<p>The Jammu and Kashmir government has started renovating all heritage religious sites in the Kashmir region. The 700-year-old Mangaleshwar Bhairav Temple in the Baba Demb area of Srinagar is also being renovated and restored to its original glory. The project is expected to be completed by April this year.</p>

<p>Located inside a water body on an island in Srinagar's Baba Demb area, Mangaleshwar Bhairav Temple was completely damaged in the 2014 floods and now the archaeology department is making sure to restore the temple as per its exact original architecture when it was made.</p>

<p>''Mangaleshwar Bhairav Temple is being restored in the Baba Demb area. I opened the temple for the first time after decades in 2004 with the support of the majority community, otherwise, it wasn't possible to do so at that point in time. But the majority community has always given support to these things, and now Sharda temple has been opened as well, it's a great step. The area will be developed and a lot of people from the south will come to visit. it will be better for Kashmir, and it will be peaceful again,'' said Sanjay Saraf, leader of Lok Jan Shakti Party.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The government is spending over Rs 16 million on the temple and the project has been handed over to the roads and building department. All the renovation of&nbsp;the temple is being done in consultation with the Kashmiri Pandit community and is being completed in three phases.</p>

<p>''This temple was damaged in the 2014 floods, these works are generally done by the archaeology department, and they have asked us to work on it. We are the R&amp;B Department. The total project cost is Rs 1.62 crores. There are two parts to the renovation, the first is the main part of the temple, the restoration has to be done exactly to what it looked like earlier. We are using the same materials and making sure it's made exactly the way it was. The second part is the guard room construction. We are hopeful to finish this by April end,'' said Muzaffar Ahmad, AEE, Roads and Building department.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kashmir has always shown the best examples of brotherhood to the rest of the world. The caretaker of this 700-year-old Mangaleshwar Bhairav Temple is a Muslim man.&nbsp;Riyaz Ahmad&nbsp;has been taking care of Hindu temples for a long time and it's been over a year since he has been taking care of this temple.</p>

<p>''I am thankful to the government that they have come forward to restore this temple which got damaged in the 2014 floods. I have been working with a Hindu organisation since 2008 and I am grateful to the government that they have decided to restore the temple. I want the sound of Morning Azaan and temple bells ring together to bring the communities together. It used to be like that earlier and it should be again like that only. I request all the Pandit community members to come back and live happily here. If the Sikhs in Punjab are cultivating rice for the rest of the country, why can't I take care of Hindu temples? We are one, Hindu, Muslim Sikh, everyone,'' said Riyaz Ahmad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Since the temple is located on an Island, the workers faced a lot of hardship transporting the construction material to the temple courtyard. Everything was taken in boats with utmost care.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


The Jammu and Kashmir government has started renovating all heritage religious sites in the Kashmir region. The 700-year-old Mangaleshwar Bhairav Temple in the Baba Demb area of Srinagar is also being renovated and restored to its original glory.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has started renovating all heritage religious sites in the Kashmir region. The 700-year-old Mangaleshwar Bhairav Temple in the Baba Demb area of Srinagar is also being renovated and restored to its original glory. The project is expected to be completed by April this year. Located inside a water body on an island in Srinagar's Baba Demb area, Mangaleshwar Bhairav Temple was completely damaged in the 2014 floods and now the archaeology department is making sure to restore the temple as per its exact original architecture when it was made. ''Mangaleshwar Bhairav Temple is being restored in the Baba Demb area. I opened the temple for the first time after decades in 2004 with the support of the majority community, otherwise, it wasn't possible to do so at that point in time. But the majority community has always given support to these things, and now Sharda temple has been opened as well, it's a great step. The area will be developed and a lot of people from the south will come to visit. it will be better for Kashmir, and it will be peaceful again,'' said Sanjay Saraf, leader of Lok Jan Shakti Party. The government is spending over Rs 16 million on the temple and the project has been handed over to the roads and building department. All the renovation of the temple is being done in consultation with the Kashmiri Pandit community and is being completed in three phases. ''This temple was damaged in the 2014 floods, these works are generally done by the archaeology department, and they have asked us to work on it. We are the R&B Department. The total project cost is Rs 1.62 crores. There are two parts to the renovation, the first is the main part of the temple, the restoration has to be done exactly to what it looked like earlier. We are using the same materials and making sure it's made exactly the way it was. The second part is the guard room construction. We are hopeful to finish this by April end,'' said Muzaffar Ahmad, AEE, Roads and Building department. Kashmir has always shown the best examples of brotherhood to the rest of the world. The caretaker of this 700-year-old Mangaleshwar Bhairav Temple is a Muslim man. Riyaz Ahmad has been taking care of Hindu temples for a long time and it's been over a year since he has been taking care of this temple. ''I am thankful to the government that they have come forward to restore this temple which got damaged in the 2014 floods. I have been working with a Hindu organisation since 2008 and I am grateful to the government that they have decided to restore the temple. I want the sound of Morning Azaan and temple bells ring together to bring the communities together. It used to be like that earlier and it should be again like that only. I request all the Pandit community members to come back and live happily here. If the Sikhs in Punjab are cultivating rice for the rest of the country, why can't I take care of Hindu temples? We are one, Hindu, Muslim Sikh, everyone,'' said Riyaz Ahmad. Since the temple is located on an Island, the workers faced a lot of hardship transporting the construction material to the temple courtyard. Everything was taken in boats with utmost care. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India: 700-year-old temple being restored in Jammu & Kashmir’s Srinagar

<p>Doctors at a hospital in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district kept their nerve to deliver a baby through lower-segment cesarean section while an earthquake shook the Valley on Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;''Emergency LSCS (lower-segment cesarean section) was going on at SDH (Sub District Hospital) Bijbehara, Anantnag, during which strong tremors of earthquake were felt.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqFvWynppyp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqFvWynppyp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqFvWynppyp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqFvWynppyp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by WION (@wionews)</a></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>''Kudos to the staff of SDH Bijbehara who conducted the LSCS smoothly and thank god everything is alright,'' according to a tweet from the district's chief medical officer.</p>

<p>The tweet included a video that showed how the staff focused on the job while everything around them was shaking.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/strong-earthquake-tremors-felt-in-indias-capital-574424"><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;Thirteen reported dead following earthquake in Afghanistan, Pakistan; tremors felt in India's capital</strong></a></p>

<p>An earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale struck the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan, shaking the valley so violently that residents in many areas rushed out of their homes in search of safety.</p>

<p>At least 13 people have reportedly died due to the quake.&nbsp;Nine were killed and 44 injured in northwest Pakistan, according to local media reports. Meanwhile,&nbsp;four people were killed and 50 injured in Afghanistan, a health ministry official there said.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/active-militants-in-kashmir-valley-at-28-a-record-low-574642"><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;Number of active terrorists in Kashmir Valley at record low of 28, to drop further: J&amp;K Police</strong></a></p>

<p>The epicentre of the earthquake was 156 km deep inside earth, according to India's National Centre&nbsp;for Seismology. The earthquake tremors were felt at 10:17 PM (Indian Standard Time or 4:17 PM, Greenwich Mean Time).&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


Doctors at a hospital in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district kept their nerve to deliver a baby through lower-segment cesarean section while an earthquake shook the Valley on Tuesday.

