SRINAGAR: Since antiquity, Kashmir valley’s extremely cold weather conditions have forced the local populace to innovate to compensate for the scarcity of food items as connectivity to the outside world remains cut off for months. The answer to the vegetable crisis in winter was Hokh Syun, the traditional dried vegetables.
Today, when road connectivity has improved drastically in winter, the Hokh Syun hasn’t faded but become intertwined in what is known as Koshur tradition with women folk in Valley’s rural space mainly involved in the production process. The pictures of vegetables hanging from windows of houses and spread on open balconies fulfil the rural landscape and certain pockets of the city as well.
For Jawhara Begum, a middle-aged woman from central Kashmir Budgam district the process of preparing the dried vegetables starts in spring when she sows the seeds in her kitchen garden.
“I plant tomatoes and bottle gourd seeds in April, water them and see them grow. I then wait for these tiny plants to grow and reach full bloom,” Begum says, adding that it gives her the same feeling as raising her own children.
By July, she starts collecting ripe tomatoes and tiny bottle gourds kick starting the process of drying the vegetables.
“I stretch out a piece of cloth on my balcony or rooftop then spread out the vegetables on it. The sun’s heat and light dry them gradually as we step into Autumn.”
However, the process isn’t simple as it might sound. Begum each night has to bring the vegetables inside in order to save them from any moisture during the night time. She also has to keep an eye on birds during the day so that they don’t spoil her treasure which she sells as the winter approaches.
She says that the drying of vegetables is something she likes because indoor household chores are mundane and monotonous. “I like doing this because it is an activity which is done outside the confines of the four walls.”
She says before she contacts the vendors who buy her produce, the vegetables are all dried and ready.
“What gives me happiness is that people far away from my abode consume and enjoy what I nurture in my kitchen garden. I believe I am spreading more than just love and warmth of Kashmir by cultivating and selling these vegetables.”
It is the labour of countless such rural Kashmir’s women folk who are not just keeping the tradition alive but also letting people make a living who are connected to its market chain.
The distributor who purchases the Hokh Syun from Jawhara Begum then sells it to various retailers.
Ghulam Mohiuddin, a Budgam-based Hokh Syun distributor for over 20 years says the trade continues to be profitable for him.
“We serve as a middleman between the producer and the seller of these vegetables. Hokh Syun has been around in Kashmir’s market for decades and people earn well out of it at every level of the chain.”
Fayaz Ahmad, whose shop is nestled in a traditional Zainakadal lane says that the Hokh Syun business has been in the family for many generations now fetching them good money.
“For the past thirty years, I have been selling Hokh Syun. There has always been a high demand. Since we Kashmiris have been consuming it for so long, the demand will never decrease. Every Kashmiri used to dry vegetables at home in the summer to consume them in the winter because there used to be less availability of fresh vegetables in the winter,” Ahmad says.
Mohammad Shafi, another Hokh Syun vendor says that demand had increased not just in the valley but also in other parts of India.
“The profit is decent but varies from product to product. Our source for Hokh Syun is mainly Budgam, Shopian, and Tral. These vegetables and fish are dried at home by villagers, who then sell them to us through these distributors. There have been negative consequence stories which hasn’t hampered our demand. This is a family-owned business that my father was also involved with and I am still carrying it forward,” Shafi said.
The Hokh Syun basket comprises mainly of Alle Hacthi (dried Bottle Gourd) cooked with dried Waangan (Brinjal); sun-dried Gogji Arre (Turnip) cooked with Nadru (Lotus Stem); Bamchoonth (Quince); Rwangan Hatchi (dried Tomatoes), and Hog Gadde (dried Fish).
SRINAGAR : Body of a boy, who allegedly jumped into river Jhelum alongside a girl, has been retrieved by authorities, official sources said.
They told that a large scale rescue operation was initiated at Dewan Bagh Foot Bridge, near Gulnaar Park, in Baramulla soon after news about the drowning of a boy and girl spread in the area.
The NDRF assisted by police and locals retrieved the body of the boy almost an hour after the incident took place, the official sources.
Confirming the retrieval of the body a police official identified the deceased as one Suhail Ahmad Parry, son of Noor Mohd Parray, a resident of Sangri Colony Baramulla. “The body has been evacuated from the site to a nearby health facility for medico-legal formalities, following which it will be handed over to the family for last rites”, the official further said.
