notices and announcements to generate awareness among the devotees in this regard,” the order reads—
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With the re-opening of a 520-seat theatre in Srinagar, Kashmir has revived an entertainment window that existed since 1932. The closure of the cinemas was a major infrastructure deficit. While the screen was in hibernation, the people, not only created their own means to watch Bollywood and Hollywood even at the peak of turmoil but also made acting a career choice, reportsMasood Hussain
The re-opening of the erstwhile Broadway Cinema has been a major event in recent days. Almost every media outlet of any significance across the globe ensured the event is adequately covered.
Jammu and Kashmir administration encouraged Inox Leisure, India’s premiere movie theatre chain to open cinemas in Kashmir. While in the districts, it would spend Rs 30 lakh to set up small careens, the major one was thrown open in Srinagar by Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha last week. It has 520 seats and three screens. The premises owner, Vijay Dhar, tied up with Inox and the cinema will operate normally in early October.
Cinema is a key infrastructure that was impacted by the turmoil of 1989 summer. A group of insurgents banned the operations of the cinemas – along with liquor, by the yearend. Almost locked for a year, these huge premises quickly got converted into garrisons or were abandoned to rot. Srinagar city alone had eight cinemas. Khayam was converted into Khyber, a major super-speciality hospital in Srinagar. Regal, one of the oldest, is an emerging mall. Shah Cinema, Firdous, Naaz, and Shiraz are housing the paramilitary forces. Neelam is closed but intact and the oldest one, the Palladium is in ruins and also is partly housing the CRPF. It is Broadway which is now operational and run by Inox.
There were two cinemas hall each in Anantnag (Heewan and Nishaat), in Sopore (Kapra and Samad Talkies) and one each in Baramulla (Regina), Handwara (Heemal) and Kupwara (Marazi) as Army was running a cinema hall each in Srinagar, Baramulla (Thamaya) and Pattan (Zorawar). Barring the ones operated by the armed forces, all others were either abandoned or simply witnessed a change in the use of the space. The shutting of the doors was quickly felt as the people manning these huge facilities were literally on the roads. Many families broke and a few died under debts and uncertainty.
Evolution of Cinema
“The cinema in Kashmir is essentially the story of the Palladium Talkies started in 1932 by Bhai Anant Singh Gauri,” author and former officer, Khalid Bashir Ahmad wrote in his long piece on the evolution of Kashmir’s entertainment sector. It was the same family that donated over 50 kanals of land to the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Srinagar in 1978mna that is the reason why the Institute’s Ward No 4 (urology) is named after him. “Bhai Anant Singh’s grandson, Manmohan Singh Gauri claims that the Palladium Cinema was the oldest movie hall in north India and would screen Hollywood movies before these were released in Delhi which did not have a good market for English films then.”
It was the great-grandfather of fashion designer, Rohit Bal, that set up the Regal. The family also owned a screen each at Gulmarg and Lahore. Khalid has referred to the yearly administrative report of the Maharaja government of 1940–41 that mentions “one (cinema) caters chiefly for Europeans and educated Indians and the other provides amusement chiefly to Indian audiences.” It had the pre-partition tradition of running Hollywood films. Watching the success of the two cinema halls, another Punjabi family applied for permission but it was resisted by people. On November 30, 1935, the newspaper Martand commented: “a third cinema hall will reduce to extremity a people already depleted of their resources by the existing cinema halls”.
In the next decade, Bal’s added another cinema hall to Regal and called it Amresh Talkies. Post-partition, both halls were taken over by Bakhshi Rashid, the powerful brother of Bakhshi Ghulam Mohammad. Later, a cinema was opened in Anatnatng, Baramulla and Sopore. Gradually the numbers improved. By 1990 all were locked. Given the popularity, these cinemas continue are still landmarks – Regal and Palladium but Kashmir still has Regal Chowk and Palladium Gali.
Projection Room of erstwhile Regal Cinema, the ruins on which a tower was constructed
Kashmir’s Screen Story
1932: Capitalist Bhai Anant Singh Gauri started Palladium Talkies by showing Alam Ara. The cinema premises became a public space in 1947-48 and most of the speeches Pandit Nehru made were there. It was destroyed in a major fire incident in 1993. It could not be rebuilt owing to a dispute over the lease.
