SRINAGAR: Acting tough against the persons involved in the illegal extraction and transportation of minerals, police have arrested 07 persons and seized 07 vehicles in Budgam and Baramulla.
In Budgam, Police Station Chadoora received information that some unknown persons are illegally extracting soil from Government land at Hayatpora Chadoora. Accordingly, a police party at Police Station Chadoora seized 03 clay-laden tippers and arrested 03 persons on spot. The arrested persons have been identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Dar son of Abdul Ahad Dar resident of Rawalpora, Danish Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Muhammad Bhat resident of Gowherpora & Mehraj-Ud-Din Wani son of Mohammad Yousuf Wani resident of Zolwa.
In Baramulla, a police party led by SHO PS Kunzer under the supervision of SDPO Tangmarg Shri Javid Ahmad-JKPS during naka checking at Tarhama Kunzer arrested 03 persons and seized 03 vehicles involved in illegal extraction and transportation of minerals from Ferozpora Nallah Kunzer Baramulla. They have been identified as Abdul Khaliq Rah son of Ab Rahman resident of Nundreshi Colony Bemina, Dawood Ahmad Malla son of Bashir Ahmad resident of Aboora & Zubair Ahmad Wani son of Hafizullah Wani resident of Katchmatpora.
Meanwhile, in another action, a police party under the supervision of SDPO Kreeri Shri Khalid Ashraf-JKPS assisted by Incharge PP Wagoora, during routine patrolling at Ningli Nallah Wagoora arrested 01 person and seized a vehicle involved in illegal extraction and transportation of minerals from Ningli Nallah Wagoora. He has been identified as Shabir Ahmad Bhat son of the Late Abdul Ahad resident of Wagoora Kreeri.
All the accused persons have been shifted to Police Stations where they remain in custody and cases under relevant sections of law stand registered against them at respective police stations.
SRINAGAR: The Islamic University of Science and Technology in Awantipora commemorated National Science Day, marking the discovery of the Raman effect, with a program themed “Global Science for Global Wellbeing.”
The event aimed to promote scientific temper among young people and encourage the advancement of science and technology. Attendees included students from various departments and the Mantaqui Higher Secondary School.
The program featured lectures and technical sessions delivered by renowned experts, including Prof. Manzoor Ahmad Malik (Dean Academic Affairs IUST), Prof. M.A Khuroo (Dean, School of Sciences), Dr. Muzafar Rasool Bhat from School of Technology, and Dr. Niyaz Ahmad Rather (Head of Department, Physics).
The speakers highlighted Nobel laureate CV Raman’s contributions to science and technology in India and discussed various scientific advancements, such as harnessing renewable energy, and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in various aspects of human activity.
SRINAGAR: The summer capital ‘Srinagar’ would soon have a splendid Cherry Theme Garden on the pattern of Japanese Sakura with all the modalities being finalized in this regard.
This was revealed during a virtual meeting of officers of the Floriculture Department with the Japanese authorities and the Union Ministry of External Affairs.
The conference was mediated by Professor A K Chawla, Adviser (Japan) East Asia Division MEA. The meeting included in-depth discussion of a number of project-related problems, including the purchase of planting material from Japan and technical assistance.
“Cherry Theme Garden” is a Rs 10 crore project, an extension plan for Srinagar’s Tulip Garden to make it more attractive and magnificent for visitors. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of India, is facilitating the project.
While highlighting the broad contours of the project, Commissioner Secretary Floriculture, Sheikh Fayaz Ahmad, said that there will be a requirement of about 2500 cherry trees in the first instance and certain varieties have been identified that will suit our place. He said that the department will preferably be exporting plants in a phased manner to ascertain the behavior of the plants and later go for expansion.
He also informed that a 3-member team of officers will visit Japan to get a first-hand experience of the plants and will make sure the best plant material is exported for the Cherry Theme Garden in Srinagar.
Commissioner Secretary added that Jammu and Kashmir have huge potential for floriculture activities with modern farming technologies as a game changer for J&K’s economy.
President Sakai International Interchange Association, Tadashi Nishiyama (Japanese Sakura Expert) while answering various queries, suggested that the government of Jammu and Kashmir should send them a variety-wise total number of plant materials required for the proposed garden. He also assured to provide all possible technical help in this regard.
SRINAGAR: Additional Director General of Police Kashmir Zone, Vijay Kumar on Tuesday said that one of the two militants killed in Padgampora Awantipora Encounter was behind the killing of Sanjay Sharma.