Notably, the girl who allegedly jumped into the water body alongside the now deceased boy, was rescued soon after the incident took place. (GNS)
Genome editing in livestock has the potential to bring about significant improvements in productivity, health, and welfare, but there are still challenges that need to be addressed.
A SKUAST-K scientist at work
The livestock industry is facing a growing demand for animal-based foods to feed the increasing human population. This forces a need for a more sustainable approach to livestock production that considers factors such as climate change, deforestation, and conservation of biodiversity, as well as ensuring animal health and welfare. The traditional approach to increasing livestock production has been to increase the amount of land used for feeding animals, but this no longer stands feasible due to limited space for grazing land on the planet.
The twenty-first century’s cutting-edge technologies, such as gene editing, can thus be harnessed to transform the livestock industry towards efficient and safe food animal production systems.
Genome editing technology is a set of tools that precisely modifies an organism’s genetic components. There are four major types of genome editing technologies used by molecular biology scientists: Mega nucleases, Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs), Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases (TALENs), and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR). All these technologies work by cutting the DNA at specific places which then triggers a repair mechanism. The repair process can either rejoin the broken ends of the DNA without the use of a template or with the help of a DNA template, which allows for the introduction of new sequences within the normal genes of the organism.
Amongst these four, CRISPR-based one is the most widely used genome editing tool due to its simplicity, efficiency, and low cost. However, the application of CRISPR-Cas9 technology in livestock (sheep, goat, cattle, and buffalo) requires advanced reproductive technologies for the delivery of editing components into reproductive cells or zygotes.
For effective gene editing, currently, the most common techniques are Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) and zygote microinjection, but these methods are technically challenging, labour-intensive, and costly, limiting their use to only a few specialized laboratories.
Gene Editing
Genome editing technology has been applied in various areas of livestock production, including breeding disease-resistant animals, improving animal performance, altering milk composition, and producing hornless animals etc. Besides, CRISPR is often used for gene knockouts in medical research and therapeutic purposes. The traditional methods of livestock breeding have limitations, such as a long breeding cycle and a limited pool of genetic resources, making it difficult to improve livestock through conventional genetics. With genome editing technology, it is possible to make precise and heritable changes to the genome of diverse livestock species, leading to improved productivity, fertility, sustainability, and animal welfare.
To realise the full potential of genome editing technology in the livestock industry, it is necessary to develop strategies to translate established genome editing protocols into livestock breeding systems. The advanced reproductive technologies make it possible to apply genome editing on-farm, with minimal infrastructure and moderate cost. However, there is still a need for further research and development to ensure that the technology can be efficiently applied at scale. In conclusion, genome editing technology offers a powerful tool for improving the livestock industry, and its application has the potential to enhance productivity and profitability in livestock production.
Applications and Prospects
CRISPR is a cutting-edge gene editing technology that is rapidly gaining popularity in the livestock industry. Compared to traditional gene editings methods like ZFNs and TALENs, CRISPR is more precise and effective in modifying the genomes of livestock species. In the coming years, it is expected that CRISPR-based gene editing will be widely used in livestock breeding.
One of the primary applications of genome editing in livestock is to improve the productivity of livestock species. This can be achieved through the introduction of new traits, such as increased growth rate, improved feed conversion efficiency, and increased meat yield.
For example, researchers have used genome editing to introduce a growth hormone gene into chickens, resulting in birds that grow faster and produce more meat.
Similarly, genetic modifications have been made to pigs that improve the efficiency with which they convert feed into meat, resulting in higher meat yields per kilogram of feed. Knocking out the myostatin gene in cattle and sheep can lead to a double-muscling phenotype, resulting in superior meat production and this has been demonstrated by generating double-muscled mice who had their myostatin gene knocked out.
CRISPR can also be used to modify specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that impact economically important traits in livestock, such as reproductive performance. CRISPR can also be used to improve the nutritional content of milk produced by livestock. For example, knocking out the caprine beta-lactoglobulin gene in goats and introducing human lactoferrin (hlf) leads to reduced levels of beta-lactoglobulin in milk, and an increase in human lactoferrin.
CRISPR in livestock is being widely investigated for the creation of animals that are resistant to various diseases. For example, pigs that are resistant to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) can be produced by knocking out the scavenger receptor cysteine-rich receptor (CD163) gene. This leads to reduced economic costs and improved profitability of pig production, as well as reduced bio-security risks.