1933: Influential Bal family started Regal. They later had a cinema each in Gulmarg and Lahore. Mostly showing Hollywood films, its dilapidated wooden building collapsed in the 1970s.
1940: Bal family was permitted to start Amresh near the Regal. In 1950, the ownership of two Bal-owned theatres was taken over by Bakhshi Abdul Majid. During the Holy Relic agitation, people set afire to both the cinemas on December 28, 1963. Later, the government permitted the reconstruction of only Regal with 1340 seats and it re-opened in 1967.
1945: Influential Bhai Anant Singh Gauri, a Punjabi-speaking family of Srinagar, started Regina Cinema, on Maulana Azad Road. A year later, they launched Jai Hind Talkies in 1946. It operated in Suthra Shahi. Post-partition, the government acquired Jai Hind Talkies and converted it into coal storage. Later, it was auctioned and purchased by Khawaja Saifuddin, who started it as Neelam Cinema in 1966. The government also took over Regina and converted it into the SRTC office.
1955: Samad Talkies in Sopore was started by the richest man in the town, Khawaja Samad Pandith.
1956: Regina Cinema in Baramulla and Nishat Talkies in Anantnag start operations.
1964: Shiraz Cinema was inaugurated at Khanyar, in the interior of the city. It is a garrison now.
1965: Tirath Ambla and Dhar’s family started the Broadway Theatre in May, then the modern one. After closure in 1990, it was re-opened twice.
1968: Khayyam, the second cinema in the old city started on December 2, 1968. It was the first hall to have a 70 mm screen. It is now called Khyber Hospital.
1969: Two more cinemas come up – Naz Cinema near Iqbal Park and Firdous Cinema at Hawal. Both are garrisons.
1983: Shah Cinema was inaugurated at Qamarwari in October. It is with CRPF.
1985: A brand new Heevan Cinema started in Anantnag. The town had no such facility since 1982 when the Nisaht Talkies was destroyed in a major fire while screening the Hindi movie Surakhsha.
(Compiled on basis of the research of Khalid Bashir Ahmad)
A deserted Lal Chowk in 1990 summer showing the Palladium Cinema intact with cops around. The photograph was taken a day when business was closed owing to some hartal call.
Multiple Relations
Cinema being a powerful tool of communication, Kashmir took its own time to establish the relationship as it exists in slivers. For most of the time, the cinema was the only window of “amusement”, as an official report of 1940 suggests. It took a bit of time for the audience to understand the message. “When Khana-e-Khuda, a film based on the annual Islamic pilgrimage of Haj, was screened in the Shiraz in 1968 the entire cinema hall was first washed to give it a holy ambience,” Khalid wrote. “Many people who came to watch the movie removed their footwear in reverence before entering the cinema hall.” It reached the next level when Regal showcased the Lion of Desert in 1985 summer, a film on the life of Omar al-Mokhtar. It changed Kashmir forever.
Though the entertainment sector in Kashmir once hosted the biggies from 20th Century Fox, a major Hollywood entrainment company, but Kashmir started discovering another facet of cinema soon after the partition. Within days after the tribal raiders were pushed back, Bhagwan Das Garga (1924-2011) was one of the many writers and filmmakers who responded to the call of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah to visit Kashmir.
Balwant Gargi, his Lahore friend, accompanied Garga to Srinagar and approached Sheikh for help to make a documentary, Dileep Padgoankar wrote in the forward of The Art of Cinema: An Insider’s Journey Through 50 Years of Film History. “The Kashmiri leader told them bluntly that he had no funds for the project. All he could do was to place a houseboat at their disposal and look after the transportation,” he wrote. “With great difficulty, they managed to get a camera and raw stock which was still in short supply.”
