RisingKashmir

Srinagar, Aug 18: Several Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) on Tuesday called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at the Civil Secretariat here and discussed key developmental matters and public welfare issues concerning their respective constituencies. MLA Baramulla Javid Baigh, MLA Rajpora Ghulam Mohi Uddin Mir, MLA Poonch-Haveli Ajaz Ahmad Jan and MLA Bandipora Nizamuddin Bhat met the Chief Minister and apprised him of various issues and developmental priorities of their respective const

Srinagar, Aug 18: The Wildlife Department in Kashmir has received around 1,700 distress calls related to human-wildlife conflict this year,with teams responding to all such complaints, Regional Wildlife Warden, Kashmir, Tawheed Ahmad Deva, said. Speaking to Rising Kashmir, Deva said the department has been responding promptly to distress calls and has dedicated teams to deal with incidents involving wild animals. Whenever we receive these distress calls, we act immediately. We have proper teams

Srinagar, Aug 18: Jammu & Kashmir is facing a significant decline in student enrolment as children move through successive stages of school education, with the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) falling to 44.8 per cent at the higher-secondary level, according to a NITI Aayog report. The report, titled School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement, points to a widening gap in enrolment between the early years of schooling and Classes XI and XII. The figu

Srinagar, Aug 18: In a bid to remove encroachments and identify accident-prone locations, the Jammu and Kashmir government has constituted District Highway Safety Task Forces (DHSTF) across the Union Territory, with respective District Magistrates asked to lead the panels as Chairpersons. The step comes at a time when road accidents along National Highways continue to claim precious lives, shattering the dreams of many families. Recent data tabled by the Centre in the Lok Sabha revealed that Jam

Srinagar, Aug 18: Kashmirs apple growers are set to get a major transportation boost, with the first dedicated Apple Train expected to begin operations from Anantnag on September 1, providing a faster route for moving the Valleys prized fruit to markets across the country. Bashir Ahmad Bashir, Chairman of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers and Dealers Union, welcomed the proposed service and said formalities were currently being completed. He said discussions were also underway with railway author

Budgam, Aug 18:In a small village,Wanihama in Budgam's Beerwah tehsil, a class 12 student has spent the last few years designing solutions to two very different problems: one born out of concern for the security forces guardingKashmir, the other out ofwhat he saw missing in the region's hospital wards. Abid Hussain Mir, a student of Boys Higher Secondary School Beerwah, first turned his attention to a problem he had been observing closely: incidents in which security personnel in Jammu and Kashm

Srinagar, Aug 18:The annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra concluded with a record turnout of over 4.80 lakh pilgrims this year. An ambitious zero waste to landfill strategy ensured that over 500 metric tonnes of solid wastewasscientifically processed instead of being dumped, setting a new benchmark for sustainable pilgrimage management in the Himalayas. According to an official report available with the Rising Kashmir, the sanitation operation was one of the largest ever undertaken during the Yatra, wi

Srinagar, Aug 18: Chief Minister Omar Abdullahon Tuesday chaired a high-level meetingto review the final preparations for the inaugural International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) 2026, scheduledto be held fromSeptember 7 to 10 across Srinagar and Jammu. The four-day festival isbeingenvisioned as a premier international platform celebrating cinematic excellence, cultural exchange, creative collaboration and emerging filmmakingtalent, while providingan opportunity to forge partnerships

Srinagar, Aug 18: Patient care was severely affected on Tuesday in five new Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) in J&K as its non-gazetted begin an indefinite strike over delay in framing of recruitment rules that has hampered the recruitment process. The non-gazetted employees of GMC Baramulla, Anantnag, Rajouri, Doda and Kathua observed the indefinite strike by holding protests and demonstrations in the premises of the respective medical colleges against the delay in framing of the recruitment

Srinagar, Aug 18: Professor Indu Agnihotri on Tuesday stressed the need for reliable data and stronger policy interventions to address gender inequality, saying the lack of adequate data remains one of the major hurdles in understanding and tackling the challenges faced by women. She was speaking at a two day national conference on Gender Equality in the 21st Century: Perspectives & Pathways to SDG 5 at Government College for Women, M.A. Road, Srinagar. Agnihotri said gender equality remains a u