Cattle can also be made resistant to Mycobacterium bovis infection through genome editing, which causes significant economic losses and also poses a threat to human health. In cattle again genome editing has been used to develop cattle that are resistant to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), a neurodegenerative disorder commonly referred to as mad cow disease. Likewise, CRISPR can be used to produce cattle that are resistant to Pasteurellosis, a respiratory disease caused by the bacterium Pasteurella hameolytica.
CRISPR-edited livestock are also relevant in biomedicine. For example, pigs can be edited to knock out certain genes, such as alpha-1, and 3-galactosyltransferase (GGTA1), to make them suitable for organ transplantation. Similarly, CRISPR can be used to generate livestock models for various human diseases, such as cardiovascular ailments, muscular dystrophy, and others. By knocking out the MHC system in pigs, CRISPR can also make them universal donors for organ xeno-transplantation.
Animal welfare is another important application of CRISPR in livestock breeding. Traditional methods of removing cattle horns can be painful and are not conducive to animal welfare. CRISPR-based gene editing offers a viable alternative by producing horn-free Holstein cattle.
Another application of genome editing in livestock is to improve their health, resistance to diseases and welfare. This can be achieved through the introduction of resistance genes, such as those that protect against specific viruses or bacteria, or through the elimination of genetic mutations that cause diseases. Animal welfare for example can be realized by genetic modifications to reduce the horns of cattle, reduce the need for painful dehorning procedures and reduce the risk of injury to both cattle and handlers.
Genome editing can also have a positive impact on the environment. By improving the efficiency with which livestock convert feed into meat, the demand for feed can be reduced, reducing the pressure on land used for crops and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock.
Shortcomings
Regulation and Public Acceptance: The regulation and public acceptance of genome editing in livestock is still a challenge, as there are concerns about the safety and ethics of genetic modifications. There is resistance from consumers and regulatory bodies, and the regulatory environment for genome editing is still evolving, with different countries having different approaches to the technology.
Technical Challenges: The technical challenges associated with genome editing are another limitation, as the technology is still developing and has limitations in terms of precision and efficiency. The risk of unintended off-target effects and the difficulty of controlling the expression of edited genes are also challenges that need to be addressed.
Cost: The cost of genome editing is another limitation, as the technology is still relatively new and the cost of editing genes is high. The cost of commercializing genome-edited animals and bringing them to market is also high, which limits the ability of small farmers and start-ups to participate in this field.
‘We Are Nearly Successful In Creating Gene-edited, Cloned Embryos of High Yeilding Pashmina Goats’
Ethical Considerations: The ethical considerations associated with genome editing in livestock are also a challenge. There are concerns about the potential impact of edited genes on the environment and other species, as well as the potential for the creation of genetically modified organisms that could pose a threat to biodiversity.
While regulatory agencies may consider banning the production of such animals, this may be challenging to enforce due to the widespread availability of the technology. Instead of banning, it would be more effective to establish a registry of genome-edited livestock and monitor their reproduction and consumption through oversight mechanisms. This will help to identify any potential off-target mutations that may occur with the use of genome editing technology. Additionally, investment in public education to increase awareness of the risks and benefits of genome-edited livestock is crucial to ensure the responsible use of this technology.
In conclusion, genome editing in livestock has the potential to bring about significant improvements in productivity, health, and welfare, but there are still challenges that need to be addressed. The regulation and public acceptance of the technology, the technical difficulties associated with editing genes, the cost, and the ethical considerations are all those factors that need to be considered as the field of genome editing continues to develop.
(Prominent Kashmir scientist, Prof Riyaz A Shah is the Chief Scientist at Animal Cloning and Transgenic Laboratory, Division of Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences SKUAST-Kashmir. To his credit is the first live cloned buffalo, the first ever animal cloned ever, in India.)
SRINAGAR : A boy and a girl jumped into river Jhelum in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, however, the girl was rescued immediately, while the body of the boy was retrieved later on.
Quoting an official, news agency KNO reported that the duo jumped in the river Jhelum this afternoon.
He said the girl was rescued, while the search for the boy was started immediately.
Confirming the retrieval of the body a police official identified the deceased as Suhail Ahmad Parry, son of Noor Mohd Parray, a resident of Sangri Colony Baramulla.
“The body of the boy was retrieved and taken to a nearby health facility for medico-legal formalities, following which it will be handed over to the family for last rites”, the official further said.
A rescue operation was initiated at Dewan Bagh foot Bridge, near Gulnaar Park, in Baramulla soon after news about the drowning of the duo spread in the area and NDRF assisted by police and locals retrieved the body.
Meanwhile, police have taken cognizance of the incident.
