SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir recorded major drop in temperature while as weather department on Sunday forecast more rain, thunderstorm, and lightning at most places of the Kashmir Valley and many places of the Jammu region during late afternoon and evening.
“Hailstorms with gusty winds are also expected at a few places,” an official of the meteorological department said.
On May 8, he said, rain and thunderstorm were expected at many places of J&K with the possibility of “hailstorms and gusty wind at one or two places.”
He said mainly dry weather was expected on May 9-12.
He advised farmers to postpone spraying of orchards and harvesting of crops till May 8.
Tourists have been asked to keep warm clothes and eatables ready as the weather will be colder till May 8.
Regarding temperature, he said, Srinagar recorded a low of 6.5°C against 10.4°C on the previous night and it was 4.2°C above normal for the summer capital.
Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of 5.2°C against 8.0°C on the previous night and it was below normal by 4.0°C for the gateway town of Kashmir.
Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of 2.1°C against 5.4°C on previous night and it was 3.4°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Kokernag recorded a low of 4.2°C against 8.2°C on the previous night and it was 5.0°C below normal for the place, the officials said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of 0.4°C against 4.0°C on previous night and it was 4.8°C below normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.
In Kupwara town, he said, the mercury settled at 6.3°C against 7.4°C as on the previous night and it was 3.0°C below normal for the north Kashmir area.
Jammu recorded a low of 16.1°C against 19.7°C on the previous night and it was 6.9°C below normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said.
Banihal recorded a low of 6.3°C (below normal by 4.6°C), Batote 8.3°C (4.5°C below normal), Katra 13.8°C (5.9°C below normal) and Bhaderwah 6.7°C (below normal by 2.9°C). Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 0.8°C, he added. (GNS)
SRINAGAR: Director School Education, Jammu, Ashok Kumar Sharma on Saturday said that the transfer policy of teachers has been formulated after careful consideration of all the factors related to the transfer process and keeping the interest of the students at the center.
The DSEJ was speaking at an interactive session with the media fraternity which was attended by Dr Rajesh Kumar, Personnel Officer DSEJ, Mamata Sharma, Deputy Director(Planning) DSEJ, and the representatives from electronic, print, and social media.
The Director discussed the various provisions of the transfer policy of teachers with the media personnel and informed them that the objective of the policy is to ensure a fair and transparent transfer process for teaching staff in government schools.
The Director addressed various queries regarding the issues faced by the students studying in private schools and said that appropriate steps would be taken by the Directorate in accordance with the law, to address these issues.
He also urged the private schools to adhere to the guidelines set by the government for ensuring ethical practices and a justifiable fee structure.
The Director School Education Jammu also appreciated the efforts of the media fraternity for maintaining a constructive dialogue on matters related to the education sector.
The department remains committed to ensuring high-quality education for students in Jammu and Kashmir and looks forward to the continued support of the media in this endeavor, he said.
For any further information or queries regarding the new transfer policy for the teaching fraternity interested parties are welcome to contact the office of the Director School Education Jammu/CEOs in the District.
SRINAGAR: Wild boars have turned into a formidable foe for farmers across the Hajin area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district, people complained on Saturday.
The locals said that the wild boars have been on a rampage, causing extensive damage to crops and apple orchards across the area, leaving the agricultural community in distress.
“Despite efforts by wildlife authorities to curb the menace, their attempts have fallen short, leaving farmers in a state of desperation,” they said, adding that the department should take effective steps to put an end to this menace.
“These wild boars have transformed our once peaceful fields into a relentless battleground. They rampage in packs, leaving destruction in their wake and consuming our toil overnight,” laments Mohammad Sultan, a local farmer who sorrowfully recounts the decimation of 30 percent of his prized apple orchard to the insatiable foraging of these formidable beasts.
“We have invested our sweat and blood into these fields, only to witness them being destroyed by these beasts. We need immediate help from the authorities.”
Farmers bear the burden of substantial financial losses while they anxiously await a solution to their plight. The unyielding attack on their means of sustenance has left them disheartened, teetering on the brink of despair.
“Our hopes rest on the authorities comprehending the urgency of the situation and promptly taking decisive action. Our very survival hangs in the balance,” expresses Mohammad Hassan, a fellow farmer affected by the ongoing crisis
Meanwhile, an official said that concrete measures will be taken to protect them from these Wild Boars. Historically, the Wild Boar was brought into the valley by erstwhile Dogra ruler, Maharaja Gulab Singh, for hunting purposes—(KNO)
Mirza Waheed’s 2014 novel tells the story of love and hope in times of war, writesMuskan Fatima
Mirza Waheed (Author)
Mirza Waheed’s novelThe Book of Gold Leaves is a story about Kashmir, about the spirit of resilience that makes natives to cling the hope in wake of challenges.