Doctors at a hospital in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district kept their nerve to deliver a baby through lower-segment cesarean section while an earthquake shook the Valley on Tuesday. ''Emergency LSCS (lower-segment cesarean section) was going on at SDH (Sub District Hospital) Bijbehara, Anantnag, during which strong tremors of earthquake were felt. View this post on Instagram A post shared by WION (@wionews) × ''Kudos to the staff of SDH Bijbehara who conducted the LSCS smoothly and thank god everything is alright,'' according to a tweet from the district's chief medical officer. The tweet included a video that showed how the staff focused on the job while everything around them was shaking. ALSO READ | Thirteen reported dead following earthquake in Afghanistan, Pakistan; tremors felt in India's capital An earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale struck the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan, shaking the valley so violently that residents in many areas rushed out of their homes in search of safety. At least 13 people have reportedly died due to the quake. Nine were killed and 44 injured in northwest Pakistan, according to local media reports. Meanwhile, four people were killed and 50 injured in Afghanistan, a health ministry official there said. ALSO READ | Number of active terrorists in Kashmir Valley at record low of 28, to drop further: J&K Police The epicentre of the earthquake was 156 km deep inside earth, according to India's National Centre for Seismology. The earthquake tremors were felt at 10:17 PM (Indian Standard Time or 4:17 PM, Greenwich Mean Time). WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WATCH | Doctors deliver baby amid strong earthquake tremors in Kashmir's Anantnag

<p>For the first time in three decades, the Jammu and Kashmir police claim&nbsp;that the number of active terrorists in the valley has been brought down to 28. The security forces say only 28 local terrorists are active in Kashmir Valley, which is an all-time low since the start of insurgency.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Jammu and Kashmir Police along with other security agencies have successfully managed to bring down the number of terrorists drastically across the Kashmir region. The insurgency started in the early 1990's and since then the numbers have always been in hundreds, and now the J&amp;K Police claim&nbsp;that the number of active terrorists has been brought down to 28.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-china-reach-agreement-on-second-power-of-siberia-gas-pipeline-574515">Russia, China reach agreement on second Power of Siberia gas pipeline</a></p>

<p>"I feel happy to inform you that the number of local active terrorists has now come down to an all-time low of 28, and we will bring it further down in coming days. All those who have given shelter to terrorists or supported them in the past, action will be taken against them according to law,'' said Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Police, National Investigation Agency, State Investigation Agency have intensified the anti-terror operations across the Kashmir Valley to break the terror ecosystems.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-approves-its-first-mrna-vaccine-months-after-easing-covid-restrictions-574576">China approves its first mRNA vaccine, months after easing Covid restrictions</a></p>

<p>In the last few weeks, hundreds of properties of terrorists and those harbouring terrorists have been seized by the security agencies. The houses which give shelter to terrorists have also been seized in the past few months.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Ecosystem of terrorists is being destroyed at every level. If an encounter took place in any residential house and the house owners were found harbouring terrorists, we would arrest and book them in UAPA, at the same time we would seize those properties. The number of such properties are going up as we initiate action in those encounter cases too which happened in the last five years," said ADGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Watch | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/no-winners-in-a-nuclear-war-russia-china-joint-statement-574571">'No winners in a nuclear war': Russia-China joint statement</a></p>

<p>Few months ago, the police had said that the number of terrorists had come down to two digits and stands at 90. And now after joint action by Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army, paramilitary forces and central, state agencies like NIA, ED, SIA, the number of terrorists has&nbsp;fallen to an all time low of 28.</p>

<p>Besides neutralising and arresting the active terrorists,&nbsp;the security forces have also succeeded in curbing new recruitment of local terrorists, which has helped in bringing down the numbers.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
<strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


For the first time in three decades, the Jammu and Kashmir police claim that the number of active terrorists in the valley has been brought down to 28. The security forces say only 28 local terrorists are active in Kashmir Valley, which is an all-time low since the start of insurgency.

For the first time in three decades, the Jammu and Kashmir police claim that the number of active terrorists in the valley has been brought down to 28. The security forces say only 28 local terrorists are active in Kashmir Valley, which is an all-time low since the start of insurgency. Jammu and Kashmir Police along with other security agencies have successfully managed to bring down the number of terrorists drastically across the Kashmir region. The insurgency started in the early 1990's and since then the numbers have always been in hundreds, and now the J&K Police claim that the number of active terrorists has been brought down to 28. Also Read | Russia, China reach agreement on second Power of Siberia gas pipeline "I feel happy to inform you that the number of local active terrorists has now come down to an all-time low of 28, and we will bring it further down in coming days. All those who have given shelter to terrorists or supported them in the past, action will be taken against them according to law,'' said Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar. The Police, National Investigation Agency, State Investigation Agency have intensified the anti-terror operations across the Kashmir Valley to break the terror ecosystems. Also Read | China approves its first mRNA vaccine, months after easing Covid restrictions In the last few weeks, hundreds of properties of terrorists and those harbouring terrorists have been seized by the security agencies. The houses which give shelter to terrorists have also been seized in the past few months. “Ecosystem of terrorists is being destroyed at every level. If an encounter took place in any residential house and the house owners were found harbouring terrorists, we would arrest and book them in UAPA, at the same time we would seize those properties. The number of such properties are going up as we initiate action in those encounter cases too which happened in the last five years," said ADGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar. Watch | 'No winners in a nuclear war': Russia-China joint statement Few months ago, the police had said that the number of terrorists had come down to two digits and stands at 90. And now after joint action by Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army, paramilitary forces and central, state agencies like NIA, ED, SIA, the number of terrorists has fallen to an all time low of 28. Besides neutralising and arresting the active terrorists, the security forces have also succeeded in curbing new recruitment of local terrorists, which has helped in bringing down the numbers. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Number of active terrorists in Kashmir Valley at record low of 28, to drop further: J&K Police

<p>The first Foreign Direct Investment project of building a mall in Srinagar was kick-started on Sunday, March 19, by the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha.</p>

<p>The foundation stone was laid for “Mall of Srinagar” which is to be built by UAE-based construction company EMAAR Group at Sempora area on the outskirts of Srinagar. The Rs 250-crore project will be built on 1 million square feet of area and be ready by 2026.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-swords-indian-jewelry-trump-failed-to-disclose-300000-foreign-gifts-says-house-democrats-report-573515">Saudi swords, Indian jewellery: Trump failed to disclose $300,000 foreign gifts, says House Democrats' report</a></p>

<p>The Mall of Srinagar and allied projects with the government in Dubai are expected to fuel the economic growth of J&amp;K and help achieve the shared vision of strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties between India and UAE.</p>