Vijay Kumar said that one militant had also taken refugee in the mosque and was tactfully neutrailised without any damage to the mosque.
‘Extreme caution and limited firepower was used in view of the sacred precincts. Civilians praying inside were also evacuated on time preventing any collateral damage.,” he said,
Adding further he said that while resuming the search for the second militant, who had holed up inside a bathroom of an adjacent building, again caution was exercised and 14 civilians were rescued from the place before he was neutralized.
The Killed militants have been identified as Aqib Mushtaq Bhat of Malangpora, Pulwama (A Category) associated with HM and for past few months working with LeT (TRF)and Aijaz Ahmad Bhat of Syedabad Pastuna Tral (C-Category) associated with JeM and also working in coordination with HM and LeT, he said.
Aqib was active since January 2021 and Aijaz was active since May 2022, the officer said.
He said that police have been successful in neutralizing the killer of Sanjay Kumar within short period of time.
Divulging the details regarding the encounter, the ADGP said that based on specific information about the presence of militants, a joint cordon and search operation was launched.
He added that as soon as police and security forces reached the target area, the hiding militants opened fire, leading to an encounter.
We have also lost brave soldier during the gunfight, the officer added.
Investigation so far revealed that both the militants, although joined through different militant organisations, had come together to conspire and attack minorities, outsiders, other vulnerable targets and security forces, the officer said
He said that as soon as police and security forces reached the target area, the hiding militants opened fire, leading to an encounter.
We have also lost brave soldier during the gunfight, the officer added.
SRINAGAR: Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) has urged the LG led administration to exempt educational institutes from the ambit of property tax.
In a statement, the Association said that the schools have suffered a lot during the last few years and this has plunged the majority of educational institutes into a financially precarious situation.
“Our schools are under huge debt. The inflation has broken the back of our institutes. We cannot go for a major fee hike as we have to consider the financial situation of the parents too. In such conditions when our hands are tied, the imposition of property tax will further burden us”, reads the statement.
The Association said that the imposition of any tax ultimately has to be borne by the end consumer and in case of schools it is the parents. “There are two ways where schools can absorb the shock of any more taxes. In the first case the parents have to bear the burden as the tax component will directly reflect in the fee of children. Secondly if parents are not in a position to pay more, then the school will have to go for cost cutting exercise. Schools will downsize or remove facilities aiming to provide quality education to children,” the spokesperson said. “In all cases it is the society that will suffer.”
The Association said that under the New Education Policy (NEP) schools have to upgrade their facilities. “We have to meet the standards of NEP and for that we need to upgrade. But when we are financially unstable how can we provide quality education to children,” said the Spokesperson.
The Association appealed to the government to reconsider their decision to impose property tax on educational institutes keeping in view its impact on the schools and parents. (GNS)
byProf Abdul Majeed Ganai and Dr Parvaiz Ahmed Reshi
SRINAGAR: Kashmir valley is set to have its own research-based animal feed supplement in order to meet the mineral needs of livestock.
A group of herdsmen with sheep, milk storage and other accessories. An undated photograph from British archives.
Named KashMin, the supplement feed would meet the different geo-climatic conditions in the region which are different from the rest of the country.
The KashMin’s coming in is going to help the livestock farmers immensely as it will assist them in raising animals profitably by ensuring that they produce the best possible milk, meat, and fertility.
The KashMin is an outcome of the 10-year odd investigations on the mineral profile of soil, grasses, and feeds by faculty innovators from the Division of Animal Nutrition of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Kashmir (SKAUST-K)
The KashMin was conceived under the SKUAST-Kashmir’s slogan, Knowledge-based technology driven agri-economy, which was coined under incumbent Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai and Head Animal Nutrition Division Prof Abdul Majeed Ganai.
The KashMin being in a more absorbable (chelated) form has all the required mineral elements, which will arrest poor production and poor reproductive performance, which otherwise goes unnoticed causing poor health, production, reproduction and body condition of animals.
What is KashMin?
KashMin is a research-based product and a faculty startup incubated at Sher-E-Kashmir Institute of Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship Centre (SKIIE) of SKUAST-Kashmir containing specifically the mineral elements deficient in locally grown fodders, grasses and other feed ingredients in proper proportions with the aim to boost milk, meat production and animal fertility that largely depends upon the proper mineral supplementation.
Why KashMin?
Geographically Kashmir is different from the rest of the country so is its soil type, vegetation and mineral composition. The grasses, fodders, straws and agro-industrial byproducts available from such soils are therefore having a different composition of these micronutrients (minerals). The different species of herbivores (cattle, sheep, goats and other herbivorous animals) grazing and feeding upon such grasses are having specific deficiencies of minerals that can be corrected by supplementation of the deficient minerals only. So alternatively it can be safely stated that there is a Soil-Plant-Animal inter-relationship of minerals.
