Rich Tributes were paid across Kashmir Valley to India's first CDS General Bipin Rawat along with his wife and 11 other brave hearts who sacrificed their lives in an unfortunate helicopter crash.

Rich Tributes were paid across Kashmir Valley to India's first CDS General Bipin Rawat along with his wife and 11 other brave hearts who sacrificed their lives in an unfortunate helicopter crash. A prayer meeting was held at Srinagar's army headquarters to honour the CDS and others killed in the Helicopter crash. The Indian Army GOC DP Pandey along with other top officials of various security agencies attended the ceremony. A candlelight vigil was also held at the Army's war memorial. "We organized this programme as a tribute for the CDS. It’s from the people of the valley towards all the martyrs. It was held across the Kashmir valley. You must have seen in the last 48 hours, how the people have carried out rallies, the way they have carried out candlelight vigils, in fact, marches indicate the connection the general had with the people of Kashmir Valley. A large number of people from Kashmir have gone to attend General's last rites in Delhi," said DP Pandey, GOC Chinar Corps. Obituary | Gen Bipin Rawat biography: India's first Chief of Defence Staff led a life dedicated to the nation In North Kashmir's Kupwara and Keran Sector, several prayers meets during Friday prayers were held. In the mosques of Macchil, Pushwari, Dabpal and T Shuntwari of Machil Sector, the religious heads addressed the people and prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls. "It was the memorial service for the CDS and his wife along with officers in the helicopter crash. He has served here and had a relationship with the people of the Kashmir valley. He did have a Kashmir connection. Very significant part of his duty was spent in the valley in some of the toughest phases. He connected with the people and forces in the valley," said Junaid Mattoo, Mayor Srinagar. The tributes were not only paid by the army and other administrative officers but the locals of the valley too. A large group of people in various parts of Kashmir valley held candlelight vigils to honour the General. The locals also attended the function organised by the Indian Army. ALSO READ | CDS Gen Bipin Rawat's demise 'great loss' for both nations: US State Secy Antony Blinken speaks to Jaishankar ''I am in deep shock as a Kashmiri youth. If you see the past ten years, the situation in north Kashmir was very volatile, but General saab worked for the area and there was a connection of youth with him. He connected hearts in the valley. No one was working with the army in Kashmir, but It was only when the General was posted here that he bridged the gap. There are many examples from north Kashmir of people who are mainstream now because of General. . He will be in our hearts always. We are mourning and it’s painful," said Aqib Renzu, Councilor, Srinagar. These events saw a great patriotic fervour among the people who had gathered for these prayer meets and candlelight vigils across the Valley.

Rich tributes paid to General Bipin Rawat across Kashmir valley

We all have fond memories of writing with pencils during school days, but little do we know that the raw material for these pencils comes from a non-descript village called Oukhoo—which has earned the moniker “Pencil Village of India”.&nbsp;

Oukhoo, located along the bank of Jhelum River, in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, exports the raw material called ‘slats’ to more than 100 countries and 90 per cent of pencils made in India are manufactured in this village.

The village came into the limelight after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned its success story in his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, where he spoke at length about “Pencil Village of India”.&nbsp;

Kashmir Valley has 18 slat factories and 17 of them are in Pulwama. But the onset of Covid has severely impacted its business.

“Most of the people from this village work in these pencil factories and that's why it's called the Pencil Village of India. There are around eight units running in this area. The slats manufactured in Pulwama are sent to various parts of the country,” said Farooq Ahmad, who works as a manager in one of the slat factories.&nbsp;

Before Covid, the industry used to employ more than 4,000 people. Now, the industry is working only at 30 per cent of its original workforce.

As the schools were shut during the pandemic, the demand for pencils in the market dwindled. Eventually, the production went down, and a lot of people associated with the industry lost their jobs.

Now, with Covid waning in the country, the factory owners are hoping that the demand picks up again, as they have started to re-employ people.&nbsp;

“Before Covid, we had around 150 people working in one unit, but now we are working with only 30 per cent of the original workforce. I am hoping that, by the grace of God, we start producing more and all the people are hired back to work,'' said Manzoor Ahmad, owner of a slat making factory in Pulwama.&nbsp;

The industry has been generating employment opportunities for the youth, especially for women in the Pulwama district. Every family had members working in these factories.&nbsp;

“I have been working here for five years, but we had stopped coming due to Covid. But now we have started again. Right now, only 100 to 150 women are coming to work, but we are hoping that once the Covid situation subsides, more women will turn up for work,'' said Shaista, a worker.&nbsp;

Earlier, India used to import wooden supplies from countries like China. But everything changed in 2010 when the local entrepreneurs decided to make use of Kashmir's famous poplar trees—a peculiarly supple wood which makes it best suited for manufacturing pencils.