<p>The mega-mall is the first significant FDI investment in Jammu and Kashmir to facilitate marquee projects as per the MoU signed between the governments of the UAE and India. Launched by Emaar and Magna Waves Buildtech, the mall is set to become operational by 2026.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A new dawn of limitless possibilities. Taking forward Hon'ble PM Shri <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> ji's vision for development of J&amp;K, laid the foundation stone of Mall of Srinagar by Emaar. It will have transformative impact on UT &amp; boost infrastructure, employment generation &amp; ease of living. <a href="https://t.co/2GrYHvBUts">pic.twitter.com/2GrYHvBUts</a></p>
— Office of LG J&amp;K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfLGJandK/status/1637357818612264961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Soon after the inauguration, LG Manoj Sinha said this is a new dawn of limitless possibilities. “We are taking forward Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji’s vision for development of J&amp;K. Mall of Srinagar will have transformative impact on UT &amp; boost infrastructure, employment generation and ease of living, said the Lt Governor."</p>

<p>The Lt Governor highlighted the progressive reforms introduced under the guidance of the prime minister to create a favourable environment for industries and businesses to flourish in J&amp;K.</p>

<p>Watch | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/mumbais-air-pollution-aqi-continues-to-remain-poor-indian-city-witnesses-most-polluted-winters-573472">Mumbai's air pollution: AQI continues to remain poor, Indian city witnesses most polluted winters</a></p>

<p>“Unprecedented industrial investment &amp; economic growth of J&amp;K is laying the foundation for a stronger and more prosperous future for the people of Union Territory. Within 22 months of implementation of New Industrial Policy, we have received investment proposals from more than 5000 domestic and foreign companies. Every day, eight companies have expressed their willingness to invest in J&amp;K. A new industry is becoming operational in the UT every day. Last month, 45 industries started their operations,"&nbsp;said the Lt Governor.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In January 2022, during the investor meet at Dubai, J&amp;K Government entered into a bilateral agreement with various stakeholders and Government of UAE to deliver over a billion dollars' worth of projects in the valley. These projects include the development of industrial parks, a medical college, a specialty hospital, logistics centres, IT towers, and multipurpose towers, in addition to the Mall of Srinagar by Emaar.<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


The first Foreign Direct Investment project of building a mall in Srinagar was kick-started on Sunday, March 19, by the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha.

The first Foreign Direct Investment project of building a mall in Srinagar was kick-started on Sunday, March 19, by the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha. The foundation stone was laid for “Mall of Srinagar” which is to be built by UAE-based construction company EMAAR Group at Sempora area on the outskirts of Srinagar. The Rs 250-crore project will be built on 1 million square feet of area and be ready by 2026. Also Read | Saudi swords, Indian jewellery: Trump failed to disclose $300,000 foreign gifts, says House Democrats' report The Mall of Srinagar and allied projects with the government in Dubai are expected to fuel the economic growth of J&K and help achieve the shared vision of strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties between India and UAE. The mega-mall is the first significant FDI investment in Jammu and Kashmir to facilitate marquee projects as per the MoU signed between the governments of the UAE and India. Launched by Emaar and Magna Waves Buildtech, the mall is set to become operational by 2026. A new dawn of limitless possibilities. Taking forward Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji's vision for development of J&K, laid the foundation stone of Mall of Srinagar by Emaar. It will have transformative impact on UT & boost infrastructure, employment generation & ease of living. pic.twitter.com/2GrYHvBUts — Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) March 19, 2023 × Soon after the inauguration, LG Manoj Sinha said this is a new dawn of limitless possibilities. “We are taking forward Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji’s vision for development of J&K. Mall of Srinagar will have transformative impact on UT & boost infrastructure, employment generation and ease of living, said the Lt Governor." The Lt Governor highlighted the progressive reforms introduced under the guidance of the prime minister to create a favourable environment for industries and businesses to flourish in J&K. Watch | Mumbai's air pollution: AQI continues to remain poor, Indian city witnesses most polluted winters “Unprecedented industrial investment & economic growth of J&K is laying the foundation for a stronger and more prosperous future for the people of Union Territory. Within 22 months of implementation of New Industrial Policy, we have received investment proposals from more than 5000 domestic and foreign companies. Every day, eight companies have expressed their willingness to invest in J&K. A new industry is becoming operational in the UT every day. Last month, 45 industries started their operations," said the Lt Governor. In January 2022, during the investor meet at Dubai, J&K Government entered into a bilateral agreement with various stakeholders and Government of UAE to deliver over a billion dollars' worth of projects in the valley. These projects include the development of industrial parks, a medical college, a specialty hospital, logistics centres, IT towers, and multipurpose towers, in addition to the Mall of Srinagar by Emaar. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Foundation stone of J&K’s first foreign investment project laid, ‘Mall of Srinagar’ to be built by UAE's EMAAR

<p>A conman got the Jammu and Kashmir administration and several security officials to believe that he was a senior official in the Prime Minister's Office. He visited the Valley on two occasions since February and one such visit got suspicious, leading to his arrest. Kiran Bhai Patel, the conman from Gujarat, also held several meetings with officials in the Valley.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Patel was so convincing in his act that he even got a Z-plus security cover, a bulletproof Mahindra Scorpio SUV and official accommodation at a five-star hotel. He was impersonating an Additional Director for strategy and campaigns in the Prime Minister's Office. The arrest happened around 10 days back but was kept under wraps by the police. The news spread after a magistrate sent him to judicial custody on Thursday.</p>

<p>"The said individual, by resorting to cheating, forgery and impersonation has duped gullible people and also intentionally induced people to do and also to omit to do activities, under a well-knit plan for securing monetary as well as material benefits," a police statement said.</p>

<p>"The said act of the said fraudster has been found attracting cognizablity to the extent of section 419, 420, 467, 468, 471 IPC. Self would be taking up the investigations in the instant case,'' the report added.</p>

<p>Action will also be taken against two police officials for failing to take note of the impersonator. Gujarat police are also joining in the investigation.</p>

<p>He forged documents to deceive people in the security, who provided him with a high-security cover during his stay in the Valley.</p>

<p>During his first visit to the Valley, Patel took a trip to several health resorts. He also held meeting with officials regarding tourism in Kashmir and ways to bring more tourists from Gujarat. His last visit to the Valley was on March 2.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Several videos show Patel visiting places escorted by the paramilitary and the police, including Doodhpathri in Budgam. In one photo, he can be seen posing in front of the clock tower Lal Chowk in Srinagar.</p>

<p>Patel also has a verified Twitter account with over a thousand followers. BJP Gujarat General Secretary Pradipsinh Vaghela also follows him. His account is full of pictures and videos showing him on official visits to Kashmir surrounded by paramilitary guards. His Twitter bio says that he has a PhD from Commonwealth University, Virginia, an MBA from IIM Trichy, as well as an M.Tech in Computer Science and B.E. in Computer Engineering.&nbsp;</p>

<p>His second visit within two weeks in Srinagar raised suspicions. According to sources, an IAS officer told the police about his visit in February. Once the police were alerted about a conman impersonating a PMO official, his background was looked into and he was later arrested from a hotel in Srinagar.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


A conman got the Jammu and Kashmir administration and several security officials to believe that he was a senior official in the Prime Minister's Office. He visited the Valley on two occasions since February and one such visit got suspicious, leading to his arrest.

