SRINAGAR: A couple hailing from Udhampur district in Jammu and Kashmir has been sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Rs 50,000 each by the principal sessions judge, Haq Nawaz Zargar, on Wednesday.
The conviction stems from their involvement in the murder of their disabled nephew, which occurred in Chenani back in 2016. The nephew, Mohan Lal, was killed over a minor dispute, and the court found Joli Ram and his wife Thakri Devi, residents of Naal Bashat, Chenani, guilty of this crime.
The court’s examination revealed that Joli Ram and Thakri Devi were responsible for the death of Mohan Lal, who was both helpless and armless.
The motive behind the murder was determined to be a trivial disagreement regarding the mishandling of tomato boxes. The court held the couple accountable under RPC Section 302 in conjunction with Section 34.
In addition to the life sentences and fines, the court also ruled that the fine amount would serve as compensation for the children of the deceased. The presiding judge, Haq Nawaz Zargar, emphasized the significance of justice being served in this matter.
According to police records, the incident took place on July 24, 2016, at approximately 3 am. SI Manoj Kumar gathered an eyewitness statement from Soma Devi at Chenani Hospital. Soma Devi alleged that earlier on the same evening, around 10:30 pm, Joli Ram and Thakri Devi, driven by enmity related to the sale and purchase of vegetables, lured Mohan Lal out of his house. In the presence of complainant Soma Devi and Mohan Lal’s wife Ratna Devi, the couple brutally attacked Mohan Lal with an axe, resulting in his fatal head injuries.
Following the assault, Mohan Lal was rushed to the hospital, where medical professionals pronounced him dead. This tragic incident sheds light on the grave consequences of a petty dispute and highlights the importance of maintaining peace and resolving conflicts through peaceful means.
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SRINAGAR: A 38-year-old man died of electric shock after coming in contact with an HT wire in the Shelipora area of Achabal in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, officials said.
They said that Sabzar Ahmad Sofi, son of Ghulam Mohammad Ganaie, of Sheilpora Achabal received a high-voltage shock when he came in contact with an HT electric wire. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared as brought dead on arrival.
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SRINAGAR: A teenager hailing from Bonpora Saderkote Bala village of Bandipora has succumbed to injuries on Friday morning at a hospital in Srinagar.
An official told GNS that Mubashir Ahmad Rather, son of Ghulam Rasool Rather, was one of two individuals injured in a bike accident on the Ajas-Sadunara Road on August 26.
“Despite the efforts of medical professionals at SKIMS Soura, Mubashir’s condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to the unfortunate outcome. His leg was severely injured in the accident, and despite undergoing treatment, his health worsened, ultimately resulting in his demise,” he said.
Meanwhile, a pall of gloom descended on Saderkote village soon after the news about the young boy’s death spread in the area. (GNS)
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SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board, on Friday, made a significant decision, with Chairman Rajesh Sharma stating, “The Board observed that MeritTrac Private Limited has failed in maintaining 100 percent secrecy and security of the question papers/examinations for the post of Accounts Assistant (Finance Department), Junior Engineer, Civil (Jal Shakti Department) and Sub Inspector (Home Department) conducted during the month of March, 2022 which were Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) based. This led to the cancellation of these examinations.”
The board’s action followed a thorough examination of the situation and the response from M/s MeritTrac Services Pvt Ltd, where it was concluded that the agency did not meet the required standards for securing the examination process.
Consequently, the Board decided to take punitive action against the agency for breaching the conditions of the Work Order. The process involved giving the agency an opportunity to present their case.
Taking into consideration the input from the General Administration Department and the opinion of the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, the Board concluded, “M/s MeritTrac Pvt. Ltd. has failed to hold the examinations for the posts of Accounts Assistant (Finance), Junior Engineer, Civil (JSD) and Sub Inspector (Home) held in March, 2022 in a fair and transparent manner and its response to the Show Cause Notice dated 17-05-2023 is not convincing/in line with the terms and conditions in the relevant work order.”
As a result, the Board decided to impose a ban on M/s MeritTrac Pvt Ltd, preventing them from conducting any examinations in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for a duration of two years. Additionally, the order specified that this blacklisting period could be extended by another year if the agency is convicted in the ongoing CBI investigation.
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As peace prevails, the banking sector has performed well in the last fiscal. Though the focus remains on cleaner balance sheets, State Sponsored Schemes and corporate credit, the policymakers may have to skip drastic drives and reassess the evolution of the sector in Jammu and Kashmir to locate the grey areas preventing smooth growth and exhibiting chronic stress, reportsMasood Hussain
At the bourses, the stocks of Jammu and Kashmir’s premier listed company the Jammu and Kashmir Bank (JKB) are bullish, especially since the last five years of the share-split era. Part of the contributions that make the bank stock a very promising investment is the historically high profit that the bank netted in 2022-23. It was a quantum jump over Rs 2019-20 when it booked a loss of Rs 1139.41 crore.
In the year ended March 2023, the bank netted a profit of Rs 1197 crore, the highest in its history. Even in the first quarter (Q1) of 2023-24, the net profit of the bank was Rs 326.45 crore, which was almost double the amount it netted in the Q1 of the last fiscal.
“Right now, the bank has the strongest balance sheet in the banking sector,” one professional banker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said. “It does happen in banks after a phase of bleeding but in the case of JK Bank, the rebounding has been phenomenal.”
Chief Secretary Dr AK Mehta presided iver the bankesr meeting in Srinagar. JK Bank CEO Baldev Prakash, who leads the bankers in most of the erstwhile state districts, is also seen.
The bank has historically remained what banking denotes in Jammu and Kashmir. A general belief is that if JK Bank is doing well, every other bank will also be doing better. For many decades now, the banking in Jammu and Kashmir has remained what the JKB would say or do.
So if the JK Bank did well in the last fiscal, how better was the performance of the banking sector in Jammu and Kashmir?
In Jammu and Kashmir, financial inclusion is much better than all other states across India. Against an estimated population of 14,999,397, Jammu and Kashmir has 14541052 accounts – other than business accounts, in operation by the end of last fiscal. This essentially means the working of the banking sector must offer an informed narrative about the state of the economy.
Deposits
The growth in deposits has been marginal. From Rs 157744 crore in 2021-22, the bank vaults in Jammu and Kashmir are holding Rs 167984 crore – a net increase of Rs 10240 crore, a growth of 6.49 per cent. The deposit growth in all markets is sluggish but data suggests a marginal fall indicating the people have not much to save. Jammu and Kashmir is very popular within the banking sector for its better CASA ratio because it fetches banks low-cost funds for deployments with better margins.
What is interesting is that in certain Kashmir districts, the deposits have shown negative growth. While it is completely negative in the case of Shopian, the districts of Ganderbal, Bandipora and Kupwara have exhibited a very marginal increase in the quantum of saving deposits in comparison to the last final year (2021-22).
Advances
The overall banking sector has shown better growth for advances. Against the loan book of Rs 87740 crore in 201-22, the advances reached Rs 101002 crore by the end of the last fiscal – a net growth of Rs 13262 crore, which is a growth of 15.11 per cent.
Advances exhibited a huge fall in 2021-22 when the entire sector could disburse only Rs 9067 crore, much less than Rs 15847 crore that it advanced in 2020-21.
What is interesting, however, is that corporate sector lending is substantial. It was Rs 5800 crore in 2021-22 and Rs 6957 crore in 2022-23. At the same time, personal loans are exhibiting a surge. The overall advances under the personal loan sub-category have reached Rs 31890 crore by the end of the last fiscal, an increase of Rs 4745.81 crore in a year.