The poplar wood grows best in the valleys of Kashmir where the moisture content is ideal, and the weather conditions allow the wood to remain soft during the tree’s growth.

We all have fond memories of writing with pencils during school days, but little do we know that the raw material for these pencils comes from a non-descript village called Oukhoo—which has earned the moniker “Pencil Village of India”.

We all have fond memories of writing with pencils during school days, but little do we know that the raw material for these pencils comes from a non-descript village called Oukhoo—which has earned the moniker “Pencil Village of India”. Oukhoo, located along the bank of Jhelum River, in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, exports the raw material called ‘slats’ to more than 100 countries and 90 per cent of pencils made in India are manufactured in this village. The village came into the limelight after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned its success story in his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, where he spoke at length about “Pencil Village of India”. Kashmir Valley has 18 slat factories and 17 of them are in Pulwama. But the onset of Covid has severely impacted its business. “Most of the people from this village work in these pencil factories and that's why it's called the Pencil Village of India. There are around eight units running in this area. The slats manufactured in Pulwama are sent to various parts of the country,” said Farooq Ahmad, who works as a manager in one of the slat factories. Before Covid, the industry used to employ more than 4,000 people. Now, the industry is working only at 30 per cent of its original workforce. As the schools were shut during the pandemic, the demand for pencils in the market dwindled. Eventually, the production went down, and a lot of people associated with the industry lost their jobs. Now, with Covid waning in the country, the factory owners are hoping that the demand picks up again, as they have started to re-employ people. “Before Covid, we had around 150 people working in one unit, but now we are working with only 30 per cent of the original workforce. I am hoping that, by the grace of God, we start producing more and all the people are hired back to work,'' said Manzoor Ahmad, owner of a slat making factory in Pulwama. The industry has been generating employment opportunities for the youth, especially for women in the Pulwama district. Every family had members working in these factories. “I have been working here for five years, but we had stopped coming due to Covid. But now we have started again. Right now, only 100 to 150 women are coming to work, but we are hoping that once the Covid situation subsides, more women will turn up for work,'' said Shaista, a worker. Earlier, India used to import wooden supplies from countries like China. But everything changed in 2010 when the local entrepreneurs decided to make use of Kashmir's famous poplar trees—a peculiarly supple wood which makes it best suited for manufacturing pencils. The poplar wood grows best in the valleys of Kashmir where the moisture content is ideal, and the weather conditions allow the wood to remain soft during the tree’s growth.

South Kashmir’s famed ‘Pencil Village of India’ now in distress due to Covid

Kashmir Valley has witnessed a record number of tourist arrivals in the last one month. As per government reports, more than one lakh tourists visited Kashmir Valley in November, breaking a record of seven years. &nbsp;&nbsp;

With the valley receiving a fresh spell of snowfall, the famous Ski resort Gulmarg has been thronged by tourists. The arrivals of the tourists is expected to increase in the coming few weeks. Christmas and New year attracts several tourists to the valley. &nbsp;&nbsp;

''The view is mesmerising; I wasn't expecting this climate. It's very beautiful and a treat to our eyes and I am very happy, we got to see snow and sunshine which is the best to look at. it's heaven on earth and I would come again and again to visit Gulmarg and ask my friends to come,” said Shivani Chadha, a tourist. &nbsp;

“Every human being needs to visit Kashmir. I will come again. We are vaccinated and we didn't find much hassle with regard to that,'' added Chadha. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/omicron-scare-over-100-foreign-returnees-go-missing-in-india-434773" hreflang="en">Omicron scare: Over 100 foreign returnees ‘go missing’ in India</a>

Tourists, who are visiting the valley, are impressed with the beauty and service that they would recommend others to come to Kashmir as well. &nbsp;&nbsp;

''It's wonderful and feels like a winter wonderland for people who have not experienced snow at all. And you should make a trip here during winters as well as summers to experience the greenery and snow. It was my first time with lovely people, great food. It's like a postcard all around and very nice. Drop all your apprehensions and come here. Everyone should visit, '' said Ashwini, another tourist. &nbsp;

The Gondola ride in Gulmarg is one of the most mesmerising rides to witness the breathtaking visuals of the snow-covered mountains. It's the highest and longest ropeway in Asia. The Gondola starts from the Gulmarg and takes you at a height of 13,000ft above sea level to the mountains of Apharwat. &nbsp;According to the officials, In the last three months, around 2,000 to 3,000 people have taken this ropeway every day. &nbsp;&nbsp;