A conman got the Jammu and Kashmir administration and several security officials to believe that he was a senior official in the Prime Minister's Office. He visited the Valley on two occasions since February and one such visit got suspicious, leading to his arrest. Kiran Bhai Patel, the conman from Gujarat, also held several meetings with officials in the Valley. Patel was so convincing in his act that he even got a Z-plus security cover, a bulletproof Mahindra Scorpio SUV and official accommodation at a five-star hotel. He was impersonating an Additional Director for strategy and campaigns in the Prime Minister's Office. The arrest happened around 10 days back but was kept under wraps by the police. The news spread after a magistrate sent him to judicial custody on Thursday. "The said individual, by resorting to cheating, forgery and impersonation has duped gullible people and also intentionally induced people to do and also to omit to do activities, under a well-knit plan for securing monetary as well as material benefits," a police statement said. "The said act of the said fraudster has been found attracting cognizablity to the extent of section 419, 420, 467, 468, 471 IPC. Self would be taking up the investigations in the instant case,'' the report added. Action will also be taken against two police officials for failing to take note of the impersonator. Gujarat police are also joining in the investigation. He forged documents to deceive people in the security, who provided him with a high-security cover during his stay in the Valley. During his first visit to the Valley, Patel took a trip to several health resorts. He also held meeting with officials regarding tourism in Kashmir and ways to bring more tourists from Gujarat. His last visit to the Valley was on March 2. Several videos show Patel visiting places escorted by the paramilitary and the police, including Doodhpathri in Budgam. In one photo, he can be seen posing in front of the clock tower Lal Chowk in Srinagar. Patel also has a verified Twitter account with over a thousand followers. BJP Gujarat General Secretary Pradipsinh Vaghela also follows him. His account is full of pictures and videos showing him on official visits to Kashmir surrounded by paramilitary guards. His Twitter bio says that he has a PhD from Commonwealth University, Virginia, an MBA from IIM Trichy, as well as an M.Tech in Computer Science and B.E. in Computer Engineering. His second visit within two weeks in Srinagar raised suspicions. According to sources, an IAS officer told the police about his visit in February. Once the police were alerted about a conman impersonating a PMO official, his background was looked into and he was later arrested from a hotel in Srinagar. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

One man managed to trick several J&K officials into believing that he was a senior PMO official

<p>India's Border Roads Organisation opened the crucial Zojila and Razdan passes on March 16,&nbsp;months after being disconnected from the rest of the world due to heavy snowfall in Kashmir valley. The seasonal passes, this year, opened&nbsp;much before their usual time of opening.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Zojila Pass is located on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh road (NH-1), over 900 km north of New Delhi, at a height of 11,650 feet. The pass provides a vital strategic link between Kashmir Valley and Ladakh region. It closes by October, November every year and re-opens by April-May with the total closure time averaging to almost five to six months.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With the renewed focus on infrastructure development and augmentation of connectivity to India's Northern borders and de-facto international boundaries&nbsp;in recent years, India has sensed a strategic requirement of minimising the closure of Zojila Pass during winters.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kashmir-receives-fresh-snowfall-srinagar-jammu-national-highway-closed-554393">Kashmir receives fresh snowfall, Srinagar-Jammu National Highway closed</a></strong></p>

<p>''Border Road Organisation accordingly ensured that the Zojila Pass was kept open for traffic till as late as 06 Jan 2023 this year, thereby creating a new historic precedent of its kind. The advantage which accrued by keeping Zojila open till this late can be assessed by the fact that almost 13,500 vehicles crossed the Pass between end Nov 2022 and 06 Jan 2023,'' said Public Relations Office (PRO), Defence, Srinagar, in an official statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite a spell of severe winter during which the union territory of&nbsp;Jammu and Kashmir witnessed the highest snowfall in the last five years, BRO rose to the challenge and initiated various measures to ensure early opening of the Zojila Pass.</p>

<p>Finding a clear window of dry weather in the first week of Feb 2023, snow clearance teams were pushed into immediate action by Project Beacon and Project Vijayak from Sonmarg and Dras ends of Zojila. After sustained and relentless efforts, initial connectivity across Zojila Pass was established on 11 Mar 2023. Improvement and widening of the road surface have been carried out since then to facilitate safe passage of vehicles.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;Trending on WION: Heavy snowfall brings normal life to a halt in Kashmir</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trending-on-wion-heavy-snowfall-brings-normal-life-to-a-halt-in-kashmir-557379/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>''Trial convoys of vehicles have been successfully passed through the Zojila on 16 Mar 2023, thereby ensuring that the Pass remained closed for only 68 days this year as compared to 73 days last year and 160-180 days in the yesteryears,'' the PRO Defence Srinagar added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Likewise, Razdan Pass which provides the only road connectivity between the Gurez Sector and the Kashmir Valley, has also been successfully reopened on March 16 after a gap of just 58 days. Other important passes at Sadhna, Pharkiyan Gali and Zamindar Gali have been kept open throughout this winter season.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking on the occasion, Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry, Director General of Border Roads,&nbsp;commended the Karmayogis of Project Beacon and Project Vijayak in achieving this feat.</p>

<p>Early opening of the Zojila and Razdan Passes will facilitate augmentation of supply of essential goods and services for people of Ladakh and Gurez Valley.&nbsp;</p>

<p>''BRO’s commitment towards nation building and service to the people.&nbsp;The trial movement of vehicles has been conducted successfully today and the decision to open the road for civil traffic will be taken by the Civil Administration after the conduct of joint inspection. The BRO has again risen to the challenge and lived to its ethos of “We Will Either Find A Way or Make One”, said Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry, DGBR.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


India's Border Roads Organisation opened the crucial Zojila and Razdan passes on March 16, months after being disconnected from the rest of the world due to heavy snowfall in Kashmir valley.

