KASHMIR

MP Ruhullah Mehdi appeals EAM for release of Srinagar resident detained in Saudi

MP Ruhullah Mehdi appeals EAM for release of Srinagar resident detained in Saudi

Admin February 5, 2025 0

Srinagar, Feb 05: The Member Parliament from central Kashmir has appealed to the External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar for his intervention to get the Srinagar resident released who is presently detained in Saudi Arabia.

In his letter, Ruhullah Mehdi has urged immediate intervention of EAM to expedite the process for release of Srinagar resident and his safe return to home.

"I hope that the External Affairs Minister would take swift action and provide necessary consular assistance to the detained citizen," the office of the MP Ruhullah Mehdi shared on its official X handle.

As already reported, a young man from Soura Srinagar namely Abdul Rafi as per his family was languishing in a Saudi jail for unknown charges and reasons.

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Class 10th results soon after appointment of new Chairman: JKBOSE

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Sopore scientist gains global recognition for black hole research

Suhail Khan Baramulla, Jan 6: A young aerospace engineer from Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district is proving that dedication and ambition can propel one to global heights. Munaf-ul-Raquib who holds a B.Tech in Aerospace Engineering, has gained international recognition for his research on black holes and cosmology. Munaf-ul-Raquib revealed that his paper on the thermodynamics of black holes was recently published in the International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR). ā€œAbout a year ago, I conducted research on the gravity of black holes and cosmology, which has now been published in IJSR,ā€ he said. He said that since his research was published in the international journal, he has been receiving opportunities from various countries to participate in research dialogues. Raquib added that in the coming months he is scheduled to participate in international conferences in Paris on April 16 and later in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The Sopore aerospace engineer noted that he is also participating in various conferences across different countries. Speaking about his research, Munaf-ul-Raquib addressed a fundamental paradox in astrophysics: how black holes can appear to violate thermodynamic laws, particularly concerning entropy.ā€œIf we observe a black hole, it seems to contradict thermodynamic principles,ā€ he said. Using the frameworks of Anti-de Sitter space (AdS) and Conformal Field Theory (CFT), Raqeeb’s research proposes a theoretical model that reconciles black hole mechanics with thermodynamics. ā€œIn this paper, I have explained how a black hole can function without violating thermodynamic laws,ā€ he said. He described the achievement as both personal and symbolic. ā€œIt is a proud moment for me to represent my state, especially Sopore, on an international platform,ā€ he said. Raqeeb shared that Astrophysics was his childhood dream, and his grandfather encouraged me immensely. "After my grandfather passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic, my parents continued to champion my aspirations. My parents left no stone unturned in helping me pursue my dreams,ā€ he said. He said that his academic path included taking the JEE and later the AME CET entrance exams, through which he secured a seat in aerospace engineering at the Nasik Research Centre. ā€œMy parents not only supported me morally but also created an environment where I could pursue my dreams freely,ā€ he said. He emphasized the role of family in nurturing talent. ā€œJust as my parents supported me, it is the responsibility of all parents to help their children follow their dreams.ā€ ā€œYoung people should avoid wrong practices. They must dream of a beautiful tomorrow but work hard today to make their parents proud,ā€ he further added.