Mirza is a Kashmir-born, British storyteller who quit a promising journalistic career to become a full-time novelist. His debut novel The Collaborator was an international bestseller and was shortlisted for The Guardian First Book Award in 2011. The Book of Gold Leaves, published in 2014 was shortlisted for the 2015 Folio Prize and the 2016 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature.
Set In the 1990s
The Book of Gold Leaves is set in the 1990s war-torn Kashmir and at it captures a love story of devastating beauty at a time of political strife in Kashmir. Faiz is a Shia papier-machie artist who supports his family by painting pencil boxes. His artworks are sold overseas in countries where he cannot travel. He is a dreamer too and often dreams about creating a masterpiece. Roohi, the other lead character in Mirza’s book is a young damsel who is a Sunni. She is a woman with dreams in her eyes and when her dreams are shattered she does not let her hopes die or her heart harden.
They knew each other as kids and are reunited as adults only to fall in love with an all-consuming intensity. The love they share is the kind of love that Shakespeare talked about – a love that is beyond all impediments and thus cannot be altered.
By no means, however, is their story a fairytale where a happy ending is awaited all along. Instead, it is a story where the heart is fragile and full of heartache and yet it chooses to be a rebel and love regardless of the consequences. The beauty of the book and the plot lies in the details of how the war tears their story apart and how they bravely face it in the hope that the war will end one day as it always does.
Times apart, the story is set in a space, where Shia-Sunni tensions have been part of history’s baggage. The storyteller ensures the love bloom, transcending the narrow sectarian divide. This is despite the fact that Faiz, the key character in the film, becomes a militant and is known as the “papier machie militant”.
Family Support
The family dynamics and history have also been woven with great delicacy. Farhat who is the little sister of Faiz shares a beautiful bond with Roohi. The bond is like that of sisterhood and comfort. While Faiz is away from home Farhat and Roohi become pillars of strength for each other.
The Book of Gold Leaves by Mirza Waheed
The writing style is poignant and lyrical. There is incredible use of imagery and the prose has been written in such a way that it leaves the reader with a sense of catharsis.
The scent of home is spread throughout the book from the scenes set up in Khanqah to the water bodies described with incessant beauty. One can almost imagine themselves walking down the lanes in Habbakadal and gazing at the houseboats while on a Shikara ride.
There is a sense of melancholy felt throughout the novel which gives the sense that the book shares a personal connection with the author. In fact, the book cover carries a picture of Mirza’s late grandfather’s paper-machie artwork.
Communal Relations
One of the underlying themes that this book explores is the Hindu-Muslim relations in Kashmir. On TV screens and in political discourse, the relationship is often portrayed of a rivalry. Mirza not only describes the plight of Hindus who left their homes but also explores the ground reality of relations between Hindus and Muslims in Kashmir. He portrays with utmost delicacy how both communities have shared a history of utmost love and tolerance.
Just like in real life within one story lies multiple other stories waiting to be explored and understood. The side characters in the book carry within themselves a complexity of their own.
One such story which goes parallel to the love story of Faiz and Roohi is that of Shanta Koul, the Principal at Farhat’s school. Army barracks are being set up in the school and youngsters joining militancy has become common news. Shanta Koul is forced to watch as her life and the life of those around her are stripped of any stability that existed before the war and the turmoil.
Interestingly, Mirza skips indulging in who is at fault. Instead, he leaves it to the reader to form opinions and conclusions. He merely shows the aftermath of it all and does what storytellers must do- tells the story.
In Kashmir the silence is loud and the waiting is long. Although amidst all of it Mirza Waheed does not fail to slide in a glimmer of hope within the little moments of joy shared by the characters.
This book is a slice of life filled with spirituality, family history, love, longing, hope and in the midst of it all a feeling of home that Kashmir never fails to give.
The Jammu and Kashmir Board Of School Education has released notification for the information of all concerned that the Examination of Mathematics Subject of Higher Secondary Examination Part-1″ (Class 11th), Session Annual (Regular) 2023 for Hard Zone Areas of UTs of Jammu and Kashmir/Ladakh, which was earlier postponed due to unavoidable circumstances shall now be held on l6-05-2023 (Tuesday) as per already notified venue (examination centres) and time.
Jio and Airtel has Announced Two New Unlimited Plans at Rs 198 and Rs 219 Respectively
India’s Leading telecom companies, Jio, and Airtel have Announced two new plans at affordable prices. JioFiber has introduced the Rs. 198 Backup plan and Airtel Xstream Fiber has launched a Rs. 219 Broadband Lite plan.