Key banking operation parameters in Jammu and Kashmir
If the overall outstanding is classified sector-wise, then, by the end of March 2023, Rs 11072.13 crore is in primary agriculture sector; Rs 16039.67 crore is in the industry sector; Rs 541.82 crore is in education sector; Rs 5650.42 crore is in housing sector; a paltry Rs 18.05 crore is in social infrastructure; Rs 16.06 crore is in renewable energy sector; and balance Rs 1847.97 crore is outstanding in other sectors.
New Markets
Credit appetite does not necessarily mean the people are debt-funding livelihoods. It essentially means that people are investing in new businesses. For many years, it was the tiny Shopian district that was exhibiting a massive credit craving and thus topping the districts across Jammu and Kashmir on the credit thirst front. It has slightly changed. The deposits in the district have negatively grown in a year even though it has recorded a 122 per cent of credit to deposit ratio.
For the second consecutive year, it is the border Kupwara district that is topping the credit chart. In 2021-22, its CDR was 115.48 per cent, which jumped to 124.58 per cent in 2022-23.
Bankers in the last meeting of the bankers committee held in Srinagar to review the year long progress for fiscal 2022-23
While Shopian retains the second slot, it is Budgam at 105.18 per cent, Pulwama at 102.47 per cent, and Baramulla at 100.9 per cent. CDR means the actual disbursement of loans in a particular area in comparison to the deposits the same area has. While it is the apple dominating the scene in Shopian and Pulwama and probably the real estate in Budgam, it remains to be seen what is driving the credit appetite in Kupwara and Baramulla.
What is disturbing is that Srinagar, the main business hub of Kashmir, is falling at No 10, in Kashmir, as far as credit requirement is concerned. This could be because the focus in banking is Srinagar as far as recoveries go.
On a regional basis, Kashmir is exhibiting a considerable credit appetite in comparison to the Jammu region. The exciting part is that Jammu is exhibiting no credit demand. With a CDR of 44.65 per cent, Jammu is seeking only around half of what the credit requirement of Kashmir was in 2022-23 – 83.3 per cent. It essentially means it is Kashmir that is the bread and butter of the banking sector in comparison to Jammu which has more deposits than Kashmir. By the end of 2022-23, the Jammu region had Rs 100717.86 crore deposits, which is almost one-third more than that of Kashmir – Rs 67266.12 crore.
In the Jammu region, it is the poverty-stricken Ramban district that is exhibiting a massive credit appetite with a CDR of 79.28 per cent. The second district is Doda. The entire eight districts are reporting a low CDR and fall much below Kashmir’s least creditworthy district.
Annual Credit Plan (ACP)
In anticipation of a new financial year, the bankers meet and draft a plan about how much to advance, where and how. Banks discuss almost everything but the focus remains on the priority sector lending. This lending is a must and the regulator bank, the RBI has already decided that 40 percent of net adjusted advances must go to the priority sector. The priority sector is a basket of eight categories including agriculture, MSME, Housing, Export Credit, Education, Social Infrastructure, Renewable Energy and others. All the government-sponsored schemes fall under priority sector lending. If banks do not ensure the priority sector lending as per the requirement set by the RBI, they are penalised.
Having targets and not achieving them in the priority sector is just a new norm. In 2022, the banking sector in Jammu and Kashmir was supposed to lend a credit of Rs 35,482.62 crore in the priority sector. The actual disbursement was Rs 19,095.87 crore. It was the same story last fiscal when the banks disbursed Rs 26,411.85 crore against a target of Rs 40,342.37 crore.
Two year data about Jammu and Kashmir districts showing a two year comparison on deposit and credit fronts.
The reasons for under-performance in priority sector lending are basket-full. Banks earn less in the priority sector, have to coordinate with various government departments for part-funding of the interest subvention, have low ticket size, have too much stake-holding and the pace of bad asset-making is quite fast. Every bank intends to have low default and good earnings. Bankers in private admit that they would never do the PSL if given a chance. That is perhaps why some of the government-sponsored schemes are not doing well and are unlikely to do well in the coming days. This is despite the fact that the policymakers in Jammu and Kashmir and top management in certain banks have a complete focus on these schemes only.
The banks, however, are robust in non-priority lending because it is the main bread and butter. In 2021-22, they had set a target of Rs 9,497.95 crore and ended up lending Rs 17,662.47 crore. Last fiscal (2022-23) against the target lending of Rs 10447.71 crore, the banking sector actually disbursed Rs 33,636.42 crore of credit.
Banks actually doubled their lending on a year-on-year basis if priority and non-priority are tabulated together. Against Rs 36,758.34 crore in 2021-22, it was Rs 60,048.27 crore in 2022-23.
Non-Performing Assets (NPA)
Of all the banking terms in vogue off and online, it is the NPA that has been dominating the banking and political discourse for the last many years. Seemingly it is aimed at questioning the creditworthiness of the Jammu and Kashmir creditors after delinking their operations from the challenges their ecosystem faced for all these decades.
By the end of March 2023, the overall gross non-performing assets in Jammu and Kashmir were at Rs 5006.54 crore, which is 4.96 per cent of the entire loan book of Rs 101002.86 crore. The situation has improved drastically in the last year when the NPA was at Rs 4723.71 crore, which was 5.38 per cent of the overall lending by March 31, 2022. In one year, the NPAs within the MSME sector were managed by nearly half. It was Rs 1648.32 crore in 2021-22, which fell to Rs 979.68 crore by the end of March 2023.
JK Bank Seals an Industrial unit in Pulwama in loan default case.
The NPAs are supposed to be in every kind of lending. In the agriculture sector, the NPAs stood at Rs 997.12 crore (9.01 per cent); Rs 979.68 crore (6.11 per cent) in MSME, and Rs 394.31 crore in Mudra – PMMY making almost 4.11 per cent of lending under stress. National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) has an NPA of Rs 6.06 crore, PMEGP has 2.9 percent of its lending as NPA making it Rs 85.57 crore and National Urban Livelihood Mission has an NPA of Rs 13.42 crore which is 10.8 percent of the overall credit extended to the state-sponsored scheme. Almost five percent of the Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) are NPA right now making a gross stressed asset worth Rs 264.27 crore.
On the district level, it is Srinagar that tops the chart. It has Rs 2269.72 crore gross NPA, which is much more than all the 10 Jammu districts put together with Rs 1665.79 crore.
In the overall ranking, it is Srinagar, followed by Jammu, Baramulla, Anantnag, Budgam and Kupwara.
Insiders in the banking sector suggest the net NPA in Jammu and Kashmir’s banking sector must be one of the lowest in India. They assert that the over-emphasis on the parameter is so scary that some of the accounts barely exhibiting stress are pulled into NPA.
Admitting that for the last few years almost every day is a working day, unlike in the past, the stakeholders insist that the banks are not making any effort to understand the chronic legacy crisis and the business nosedive post-2018 coupled with the inflation and lack of peoples’ purchasing capacity. The businesses in Jammu and Kashmir have thrived in troubled situations when the transactions were happening. Now when the tensions on working conditions have gone down, the transactions have evaporated.
The JK Bank
In this entire banking story, if the Jammu and Kashmir Bank is taken out, the entire sector collapses. This is because the JK Bank continues to be the daddy of banking in Jammu and Kashmir because of its reach, emotional and physical investment and age-old stake-holding in the economic well-being of the place.
In 2022-23, JK Bank’s share in the priority sector was Rs 17955.08 crore which is 67.98 percent of the overall credit flow in the priority sector. In non-priority, it was Rs 21315.04 crore which is 63.36 per cent of the total from the banking sector. This essentially means, in 2022-23’s ACP, JK Bank owned 64.95 per cent – almost two third of the total. In the earlier fiscal, it was 64.29 per cent. In Jammu and Kashmir, more than 63 per cent of the savings accounts are with JK Bank.
