Greater Kashmir

That we have to brave power outages, scheduled and unscheduled, during winters is a given for people living in Kashmir. We are used to it for decades now, and we know its going to stay with us for the times to come, unless something changes radically with the power generation, its distribution and the charges that come along. But that power cuts are to be experienced during summer months is not just unknown to us, but undermines the very contract that the people of this place have with the gover

What do we think when we read through the word question a story, a light or an enigma upon which this universe rests upon. We have been wrestling with this genealogy of whatness, howness and whyness of happenings around us and the silhouettes of this haunting and revealing seeking for eternity. In the beginning was a question and the in the end there will be a question. All the faiths are spread with this salad of question portions with every hue of sweet and bitter savoury dressing. Every era

Syed Anvour Shah was on Tuesday elected President and Tapeshwar as General Secretary of the High Court Staff Welfare Association (Non-Gazetted). According to the Election Authority of the Association, the polling and counting of votes for the elections were conducted across the Srinagar and Jammu wings of the High Court on Tuesday. For the post of President, Syed Anvour Shah secured 187 votes to emerge victorious, defeating his nearest rival, Ashak Hussain Shah, who polled 147 votes, by a margin

As Srinagar reels under an intense heatwave with temperatures soaring beyond 35 degrees Celsius, unscheduled power cuts and day-long maintenance shutdowns by the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) is giving tough time to consumers in the summer capital. Residents of several Uptown and Downtown areas have complained of unscheduled power cuts. Several colonies including in posh Rawalpora face unscheduled power cuts despite being fully metered. On July 1 KPDCL enforced a schedul

Srinagar, Jul 7:Government schools across Jammu and Kashmir are witnessing a sharp decline in enrolment at the foundational level, with 1,762 primary schools enrolling fewer than 15 students, raising concerns over the effectiveness of annual enrolment drives conducted by the School Education Department (SED). Official figures presented by the Ministry of Education (MoE) also reveal that 135 upper primary schools (UPS) have fewer than 15 students. Besides these, 5,175 primary schools and 748 uppe

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today chaired a comprehensive review meeting of the Power Development Department, underscoring his governments commitment to strengthening Jammu and Kashmirs power infrastructure through sustained reforms, modernisation and improved service delivery. The Chief Minister reviewed the overall performance of the power sector, including revenue realisation, implementation of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), reduction in Aggregate Technical and Commercial (A

Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Information Technology, Youth Services & Sports and Science & Technology, Satish Sharma met several delegations from different parts of Jammu and Kashmir at the Civil Secretariat, Srinagar. He listened to their grievances and demands, assuring prompt redress of the same with intervention of the concerned departments. A delegation of Rehbar-e-Khel (ReK), led by MLA Khansahib Saif-ud-Din Bhat, called on the Minister and projected various issues

Srinagar, Jul 6:Students are more likely to report losing Rs 500 in an online fraud than report being victims of cyberbullying, with fear of social judgment emerging as the biggest barrier to reporting cybercrime, a study has found. The study, conducted by students of the Department of Public Administration, Amar Singh College, Srinagar, under the guidance of Zubair Nazeer Malik, surveyed students from Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Jawahar Nagar, Srinagar, and Government Model Higher

Srinagar, July 06: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said that his government is committed to ensuring reliable, affordable and quality power to all households across the Union territory. The chief minister also directed the timely completion of key infrastructure projects, greater accountability at every level and sustained reforms to build a modern, resilient and financially sustainable power sector. Chief Minister today chaired a comprehensive review of the Power Develo

Srinagar, Jul 06: The Meteorological Department (MeT) on Monday said Jammu and Kashmir is likely to witness widespread rainfall over the next week, with an increased risk of flash floods, landslides, mudslides and cloudburst-like incidents, while assuring that the annual Amarnath Yatra is continuing smoothly. MeT Director Mukhtar Ahmad said the weather over the past several days had remained hot and humid before widespread rainfall lashed parts of the Union Territory on Monday morning. The weath

Banihal, Jul 06: Heavy rainfall triggered a major landslide near the under-construction 540 MW Kwar Hydroelectric Power Project in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Monday, burying several vehicles under mud, rocks and debris and causing extensive damage in the Kwar project area. The Kwar project, located on the Chenab River about 28 km from Kishtwar town, is being developed by Chenab Valley Power Projects Limited (CVPPL). Eyewitnesses said the landslide struck after incessant rainfall, s

The Kashmir Trade Alliance (KTA) has welcomed the successful commencement of the annual Amarnath Yatra, expressing hope that the pilgrimage will be completed peacefully and contribute to strengthening communal harmony while providing a much-needed boost to the Valley's economy. In a statement, KTA President Aijaz Shahdhar said the people of Kashmir have, for generations, welcomed Amarnath pilgrims with warmth, respect and hospitality, reflecting the Valley's rich traditions of coexistence and mu

The plum harvest has gathered pace across Kashmir, but repeated hailstorms and erratic weather have dealt a blow to growers in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, with bruised fruit fetching poor prices in local markets. Orchardists said hailstorms during the fruit development stage damaged a substantial portion of the crop, reducing its market value and forcing them to sell produce well below expected rates. We had expected a good harvest this year, but the hailstorms spoiled much of the fruit, s