India's Border Roads Organisation opened the crucial Zojila and Razdan passes on March 16, months after being disconnected from the rest of the world due to heavy snowfall in Kashmir valley. The seasonal passes, this year, opened much before their usual time of opening. Zojila Pass is located on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh road (NH-1), over 900 km north of New Delhi, at a height of 11,650 feet. The pass provides a vital strategic link between Kashmir Valley and Ladakh region. It closes by October, November every year and re-opens by April-May with the total closure time averaging to almost five to six months. With the renewed focus on infrastructure development and augmentation of connectivity to India's Northern borders and de-facto international boundaries in recent years, India has sensed a strategic requirement of minimising the closure of Zojila Pass during winters. ALSO READ | Kashmir receives fresh snowfall, Srinagar-Jammu National Highway closed ''Border Road Organisation accordingly ensured that the Zojila Pass was kept open for traffic till as late as 06 Jan 2023 this year, thereby creating a new historic precedent of its kind. The advantage which accrued by keeping Zojila open till this late can be assessed by the fact that almost 13,500 vehicles crossed the Pass between end Nov 2022 and 06 Jan 2023,'' said Public Relations Office (PRO), Defence, Srinagar, in an official statement. Despite a spell of severe winter during which the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir witnessed the highest snowfall in the last five years, BRO rose to the challenge and initiated various measures to ensure early opening of the Zojila Pass. Finding a clear window of dry weather in the first week of Feb 2023, snow clearance teams were pushed into immediate action by Project Beacon and Project Vijayak from Sonmarg and Dras ends of Zojila. After sustained and relentless efforts, initial connectivity across Zojila Pass was established on 11 Mar 2023. Improvement and widening of the road surface have been carried out since then to facilitate safe passage of vehicles. ALSO WATCH | Trending on WION: Heavy snowfall brings normal life to a halt in Kashmir × ''Trial convoys of vehicles have been successfully passed through the Zojila on 16 Mar 2023, thereby ensuring that the Pass remained closed for only 68 days this year as compared to 73 days last year and 160-180 days in the yesteryears,'' the PRO Defence Srinagar added. Likewise, Razdan Pass which provides the only road connectivity between the Gurez Sector and the Kashmir Valley, has also been successfully reopened on March 16 after a gap of just 58 days. Other important passes at Sadhna, Pharkiyan Gali and Zamindar Gali have been kept open throughout this winter season. Speaking on the occasion, Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry, Director General of Border Roads, commended the Karmayogis of Project Beacon and Project Vijayak in achieving this feat. Early opening of the Zojila and Razdan Passes will facilitate augmentation of supply of essential goods and services for people of Ladakh and Gurez Valley. ''BRO’s commitment towards nation building and service to the people. The trial movement of vehicles has been conducted successfully today and the decision to open the road for civil traffic will be taken by the Civil Administration after the conduct of joint inspection. The BRO has again risen to the challenge and lived to its ethos of “We Will Either Find A Way or Make One”, said Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry, DGBR. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India reopens strategic passes in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of usual schedule

<p>The Border Security Force held its Passing Out Parade and attestation ceremony of recruits at BSF Headquarters in Humhama Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on Wednesday (March 15).&nbsp;</p>

<p>A total of 119 recruits qualified the training to join the Border Security Force. P V Rama Shastri, IPS, Additional Director General, BSF (Western Command) was the chief guest at the function. Talking to media, the ADG said that the BSF are guarding the borders and giving their best to protect them. "We are fully equipped to deal with any eventuality," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/aiims-delhi-doctors-successfully-operate-on-heart-of-unborn-baby-572230">AIIMS Delhi doctors successfully operate on heart of unborn baby</a></p>

<p>''Any attempt against the country would receive a befitting reply. The BSF is doing its job very well, whether it's to stop the infiltration, taking action against the drones&nbsp;dropping weapons and drugs from across the border, or detecting the tunnels to thwart infiltration,'' said P V Rama Shastri.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The other top officials present during the ceremony were Ashok Yadav, IPS, IG BSF, Ftr Kashmir &amp; STC Kashmir.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/as-india-witnesses-a-rise-in-h3n2-cases-third-as-of-yet-unverified-death-reported-from-mumbai-572199">Third person reportedly dies in Mumbai as H3N2 cases rise in India</a></p>

<p>While addressing the soldiers, ADG BSF congratulated&nbsp;Inspector General, Ftr HQ BSF Kashmir and the instructional teams for successful efforts in achieving the objectives of moulding constables (tradesmen) into trained BSF soldiers, giving them self-confidence and turning them into disciplined Jawans.</p>

<p>He wished the recruits a bright future in their life and service ahead.</p>

<p>Watch | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-chancellor-hunts-budget-to-focus-on-cost-of-living-crisis-free-childcare-expansion-572248">UK Chancellor Hunt’s budget to focus on cost-of-living crisis, free childcare expansion</a></p>

<p>''BSF guards every border of the country and makes sure there is no infiltration. And whenever there is any attempt of infiltration, BSF makes sure to foil it and prevent terrorists&nbsp;from entering our territory. We are totally in control of the situation and making sure to successfully fight the terror groups. BSF has always been and will always be alert and successful," said ADG BSF.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The chief guest awarded medals to recruits who performed exceptionally well in various indoor and outdoor training courses. The function was also attended by the families of the soldiers, and it was a proud moment for all of them.<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


The Border Security Force held its Passing Out Parade and attestation ceremony of recruits at BSF Headquarters in Humhama Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on Wednesday (March 15).

The Border Security Force held its Passing Out Parade and attestation ceremony of recruits at BSF Headquarters in Humhama Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on Wednesday (March 15). A total of 119 recruits qualified the training to join the Border Security Force. P V Rama Shastri, IPS, Additional Director General, BSF (Western Command) was the chief guest at the function. Talking to media, the ADG said that the BSF are guarding the borders and giving their best to protect them. "We are fully equipped to deal with any eventuality," he added. Also Read | AIIMS Delhi doctors successfully operate on heart of unborn baby ''Any attempt against the country would receive a befitting reply. The BSF is doing its job very well, whether it's to stop the infiltration, taking action against the drones dropping weapons and drugs from across the border, or detecting the tunnels to thwart infiltration,'' said P V Rama Shastri. The other top officials present during the ceremony were Ashok Yadav, IPS, IG BSF, Ftr Kashmir & STC Kashmir. Also Read | Third person reportedly dies in Mumbai as H3N2 cases rise in India While addressing the soldiers, ADG BSF congratulated Inspector General, Ftr HQ BSF Kashmir and the instructional teams for successful efforts in achieving the objectives of moulding constables (tradesmen) into trained BSF soldiers, giving them self-confidence and turning them into disciplined Jawans. He wished the recruits a bright future in their life and service ahead. Watch | UK Chancellor Hunt’s budget to focus on cost-of-living crisis, free childcare expansion ''BSF guards every border of the country and makes sure there is no infiltration. And whenever there is any attempt of infiltration, BSF makes sure to foil it and prevent terrorists from entering our territory. We are totally in control of the situation and making sure to successfully fight the terror groups. BSF has always been and will always be alert and successful," said ADG BSF. The chief guest awarded medals to recruits who performed exceptionally well in various indoor and outdoor training courses. The function was also attended by the families of the soldiers, and it was a proud moment for all of them. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India: BSF protecting borders, ready to give befitting reply to any infiltration attempt