For the government departments, the focus has to be on the centrally sponsored schemes. A photograph taken in the last bankers meeting.
Nearly two third of the entire gross NPA belongs to JK Bank because it has the maximum exposure in the loan book.
Off late, however, the JK Bank is shedding part of the space that has historically remained its own. In 2019, JK Bank was holding 72.03 per cent of the entire deposits in Jammu and Kashmir. By the end of 2022-23, it has reduced to 63.50 per cent. In 2019, its share in overall advances in Jammu and Kashmir was 69.32 per cent, which by the end of March 2023 had reached 58.51 per cent. This has slightly altered the numbers for other banks. While the weight-shedding does not compromise the status of JK Bank as the main banking driver in Jammu and Kashmir, it remains to be seen whether it is pilferage or a policy.
(Note: There was an error in the print edition in which the figures of deposits were erroneously shown as that of advanbces too. The mistake was corrected.)
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SRINAGAR: At least 12 people were Injured in a road accident in the Tral area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district after two vehicles rammed into each other on Thursday.
Kashmir Scroll reported that a collision between a Wagnor and another vehicle at Baja Kol on Tral Nodal road resulted in injuries to 12 persons.
All the injured were shifted to SDH Tral, from where nine were referred to Srinagar for advanced treatment. “The injured have been identified as Tanveer Ahmad Butt resident of Tral, Raja Noor Al Hada resident of Paneer Jagir, Ratba Zahra resident of Paneer Tral, Fayaz Ahmed resident of Sherabad, Shaukat Ahmad Butt resident of Satura, Iqrajan resident of Syedabad, Bazla Jan resident of Lalgam, Javed Ahmad Rishi Lalpura, Asadullah Butt resident of Sharifabad. , Iqrajan Bahu Awantipora, Tariq Ahmed Sherifabad, Bilal Ahmed Butt resident of Tral, Farooq Ahmed Butt Sherifabad Tral,” reports added.
Meanwhile, police have taken cognizance of the incident (KS)
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Srinagar: Chhari Mubarak (the holy mace of Lord Shiva) reached Panchtarni and will proceed towards the Amarnath cave shrine on Thursday for the final puja to mark the formal end to the 62-day Amarnath Yatra 2023.
An official said that the last batch of yatris left for the Amarnath cave shrine on August 23 and since then, the yatra has remained suspended.
He said that during the beginning of the yatra this year, there was a good rush of yatris, however, later it started declining with each passing day, forcing the authorities to suspend the yatra a week before its scheduled time.
“This year, the overall flow was good after several years as around 4.5 lakh yatris visited the Amarnath cave shrine,” he said.
Over the last several years, Amarnath Yatra has been witnessing lesser footfalls.
Compared to over 6 lakh yatris who visited the Amarnath cave shrine in 2012, the number came down to over 3 lakh in 2022 and 4.5 lakh this year.
This year, the 62-day yatra commenced on July 1 and would culminate with the event of ‘Chhari Mubarak’ on August 31.
The official said that a group of sages led by the custodian of the holy mace Mahant Deependra Giri carrying Chhari Mubarak would reach the Amarnath cave on Thursday and spend Wednesday night at Panchtarni.
The 145-km Chhari Mubarak yatra starts from Dashnami Akhara in Srinagar and during the route, the sages perform hawans at Pampore, Bijbehara, Anantnag, Mattan, Aishmuqam, and finally at Pahalgam where the procession takes rest for two days before proceeding to Amarnath cave shrine.
The sages along with Chhari Mubarak usually spend two nights at Pahalgam – one at Chandanwari and another at Sheshnag.
“The puja of the mace was again held early Wednesday morning before leaving for Panchtarni,” the official said. “On August 31, on the occasion of Shravan-Punima, Chhari Mubarak would be taken to the Amarnath cave shrine to reach there before sunrise, and the pujan would begin with the rising sun. (KNO)
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SRINAGAR: The Delhi Court has ordered NC Vice-President Omar Abdullah to pay a monthly amount of Rs1.5 lakh as maintenance to estranged wife Payal Abdullah, media reports said.
The order was delivered by Justice Subramonium Prasad, who also directed Omar to pay Rs 60,000 per month for the education of his son.
The case stems from a plea filed by Payal Abdullah who had approached the High Court in July 2018 challenging an order of April 26, 2018, of the trial court.
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SRINAGAR: Boston University, USA, is offering a fully funded trustee scholarship for students wishing to pursue undergraduate studies in the USA. This is a merit-based scholarship awarded to approximately 20 students.
The applicants have to submit their applications along with a 600-word essay by December 1, 2023.
To be eligible, the applicant must have an excellent academic record, a GPA of 4.0 in high school, SAT scores above 1500 and an ACT score above 33, and outstanding performance in extracurricular activities.
The applicant’s academic records, leadership skills, and essay submission will be taken into consideration during the selection process.
Selected applicants will get a full tuition fee waiver, and the additional expenses will be covered as well.
The unchecked riverbed mining is ruining Kashmir’s rivers, impacting fish and agriculture but the government is yet to intervene to put brakes on it, reportsSafwat Zargar
Riverbed Mining: The heavy machinery is used to destroy the banks of the water bodies making the people and the lands vulnerable. KL Image: Special Arrangement
For the last two years, Mohammad Altaf Bohru, 35, of Kulgam district has been working as a scrap dealer. A father of three, Bohru belongs to Kashmir’s 66,000-strong gaadiheinz, the fishermen community. He lives in Kulgam’s Bhan village which sits on the banks of a Jhelum river tributary, the Vaishav. Like his ancestors, Bohru knew only one occupation all his life – catching fish and then selling them in the market.
Not anymore.
Two years ago, Bohru stopped casting his net. “There are no fish in the river now,” said Bohru on a sultry July afternoon while unloading collected scrap material at a warehouse in Kulgam. He blamed it on the excessive sand mining in Vaishav.
Around five years ago, Bohru said, miners shifted from mining sand manually with shovels to using heavy machinery like excavators, bulldozers and earthmovers, even though their use is forbidden under the conditions set by the environmental clearances. Since then, the catch has speedily declined.
This is not Bohru’s story alone. More than 70 fishermen’s families live in Bhan. Almost everyone has switched to other work. Those who still cast their nets in the river say they are just trying their luck. All of them, in unison, blame rampant mining for the loss of their traditional livelihood.
Abdul Rehman, 60, has been fishing for the last 40 years. “Earlier, if I covered an area of 3 km in the river, I would catch 6-8 kilograms of fish,” he said. “Now, for the same distance, I don’t even get 250 grams of fish.”
Experts say mechanised riverbed mining damages aquatic life by extracting sand and gravel at the bottom of the river, which are key to the nourishment and breeding of fish. “From the scientific point of view, riverbed mining should be banned,” said Dr Farooz Ahmad Bhat, dean of the faculty of the fisheries department, at Sheri Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-K). “Our research concludes that mining is not feasible for the natural ecosystem of the fish.”
But it is not just fish that have been affected by the riverbed mining.
Impact on Agriculture
According to villagers, the extensive riverbed mining has changed the topography of the river, affecting water sources, and drying up farmland, sometimes even leading to the death of mining workers. “Earlier, we knew the river like the back of our hand. Now, the mining has left so many deep pits in the river that we are afraid to go fishing,” Bohru added.
Bhan residents recount three deaths in the last few years which occurred during riverbed mining. “Some of the pits are 20 feet deep, how can anyone come out of it if he falls in it?” Bohru asked.