Storm Over Kashmir documentary director B D Garga with Sheikh M Abdullah during the shooting in Srinagar in 1949
Rajinder Singh Bedi suggested the plot envisaging a woman, Shabbo, who survived raped, her house destroyed and her husband killed. Achala Sachdev, a Delhi girl, who had never faced the camera, was given the role. The documentary, named The Storm over Kashmir by Khawaja Ahmad Abbas, was shot in real life setting in Baramulla.
Watched and appreciated by all including Pandit Nehru, Padgoankar wrote India’s Censor Board refused to pass it till it does not “show the Indian army defending Kashmir”. It also “depicted Sheikh Abdullah in a flattering light”, the censors pointed out. Even though General Thimayya helped Garga to shoot the action on frontiers, and the Censors passed it, it was never released in India formally.
However, Khalid Bashir has written that it was in 1944 when the Taj Mahal Film Company shot its film, Begum, featuring Ashok Kumar as a shepherd and Naseem alias Pari Chehra, around a short story by Sadat Hassan Mantoo. It was shot extensively in Kashmir. What was interesting was that an ‘educated Kashmiri girl’ at Weir, Chattabal showed her crossing the Jhelum with a wicker basket as a man was chasing her. Identified later as Misra, she was offered to permanently join the film line. It remains unknown if she actually accepted the offer.
Achla Sachdev playing the role of Kashmiri woman affected by tribal attack in 1947 in a 1951 Bollywood documentary Storm Over Kashmir.
It, however, marked a new relationship between Bollywood and Kashmir. Most of the Bollywood would operate from Srinagar for most of the summer. They would hire bungalows in population and take rest and make merry. Almost 100 Bollywood films were shot in Kashmir. Richard Attenborough shot part of his A Passage to India in Kashmir. It is based on EM Forster’s book that he wrote in 1912. However, the turmoil froze this relationship.
A Reluctant Return
Kashmir militancy dominated the public discourse. India’s film industry also felt a requirement to tell the story, in its own way. It was big money. Various filmmakers started getting cosy with the security grid. Mani Ratnam wanted to shoot his Roja but nobody could help. Though the story is around Kashmir, it is not shot in the Valley. It is true with all the flicks that were set in Kashmir or told a story linked with Kashmir – Kohram was shot in Kargil and Rajouri; Hero-Love Story of a Spy was shot in Himachal and Europe; Pukar was shot in Alska. Even LOC-Kargil, perhaps the longest film ever made in India, was shot in Leh and not in Kargil. It lost two of its crew members dying in high altitude sickness while shooting in Ladakh. Parts of Bjrangi Baijan were shot in Jammu and Kashmir.
A still from Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Mission Kashmir
It was Rattan Irani’s Mere Apne, Inder Kumar’s Mann (1999), and VV Chopra’s Mission Kashmir in 2000 that had some sequences shot in Kashmir. These films, however, set the tone. It was followed by Sheen and later by Lamhaa. After Haider was shot mostly in Kashmir including at Lal Chowk, Bollywood attempted to restore its ‘lost’ links with Kashmir. The film crews started getting more visible in Kashmir. Post-Haider, almost every war or romantic flick has something linked to Kashmir’s scenic spots.
In the last three years, there is a lot of emphasis on making Kashmir revive its age-old linkage. Now, almost every other day, the administration in Jammu and Kashmir receives an application for permission. With the administration offering more than what the filmmakers cannot even imagine in Europe in terms of hospitality and costs, almost every filmmaker is keen to be in Kashmir. Under the Film Policy, the administration intends to create a complete eco-system that suits the entertainment sector.
Not A First
With the re-opening of a major theatre in Srinagar and two smaller ones in Shopian and Pulwama, the impression generated in the media was suggested as if it was done for the first time. That may not be a complete picture.
The fact is that in 1998, the government invited the cinema owners for a long discussion following which at least three of them agreed to resume their operations if they are getting funds to revive the halls. Broadway, Regal and Neelam formally applied and were given Rs 32.50 lakh to resume their operations. For political reasons, the government wished to convey that the writ of militants has been challenged and the normality restored.
Mufti Sayeed with Bollywood filmmakers and actors. In this 2015 photograph, Rishi Kapoor is talking to the Chef Minster as Anupam Kher is looking on.