SRINAGAR: A boy and a girl jumped in river Jhelum in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, however, the girl was rescued immediately, while search for boy was on.
Quoting an official, news agency KNO reported that the duo jumped in the river Jhelum this afternoon.
He said the girl was rescued immediately, while search to trace the boy was going on.
A rescue operation was initiated at Dewan Bagh foot Bridge, near Gulnaar Park, in Baramulla soon after news about the drowning of the duo spread in the area.
Meanwhile, police have taken cognizance of the incident.
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Disaster Management Authority (JKDMA) on Wednesday issued an avalanche warning over higher reaches in two districts of Kashmir division.
Quoting officials, news agency GNS reported that a ‘low’ danger level avalanche is likely to occur 2600 metres above sea level in Kupwara district in next 24 hours.
Also, an avalanche of a ‘medium’ danger leveL 2500 metres above sea level is likely to occur in Bandipora district.
People living in these areas have been advised to take precautions and avoid venturing in the avalanche prone areas till further orders.
SRINAGAR: The move to strip the valley’s premier tertiary care health institute Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science (SKIMS) of its autonomous status, has garnered criticism from the political parties with NC, CPI(M) calling for its rollback.
The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq on Tuesday said that SKIMS has had a step motherly treatment under the current set up and the present dispensation has gone a step further by snatching its financial and operational autonomy.
Tanvir said, “SKIMS has gone beyond delivering the state of art health care in producing skilled manpower including doctors, paramedics and technicians. The institution was kept out of government control to ensure efficiency and fast deliverance of facilities,” adding, “Undermining the autonomy of SKIMS by bringing it under the administrative control of the health department also runs opposite to the government’s minimum government and maximum governance slogan.”
The institution has been involved in imparting quality education and training to aspirants and should not be treated at par with government medical colleges, Tanvir Sadiq added.
Demanding immediate roll back of the decision, Tanvir said that government should stop toying with the institutional integrity and autonomy of the premier institute.
“Over the years, SKIMS has provided patient care much better than other facilities in the region. Stripping what little autonomy this top-tier institution had will have an adverse impact on both the patient care and research” CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami said in a Tweet.
Tarigami said the move will also affect its decision-making process and inter-departmental coordination.
“The government should stop toying with the institutional integrity and autonomy of the premier institute,” he added.
SRINAGAR: Kashmir Government Polytechnic (KGP) College, Gogji Bagh is inviting applications on plain paper for guest lecturers in various subjects. Candidates can submit the hard copy of the application form along with all the relevant documents in the college office before 4 PM March 10, 2023.
Applicants must be a domicile of Jammu and Kashmir. The engagement is on a temporary basis for a period of one year. The remuneration of selected candidates will be Rs 750 per hour subject to a maximum of Rs 20,000 per month.
The guest lecturers are sought in the following disciplines; Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Automobile Engineering, ECE Engineering, Computer Engineering, IT, Wood Technology, and Leather Technology. The qualification for these posts is B Tech or BE in the relevant branch of engineering with a minimum of 55 per cent marks. Other disciplines are English, Physics, Maths, and Chemistry. The qualification for these posts is post-graduation in a relevant subject with a minimum of 55 per cent marks.
The marks distribution for being selected for the post is 80 points for basic qualification, five points for higher qualification, five points for GATE/NET/SET, five points for teaching experience, and five points for interaction.
SRINAGAR: Weapon of a cop went off accidentally after he was allegedly hit by a speeding vehicle in Batmaloo area of Srinagar on Wednesday.
Taking to microblogging site Twitter, Traffic City Srinagar said that a speeding vehicle without number plate hit & injured a PSO of a traffic officer on duty, resulting in accidental discharge of PSO’s weapon.
He maintained that there was no damage or injury caused to anyone due to the discharge of the weapon.
“Case has bee registered in Batmaloo PS against rash & negligent driving”, the tweet reads further.
SRINAGAR: Ancient stone sculptures and idols believed to be dating back to hundreds of years were found by locals at a silwa village of Bhallesa in Doda district on Wednesday.
Reports doing rounds on social media said that while excavating for a water source, the locals found the sculptures 10 ft under the ground.
Locals found 11 stone water pipes, two small ponds, one idol and some stone sculptures.The paintings on stones depict ancient art and religious figures.
All these materials found seem to be very ancient and the locals of the area have demanded the intervention of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to establish the facts.
After confirming the development, Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Paul Mahajan took up the matter with the Secretary, Culture Department, who has assured of appropriate action.