No Action
Over the last few years, rampant illegal riverbed mining by unlicensed contractors and violations of environmental guidelines by licensed players have been reported across Jammu and Kashmir, prompting concerns from the public about the environmental impact on the region’s fragile ecology and livelihoods.
Riverbed Mining: Heavy machinery is being used to destroy the water bodies by leased and unleased miners in Kashmir. KL Image: Special Arrangement
Even the government’s own figures on illegal mineral mining are staggering. In 2021-22, the authorities seized more than 7,000 vehicles for their involvement in the illegal extraction and transporting of riverbed minerals, such as building stones, gravel, clay, and sand, according to the annual report on sand and river bed mining by the department of geology and mining.
The authorities also seized 35 machines like earth movers and extractors. The total amount of penalties imposed on the illegal miners in the year amounted to more than Rs 14 crore.
In October 2022, the National Green Tribunal imposed a penalty of Rs 35 crore on the Jammu and Kashmir government for failing to prevent pollution and illegal mining in Doodh Ganga, a Jhelum tributary, and the Mamath Kull, a stream which falls in Kashmir’s Srinagar and Budgam district.
“It is seen that there are serious lapses on the part of the administration in waste management and in failing to control illegal mining, which has resulted in huge damage to the environment and public health. Remedial action is inadequate on the ground,” the bench headed by tribunal’s chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said in its order.
Scroll travelled to three districts in southern Kashmir – Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama – to find multiple violations at mining sites, from extraction beyond limits set by the government to the use of heavy machinery like excavators, leading to unchecked environmental devastation. More crucially, the mechanism put in place to monitor and check such violations was completely absent.
‘Lost our sleep’
For most part of his life, Ghulam Mohammad Dar, 75, has cultivated more rice than what he required. From the last five years, his produce is not even sufficient to feed his own family.
“Let’s say I was cultivating 100 bags of rice every season out of which I would sell around 90 bags,” Dar, a resident of Pulwama’s Achan village, said. “Now, I am buying 10 bags from the market for myself. That’s the situation.”
A vast chunk of Dar’s once agricultural land sits on the banks of the Rambiara River which cuts through south Kashmir’s Pulwama and Shopian districts.
Widespread Destruction: A photograph showing how riverbed mining is devastating the water bodies in Kashmir. KL Image: Special Arrangement
Around 2019, Dar said, more and more miners started extracting minerals from the river through the day, abandoning the slow, manual method of mining. They used heavy machinery like excavators, he added, even if this was expressly prohibited by environmental guidelines.
Without any monitoring by government officials, unchecked mining carried on, he alleged. “The large-scale mining brought down the level of the river to more than 15 feet.”
The Law
Accordion to the Jammu and Kashmir Minor Mineral Concession, Storage, Transportation of Minerals and Prevention of Illegal Mining Rules 2016, which regulate riverbed mining in the Union territory, “no mining activity/operation shall be carried out in any river bed below the depth of 3 m [9 feet] or below the water level, whichever is lesser”. However, most of the environmental clearances issued in Jammu and Kashmir restrict the riverbed mining to the depth of only one metre.
“Since our land sat at a height, the water stopped reaching our fields. Hand pumps went dry. Water just disappeared,” Dar added.
In his childhood, Dar said, there were 50 springs in the village fed by the natural underground water channels from the river. “These days, we have only one spring which has water and it has been divided into two villages so that both can use it,” he said.
These days, Dar’s and many other paddy farmers’ land have turned into a patch of weed. “Nothing grows there, it’s a desert now,” he pointed out, stating that the affected land runs in hundreds of kanals.
Such excessive mining has been reported from several rivers in Jammu and Kashmir – Sindh river in Ganderbal, Mawar Nallah in Kupwara, Frastahar Nallah in Baramulla and Arin Wallah of Bandipora.
Impact
Experts are not surprised by such fallout of mining. “As it flows, a river replenishes a larger catchment area through underground water channel networks,” said an academic in agricultural sciences, who did not wish to be identified. “Mining creates deep pits in a riverbed and sometimes causes it to sink downwards, affecting the flow of the river.”
As a result, the expert explained, the river’s connections with the underground water table are also disrupted. “The first impact is always on the vegetation growing on or near the river banks as the river is a source of its nourishment.”
Besides drying up their farms, riverbed mining has also unsettled the villagers in other ways.
Riverbed Mining undertaken by NKC Projects Pvt Ltd cranes in Shali Ganga around Trumbi Bagh Lal Gam District Budgam
Pic: Raja Muzaffar Bhat
Under the environmental guidelines mandatory for mining lease holders, no mined material can be transported through the villages and areas where there is human habitation. The leaseholder, the rules say, has to construct a separate road – at least 200 metres away from the human habitations in the area – to transport the material. Additionally, mining is allowed only between 6 am and 6 pm.
However, villagers from Pulwama, Ganderbal, Shopian and Kulgam districts say most of the mining with heavy machinery takes place during the night. “We have lost our sleep. These huge trucks carrying sand and gravel ply so fast in the night through village roads that our houses shake by their movement,” said Rafiq Ahmad, another local from Achan.
Such reckless driving often leads to accidents. In Kulgam’s Ashmuji village, a truck carrying riverbed material rammed into the gate of a government school last month, causing damage to the school’s main gate.
“Fortunately, no student was at the gate. Had it been during the school opening time or during the off time, it would have been a disaster,” said a teacher from the school, wishing not to be identified. School authorities said the problem went beyond accidents. “It’s illegal to transport material from an area where there is a school. These vehicles cause so much dust and air pollution that we are fed up now,” the teacher added.
According to several villagers in Pulwama and Kulgam, they have repeatedly tried to bring these issues to the notice of various government departments. “From the local police to all the way up to the Kashmir divisional commissioner, we knocked on every door. They heard us but nothing changed on the ground,” a villager, who did not want to be identified, said.
While reporting, Scroll saw heavy machinery like excavators and earthmovers parked near the mining sites during the day. Huge dump trucks transporting riverbed material through the interior roads of the villages were also a common sight.
Monitoring framework
All Flout Norms
While illegal miners – who do not have extraction rights – often fall in the net of law enforcement authorities, a Scroll investigation found that even the legal leaseholders in Jammu and Kashmir are not complying with the conditions of the environmental clearances granted to them.
Since riverbed mining entails an impact on the environment, river ecology and aquatic life, environmental clearances prescribed under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s 2006 Environment Impact Assessment Notification are mandatory for mining activities.
Until 2016, small-scale mining projects (in areas less than or equal to five hectares) of minor minerals did not require prior environmental clearance from the government. This changed in January 2016, when the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change laid down a mechanism for small-scale mining projects to get clearance from the government. Under the amended notification, the projects are assessed by a district-level or state-level environment impact assessment authority and a district or state-level expert appraisal committee before a clearance is given.
An environmental clearance certificate has two sets of guidelines for every project. While the standard conditions talk about statutory provisions of ensuring the prevention of air, water or noise pollution and other environmental safeguards, specific conditions are tailored as per the facts and location of a particular mining project.
For example, a miner is allowed to extract minerals from only 60 per cent of the mining area and not more – one such standard condition. Local residents and activists in Kashmir say that the miners not only flout that rule, they even extract minerals from beyond the designated area, including river embankments.
Nocturnal Operations
“Since most of the illegal mining happens at night, there is hardly any check on where they extract,” said Ghulam Mohammad Dar from Pulwama’s Achan village. “It’s only in the day that people realise that these miners have extracted material even from river embankments and the spots of their choice. There is no clear boundary which delineates a mining area from the rest of the river.”
Every project holder also has to generate data on the air quality parameters at mining sites and display them prominently at the site as well as listed in half-yearly compliance reports. In the three districts Scroll travelled to for this story, nowhere was such information put up.