Dairy cows
Division of Animal Nutrition of SKUAST-Kashmir initiated the work of studying the mineral profile of soil, feed/fodder and animals in the year 2008 and have to date prepared different mineral premixes on district levels. The present formulation KashMin (A mixture of different mineral elements that specifically corrects the mineral deficiencies of Kashmir Livestock) will cover the whole region of Kashmir valley. Formulation of the region-specific product partially fulfils the commitment of SKUAST-Kashmir to serve the needs of the hill and temperate agriculture and ensure better production from animal rearing and the progression of our farming community.
How KashMin is different?
Other popular brands of mineral supplements present in the market are manufactured for the whole of the country covering all species of animals and birds predominantly serving other parts of the country (tropical region) having different soil, feed and fodder composition with respect to minerals. KashMin on the other hand is a species-specific and region-specific product formulated keeping in consideration the specific needs of animals of this temperate region based on the mineral profile of the locally grown grasses, feed ingredients and fodders. To start with KashMin for cattle is being launched and KashMin for sheep and goats will follow.
Will KashMin be Costlier?
No, one of the important aims of the present programme is to offer a product that is comparatively affordable to farmers, therefore it will cost almost half of the available popular brands of mineral supplements in the market without compromising on the quality of the product. There will be direct selling of KashMin from manufacturer to end users; therefore it will cost lower with quality assurances.
Where from to get KashMin?
While the product is expected to be formally launched on the Kissan Mela being observed by SKUAST-Kashmir in the first week of March 2023, the KashMin will be made available from district KVKs and some identified veterinary medicine outlets in the first phase.
(Prof Abdul Majeed Ganai is Head, the Division of Animal Nutrition and Dr Parvaiz Ahmed Reshi is Assistant Professor (Animal Nutrition) at Mountain Livestock Research Institute at Sher-E-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology-Kashmir. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of TheNewsCaravan.)
SRINAGAR: Police in Srinagar on Tuesday arrested a bootlegger and recovered 35 bottles of illicit liquor from his possession.
One bootlegger namely Abdul Hameed Dar S/o Ab Salam Dar R/o Arizal Budgam arrested alongwith 35 bottles of illicit liquor. Vehicle used for transport also seized. Case under FIR No 22/2023 of Batmaloo PS under relevant sections registered. pic.twitter.com/bq9z16qkar
SRINAGAR: School Education Department on Tuesday changed school timing in Srinagar city from 9Am to 2Pm.
According to the news agency KNO, Under Secretary to government for School Education Department said, “I am directed to convey the approval of the department for change of school timings in Srinagar City from 9 Am to 2 Pm from March-01.”
Pertinently, Schools in Kashmir division are all set to resume academics from March-01 following the winter vacation of over two months
SRINAGAR: The weather department on Tuesday forecast intermittent light to moderate snowfall and rain in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Intermittent light to moderate snowfall/rain (thunderstorm with rain in Jammu region) is expected at most places of JK with main activity on February 28th(evening)- March 1st,” a meteorological department official said
He said that dry weather is expected during 3rd to 7th March.”
He said that the weather system may affect surface transportation over major passes like Srinagar-Jammu highway, Sinthan Top, Sadna Top etc during March 1 and 2nd.
The temperatures have been remaining above normal. Srinagar recorded a low of 4.0°C against 4.2°C on the previous night and it was above normal by 2.5°C for the summer capital.
Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of 1.8°C against 1.5°C on the previous night and it was 1.4°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir.
Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 1.2°C against minus 0.9°C on the previous night and it was 2.3°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Kokernag recorded a low of 3.0°C against 2.4°C on the previous night and it was 2.9°C above normal for the place, the officials said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 3.0°C against minus 2.5°C on the previous night and it was 2.8°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.
In Kupwara town, he said, the mercury settled at 2.8°C against 3.1°C on the previous night and it was 2.8°C above normal for the north Kashmir area.
Jammu recorded a low of 13.1°C against 15.1°C on the previous night. It was 1.5°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said.
Banihal, he said, recorded a low of 2.8°C (above normal by 0.6°C), Batote 6.0°C (above normal by 2.5°C), Katra 12.2°C (2.7°C above normal) and Bhadarwah 4.4°C (3.6°C above normal).
Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 6.4°C and 5.2°C respectively, the official said.