On August 6, 1998, the then Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, joined Kashmir-born Director, Vidhu Vinod Chopra to watch Kareeb in the same cinema hall which was thrown open by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on September 20, 2022. The fact is that small groups started going to watch movies. It did not, however, trigger the same rush as these halls used to have.
Militants were waiting for an opportunity. On September 4, 1999, a grenade was lobbed into the Regal cinema premises in the Lal Chowk area leading to the killing of one person as 20 survived with splinter injuries. The cinema was locked that very day. It was later demolished and now a tower is reconstructed on the site.
Neelam cinema reopened on April 4, 1999. Built originally in 1946 as Jai Hind Talkies by Bhai Anant Singh Gauri, the cinema was taken over by the government and converted into a coal store, according to Khalid Bashir. Later, it was auctioned and purchased by Khawaja Saifuddin Baba, a business magnate (Saifco) who re-launched it as Neelam Cinema in 1966. Post-1990s, after its re-opening, the cinema, operating under the shadow of the police and CRPF was open with a minimal audience – sometimes as less as eight – till in September 2005, an encounter broke out outside it. It led to the killing of a militant and the security grid had to make serious efforts to ensure the 70-odd people watching Aamir Khan-starrer Mangal Pandey are rescued. The curtains fell on the revival process.
Bollywood actress Urmila Matondkar with her Kashmiri husband, Mohsin
Efforts to revive the screen were started in November 2019 by the CRPF when in Anantnag; they decided to revive the 525-seat Heaven Cinema wherefrom their battalion headquarters operated. They went up to Delhi and purchased a 70mm screen, speakers, and projectors, and after cleaning up the hall, put on the lights and started the show. It is known if it operates currently.
This, however, never meant that the people in Kashmir were literally Talibanised enough that they did not watch the movies, especially Bollywood. The fact is that for the worst of the turmoil decade – 1990-2002, Kashmir was watching the movies. At one point of time, the VCR was one of the major money earners in Kashmir. It would fetch a rent of Rs 200-400, per 24 hours plus Rs 25 for every film cassette. Every lane in Srinagar had at least one shop. Then cable TV took over and now satellite TV has literally converted every third home into a mini-theatre. The cell phone is actually a theatre in the pocket.
Acting as Career
The frozen cinema halls in Kashmir did not prevent the youngsters from choosing acting as a career. Kashmir right now has more actors of different status in Bollywood than there were thirty years back when the theatres were forced to shut.
Before the militancy broke out in Kashmir, Bollywood had score-odd artists from Jammu and Kashmir and most of them were Kashmiri Pandits. These included Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Anupam Kher, D K Sapru, Omkar Nath Dhar (Jeevan), and MK Raina. Post-migration, a number of new entrants to the dream city felt the tinsel town was accommodative, supportive and encouraging. This helped many of them make it big.
For Muslims in Kashmir, it had been a Himalayan battle to choose acting as a career. Part of the problem was the conservatism that acts like a gravitational force. Off late, however, the situation is changing. Actors from Jammu and Kashmir are a crowd now. Some of them are getting very good roles and are being appreciated for their skills. The contact between the artist’s fraternity has reached such a level that now marriages are being solemnised.
Not Many Films
While Bollywood did more than 20 films on Kashmir post-1990 and a lot of Kashmiri actors figured in their cast, there was not a serious effort of filmmaking within Kashmir. While the Kashmir story has already become so touchy and sensitive, there were not many efforts to even tackle the non-controversial aspects of life in Kashmir.
Vinod Khanna as Sultan Yusuf Shah Chak with Dimple Kapadia as Habba Khatoon in a 1989 photograph of unreleased movie Zooni by Muzaffar Ali. Pic: Sami Qazi
This, however, has been a historic deficit. Jammu and Kashmir has historically lacked a filmmaking culture and there are no funding agencies either. It may be linked to the limitation of the audience. There were, however, a few efforts in the last half a century. Soon after the partition, Ezra Mir directed Pamposh (Lotus) in 1952. Though it fetched her president’s medal and the film was screened at the Cannes Film Festival, it was not liked by people when it was screened in the cinema halls.