Missing Compliance Reports
One of the conditions in an environmental clearance is the mandatory submission of half-yearly environmental compliance reports before the concerned regulatory authority by the leaseholders. The idea is to ensure that the project is being executed as per the stipulated terms and conditions laid down in the environmental clearance. For Jammu and Kashmir, the central government-appointed Jammu and Kashmir State Environment Impact Assessment Authority is the relevant authority. All the compliance reports submitted by the project holders must also be public documents.
“Copies of the same shall be given to any person on application to the concerned regulatory authority. The latest such compliance report shall also be displayed on the website of the concerned regulatory authority,” the amended 2006 Environment Impact Assessment Notification says.
But no such compliance report has been uploaded on the Union ministry’s Parivesh portal by project owners, who have been granted environmental clearance in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Parivesh portal, 244 projects have been granted environmental clearance in Jammu and Kashmir since July 2015. However, details and documents of only 146 projects are available on the portal. Most of these projects are related to lucrative riverbed mineral mining. Not a single one of them has submitted environmental compliance reports since 2015.
The website of the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee, the nodal authority for dealing with cases related to pollution or environment management, also does not host any of the compliance reports.
According to the enforcement and monitoring guidelines for sand mining, 2020, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the “State Pollution Control Board shall initiate appropriate action under the provision of these acts for non-compliance or violation of the provisions.”
Scroll asked the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee whether it has found any violation regarding the environmental violations due to mining. It did not reply.
Scroll requested meetings with the member secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority, and the member secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee. They did not respond to repeated calls and messages.
The director of Jammu and Kashmir’s geology and mining department also did not respond to calls and messages from Scroll.
The director of the Jammu and Kashmir government’s fisheries department did not take calls or reply to messages from Scroll on the impact of mining on aquatic life.
On August 2, Scroll mailed detailed questionnaires to the Jammu and Kashmir State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority and Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee about the findings of this story. The story will be updated if they respond.
(The report first apperaed on the Scroll website and was republshed with permession.)
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SRINAGAR: A middle-aged woman died on the spot after being hit by a private car near the Naqashbandh Sahab shrine in the Khawaja Bazar area of Srinagar downtown on Wednesday.
Quoting sources, KNT reported that a private Ignis car (JK01AQ-5374) hit a female pedestrian who died on the spot. The driver Altaf Ahmed Shiekh reportedly surrendered before the police after which the vehicle was seized by the police.
The deceased lady was shifted by police to SMHS Hospital for postmortem. Hospital sources identified the deceased female as Adeeba Shabir wife of Shabir Ahmed Dar, a resident of the Anzimar area of Khanyar Srinagar.
Eyewitnesses said that another lady was also injured in the mishap and taken to hospital. “Soon after the incident, police and locals rushed to the spot and shifted the injured woman to a nearby hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, the police have taken cognizance of the incident,” they said.
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SRINAGAR: A man was injured while a residential house also got damaged after a fire broke out in the Khanyar area of Srinagar on Wednesday.
Quoting an official, KNO reported that the house with two shops on the ground floor was engulfed by flames in the Mirza Bagh area of Khanyar. “A tenant, identified as Bilal Ahmad got injured in the incident.”
“The fire broke out due gas leakage in the rented accommodation where the tenant used to manufacture items from cotton,” he said.
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SRINAGAR: Central University of Kashmir, Green Campus Ganderbal has advertised appointment of 15 Professors, 36 Associate Professors and 38 Assistant Professors in various disciplines.
The online application form will be accessible on the CU-Chayan portal link. The deadline for submitting online application and associated fees is September 21, 2023. The downloaded version of the application form must be submitted by September 29, 2023, along with required enclosures or documentation.
Applications are sought from eligible Indian citizens and overseas citizens of India (OCIs) through direct recruitment as per the latest UGC regulations on a regular basis.
Eligibility for the post of Professors requires having a PhD degree in the relevant discipline along with a minimum of ten research publications in the peer reviewed or UGC-listed journals and a minimum of ten years of teaching experience in University/College as Assistant Professor/Associate Professor/Professor. For the post of Associate Professors requires a PhD Degree in the concerned discipline with at least 55 per cent in Master’s Degree and a minimum of eight years of teaching experience in University/College with at least seven publications in the peer-reviewed or UGC-listed journals. For the post of Assistant Professors requires a Master’s / Doctorate Degree and NET in the relevant disciplines.
The above-mentioned posts shall be subjected to few modifications in certain disciplines (Management Studies/ Information Technology /Civil Engineering/ Teacher Education).
It is pertinent to mention that the advertisement for teaching positions bearing No. 03 of 2022 dated 07-05-2022 stands withdrawn due to administrative reasons (as notified vide notification dated 17-08-2023) the candidates who had applied in response to that advertisement shall have to apply afresh.
SRINAGAR: Government on Tuesday ordered transfer and posting of two Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officers in the interest of the administration.
According to an order issued by the GAD, Angrez Singh, JKAS, Deputy Secretary in the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat, is transferred and posted as Assistant Commissioner (Central) with Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, with immediate effect.
Further, the order says that Ajay Bharti, JKAS, Deputy Director, Estates, Jammu, under orders of transfer as Assistant Commissioner (Central) with Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, in terms of Government Order No. 983-JK(GAD) of 2023 dated 19.08.2023, shall continue at his present place of posting.
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SRINAGAR: Here is a list of current job openings, detailing the vacancies available in various fields, including assistant manager, social media expert, teachers, accountant, tour booking manager, marketing executive, and chef, notified across the Kashmir valley.
IID Marketing is hiring a female assistant manager and a social media expert. For eligibility, the candidate must be a graduate with good computer skills. The expected salary is upto INR 12,000.
Interested candidates can send their CV to digitalwani22@gmail.com or contact 6006464785.
Talent Study Point Educational Institute, Srinagar, is hiring for the positions of general line teacher (female) and LPD teacher (female) for grades upto fifth and pre-primary, respectively.
For eligibility as a general line teacher, the candidate must have qualified BA, Bsc, or BEd, and for LPD teacher, the candidate must have qualified BA or BEd. Interested candidates can WhatsApp their resume to 9596277292 by or before August 31, 2023.
Andromeda Tour and Travel is hiring a female tour booking manager and online marketing executive. For eligibility, the candidate must be a graduate with strong communication and computer skills and be a resident of Srinagar.
Interested candidates can send their CV to andromedaindiaholidays@gmail.com or contact 9906729182.
Vapor & Vibes, Regal Chowk, is hiring a chef. For eligibility, the candidate must have two years of experience. For more information and to apply, contact 7006129645.
Tooba International School in Srinagar is hiring an accountant. For eligibility, the candidate must have qualified BCOM. Interested candidates can send their resumes to ahmadsami011@gmail.com by or before August 31. For further details contact 7889325308.
Note: All the jobs are posted as received through various sources. Kashmir Life does not endorse any company. Readers are requested to verify on their own before applying.
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SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has launched an official investigation into the alleged sexual harassment of a female teacher by the school principal in Ramban district, Indian Express reported.
The inquiry will be overseen by Ramban Additional Deputy Commissioner Giasul Haq, in response to the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) taking serious note of protest demonstrations captured in video footage.
In a civil miscellaneous petition (CMP), the female teacher claimed that these demonstrations were orchestrated by the principal to damage her reputation, stating that she had resisted his sexual advances.
The female teacher’s legal representative, as per Indian Express informed the Tribunal that despite its explicit directive to conduct a magisterial inquiry, certain senior officers within the Education Department were shielding the principal.
In light of this, Tribunal member (judicial) Suresh Kumar Monga has requested the Education Department to provide its response.