''The response was very good this time. It snowed yesterday and we are seeing a lot of rush. We expect good footfall this winter. From the past three months, we are seeing 2,000-3,000 people avail Gondola facilities every day. The bookings which we are looking at are very good and we expect a huge rush in the coming winter,” said Showkat Ahmad, in-charge, Gondola. &nbsp;&nbsp;

“We have put everything in place and follow covid protocol. We only board four people in one car if required. This year, we expect that we will see a good footfall,'' added Ahmad. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/as-omicron-variant-of-covid-spreads-is-india-really-ready-this-time-434718" hreflang="en">As Omicron variant of Covid spreads, is India really ready this time?</a>

Tourism is one of the major sectors in Kashmir. Thousands of people are associated with the sector. A lot of business was lost due to Covid in the last two years, and this time, stakeholders are expecting to make up for the losses in the business. &nbsp; &nbsp;

''A lot of tourists are coming, thank God for that. Due to Covid, we didn't see many visitors last winter but this time, the tourist inflow is good. The international flights are still restricted and that's why we see a lot of domestic tourists coming to Kashmir. Our livelihood depends on it. Tourists should come and we make sure that everyone follows Covid protocols. All tourists, who used to travel abroad, will most probably come to Kashmir. We want them to come to the valley and explore,'' said Aijaz Ahmad, tourist guide. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Most of the hotels in Gulmarg have been completely booked around the Christmas and New Year. The government is preparing for the huge tourist inflow and also putting in place a new Covid protocol.&nbsp;

Kashmir Valley has witnessed a record number of tourist arrivals in the last one month. As per government reports, more than one lakh tourists visited Kashmir Valley in November, breaking a record of seven years.

Kashmir Valley has witnessed a record number of tourist arrivals in the last one month. As per government reports, more than one lakh tourists visited Kashmir Valley in November, breaking a record of seven years. With the valley receiving a fresh spell of snowfall, the famous Ski resort Gulmarg has been thronged by tourists. The arrivals of the tourists is expected to increase in the coming few weeks. Christmas and New year attracts several tourists to the valley. ''The view is mesmerising; I wasn't expecting this climate. It's very beautiful and a treat to our eyes and I am very happy, we got to see snow and sunshine which is the best to look at. it's heaven on earth and I would come again and again to visit Gulmarg and ask my friends to come,” said Shivani Chadha, a tourist. “Every human being needs to visit Kashmir. I will come again. We are vaccinated and we didn't find much hassle with regard to that,'' added Chadha. Also Read | Omicron scare: Over 100 foreign returnees ‘go missing’ in India Tourists, who are visiting the valley, are impressed with the beauty and service that they would recommend others to come to Kashmir as well. ''It's wonderful and feels like a winter wonderland for people who have not experienced snow at all. And you should make a trip here during winters as well as summers to experience the greenery and snow. It was my first time with lovely people, great food. It's like a postcard all around and very nice. Drop all your apprehensions and come here. Everyone should visit, '' said Ashwini, another tourist. The Gondola ride in Gulmarg is one of the most mesmerising rides to witness the breathtaking visuals of the snow-covered mountains. It's the highest and longest ropeway in Asia. The Gondola starts from the Gulmarg and takes you at a height of 13,000ft above sea level to the mountains of Apharwat. According to the officials, In the last three months, around 2,000 to 3,000 people have taken this ropeway every day. ''The response was very good this time. It snowed yesterday and we are seeing a lot of rush. We expect good footfall this winter. From the past three months, we are seeing 2,000-3,000 people avail Gondola facilities every day. The bookings which we are looking at are very good and we expect a huge rush in the coming winter,” said Showkat Ahmad, in-charge, Gondola. “We have put everything in place and follow covid protocol. We only board four people in one car if required. This year, we expect that we will see a good footfall,'' added Ahmad. Also Read: As Omicron variant of Covid spreads, is India really ready this time? Tourism is one of the major sectors in Kashmir. Thousands of people are associated with the sector. A lot of business was lost due to Covid in the last two years, and this time, stakeholders are expecting to make up for the losses in the business. ''A lot of tourists are coming, thank God for that. Due to Covid, we didn't see many visitors last winter but this time, the tourist inflow is good. The international flights are still restricted and that's why we see a lot of domestic tourists coming to Kashmir. Our livelihood depends on it. Tourists should come and we make sure that everyone follows Covid protocols. All tourists, who used to travel abroad, will most probably come to Kashmir. We want them to come to the valley and explore,'' said Aijaz Ahmad, tourist guide. Most of the hotels in Gulmarg have been completely booked around the Christmas and New Year. The government is preparing for the huge tourist inflow and also putting in place a new Covid protocol.