In 1964, when Manziraat (the wedding henna ceremony) was screened in Kashmir cinema halls, it was very well appreciated.
In 1972, Jammu and Kashmir’s Information and PR department entered into a joint venture with filmmaker Prabhat Mukherjee for making a film on the life and contributions of Shayar-e-Kashmir Mehjoor. It was a dual-language film and was screened in cinemas and projectors in the villages.
The cast of the 1964 film Mainzraat with the then Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq. Those in the frame include Ghulam Rasool Santosh (lyricist), Hafiza Kausar, Krishna Wali, Nabla Begum, Pran Kishore, Somnath Sadhu, Mohan Lal Aima (music director), GM Sadiq, Poet Dina Nath Nadim, Makhan Lal Saraf, MR Seth (producer), Onkar Aima, Moti Lal Khemu (only eyes and forehead visible), Om Kapoor (Cameraman). In the front row are Master Qayoom, Master Nadam, Shantiveer Kaul, Munni (Nabla’s daughter) and Master Alok. Pic: Sami Qazi
There were some efforts by established TV producers to make films on a diversity of subjects. These included Jyoti Suroo’s Babaji (father), Bashir Budgami’s Rasool Mir and Habba Khatoon and Siraj Qureshi’s Arinmaal. These low-budget products were meant for the TV and that was it.
In the last 15 years, a number of youngsters attempted filmmaking but exposure and budgets were the main limitations. In 2006, however, theatre director and playwright Aarshad Mushtaq made Kashmir’s first digital feature film, Akh Daleel Looluch (A story of love). Set in the early nineteenth century, the film told the tragedy and travails of the 101 years of Kashmir misrule. A few shows were huge successes but the filmmaker could hardly recover part of the costs that had gone into the making of this film.
With cinema reopening and new talent getting into the acting, Kashmir will have to work hard to get into filmmaking. The new generation has started already. They are, however, focused on YouTube. However, it remains to be seen how the cinema re-opening will entice them to go for the big screen.
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SRINAGAR: A group of nine mountaineers – all members of JKMAC, successfully summitted the Tatakooti peak in the vast Pir Panchal range. Perched at an altitude of 4750 meters above sea level, this was the third successful scaling ever attempted in recorded history.
This September 24, 2022 photograph shows two climbers at the base of the peak and one on top of it. This offers an idea about the size and altitude of the peak that has been scaled thrice in the last more than 120 years. KL Image: Special arrangement
The team led by Ghulam Mohammad Wani and Arashid Majid covered an ascending mountain distance of 37.57 km. The other members of the team included Taous Baba, Haziq Beigh, Zeeshan Mushtaq, Mudasir Bashir Shah, Khursheed Beigh, Ahsan Mohsin and Tanveer Dar. The history was created on September 24, 2022.
For Wani, the team leader, who is a professional mountaineer and Skier from Tangmarg, it is the second turn to reach the peak. Earlier, he was part of the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports (JIM&WS) which had successfully made the second attempt at the peak. It was after 120 years when a team from JIM&WS made the second successful ascent of the peak via its North East side in 2018.
After the Kolohoi expedition of 2018, a senior executive of the JKMAC said they decided to undertake major mountaineering expeditions for the trained members of the club alongside Sunday trek for adventure enthusiasts. The 9-mmeber team was flagged off for the expedition by club president Mouzam Bakshi in the presence of Mahmood Ahmad Shah from TRC, Srinagar.
A group of nine Kashmir mountaineers summitted at the Pir Panchal’s towering Tatakooti Peak, for the third time in last more than 120 years, on September 24, 2022. Image: Special Arrangement
“At Doodhpathri, the team loaded all the necessary equipment, ration and other essential stuff on the horses and began hiking towards the base camp at Domail in Ashtar Valley – a 15 km hike traversing through the forests and endless meadows of Pir Panjal,” the executive said. “By 3 pm, the team reached the base camp and pitched their tents. Following an early dinner, members decided to sleep early and go for the summit push in the early hours next morning.”