JioFiber 198 Back-Up Plan
Reliance Jio has Announced new broadband plan known as the JioFiber Backup, for users who required a backup internet connection and also in rural areas where 24 x 7 connections are needed.
The new plan will provide its users with unlimited data at a speed of 10 Mbps along with free landline calls. Users will also be able to increase their connection speed with instant activation as per their requirements.
Connection speed can be hiked to 30 Mbps for Rs. 21, Rs. 31, and Rs. 101 for 1 day, 2 days, and 7 days respectively. For a connection speed of 100 Mbps, users will have to pay an additional Rs. 32, Rs. 52, and Rs. 152 respectively for 1 day, 2 days, and 7 days. A five-month Backup plan can also be subscribed, which would cost Rs. 1,490 in total along with a one-time installation cost of Rs. 500.
Airtel Xstream Fiber 219 Broadband Lite Plan
The newly launched Broadband Lite plan from Airtel Xstream is the cheapest Airtel Xstream Fiber plan and is priced at Rs. 219 when compared to JioFiber’s Backup plan, which is priced at Rs. 21 more. The plan has been launched to cater to users who require a budget-friendly plan.
Even if it costs Rs. 219, users will only be able to purchase a yearly subscription of Rs. 3,101(inclusive of GST) and a monthly subscription won’t be there. With the Broadband Lite plan, users will receive an unlimited broadband connection with a speed limited to 10 Mbps. No additional payments will be required and users will receive its router for free.
SRINAGAR: A Day after five army personnel were killed in an ongoing combat operation in Kandi forest of Rajouri, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took stock of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir’s border districts of Rajouri and Poonch.
Defence Minister landed at Jammu’s technical Airport in a special aircraft, from where he was accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Army Chief General Manoj Pande and Army Commander Northern Command Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi towards Rajouri.
The Defence Minister took stock of the operational preparedness of the Indian Army and the security situation along the border area during his visit and also interacted with troops at an Army Base Camp in Rajouri.
As per an official, the defence minister chaired a high-level security meeting to review the overall security scenario of JK. During interaction with soldiers, the defence minister commended their valour and zeal while operating in challenging situations and asserted that the nation feels secure because of the unmatched courage, commitment and constant vigil of the soldiers of the Indian Army.
Earlier in the day, the army had neutralized one militant, while other was reported to have been injured in ongoing gun battle at Kandi forests of Rajouri.
“In the ongoing joint operation in Kandi Forest, Rajouri sector by Indian Army in coordination with JKP & CRPF, at approx 0700 hours the cordon while closing in spotted and pinned down the terrorists. In the ensuing gunbattle Onemilitant has ben neutralised and other is likely injured,” PRO Defence Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand said.
A statement from the Army’s Northern Command said its personnel have been conducting “relentless intelligence-based operations to flush out a group of militants involved in an ambush on an Army truck in the Tota Gali area of Bhata Dhurian in Jammu region last month”—(KNO)
SRINAGAR: The sex ratio at birth in Jammu and Kashmir is better than the national average, while sex determination is being regulated through effective implementation of the PCPNDT Act, NHM Director Ayushi Sudan said on Saturday.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of an event in Srinagar, she said that the sex ratio in J&K is definitely better than the national average because of social factors.
“There is still a need for capacity building for the Pre-conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (prohibition of sex selection) Act, 1994 and the main aim of the act is to prohibit sex determination, especially at the time of prenatal diagnosis,” Sudan said.
She added that gender bias and sex determination are critical public health concerns, which are being regulated through effective implementation of the PCPNDT Act, for which a comprehensive action strategy has been devised and monitored. “There is a need for capacity building of our stakeholders so that this act can be handled in a better and more effective way. With better understanding, we are hopeful of further improvement in the future,” she said.
Sudan also stated that streamlining the PCPNDT Act is only one aspect to improve the sex ratio, but there are several other aspects like women empowerment and different programs that can help in further improvement of the sex ratio at birth in J&K. “With women’s empowerment, there will be further improvement in the future,” she said.
Notably, as per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), the sex ratio at birth for children born (females per 1,000 males) has increased from 923 in 2015-2016 to 976 in 2019-2020. As per the NFHS-5 data, against the national average of 929 girl children born for every 1,000 boys, J&K has 976 girl children born for every 1,000 boys. The urban areas have a slight edge over rural pockets, with 978 girl children born for every 1,000 boys in urban areas, while the rate was 976 in rural areas, she added. (KNO)