<p>With over 1.5 million tulips of 68 varieties, Asia's largest tulip garden in Srinagar, Kashmir is all set to be open for the public from March 19. Hundreds of gardeners are working tirelessly to make sure the garden is in full bloom at the time of the opening.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With spring on, the tulip garden located below the Zabarwan Hills and overlooking the world-famous Dal Lake, is looking no less than a floral wonderland. The floriculture department is also planning a tulip festival in the first week of April.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"About 16 lacs of tulips would be in bloom this season in the tulip garden. Around 68 varieties of tulips have been put up this year, And along with tulips, there are many other flowers that we are putting up. We also prepare crates from greenhouses which we make sure to bloom in greenhouses so that at the opening the visitors find tulips all around. We decorate the main gate with these crates. Around 3000 pots of flowers are prepared with a lot of hard work for the visitors," said Inam-ul-Rehman, who is in charge of the tulip garden.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Around 500 gardeners and staff are working day and night to ready the garden for the public. It takes around six months to get the garden ready and huge planning is done much earlier before the opening of the garden.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We have been working day and night, whether it rains or snows. We are making sure to prepare the garden for the season. As you see right now also, we are working hard as the garden is days away from being thrown open. This time we have around 68 varieties and over 1.6 million tulips. We want people to visit and appreciate our hard work," said Riyaz Pathan, who is a gardener.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The tulip garden has become extremely famous to people across India. A lot of travellers make plans to visit the valley during the tulip bloom. This year, the floriculture department has planted other varieties of flowers like hyacinths, daffodils, muscari and cyclamens to make the garden look more colourful. However, the tourists who are already in the Valley are extremely disappointed that they would not be able to witness the beauty of the garden as it will open next week.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I really miss that I can't see the garden. We came to see the glimpse but were not allowed. We are leaving on the 17th and the Garden is opening on 19 March. I still peeked in from a gap. Our children are also feeling sad that we won't be able to see it," said Suhas Mehta, who is a tourist.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The garden was opened in 2008 by the then-chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Ghulam Nabi Azad. The garden was made to attract more tourists to the Valley during the spring season.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


With over 1.5 million tulips of 68 varieties, Asia's largest tulip garden in Srinagar, Kashmir is all set to be open for the public from March 19. Hundreds of gardeners are working tirelessly to make sure the garden is in full bloom at the time of the opening.

With over 1.5 million tulips of 68 varieties, Asia's largest tulip garden in Srinagar, Kashmir is all set to be open for the public from March 19. Hundreds of gardeners are working tirelessly to make sure the garden is in full bloom at the time of the opening. With spring on, the tulip garden located below the Zabarwan Hills and overlooking the world-famous Dal Lake, is looking no less than a floral wonderland. The floriculture department is also planning a tulip festival in the first week of April. "About 16 lacs of tulips would be in bloom this season in the tulip garden. Around 68 varieties of tulips have been put up this year, And along with tulips, there are many other flowers that we are putting up. We also prepare crates from greenhouses which we make sure to bloom in greenhouses so that at the opening the visitors find tulips all around. We decorate the main gate with these crates. Around 3000 pots of flowers are prepared with a lot of hard work for the visitors," said Inam-ul-Rehman, who is in charge of the tulip garden. Around 500 gardeners and staff are working day and night to ready the garden for the public. It takes around six months to get the garden ready and huge planning is done much earlier before the opening of the garden. "We have been working day and night, whether it rains or snows. We are making sure to prepare the garden for the season. As you see right now also, we are working hard as the garden is days away from being thrown open. This time we have around 68 varieties and over 1.6 million tulips. We want people to visit and appreciate our hard work," said Riyaz Pathan, who is a gardener. The tulip garden has become extremely famous to people across India. A lot of travellers make plans to visit the valley during the tulip bloom. This year, the floriculture department has planted other varieties of flowers like hyacinths, daffodils, muscari and cyclamens to make the garden look more colourful. However, the tourists who are already in the Valley are extremely disappointed that they would not be able to witness the beauty of the garden as it will open next week. "I really miss that I can't see the garden. We came to see the glimpse but were not allowed. We are leaving on the 17th and the Garden is opening on 19 March. I still peeked in from a gap. Our children are also feeling sad that we won't be able to see it," said Suhas Mehta, who is a tourist. The garden was opened in 2008 by the then-chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Ghulam Nabi Azad. The garden was made to attract more tourists to the Valley during the spring season. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Asia's largest tulip garden in Srinagar is all set to open on March 19

<p>In a bizarre incident in Central Kashmir's Budgam district, a 30-year-old woman named Arifa Khan was reportedly killed and chopped into multiple pieces allegedly by a 45-year-old murderer. The murder has shocked the whole of Kashmir Valley as it is the first time that such a gruesome act has taken place. The family of the victim is now demanding the accused be hanged.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Grief struck the village of Soibug when police found pieces of the body of a missing woman in the area. According to the family, the woman left home on March 7 to attend computer classes and went missing. When the family couldn't find her, they lodged a police complaint with a local police station. Arifa was to wed in June this year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I can’t explain how shocked I am about the whole incident. She was a very pious woman, and we were all set to get married in June this year. According to Islam, the murderer should be killed exactly the same way as he killed her, but we have the laws and I appeal to the Administration that he should be given strict punishment," said Ab Rouf, fiancé of Arifa.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The accused has been arrested by Jammu and Kashmir Police. The police have also recovered all the body parts of the victim from different places. The body has been sent for legal formalities. The accused murderer was identified as Shabir Ahmad Wani and is in police custody now.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We have cracked a murder case in Budgam. On 7th March, Arifa went missing and on 8th her brother registered a missing complaint. We started the investigation and with the help of technical evidence and family support, we questioned a lot of suspects and one such suspect was Shabir Ahmad Wani. We got a clue that Shabir was involved and after the interrogation for two days, he confessed to the murder. He had chopped the body and hidden the body at different locations. We have also recovered the weapon of offence too," said SSP Budgam Tahir Gillani.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Police have started further investigation into the case and said very soon they will know the motive behind the murder.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


In a bizarre incident in Central Kashmir's Budgam district, a 30-year-old woman named Arifa Khan was reportedly killed and chopped into multiple pieces allegedly by a 45-year-old murderer.

In a bizarre incident in Central Kashmir's Budgam district, a 30-year-old woman named Arifa Khan was reportedly killed and chopped into multiple pieces allegedly by a 45-year-old murderer. The murder has shocked the whole of Kashmir Valley as it is the first time that such a gruesome act has taken place. The family of the victim is now demanding the accused be hanged. Grief struck the village of Soibug when police found pieces of the body of a missing woman in the area. According to the family, the woman left home on March 7 to attend computer classes and went missing. When the family couldn't find her, they lodged a police complaint with a local police station. Arifa was to wed in June this year. "I can’t explain how shocked I am about the whole incident. She was a very pious woman, and we were all set to get married in June this year. According to Islam, the murderer should be killed exactly the same way as he killed her, but we have the laws and I appeal to the Administration that he should be given strict punishment," said Ab Rouf, fiancé of Arifa. The accused has been arrested by Jammu and Kashmir Police. The police have also recovered all the body parts of the victim from different places. The body has been sent for legal formalities. The accused murderer was identified as Shabir Ahmad Wani and is in police custody now. "We have cracked a murder case in Budgam. On 7th March, Arifa went missing and on 8th her brother registered a missing complaint. We started the investigation and with the help of technical evidence and family support, we questioned a lot of suspects and one such suspect was Shabir Ahmad Wani. We got a clue that Shabir was involved and after the interrogation for two days, he confessed to the murder. He had chopped the body and hidden the body at different locations. We have also recovered the weapon of offence too," said SSP Budgam Tahir Gillani. Police have started further investigation into the case and said very soon they will know the motive behind the murder. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Kashmir: 30-year-old woman killed, body chopped; police nab the accused