On September 24, at around 3:30 am, the team left the base camp for the summit push. The first plan of action was to reach the Eastern shoulder of the peak, a 500 m elevation gain from the base camp through rough terrain.
“As per our research, the gully up to the shoulder should have been covered with snow. However, the team was encountered with a snowless gully making it more challenging to ascend,” the JKMAC executive said. “This secree (small loose rocks) accompanied by incessant light rockfalls added to the challenges of the climb.”
Finally reaching the shoulder, the team decided to climb up the Eastern Ridge that could be seen connecting to a distant end. As members followed this route, rock conditions became more stable and one could identify the ridge leading up to the summit. The team finally reached the Tatakotti summit at 10 am.
The team located Magroorsar lake in the South Eastern direction from the Summit. After a brief halt at the summit, members started descending at 10:30 am. Owing to the unstable rock conditions, members had to come down slowly to avoid triggering any major rockfall. The team finally reached the base camp at 3 pm, making this expedition the third successful attempt and the first civilian attempt of the Tatakooti peak.
However, what was disturbing was that the region has changed tremendously and for the worse from the time of Dr Neve’s exploration in the early 1900. Drastically receding snow cover makes the region increasingly more dangerous and uncertain, the team, members reported.
Tatakooti peak lies on the South Western side of Kashmir and is the highest peak of Pir Panjal Range, bounding the valley from South West. Dr Ernest Neve, a renowned mountaineer and medical missionary officer, in his book Beyond the Pir Panjal describes the peak as “the most conspicuous and imposing of all the peaks of Pir Panjal range is undoubtedly Tatakooti peak, the pyramidal shape of which with a central notch and very steep and jagged western and northern sides, makes it look as if it might be exceedingly difficult to ascend.”
Dr Neve attempted to scale the peak in 1900, reaching about three-quarters of the way up the final peak. The next year in Aug 1901, Neve, with his partner CE Barton made the first successful ascent of the peak via its South Eastern side.
In 2018 JKMAC club members, under the leadership of late Adil Shah, were able to summit its southern peak while doing a recce of the route leading to the main peak.
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SRINAGAR: Terming former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Azad Party (DAP) as an associate party of the Bharatiya Janta Party, Congress on Tuesday claimed that there was an internal alliance between Peoples Democratic Party and Bharatiya Janta Party in 2014.
Talking to reporters, Pradesh Congress committee president Vikar Rasool said that Ghulam Nabi Azad’s party is fully associated with BJP. “Mufti Muhammad Sayeed could have stopped BJP but after elections were held, you saw they had an internal alliance,” news agency KNO quoted Vikar as having said.
Vikar said Ghulam Nabi Azad is a shrewd politician and would not tell the public about his links with the BJP. “These people won’t tell you that they are affiliated with BJP because they know that they would then get a big zero in elections,” he said.
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SRINAGAR: A gunfight broke out between militants and counterinsurgent forces in Ahwatoo area in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Tuesday.
Reports said that a joint team of Army, CRPF and Police launched a cordon and search operation in Ahwato rea after having credible inputs about the presence of some militants in the area.
#Encounter has started at Ahwatoo area of #Kulgam. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice
SRINAGAR: Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s Jammu and Kashmir visit on October 1 and 2 has been postponed and that he will now arrive on October 4.
Quoting a BJP leader privy to the development news agency KNO reported that due to some engagements, Union Home Minister’s J&K visit has been postponed. “Now he will arrive on October 4 on two-day J&K visit,” he said, adding that Shah will visit Rajouri and address a rally there. He will also visit Baramulla and address a mega rally there. Shah is also scheduled to make announcements about various welfare schemes for Paharis and Schedule Tribe people in Baramulla.
He will also chair a high level security meeting in Srinagar. Shah was supposed to arrive in J&K on September 30, however, due to some engagements, his visit has been postponed and the same has been rescheduled to October 4 now.
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SRINAGAR: A woman was hospitalized after a black bear attacked her in Uttersoo village of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district this morning, officials said.
Quoting officials news agency GNS reported that one Shamema Begum, wife of Mushtaq Ahmed Hajam was outside her house when the beast attacked her. Alerted by the cries, the family and locals came to her rescue and chased away the wild animal, they said.