Srinagar, Aug 18: The Urban Local Bodies (ULB) Department Kashmir has been functioning without a regular Director for the past 20 days, causing inconvenience to people and affecting the disposal of important matters at the department level. The key post of Director fell vacant following the retirement of the incumbent on July 31, 2026. However, no regular appointment has been made so far, leaving the department without a full-time head. Locals and visitors said the absence of a regular Director

GANDERBAL: Residents of Gund tehsil in Central Kashmirs Ganderbal district have urged the administration to fill key vacant administrative posts, including those of Tehsildar and Block Development Officer (BDO), saying the continued arrangement of additional charges is creating difficulties for a large population spread across the area. According to sources, Gund has been without a permanent Tehsildar and BDO for around the last eight months. The Tehsildar post fell vacant in March this year fol

Jammu, Aug 18: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday chaired the 81st Meeting of the Jammu Kashmir Rajya Sainik Board at Lok Bhavan, deliberating on key issues concerning veterans, Veer Naris, widows and dependents, covering welfare delivery, grievance redressal, healthcare and institutional strengthening. The meeting was attended by Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Northern Command; Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo; Maj Gen Paramvir Singh Dagar,

Ganderbal: Residents of Shutkadi and Sonamarg villages in Central Kashmirs Ganderbal district have urged the concerned authorities, including MLA Kangan Mian Mehar Ali, to expedite the long-pending macadamisation of their link roads, saying poor road connectivity continues to hamper daily life, tourism and basic development in the area. The residents said the roads connecting Shutkadi and Sonamarg with the main road have remained in poor condition for years despite repeated assurances and plans

Srinagar, Aug 18: After Baba Fareed Urs, MLA Uri Dr Sajjad Shafi visited Sukajaber Ziyarat Sharief on Tuesday where he received a warm and enthusiastic welcome from the local people. Speaking on the occasion, Shafi Uri said that he brought Baba Fareed Ziyarat Sharief onto the tourism map and had facilitated DPRs worth more than 4 crore for tourism-related development. He said that the tourism potential of several other important places, including Bosiya, Chotali, Nambla Waterfall, Mohura, Rangia

Srinagar, Aug 18: Senior Congress leaders visited the residence of Srinagar DCC President Dr Audil Farooq Mir to enquire about his health and convey their prayers and wishes for his speedy recovery. Dr Mir had not been keeping well for the past few days. Despite this, he had been actively propagating the Congress ideology and manifesto and mobilising party cadre across Srinagar district, remaining engaged with organisational activities and party workers. Dr Syed Naseer Hussain, AICC General Secr

New Delhi, Aug 18: Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Cooperative and Election Department, Javid Ahmad Dar, on Tuesday participated in the 97th Annual General Meeting of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in New Delhi. Speaking at the meeting, Javid Dar called for greater focus on J&K-specific agricultural research and innovation, keeping in view the Union Territorys unique agro-climatic conditions, fragile ecosystems and potential in agricul

Srinagar, Aug 18: Secretary, Rural Development Department (RDD) and Panchayati Raj, Mohammad Aijaz Asad, on Tuesday chaired a review meeting to assess the progress on the Viksit BharatGuarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB-G RAM G], calling for a renewed and focused push to strengthen the Person Days (PD) generation, activate worksites, ensure timely wage payments and tighten field-level supervision across the Union Territory. Asad directed the Executive Engineers to process wage

Srinagar, Aug 18: The Tourism Department has been directed to focus on promoting Kashmirs emerging tourist destinations during the first International Film Festival of J&K (IFFJK), scheduled to be held from September 7 to 10. The direction was issued by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg during a meeting held to review preparations for the festival, which is being organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations, J&K. Anshul Garg directed the Tourism Department to underta

In Jammu and Kashmir, children with special needs and their parents continue to struggle for inclusive education, early intervention, rehabilitation, and essential medical services , particularly in rural and remote districts where access to early intervention programmes and inclusive education remains severely limited. With the increasing identification of children with developmental disabilities and other special needs, including autism and ADHD, the demand for quality rehabilitation and devel

Kashmir has never been merely a geographical space. It has been a civilisation of memory, faith, language, poetry, hospitality and shared cultural traditions. Its society was shaped not only by its mountains, rivers and seasons but also by centuries of interaction among communities that inhabited the same landscape, spoke closely related languages, shared cultural practices and participated in one another's joys and sorrows. Yet societies do not remain frozen in time. Kashmir, perhaps more than