Earlier this month, the CAT had ordered a magisterial inquiry following the female teacher’s allegations that she had been relieved from her duties by the principal due to her refusal to comply with his advances.
It was noted that the J&K Police had confirmed a threat to her life in her native village. She further explained that she was removed from her school duties while undergoing training at the State Council of Educational Research and Training, Jammu, in June.
The CAT member had instructed the respondents to clarify the reasons behind the teacher’s removal without obtaining the latest security threat report.
Additionally, the Ramban Chief Education Officer was directed to acquire an updated security threat assessment for the applicant and make posting decisions accordingly. The Tribunal Member emphasised that eligible leave should be considered and granted to the applicant until the threat assessment report is received, and a copy of the report should be shared with the Director of School Education, Jammu.
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As the Jammu and Kashmir administration is readying for panchayat and ULB polls this fall, the controversy has emerged from the high-altitude Kargil where the administration was desperate not to see JKNC’s plough, reportsMasood Hussain
JKNC led LAHDC Kargil in session. KL Image: Special Arrangement
For many, politics is all about symbolism. This, however, does not discount the larger reality that symbols are fundamental to politics, especially in South Asia. Generations grow with the symbols their parties have and it hugely matters during elections in an electronic age where EVMs have replaced the paper ballot.
Post-2019, in Jammu and Kashmir, political parties are facing interesting challenges. And the one is about symbols.
Jammu and Kashmir Peoples’ Conference (JKPC) is one of the last-century political parties. Founded by Abdul Gani Lone, the brave politician from north Kashmir’s Handwara, in 1978, the JKPC used to have a lion as its party symbol.
“We contested the last assembly elections on the lion symbol in 1987,” Adnan Mir, the party’s post-2019 spokesperson, said. The party did not contest many elections later. “In 2014, when we contested we were given a table as an election symbol that we retained in 2019 as well.”
BJP state President Ravinder Raina at Kargil during election campaign of LAHDC polls in September 2018.
In January 2019, the party felt that the table in politics was too far away from the decision-making chair so the discussions started about having a new symbol. “Apple will be the symbol of JKPC. A symbol of economic power,” Sajad Gani Lone, broke the news on Twitter on January 30, 2019. “My thanks to Abbas Wani, ex-MLA Gulmarg. He conceptualised Apple as our party symbol. His idea was that our symbol should signify economic power.”
Apple is the principal peripheral economy of Kashmir and the party believes it will help them connect with the people better. The Election Commission of India (ECI) had earlier refused to revive their lion symbol.
It was the same case with the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP), a Udhampur-based party that has ambitions of becoming a pan-Jammu and Kashmir party. In 1982, when Bhim Singh floated it, the idea was to move out of his home state too. Now battling for survival owing to internal bickering, the party has already lost the panther symbol. It has been given the bicycle, instead. Given the party situation, it remains to be seen if the bicycle gets some movement or retains the inertia it already is in.
Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party business tycoon Syed Altaf Bukhari launched post-2019 and has a willow, the cricket bat as its symbol.
However, it is the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) whose symbol – a plough – is the most used, known and oldest symbol in Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape. Interestingly, it is also facing problems, not in Kashmir or Jammu but in the arid Ladakh desert, which operates as a separate Union Territory.
“We are facing challenges at every point, where we were not even expecting, we have to struggle,” Omar Abdullah told party workers last week. In Ladakh, he said the administration is desperate to ensure that JKNC should not use Hal (plough) as the election symbol in the Ladakh Hill Development Council elections.
“We knocked on the door of the High Court in this matter and the judge gave a verdict in our favour and directed the Ladakh administration to provide us with a Hul symbol. In the follow-up, the administration challenged the single bench decision before the division bench and filed objections spanning over 300 pages, but the bench upheld the single bench decision and we are satisfied.”
The story did not end here. Omar said the Ladakh administration is now planning to go to the Supreme Court against the division bench decision. The party later claimed that the Supreme Court refused to stay the Jammu and Kashmir High Court’s order on the grant of the ‘plough’ poll symbol for the party in the Ladakh Hill Council elections and asked the Union Territory administration to implement the court order and not make it an ‘ego issue’. “They then tried to get the contempt proceedings of the high court stayed. This was also refused by the Supreme Court,” the party said.
The Tradition
Any party having the ECI registration for its election symbol can contest anywhere across India. It can be in Lok Sabha, assembly and Urban Local Body and Panchayat polls. In Ladakh, however, this has become an issue for the administration. It is sort of a logo, an identity, that like businesses is crucial to the political parties also. Why is it happening?
“All this is being done because some people had a misconception that after 2019, the election symbol of the JKNC will be removed from Ladakh and only to prove this, the time of the court is being wasted and our little money is also being wasted,” Omar said.
The crisis was a quick outcome of the Ladakh election department’s decision to hold elections for the 26 seats of the 30-member LAHDC, Kargil, on September 10, to elect a new body. Four berths are being nominated by the Kargil district administration. A party requires 16 seats to secure a majority in the Council.
In the last five years, it was JKNC that led the Council. In the 2018 election, JKNC won 10 seats and Congress 8. PDP had garnered two seats and BJP one while there were five independents. Initially, NC and Congress shared power in the Council but later NC formed its Council with independents. PDP candidates switched over to BJP along with four nominated councillors that gave the rightwing party seven seats but no power.
For the 2023 elections, indications suggest JKNC and Congress will have a pre-poll and post-poll alliance. Rahul Gandhi and Omar Abdullah are speaking jointly to a gathering and made the announcement formally.
While the LAHDC Leh had its elections in October 2020, and has two more years to go the elections for two municipalities and 193 Panchayat’s – 98 in Kargil and 95 in Leh – are due later this year. However, insiders in the Ladakh administration said the ULB polls will be held only after the LAHDC Kargil elections.
In Kashmir
The bigger battle, however, is in Jammu and Kashmir where the ULB and Pachayat polls are slated to be held in September or a bit later. It is a huge exercise and involves two Municipal Corporations (Srinagar and Jammu), 19 Municipal Councils and 57 Municipal Committees, besides, nearly 40,000 Panchs and Sarpanchs. Unlike the 2018 polls that were boycotted by the JKNC, JKPDP and many others, almost everybody is participating. Their participation will make the exercise very interesting.
After the 2014 Lok Sabha elections were over, this was the load of an SMC sweeper in Srinagar. Photo: Facebook
Though not in Jammu, in Kashmir it is also around the symbols. As the parties would like to contest on a party basis, the ruling BJP is keen that the elections should be held on a non-party basis.
Jammu Kashmir People’s conference Chairman Sajad Lone addressing a press conference in Srinagar. KL Image by Bilal Bahadur
“Even dozens of BJP leaders have already conveyed to their party leadership that like 2018 the panchayat and municipal as well as local bodies polls should be held on a non-party basis as they fear negative perception about the BJP could see them losing their ground to two big regional parties that had stayed away from last panchayat polls,” The Hindustan Times reported.
The newspaper quoted a BJP activist from Baramulla, who is already canvassing for his election: “Though BJP has done good work on developmental front and return of peace in J&K, especially Kashmir, still my relatives and friends have asked me to contest as an Independent candidate so they can easily vote for me. I have decided to contest as an independent candidate.”
Interestingly, however, the party would like to contest on a party basis in Jammu with the party symbol.
While the BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir president refused to comment, the newspaper quoted Altaf Thakur saying that the decision has to be taken by the Election Commission. “We will welcome it if the polls are held on a party basis,” he was quoted by the newspaper, insisting that the polls will improve the party tally. The party, according to Thakur, has a majority in nine councils and committees, 34 block development council members and more than 2200 elected panchayat members in Kashmir.