KU makes biometric attendance mandatory for students in private colleges

Srinagar, Jan 8:Ā The University of Kashmir (KU) has made the biometric attendance mandatory for the students of its affiliated colleges from Academic session 2026-27. The development comes in wake of the complaints about the thin attendance of the students in various private B.Ed colleges affiliated with the Kashmir University. A circular in this regardĀ  has been issued by the Assistant Registrar Dean Colleges Development Council (DCDC) of the University. "All the Chairpersons and Principals of private affiliated colleges of the University of Kashmir are hereby informed that biometric attendance for all the enrolled students and staff has been made mandatory from the year 2026-27," the KU circular reads. The Principals of all the affiliated colleges have been directed to install biometric attendance machines in their respective institutions on or before the commencement of the Academic year 2026-27 under intimation to the Dean College Development Council of the University. "The college shall also ensure proper upkeep, maintenance, and systematic preservation of all biometric attendance records for future reference and verification," it reads. The Colleges have been directed to comply with this directive "without fail." The move comes in wake of the inspections conducted last year by the DCDC of KU in various B.Ed colleges where most of the students were found absent. An official said that there were complaints about the poor attendance of the students in B.Ed colleges. "The students do not attend their B.Ed classes regularly which defeats the purpose of the course," the official said. Earlier, DCDC of KU earlier barred the B.Ed students to appear in teh semester exams for falling short of attendance. The decision was taken in wake of the surprise inspection conducted by Dean College Development Council (DCDC) in various B.Ed colleges of Kashmir in June-July month of 2025 and several students were found absent from the classes. Following this, the students were directed to attend supplementary classes to complete the recommended attendance for appearing in their exams. Also, the exam of these students was deferred by few months.

Uri–Baramulla road landslides temporary, will stop after excavation: DC Baramulla

Baramulla, Jan 9: Deputy Commissioner Baramulla on Thursday said that the situation caused by the landslides on Ur-Baramulla was temporary and would be resolved once the excavation process of the road is completed. The statement comes amid the concerns over recurring landslides on the Uri–Baramulla road due to ongoing road widening project being executed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Talking to Kashmir Square, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Minga Sherpa said that such issues are common during the construction of hill roads and should not be viewed as an unusual development. ā€œThere is no major issue. Whenever a hill road is constructed or widened, such problems are recurrent,ā€ he said. He further said that the slopes usually take time to stabilise after excavation. "The excavation process affects the natural stability of the hillside and it generally takes one to two years for slopes to fully stabilise," he said. Minga Sherpa said several slope stabilisation measures are already in place to minimise risks. ā€œGrouting has been done and protective walling has also been constructed at several points,ā€ DC Baramulla told Kashmir Square. He further said that around 200 metres of excavation work is still pending on the stretch and the remaining cutting work is expected to be completed within a month. ā€œOnce the excavation is finished, the BRO and concerned agencies will carry out full-fledged slope stabilisation measures. After that, such incidents will not occur again,ā€ he said. Over the past few weeks, the Uri–Baramulla road, a vital link connecting the border town of Uri with Baramulla district witnessed intermittent traffic disruptions due to landslides triggered by excavation work, raising safety concerns among commuters. The Baramulla–Uri National Highway remained closed on Thursday after another landslide struck the stretch - the third such incident reported in the last 20 days, causing severe inconvenience to commuters. A fresh landslide hit the highway on Thursday afternoon, forcing authorities to immediately halt traffic movement on the route as a precautionary measure. It was the third such incident in just 20 days on the Baramulla–Uri National Highway, following two earlier slides that also triggered full traffic halts and diversions through alternate routes. Only emergency vehicles were allowed to pass, while all routine traffic was stopped to avoid any untoward incident. An official said the road clearance operations were launched soon after the incident, with personnel and machinery mobilised to remove debris and stabilise the affected area. "The highway was made motorable again from the evening hours," he said. The closure of the main Baramulla–Uri National Highway compelled authorities to divert vehicles through the dilapidated Khadniyar–Gantamulla road.

DSEK pulls up officers with additional DDO powers for overstepping administrative powers

Srinagar, Jan 8: The Director of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) has pulled up the officers vested with the powers of Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) as their additional assignment, for indulging in administrative works, beyond their domain. As per the order issued by the Director School Education Kashmir Naseer Ahmad Wani, the officers having additional DDO powers, have been reprimanded for going beyond their role of duties. "It has come to the notice of the DSEK that many officers of the department vested with DDOs powers are affecting transfers and doing administrative works having no authority to do so," the order reads. As per the order, all these DDOs holding charge in additional capacity have been asked to utilise the powers for the purpose of drawing and disbursing salary and other financial matters within the limits of the authority. "The officers shall not exercise any administrative powers particularly with respect to the transfer of staff," it reads. The DSEK has warned of disciplinary action in case of violation of the order by any officers. "Any deviation from the instant order shall be viewed seriously and invite disciplinary action," it reads.