AJAY RAINA Solid Waste Management (SWM) is one of the most pressing environmental challenges globally as well as locally. Inappropriate SWM practices such as improper incineration and uncontrolled disposal of waste are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions; the waste in landfills produces methane, a gas that is approximately 20 times stronger than carbon dioxide. Toxins from such waste can also leach ( the process where a liquid, usually water, passes through a solid material, dissolvin

For years, education in our part of the world has been treated as a single road with one destination: a degree, preferably from a conventional stream, and then a job. That model is increasingly out of step with the economy, with technology, and with the hopes of thousands of young people who finish school and college only to find that their certificates do not translate into work. In that gap lies both frustration and opportunity. Vocational education is the bridge we have spoken about for too l

Illegal mining has become one of the most damaging and least confronted crimes against our land. It is not merely a question of theft of sand, gravel or stone. It is a larger assault on ecology, public infrastructure, governance and the very idea of law. Where mining is illegal, everything around it eventually becomes illegal in spirit too: permits are bypassed, safety norms ignored, environmental clearances mocked, and local complaints brushed aside. The result is a landscape wounded by greed a

New Delhi [India], August 18 : The National Testing Agency (NTA) has revamped its examination team, removing around 600 experts and onboarding new ones as part of efforts to enhance transparency and accountability, sources told ANI on Tuesday. The new premises of the NTA will be located at Minto Road, the sources said. Earlier in the day, in a post on X, the Ministry of Education said Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi had directed that all necessary security and related infrastructural faci

Tehran [Iran], August 18 : Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Tuesday said that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed to maritime traffic until all Iranian conditions set forth in the 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the US are fully met, tying the reopening directly to the complete removal of foreign sanctions and military operations. Until America's commitments in the memorandum of understanding--including lifting the blockade, releasing frozen asset

New Delhi, August 18 : The Delhi High Court on Tuesday denied default bail to Jasir Bilal Wani, who is an accused in the Delhi Fort Blast case. He sought default bail on the ground of extension of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigation. The court had extended the period of NIA investigation. His default bail plea was dismissed by the trial court. The NIA filed a charge sheet on May 14. A division bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Vikas Mahajan dismissed the plea of Jasir Bila

Following growing concerns over his medical condition, Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday directed authorities to transfer jailed former prime minister Imran Khan to Islamabad's Shifa International Hospital for a health evaluation, according to a report by Dawn. A three-member Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Shahid Wahid and comprising Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, issued the ruling on Imran's petition for his hospitalisation. Highlighting the severe restrictio

Washington, August 18 : Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has utilised the period of relative calm following a June memorandum of understanding with the United States to prepare for a wider confrontation, including formulating plans for pre-emptive strikes and potential operations on enemy territory, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing Iranian and Arab officials. The military preparations encompass accelerated missile production, enhanced missile accuracy, expanded cou

Srinagar, Aug 17: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) Kashmirhasarrested an absconding narco-terror operative who had been evading arrest for nearly four years,in amajor breakthrough aimed at dismantling the narco-terror financing network operating in Jammu and Kashmir. Manoj Kumar Bhat @ Pintu,a resident of Rehari Colony, Bakshi Nagar, Jammu, was arrested in a special operation conducted in Jammu. He is wanted in connection with FIR No. 13/2022 registered by SIA Kashmir on June 3, 2022, concer

Srinagar, Aug 17: The Food Safety Department has recorded zero non-conforming food samples during the 2026 Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra at the Baltal base camp, with officials testing 576 samples as part of the SANJAY-2026 food safety exercise. According to the departments consolidated figures, all 576 samples tested during the Yatra were found to be conforming to prescribed food safety standards, with no non-conforming sample detected. The department conducted an intensive surveillance and inspection

Srinagar, Aug 17: Rural Jammu and Kashmir is leading the Union Territorys smart classroom expansion, but the overall reach of digital infrastructure remains limited, with only 2,783 of 24,228 operational government-run schools equipped with smart classrooms. The data shows that 2,422 rural schools have the smart classroom facility compared to 361 urban schools, while 7,890 teachers were trained in digital pedagogy, digital teaching methodology and use of technology during 2025-26. Computer facil