In 2018, elections were held for 39521 sarpanch and panch constituencies in 4483 Halqa Panchayats. Some of these constituencies did not find any contestants. By 2020, 13257 positions were vacant due to resignations, removals, election of sarpanchs as Block Development Council chairpersons, deaths as well and non-availability of candidates at the time of election. Among them, 1089 vacancies pertain to the office of sarpanch, whereas 12168 are panch vacancies. These were filled in October 2020. The Panchayat terms will conclude on January 9, 2024.
Process Initiated
The process for these elections has actually started. The Chief Electoral Officer has announced the schedule. The revised electoral rolls are being published later this month. There have been a series of meetings to review security. Recently Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla reviewed the situation in a high-level meeting. Reports indicated that part of the 400 additional companies of paramilitary forces deployed for Amarnath yatra may stay put for these polls.
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SRINAGAR: As many as 26 officers of Jammu & Kashmir’s topmost administrative service are attaining superannuation in the next calendar year.
Sheikh Fayaz Ahmad, son of J&K’s former Chief Secretary Sheikh Ghulam Rasool, figures in the list of officers hanging up their boots in 2024. Fayaz is currently posted as Commissioner Secretary, Department of Floriculture, Gardens and Parks.
Other senior officers figuring in the list include Nisar Ahmad Wani (Director Employment), Tariq Ahmad Zargar (Secretary in the Department of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj), Raman Kumar Kesar (Secretary in the Power Development Department) and Suraiya Jabeen (Secretary in the Tribal Affairs Department).
Others attaining superannuation include Ashok Kumar (Mission Director, RUSA), Ashok Kumar Pandita (Additional Secretary, Revenue Department), Farooq Ahmad Rather (Director Floriculture, Kashmir), Suram Chand Sharma (Joint Director, Youth Services & Sports, Jammu), Kewal Krishan (Additional Secretary, Labour and Employment Department), Ahmad Hussain (Programme Officer, ICDS Project, Baramulla), Ghulam Rasool Wani (Programme Officer, ICDS Project, Ganderbal), Ravi Mohan Khajuria (Registrar, District Udhampur), Sushil Kumar Khajuria (Additional Secretary, Higher Education Department), Nissar Ahmad Malik (Programme Officer, ICDS Project, Shopian), Mohammad Jahangir Khanday (Joint Director, Education, South Kashmir), Saleem Ahmad (Collector Land Acquisition, Defence, Rajouri), Kewal Kumar (Additional Secretary, Cooperatives Department), Sohan Lal (Registrar, GCET Jammu), Saleem Beigh (Deputy Secretary, Department of Floriculture, Parks and Gardens), Ram Lal Sharma (Deputy Secretary, Social Welfare Department), Ishtaq Ahmad Bhat (Secretary, Srinagar Development Authority), Parveen Akther (Deputy Director (Administration) Handicrafts and Handlooms Jammu), Noor-ud-din Bhat (Deputy District Election Officer, Bandipora), Shakeel Hussain (Deputy District Election Officer, Srinagar) and Ghulam Dastigir Alam (Deputy Secretary, Department of Forest, Ecology & Environment)—(KNO)
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Within the enchanting expanse of Tosamaidan, a minimum of 8-10 days is a requisite to immerse oneself fully in the myriad landscapes it offers. Embarking on this odyssey unveils a trove of natural wonders, each more enthralling than the last, writesDr Shaikh Ghulam Rasool
People on horses crossing Tosa Maidan after the first snow fall in this meadow in 2017. KL Image: Dr Sheikh Ghulam Rasool
Snuggled within the Sukhnag range of the Pir Panjal mountains, Tosamaidan stands as a lofty plateau gracing the Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. Perched at an elevation of 10,500 feet above sea level, this expanse resides approximately fifty kilometres away from the urban embrace of Srinagar city. Enveloped by an ethereal allure, Tosamaidan’s grandeur showcases the most expansive pastures, adorned with a snowy mantle from November through April.
Encompassing four prominent meadows – Gujjerbahak, Guttemarg, Chinamarg, and Badshahmarg, Tosamaidan’s appellation, Tosa, carries a tapestry of origin stories. One legend traces its genesis to Mehmud Ghazni, who purportedly exclaimed tushahemaidan, signifying ‘you are the king of meadows’. This phrase evolved into the present name, etching a poetic saga into the land.
An Ancient Route
In antiquity, Tosamaidan stood as a haven for shepherds from neighbouring lands, a testament to its historical significance in the tapestry of Kashmir. Reverberating through time, Tosamaidan remains a cherished route, historically linking Kashmir valley Poonch and the swathes of western Punjab nestled between the meandering Jhelum and Indus rivers, as documented by M A Stein in 1899.
Dumdum The lost watchtower of Tosamaidan. Till last century several such watch towers were seen and most of them are either in ruins and disappeared.
This expanse also served as a pivotal thoroughfare during the eras of Mughal opulence, the reign of the Lohara dynasty, and the ascendancy of the Sikh domain. Al-Beruni’s annals reflect vibrant trade along this very route, painting a vivid portrait of commercial exchanges.The Mughal legacy further glistens upon Tosamaidan’s canvas, with their architectural opulence manifested in multi-storey marvels at Dumdum and Drang.
A Jungle Around
Huddled amidst the embrace of dense forests, predominantly adorned with towering fir, pine, and deodar trees, alongside the majestic spectacle of snow-capped peaks and meandering rivers and streams, these meadows form a haven for diverse wildlife and hold a pivotal role as indispensable pastures for the livestock of neighbouring mountain-bound villages.
A multitude of streams, originating from proximate peaks or adjacent meadows, converge into the gentle flow of the Sukhnag River. This lifeline sustains tens of thousands across three downstream districts, nurturing their existence. In harmony with this vibrant ecosystem, a tapestry of pastoral and agricultural communities, including Gujjars, Bakarwals, Pohls, Paharis, and Kashmiris, draw sustenance and livelihood from these verdant expanses. When summer unfurls its warmth, hundreds of families, accompanied by a multitude of livestock, embark on a seasonal migration to this hallowed land, dwelling here for approximately 4-5 months before retracing their steps to their lowland village abodes.
The hutments housing the summer grazers at Tosamaidan. KL Image: Special Arrangement
The Catchment
The charming villages at the foothills of Tosamaidan, such as Sutharan, Drang, Lassipora, Ringzabal, Shunglipora, Chill-Brass, Zoogu, Kharien, and more, provide a glimpse into the rustic tapestry of Kashmiri rural life. Amidst this fertile land, maize, beans, and potatoes flourish as predominant crops tended by the locals. The rural economy further thrives through the cultivation of horticultural delights, including apples and walnuts.
Owing to its captivating topography, Tosamaidan’s resplendent panorama possesses boundless potential for tourism. Verdant meadows are embraced by vast, enigmatic forests, as rivers and streams cascade in a harmonious symphony. Springs and high-altitude lakes bestow breathtaking views, awash in hues of serene green. The snow-draped mountain summits stand as awe-inspiring sentinels.
Stay Longer
Within this enchanting expanse, a minimum of 8-10 days is a requisite to immerse oneself fully in the myriad landscapes it offers. Embarking on this odyssey unveils a trove of natural wonders, each more enthralling than the last.
Among these luminous gems are Chinamarg, Dumdum, Danvaas, Koker-seene, Pandan Valley, Kadleh Bal, Gateh Marg, Haffaz, Mani-Naar, Proun Shahar, Guzzer, Gaddeh-Taar, Shinneh Khazana, Shupnaag, Kashp-Pathri, Balleh-Masheed, and more.