<p>While the whole nation celebrates the&nbsp;Holi festival across India, the soldiers of the Border Security Force, Indian Army, and CRPF posted in the Kashmir Valley are spreading the message of brotherhood and unity. Away from their homes, these soldiers make sure to celebrate all festivals with full fervour.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The BSF Frontier of Kashmir Division,&nbsp;which&nbsp;mans the Line of Control and also takes care of the operational duties, organised the Holy celebrations for troops posted at Humhama BSF Headquarters in Budgam district. The BSF jawans from different parts of the country were seen celebrating the festival of colours like a family. These festivals are also&nbsp;days when there are no barriers of hierarchy, as all celebrate the festival together.</p>

<p>"BSF has a tradition of celebrating all festivals from every religion with a lot of joy. This is a day when we don't&nbsp;follow any hierarchy. It helps in taking away our stress as well. I want to tell the nation that our soldiers are guarding the borders and we are always ready to tackle any situation on the LoC and make sure our country stays safe,'' said Ashok Yadav, IG BSF Frontier, Kashmir Division.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The celebrations were attended by all the soldiers from all religions. It also sets an example of brotherhood among the soldiers and sends a message of unity to the citizens of the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>''I love the festival of Holi,&nbsp;we are enjoying it so much. We are far from our home, but we are enjoying it. We are not feeling away from home, all of us,&nbsp;whether Hindus or&nbsp;Muslims, celebrate Holi. We celebrate all festivals together whether it's Holi or Eid. We are always together,'' said Azhar Udin Khan, a BSF soldier.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Similar celebrations were held for soldiers of the Indian Army, CRPF, and Border Security Forces across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></p>


While the whole nation celebrates the Holi festival across India, the soldiers of the Border Security Force, Indian Army, and CRPF posted in the Kashmir Valley are spreading the message of brotherhood and unity.

While the whole nation celebrates the Holi festival across India, the soldiers of the Border Security Force, Indian Army, and CRPF posted in the Kashmir Valley are spreading the message of brotherhood and unity. Away from their homes, these soldiers make sure to celebrate all festivals with full fervour. The BSF Frontier of Kashmir Division, which mans the Line of Control and also takes care of the operational duties, organised the Holy celebrations for troops posted at Humhama BSF Headquarters in Budgam district. The BSF jawans from different parts of the country were seen celebrating the festival of colours like a family. These festivals are also days when there are no barriers of hierarchy, as all celebrate the festival together. "BSF has a tradition of celebrating all festivals from every religion with a lot of joy. This is a day when we don't follow any hierarchy. It helps in taking away our stress as well. I want to tell the nation that our soldiers are guarding the borders and we are always ready to tackle any situation on the LoC and make sure our country stays safe,'' said Ashok Yadav, IG BSF Frontier, Kashmir Division. The celebrations were attended by all the soldiers from all religions. It also sets an example of brotherhood among the soldiers and sends a message of unity to the citizens of the country. ''I love the festival of Holi, we are enjoying it so much. We are far from our home, but we are enjoying it. We are not feeling away from home, all of us, whether Hindus or Muslims, celebrate Holi. We celebrate all festivals together whether it's Holi or Eid. We are always together,'' said Azhar Udin Khan, a BSF soldier. Similar celebrations were held for soldiers of the Indian Army, CRPF, and Border Security Forces across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India: Security forces’ personnel posted in Kashmir celebrate Holi with fervour

<p>The pink and white flowers on the almond trees are no less than a floral wonderland. And the famous Almond Garden, ''Badamwari' of Srinagar city has thousands of these almond trees, which are in full bloom and all set to welcome tourists as well as locals.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Gardens of the Valley are finally turning into colourful palettes with almond and cherry blossoms. And thousands of tourists are thronging the Kashmir Valley only to witness these beautiful visuals. These are the first flowers to bloom in a season and Badamwari garden located at the foothills of Kohi-Maraan mountain on 300 Kanals of land has more than 1000 almond trees.&nbsp;</p>

<p>''I came to know about Almond Blossoms from our local guide, they recommended this place, we didn't know that there is Japanese cherry blossom in India, and we would get to see it. We thought it would be one or two trees but it's the whole garden, It's such a beautiful spot, I think everyone would be amazed. Kashmir has been a beautiful surprise for me, We really didn't plan but since spring is a lovely time to visit and everyone here is so genuine and hospitable. We are extremely happy with our visit to the Valley,'' said Swati, a tourist.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-defence-secretary-lloyd-austin-visits-iraq-vows-defence-support-against-daesh-569575">US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin visits Iraq, vows defence support against Daesh</a></p>

<p>A huge number of locals as well as the tourists are arriving at the Almond Garden. The social media sites are already filled with pictures of the Badamwari. The government is hoping that all the previous records of tourist arrivals would be broken this spring. The tourists already in the valley are enjoying the view of the bloom.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/germany-planning-to-ban-huawei-zte-from-parts-of-5g-networks-paper-569540">Germany planning to ban Huawei, ZTE from parts of 5G networks: Paper</a></p>

<p>''I have been travelling across India for around 4 months, and when I came to Kashmir I just couldn't leave. It's been two months since I came here, I fell in love with Kashmir. And it's not only Kashmir but the people here are lovely. Kashmir people have a golden heart and great culture. In Indonesia we don't know about Kashmir that much, Its as beautiful as Europe, '' said Susanna Louis, a tourist from Indonesia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Tourism department of Kashmir is planning to celebrate the full spring season across the various gardens of the Srinagar City. The festival will start from Badamwari as almond flowers are first to bloom.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Watch | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/why-is-estonias-election-result-important-for-ukraine-569565">Why is Estonia's election result important for Ukraine?</a></p>

<p>''We will have a full-fledged Badamwari festival by Mid-March. We are waiting for the full bloom. We are also planning festivals in offbeat destinations like Yusmarg and Pampore. We are expecting a good season, we had a great season last year and even this year we will have a great season. A lot of promotion will bear fruit and it's a great place to visit and I am sure people will, '' said Faz Lul Haseeb, Director Tourism.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The tourist stakeholders are also expecting huge arrivals this spring season as the Government is also planning to open Kashmir's Famous Tulip garden early this year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


The pink and white flowers on the almond trees are no less than a floral wonderland. And the famous Almond Garden, ''Badamwari' of Srinagar city has thousands of these almond trees, which are in full bloom and all set to welcome tourists as well as locals.