Srinagar, Aug 17: Thousands of devotees gathered at the Hazrat Naqshband Sahib (RA) Shrine in Khwaja Bazar area of Old Citys Nowhatta locality here on Monday afternoon to offer the annual Khoja Digar, filling the historic Shehr-e-Khaas with an atmosphere of faith and devotion. In the congested roads,the trafficwas suspended for hours to ensure smooth prayers in the old city as the people from different walks of life flooded the Shrineas well asthe roads to offer the special prayers. The men, wom

Srinagar, Aug 17: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday met several delegations and individuals at Raabita here and discussed a range of issues concerning public welfare, tourism, sports, labour, trade and industry in Jammu and Kashmir. The Chief Minister met emerging professional MMA fighter from Pulwama, Owais Yaqoob, and congratulated him on his achievements inthe field ofmixed martial arts. He felicitated Yaqoob with a cash award of Rs 1 lakh in recognition of his impressive performances on

Jammu, Aug 17: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday flagged off the first batch of devotees for the holy Shri Budha Amarnath Ji Yatra from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas, marking the commencement of the annual spiritual journey. Extending warm wishes to all pilgrims for a safe and spiritually fulfilling pilgrimage, the LG said the sacred journey to Baba Budha Amarnath's abode is a deeply enlightening experience that brings profound transformation and reveals life's deepest truths to every d

Anantnag, Aug 17:We are the makers of our own destiny. While our past karmas have a role in what we are today, what we become tomorrow will largely be determined by our present karmas,Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Monday. The LG visited the Shri Ramakrishna Mahasammelan Ashram in Anantnag on the auspicious occasion of Samadhi Pratishtha Divas, Nag Panchami Mahotsav, and the Purnahuti of the Yajna, and laid the foundation stone for initiatives dedicated to heritage and cultural preserva

Pulwama, Aug 17: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday called for institutionalising regular interfaith dialogues in schools, colleges, and community centres, as he outlined a six-point roadmap for fostering communal harmony and preserving India's shared heritage. Addressing the Mulaqat programme organised by the Save Youth Save Future Foundation here, the LG said dialogue is not merely an exchange of words but a bridge between hearts, a means of nurturing trust and a path to peace and prosp

New Delhi, Aug 17: In a major multi-state crackdown ahead of Independence Day, security agencies have dismantled the ISI-backed Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN), arresting more than 200 operatives and thwarting its plans for subversive attacks across the country, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Monday. In a post on X, Shah said 253 people were detained across 14 states on August 12 as part of the government's 'zero tolerance' policy towards cross-border terrorism. Over 80 FIRs and more than 20

Srinagar, Aug 17: Unplanned development, indiscriminate slope cutting, and changes in land use are emerging as major factors exacerbating the impact of extreme weather in the Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal areas of the Jammu region, where nearly 35 cloudburst and flash-flood incidents have been recorded since June 1. Almost 35 people have died in extreme weatherconditions inJammu region alone. Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley have historically been vulnerable to cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslid

Handwara, Aug 17: Despite the passage of four years, the vital Daand Kadal bridge in Langate, which connects Mawar with the Langate Tehsil headquarter and surrounding areas, continues to remain non-functional after suffering minor damage during flash floods in 2023. The prolonged closure has caused considerable hardship to residents, who say they are being forced to take longer routes to reach the Tehsil headquarters, markets, health facilities and other nearby areas. Residents said the bridge i

Srinagar, Aug 17: The Trauma Centre at Watergam in Rafiabad area of north Kashmirs Baramulla district continues to struggle with a shortage of doctors, paramedical staff and essential facilities, prompting residents to seek urgent government intervention. Locals said the centre was established to provide immediate treatment to accident victims, particularly given its location along the National Highway, but the shortage of manpower and non-functional facilities has severely affected its ability

Kargil, August 17: Kargil Police have registered an FIR over alleged derogatory remarks against late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, with SSP Kargil Nitin Yadav saying the action followed a preliminary inquiry that found prima facie grounds for investigation. Addressing a press briefing, SSP Nitin Yadav said the issue had been the subject of complaints from different parts of Kargil and clarified that contrary to claims that police had not taken action, the matter was being investigated through due