From the vantage point of Khadlabal, prominent places like Naginibal, Burgah, Doorien, Nunewaan, Khaalkatt, and others beckon with their splendour. These locales stand as living testaments to the beauty nature bestows, weaving an unforgettable tapestry that leaves an indelible mark upon the soul.
A routine peak summer scene at Tosamaidan, a grazer and his herd. KL Image: Special Arrangement
Wildlife sanctuaries encompass a realm of natural wonders, including the Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary (previously known as Pehjen Wildlife Sanctuary), Tattakutti Wildlife Sanctuary, and the enchanting Kalamund-Tatakuti and Khara Gali regions, which encompass the Kalamund-Tatakuti and Khara Gali Reserves. Khara Gali, a Gali itself, claims the Khara Sar lake as its namesake.
Flora and Fauna
Tosamaidan and its encompassing environs stand as a sanctuary for a rich tapestry of flora and fauna. The meadows come alive with a vibrant palette of wildflowers, including delicate irises and cheerful buttercups. Within the sheltering embrace of the forests, a multitude of tree species find their home.
The heavens above are adorned with the graceful flight of the Himalayan Monal, the resplendent Koklass Pheasant, and the elusive Snow Partridge. Amidst these landscapes, foxes, hares, and an orchestra of birds find their serene abode.
This realm also cradles a treasure trove of medicinal plants, such as Saussureacostus, Picrorhiza Kurroa, and Jurinea Dolomiaea.
With a tapestry of 95 bird species, including the resplendent Kashmir flycatcher, the majestic Himalayan snowcock, the illustrious Impeyan Monal, and the captivating Koklass pheasant, alongside a fluttering array of 31 butterfly species, life thrives in abundance.
Within this dynamic ecosystem, a symphony of birds, mammals, and aquatic life finds harmony. Pheasants, partridges, and migratory birds flourish in these verdant expanses. Pristine lakes cradle trout and an array of aquatic creatures, weaving a tapestry of biodiversity. For enthusiasts of the natural world, Tosamaidan stands as an invitation to connect intimately with these marvels in their untouched habitat.
Tosamaidan in winter, a huge expanse of white carpet. KL Image: Special Arrangement
The wildlife within Tosamaidan’s embrace is as diverse as it is captivating. The expanse shelters an array of creatures, including the regal Himalayan brown bear, the elusive Asiatic black bear, the enigmatic Leopard, the graceful Musk deer, the spirited Barking Deer, the contemplative Kashmir grey langur, the elusive Snow leopard, the formidable Tibetan wolf, the cunning Red fox, the agile Leopard cat, the stealthy Jungle cat, the charming Yellow-throated marten, the majestic Himalayan Black Bear, the gallant Himalayan Goral, the illustrious Markhor, the swift Wolf, the alluring Snow Cock, the enchanting Chakoor, and the captivating Himalayan Partridge. This landscape also serves as a natural corridor, facilitating the migration of brown bears and markhors between the woodlands of Poonch and the embracing Kashmir Valley.
Many of the lakes and streams nurtured by these meadows and fed by glacial sources hold the primary responsibility of quenching the thirst of four districts – Budgam, Baramulla, Srinagar, and Poonch.
An Initiative
In 2015, the Tosamaidan Conservation and Development Foundation, in collaboration with the School for Rural Development (SRDE), embarked on an innovative conservation plan bearing the theme Community Driven Adventure and Rural Eco-Tourism (CDART) 2015.
This visionary initiative was subsequently embraced by the government on March 29, 2016, and inaugurated by the former Chief Minister on May 29, 2016, culminating in the establishment of a distinct Development Authority. The essence of this plan lies in empowering local communities to forge dignified livelihoods while safeguarding the forests and the encompassing biodiversity. The successful realization of CDART stands as a beacon, inspiring the Jammu and Kashmir government to champion environmental conservation across the entirety of the state.
Tosamaidan, an aerial view. Image; Kashmir Tourism Department
Tourism Potential
To effectively tap into the tourism potential, it becomes paramount to establish a comprehensive framework that not only beckons tourists but also staunchly safeguards and preserves the pristine environment that exists. These regions hold within them a realm of possibilities, ranging from invigorating treks, exhilarating water sports, captivating snow-based activities, and daring mountaineering expeditions, to immersive wildlife and bird-watching escapades. This new paradigm of tourism has been deftly integrated to foster a robust sense of community involvement, ensure fair distribution of benefits, and champion the propagation of conservation consciousness.
In this endeavour, local communities are not merely spectators; they actively partake in the promotion and instruction of adventure sports within the meadows. Many are engaged in the nurturing of rural tourism, breathing life into traditional arts and crafts, ushering in innovative products, elevating hygiene and fundamental sanitation standards, bolstering formal education, fostering skill development, and fortifying training and capacity enhancement initiatives. The development of rural tourism within these villages holds the potential to usher in elevated incomes, an upswing in employment opportunities, and a richer diversification of the rural economy, which has traditionally been heavily reliant on agriculture.
Accessibility
Tosamaidan can be accessed by cab or scenic trekking routes from nearby foothill villages. From Srinagar Airport, travellers can take the Srinagar Airport-Sukhnag road via Zoogu-Arizalto Sethaharan and onward to Tosamaidan. Routes from Srinagar itself include travelling through Magam-Khagor Beerwah-Arizal to Sethaharan before reaching Tosamaidan. Another option from Beerwah is to take the Beerwah College Road through Sethaharan.
For those seeking a trekking adventure, routes from foothill villages like Ringzabal-Kadlabal, Shunglipora/Drung/Waganpathri-Dumdum trail, or Zoogu-Shaalkien to Dummdum offer scenic paths culminating in Tosamaidan. With cab, bus, or trekking access, Tosamaidan provides multiple transportation options for travellers journeying to this mountainous destination.
The Summer
From May to October, Tosamaidan offers a wide range of outdoor adventures and cultural experiences for visitors to immerse themselves in. Families can enjoy leisurely picnics in the open meadows. Trekkers can explore the region’s lush landscapes, from lakes and peaks to rivers and flower sites, on small hikes or multi-day expeditions.
The lakes and rivers provide opportunities for boating, rafting, and trout fishing in the icy waters. Camping allows visitors to relax in the tranquillity of nature. Photography enthusiasts can capture Tosamaidan’s diverse flora, fauna, and landscapes while nature walks provide chances to observe the beauty up close. Interacting with local communities offers cultural learning and heritage appreciation.
When the nights are clear, stargazing under the vast sky is a highlight. With its diversity of summer activities, Tosamaidan provides experiences to match any interest or adventure level.
The Winter
From November to March, Tosamaidan transforms into a wintry paradise perfect for snow sports and adventures. Snow trekking allows exploration of the snow-covered landscapes. The vast expanses provide world-class venues for skiing and skating. Winter camping in the snowy meadows makes for a unique overnight experience.
Dr Shaikh Ghulam Rasool
Photographers can capture the ethereal beauty of the snow-draped scenery. Treks to alpine lakes like Gaddeh Sar, Hokkeh Sar, and Buod Sar offer stunning icy panoramas. Various trekking routes connect Tosamaidan to neighbouring destinations like the route to Gulmarg via Bassam Gali and Pandan-Affarwath or the trails from Kadlebal to Mandi, Tattakutti, Tresar, Kounsar, and Doodhpathri. With snow-blanketed meadows and peaks, Tosamaidan becomes an outdoor winter wonderland.
Homestays are available in Sithaharan and Sukhnag villages, and tented accommodation is available at Tosamaidan and Kadlebal-Tosamaidan.
(The author is a naturalist, and conservationist besides the founder and chairperson of the J&KRTI Movement, Tosamaidan Bachav Front –TBF. Ideas are personal.)
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