Srinagar, Jul 5: A special meeting of the members of the Jammu and Kashmir Anjuman-e-Sharie Shian was held at Arah Bal, Shalimar, under the chairmanship of Hujjat-ul-Islam Aga Syed Mujtaba Abbas Mousavi Al-Safavi. The meeting was attended by members of the organisation's central, district and zonal committees and a large number of prominent residents of Shalimar, said a press release. The meeting conducted a comprehensive review of the arrangements for the Central Zuljanah Procession to be taken

Srinagar, Jul 5:Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi has welcomed the Union Government's decision to release the first installment of Rs 1,400 crore under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM-II) for Jammu and Kashmir, saying the move will significantly accelerate drinking water projects in rural and remote areas. Inam Un Nabi said the development vindicates the persistent efforts of Member of Parliament Baramulla, Er. Rashid who despite being lodged in Tihar Jail, continuously pursued t

The withdrawal of the proposed twice-weekly closure of Srinagar Airport is a welcome decision. The Amarnath Yatra is underway, drawing lakhs of pilgrims through Jammu and Kashmir at precisely the season when air connectivity matters most. Layer onto that the broader tourism revival: more than five lakh visitors arrived in the Valley in just the first four and a half months of 2026, with April alone accounting for over 1.32 lakh of them. Against that backdrop, shutting down the airport for two fu

Srinagar, Jul 5:The conflict in West Asia has dealt another blow to Kashmir's export-oriented handicrafts sector, with official figures showing exports worth Rs 817.39 crore during 2025-26. While shipments improved from Rs 733.59 crore recorded in 2024-25, they remain nearly 30 percent below the Rs 1162.29 crore achieved in 2023-24, underscoring the prolonged impact of geopolitical tensions on one of Jammu and Kashmir's largest employment-generating industries. The craft-wise export data compile

The District Bar Association (DBA) Anantnag on Saturday inaugurated a weekly lecture series aimed at strengthening professional legal skills and promoting academic engagement within the legal fraternity. The inaugural session, held at the District Bar Room, drew strong participation from lawyers and focused on the theme Criminal Justice System and the Art of Cross-Examination. The initiative has been conceptualized under the guidance of Principal District & Sessions Judge Anantnag, Tahir Khurshi

With the beginning of the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra (SANJY)-2026, the Baltal the base camp of the pilgrimage in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir wore a festive look. The base camp at Baltal on the banks of the nallah Sindh remains active round the clock. Around midnight daily, the huge sprawling camp, guarded heavily by security forces, starts bustling. Pilgrims from various parts of the country board their buses and travel on the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway to Baltal a

Srinagar, Jul 4:The proposed twice-a-week closure of passenger air traffic at the Srinagar Airport has been rolled back, bringing relief to air travellers and ending fears of airfares further skyrocketing in coming days. However, the curtailed hours of air traffic operations at the airport would continue till October 2026, restricting flight movement between 8 am to 5 pm. Last month, Greater Kashmir was the first to report about the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) from the Indian Airforce to Airports A

Srinagar, Jul 04: Personnel of the Security Wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Police recovered a lost bag containing cash, jewellery, an Apple iPhone and important documents and returned it to an Amarnath pilgrim after a swift search operation at the Baltal base camp. According to police, the incident occurred on July 3 at around 8 pm when heavy congestion was witnessed at the X-ray screening point in Baltal due to a large influx of pilgrims undertaking the annual Amarnath Yatra. Amid the rush, Ravi

Nagrota Jul 3:Continuing her unwavering commitment towards women empowerment and inclusive development, MLA Nagrota Constituency, Devyani Rana, on Friday took another significant step towards making women economically independent by collaborating with internationally acclaimed artist, social activist, and educator Rouble Nagi whose world renowned Rouble Nagi Art Foundation announced the development of a Skill Development Centre in Nagrota Constituency. Rouble Nagi, a celebrated Indian educator,

Srinagar, July 03: Srinagar Police extended a warm welcome to devotees undertaking the sacred Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026 (SANJY-2026) at the Transit Yatra Camp in Srinagar. Srinagar Police has made elaborate security and traffic arrangements in close coordination with all stakeholder agencies to ensure smooth and safe facilitation to the Yatris. Comprehensive deployment plans have been put in place across the city, particularly along the designated Yatra routes, transit camps, accommodation cen

Ganderbal, Jul 2:With the annual Amarnath Yatra 2026 to commence officially on Friday, hundreds of vehicles carrying yatris reached here at the yatra base camp at Baltal in Ganderbal district. At Baltal base camp, it was accorded warm welcome by the district civil and police administration besides locals. The first batch of yatris left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu on Thursday morning. Using various modes of transport, the yatris from different parts of the country amid heightened secu

Srinagar Jul 2:Senior civil and police officials across Jammu and Kashmir are personally extending warm welcomes to the yatris at transit camps, base camps, airports, railway stations, and other key points, even as J&K remains on maximum security alert with fully synergised multi-agency mechanisms in place for the Amarnath Yatra. The annual yatra, commencing officially on Friday, July 3, and conclude on August 28 - a 57-day period - has seen the first batches of yatris and convoys already receiv

Anantnag, Jul 2:Kashmir on Thursday welcomed the first batch of Amarnath Yatris with flower petals, traditional rituals, and public celebrations as the convoy entered the Valley through the Navyug Tunnel. Residents gathered along the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway in Qazigund, as well as Anantnag and Pahalgam, showering flowers, distributing sweets, and burning Izbandh (wild rue seeds), a Kashmiri ritual associated with blessings and protection. Some locals also carried kangris, the traditional