The pink and white flowers on the almond trees are no less than a floral wonderland. And the famous Almond Garden, ''Badamwari' of Srinagar city has thousands of these almond trees, which are in full bloom and all set to welcome tourists as well as locals. The Gardens of the Valley are finally turning into colourful palettes with almond and cherry blossoms. And thousands of tourists are thronging the Kashmir Valley only to witness these beautiful visuals. These are the first flowers to bloom in a season and Badamwari garden located at the foothills of Kohi-Maraan mountain on 300 Kanals of land has more than 1000 almond trees. ''I came to know about Almond Blossoms from our local guide, they recommended this place, we didn't know that there is Japanese cherry blossom in India, and we would get to see it. We thought it would be one or two trees but it's the whole garden, It's such a beautiful spot, I think everyone would be amazed. Kashmir has been a beautiful surprise for me, We really didn't plan but since spring is a lovely time to visit and everyone here is so genuine and hospitable. We are extremely happy with our visit to the Valley,'' said Swati, a tourist. Also Read | US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin visits Iraq, vows defence support against Daesh A huge number of locals as well as the tourists are arriving at the Almond Garden. The social media sites are already filled with pictures of the Badamwari. The government is hoping that all the previous records of tourist arrivals would be broken this spring. The tourists already in the valley are enjoying the view of the bloom. Also Read | Germany planning to ban Huawei, ZTE from parts of 5G networks: Paper ''I have been travelling across India for around 4 months, and when I came to Kashmir I just couldn't leave. It's been two months since I came here, I fell in love with Kashmir. And it's not only Kashmir but the people here are lovely. Kashmir people have a golden heart and great culture. In Indonesia we don't know about Kashmir that much, Its as beautiful as Europe, '' said Susanna Louis, a tourist from Indonesia. The Tourism department of Kashmir is planning to celebrate the full spring season across the various gardens of the Srinagar City. The festival will start from Badamwari as almond flowers are first to bloom. Watch | Why is Estonia's election result important for Ukraine? ''We will have a full-fledged Badamwari festival by Mid-March. We are waiting for the full bloom. We are also planning festivals in offbeat destinations like Yusmarg and Pampore. We are expecting a good season, we had a great season last year and even this year we will have a great season. A lot of promotion will bear fruit and it's a great place to visit and I am sure people will, '' said Faz Lul Haseeb, Director Tourism. The tourist stakeholders are also expecting huge arrivals this spring season as the Government is also planning to open Kashmir's Famous Tulip garden early this year. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Arrival of spring in Kashmir, thousands of almond trees in full bloom

<p>In a far-flung village called Sadiwara in South Kashmir's Anantnag District, the village panchayat head started a unique initiative for saving the environment. He started a campaign by the name 'Give Plastic and Take Gold' where people of the village are asked to collect plastic waste and get a gold coin from the panchayat head.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Farooq Ahmad Ganai, a&nbsp;lawyer by profession and sarpanch (head) of the village Sadiwara, has become an inspiration for everyone in the Kashmir Valley.&nbsp;In order to get a coin, a person needs to hand over 200 kg&nbsp;of plastic waste.</p>

<p><img alt="Jammu and Kashmir" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="41dc00a4-8c52-4988-8841-41832ad5507a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Image%20%2810%29.jpeg" /></p>

<p>The campaign became popular and just two weeks after its launch,&nbsp;the whole village was declared plastic-free.</p>

<p>"I started a slogan in my village, give polythene and get a reward. I took the initiative to clean the rivers and streams. Everyone in the village helped us to clear the sites. And finally on January 7, the deputy commissioner announced the area to be plastic-free. The gold that we are giving is from the plastic we are collecting. We will soon be a green village. I will not stop at my village but also take it to all districts of the Union Territory and later from Kashmir to Kanyakumari," said Farooq Ahmad Ganai.<br />
<br />
Ganai's initiative stands out from those started by the government.</p>

<p>The whole village took part in the drive and now it is the first village to be called plastic-free in the Kashmir Valley. The youth of the area have joined forces with the sarpanch in cleaning the village and setting an example for the rest of the Valley and country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and launched in 2014 by PM Narendra Modi, was our starting point. The sarpanch is a brilliant leader and makes sure to take us all on board to carry forward such initiatives. We took two weeks to make our village plastic-free. We will take it forward to other districts," said Shakeel Wani, youth leader and activist.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The streams flowing through the village have been now cleaned and plastic that choked these streams been taken out. The water is finally crystal clear after years. Women also participated in the initiative&nbsp;and helped in cleaning the roads, streams and fields as well.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We have been working with the Sarpanch for four months now, and he is hardworking. He made sure our village was clean and he did it. You can see it with your eyes. He comes from a good background but despite that you can see him cleaning the drains in the area. It’s his hard work that is making sure our village is clean. We will give plastic and get gold. It has worked wonders in the area," said Sakeena Begum, Anganwadi worker.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The village that had heaps of plastic thrown on the roads before is now completely clean and all the plastic that is collected is handed over to the panchayat members. This village is setting an example for other villages and the government is also trying to replicate the same idea in every village of the Union Territory.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form"><strong>here</strong></a>.</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


In a far-flung village called Sadiwara in South Kashmir's Anantnag District, the village panchayat head started a unique initiative for saving the environment. He started a campaign by the name 'Give Plastic and Take Gold' where people of the village are asked to collect plastic waste and get a gold coin from the panchayat head.

In a far-flung village called Sadiwara in South Kashmir's Anantnag District, the village panchayat head started a unique initiative for saving the environment. He started a campaign by the name 'Give Plastic and Take Gold' where people of the village are asked to collect plastic waste and get a gold coin from the panchayat head. Farooq Ahmad Ganai, a lawyer by profession and sarpanch (head) of the village Sadiwara, has become an inspiration for everyone in the Kashmir Valley. In order to get a coin, a person needs to hand over 200 kg of plastic waste. The campaign became popular and just two weeks after its launch, the whole village was declared plastic-free. "I started a slogan in my village, give polythene and get a reward. I took the initiative to clean the rivers and streams. Everyone in the village helped us to clear the sites. And finally on January 7, the deputy commissioner announced the area to be plastic-free. The gold that we are giving is from the plastic we are collecting. We will soon be a green village. I will not stop at my village but also take it to all districts of the Union Territory and later from Kashmir to Kanyakumari," said Farooq Ahmad Ganai. Ganai's initiative stands out from those started by the government. The whole village took part in the drive and now it is the first village to be called plastic-free in the Kashmir Valley. The youth of the area have joined forces with the sarpanch in cleaning the village and setting an example for the rest of the Valley and country. “The Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and launched in 2014 by PM Narendra Modi, was our starting point. The sarpanch is a brilliant leader and makes sure to take us all on board to carry forward such initiatives. We took two weeks to make our village plastic-free. We will take it forward to other districts," said Shakeel Wani, youth leader and activist. The streams flowing through the village have been now cleaned and plastic that choked these streams been taken out. The water is finally crystal clear after years. Women also participated in the initiative and helped in cleaning the roads, streams and fields as well. “We have been working with the Sarpanch for four months now, and he is hardworking. He made sure our village was clean and he did it. You can see it with your eyes. He comes from a good background but despite that you can see him cleaning the drains in the area. It’s his hard work that is making sure our village is clean. We will give plastic and get gold. It has worked wonders in the area," said Sakeena Begum, Anganwadi worker. The village that had heaps of plastic thrown on the roads before is now completely clean and all the plastic that is collected is handed over to the panchayat members. This village is setting an example for other villages and the government is also trying to replicate the same idea in every village of the Union Territory. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Give plastic, take gold: A unique idea makes Jammu and Kashmir village plastic-free

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Idrees Lone

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.