The woman was subsequently taken to SDH Shangus for treatment, they further said.
The gravity of injuries however couldn’t be known at the time of filing of this report.
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SRINAGAR: Traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu highway was disrupted due to shooting stones in Ramban district on Tuesday.
“Traffic update at 0930 hrs Jammu-Srinagar NHW blocked due to continuous shooting stones at Cafeteria Morh Ramban. However Mughal road and SSG road through for vehicular movement,” Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Police in a tweet said.
An official said men and machinery were deployed at the spot but shooting stones were hampering the road restoration work.
Till the filing of this report the road was blocked and hundreds of vehicles were stranded.
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SRINAGAR: In the ongoing investigations into the SSB question paper leak racket that led the government to cancel three selection lists, federal investigator CBI has arrested five more persons, reports in the media said.
The arrested include Kewal Krishan, an Indian Reserve Police (IRP) constable; Ashwani Kumar son of Mela Ram of Kachryal in Khour, who had left a CRPF job, and Rakesh Kumar of Pel, also from the Khour area of Akhnoor. Besides, two touts from Haryana – Yatin Yadav alias Guru Ji of Rewari and Anil Kumar of Mahendergarh – were also arrested.
CBI investigators believe that the Khour trio had collected Rs 1.25 crore from the people whom it sold the question papers. The IRP constable was running the same from Mattan in South Kashmir, where he was posted.
This is the second group of people who have been arrested by the federal investigator. Earlier, a government school teacher and a police constable were among three persons arrested in the case. They are in judicial custody right now.
The second wave of arrests in the sensation case coincided with the searches by CBI at Hotel New Krishna Palace at Chand Nagar in Jammu City. The hotel is owned by Sanjay Kumar Dutta. Reports said his home was also searched.
The hotel was searched in wale of the reports that the question paper was brought to this hotel where some teachers wrote the answer sheets, which were also provided to the beneficiaries. This adds a new angle to the sensational scam that has impact more than three lakh applicants whose eventual selection lists were cancelled.
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SRINAGAR: The Divisional Commissioner (Div Com) Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole on Monday informed that 46000 trucks and trailers have moved from Qazigund towards Jammu in which 29000 are Apple trucks in alternate day convoys from Sep 01 to Sep 25. While 3995 Apple trucks moved towards Jammu yesterday, only.
Div Com asserted that normally apple production in Kashmir is 17 metric tons but due to abundant rainfall, there has been a bumper crop and it will cross 21 metric ton this time.
Pole said that the claim made by certain Fruit growers association on the halting of fruit trucks is half truth and added that natural reasons are hindering traffic.
He said that we have difficulties in the movement of traffic on the highway due to rains and resultant shooting stones but it is beyond human control.
He appealed to them to use alternate Mughal road to lessen the burden on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
It was informed that almost 1500 trucks got stuck in between Ramban and Ramsoo as traffic could not move ahead of Ramban with flow because of intermittent shooting stones at Mehar causing regular stoppages.
Moreover, Div Com informed that today at 12 noon Chief Secretary had taken a review meeting which was attended by DGP and all officers of traffic departments.
He informed that administration is making all efforts while he also appeals to use Mughal road, at least for empty vehicles.
At present around 4000 trucks loaded with fresh, perishable, Petroleum products and other requirements of the valley are stranded in the Jammu region, he stated.
It is further informed that the trucks are being cleared now and Passenger vehicles could only be released from Jammu and Srinagar. The congestion due to halted trucks has been cleared at the earliest.
It is pertinent to mention that the capacity of NH for one way HMV movement is just about 3000 to 3500 if there is no disruption in traffic due to landslides, shooting stones and breakdown of loaded trucks. Anything above the capacity disturbs the whole cycle of up and down release of traffic and this may result in piling up of traffic on NH.
Meanwhile, it was also informed that that production of fresh fruit during 2022-23 is estimated to be 2123047 MTs as compared to 1981610 MTs in 2021-22 while the production of dry fruit during 2022-23 is estimated at 206118 MTs as compared to 192497 MTs last year.
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