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DC Ganderbal reviews district health action plan 2026–27, assesses progress of power projects

Srinagar, Jan 10:Ā Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, Jatin Kishore Saturday chaired two key review meetings to assess the District Health Action Plan (DHAP) 2026–27 and the progress and operational status of various power projects in the district. During the meetings, DC underlined the focus of administration on strengthening public health services and infrastructure development. DC Ganderbal who is also the Chairman of the District Health Society (DHS) reviewed and approved the District Health Action Plan for 2026–27 which aims at ensuring quality, accessible and equitable healthcare across Ganderbal. Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Ganderbal presented a detailed overview of the proposed plan, highlighting health priorities, sector-wise interventions, physical and financial planning, human resource needs, infrastructure strengthening, priority health programmes under the National Health Mission (NHM), and budgetary requirements. The plan emphasized key focus areas including Comprehensive Primary Health Care, Non-Communicable Diseases, Maternal and Child Health, Disease Surveillance, National Health Programmes and capacity building of health institutions. DC stressed the need to strengthen health service delivery and directed enhancement of budgetary allocations under priority activities to improve outreach, quality of care and effective implementation of NHM programmes. He also called for strong inter-departmental coordination, timely execution, optimal use of resources and close monitoring to achieve measurable improvements in health indicators. Earlier in the day, the DC chaired a comprehensive review meeting to assess the performance and progress of power projects in the district. Detailed discussions were held on power generation against installed capacity, operational efficiency, breakdowns, operation and maintenance status, manpower availability, asset health and grid connectivity issues. Officials of the Power Development Corporation (PDC) briefed the chair on the functioning and challenges of projects including Upper Sindh Hydel Project-I & II, Kangan, Mini Hydro Project Rayil and other small hydro projects. The DC also reviewed the status of the upcoming 93 MW Multipurpose New Ganderbal Hydroelectric Project (NGHEP), with officials apprising him of progress on land acquisition, removal of encumbrances, statutory clearances and infrastructure development. He further reviewed the functioning of USHP-I Sumbal and USHP-II Kangan projects and sought updates on land acquisition and forest clearances, assuring full support from the district administration for resolving genuine issues on priority.

Editor January 10, 2026 0

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Srinagar, Jan 8: At least 1257 two-wheeler riders across Jammu and Kashmir have been identified for repeated violations of helmet norms, with over 1000 cases reported from the Kashmir division alone. The figures emerged during a data-driven traffic compliance review, highlighting a growing trend of habitual non-compliance with road safety regulations despite sustained enforcement and awareness campaigns. As per the official data revealed by Regional Transport Office (RTO) Kashmir, Srinagar district has topped the list with 1051 repeat offenders, making it the worst-performing region in terms of helmet compliance. Other districts recorded significantly lower numbers, including Budgam (52), Baramulla (19), Samba (19) and Pulwama (17). Smaller figures were also reported from Anantnag, Kupwara, Ganderbal and Bandipora. The RTO Kashmir on Thursday issued a public notice directing all two-wheeler owners in the Valley to clear pending challans within seven days, failing which strict legal action will be initiated under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The measures include suspension of registration certificates and driving licences, besides seizure of vehicles. ā€œIt has come to the notice of the undersigned that several two-wheeler vehicles registered in districts under the Kashmir division are being plied on public roads in violation of the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, particularly riders and pillion riders not wearing helmets,ā€ the notice reads. The data further reveals that many riders in Srinagar have been booked between five and eight times for the same offence, pointing to habitual violations. Officials said the trend reflects a serious disregard for road safety norms, especially in urban areas. ā€œThis is not merely occasional non-compliance but a pattern of repeated violations, particularly in city limits,ā€ an official said. The RTO has warned that failure to clear outstanding challans within the stipulated timeframe will result in immediate enforcement action without any further notice. (KNO)

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KU IT Innovation Park invites applications for RUSA 2.0 incubation programme

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