Kashmir Valley gets record number of tourists; Gulmarg’s Ski resort fully booked for New Year, Christmas

At a time when the world is facing the new variant 'Omicron' of COVID-19, the administration in Jammu and Kashmir has sprung into action. The administration has chalked out new rules and regulations for the international travellers coming to Kashmir Valley.&nbsp;

All those people who are either tourists from different countries or locals who travelled abroad will have to be quarantined. The official quarantine will continue till the time test reports come, followed by&nbsp;home quarantine for one week.&nbsp;

The Srinagar administration has set up three special quarantine centers for foreign tourists and locals who have traveled abroad. These facilities would be free of cost. The administration has also established paid quarantine centers where&nbsp;full medical arrangements will be made as well.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/south-africa-witnesses-rise-in-covid-reinfections-433797">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/south-africa-witnesses-rise-in-covid-reinfections-433797/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

''WHO has detected the new variant and says it is a cause of concern, they have called it Omicron. We have taken steps at the Srinagar airport, all tourists and locals coming from abroad will have to get a RT-PCR test done at the airport only. After taking the samples, we have set up quarantine centres and till the time results don't come, they have to stay in these centres. We have taken these steps to stop the border transmission," said Ajaz Asad District Commissioner, Srinagar. "Yesterday, a passenger from Bandipora who had come from Saudi Arabia tested positive and there are four such samples which are inconclusive. The moment we get the results of these, the ones who come positive will be sent to DRDO Hospital and those who will test negative will be asked to home-quarantine for a week.''

The tourists who are landing in Srinagar are finding it difficult to adhere to these new rules by the Srinagar administration. They say that they have not explained the new protocols. One such American tourist in Srinagar was completely dissatisfied with the authorities' handling of the situation. She, along with other tourists, were unhappy about their travel.

''They told me to wait and get tested and I don't know what's the protocol,&nbsp;nobody explained to me. I waited for two or three hours and they told me to get tested again. Then they took us to quarantine. First, they told one day, then seven days. This is inhumane what they are doing to everybody,"&nbsp;said Itresha, an American tourist.&nbsp;"If the Indian government says if you test negative, it's fine, why are there different regulations here. You can't make your own rules as you go along, it's not right, it's inhumane. This is my first time here and I don't feel welcome here. I feel really bad for everyone who has to go through the same.'' &nbsp;

The marriage hall and two hotels with all facilities have been converted into the Quarantine centres. After the International travellers go through the covid tests at the Srinagar International Airport, they have to be quarantined at these facilities till the results come.&nbsp;

''I have landed in Srinagar this morning, central government had issued a list of countries where in those people need to be quarantined, but we are coming from Maldives. We said okay to RT-PCR but we are being told that if you come negative you have to stay at home for seven days; we don't live here and we can't be hotel bound for next seven days. There is no hot water or food here for us. It's difficult as we don't know anyone here and we are stuck,'' said Tushar Saxena, Delhi resident who returned from Maldives.&nbsp;

Jammu and Kashmir is also witnessing a surge in COVID-19 cases. The daily cases in the union territory have crossed 200 mark while 39 people have died last month due to the Covid related issues. In the last 24 hours, 177 new cases have been detected in Jammu Kashmir.&nbsp;

At a time when the world is facing the new variant 'Omicron' of COVID-19, the administration in Jammu and Kashmir has sprung into action. The administration has chalked out new rules and regulations for the international travellers coming to Kashmir Valley.

At a time when the world is facing the new variant 'Omicron' of COVID-19, the administration in Jammu and Kashmir has sprung into action. The administration has chalked out new rules and regulations for the international travellers coming to Kashmir Valley. All those people who are either tourists from different countries or locals who travelled abroad will have to be quarantined. The official quarantine will continue till the time test reports come, followed by home quarantine for one week. The Srinagar administration has set up three special quarantine centers for foreign tourists and locals who have traveled abroad. These facilities would be free of cost. The administration has also established paid quarantine centers where full medical arrangements will be made as well. WATCH | ''WHO has detected the new variant and says it is a cause of concern, they have called it Omicron. We have taken steps at the Srinagar airport, all tourists and locals coming from abroad will have to get a RT-PCR test done at the airport only. After taking the samples, we have set up quarantine centres and till the time results don't come, they have to stay in these centres. We have taken these steps to stop the border transmission," said Ajaz Asad District Commissioner, Srinagar. "Yesterday, a passenger from Bandipora who had come from Saudi Arabia tested positive and there are four such samples which are inconclusive. The moment we get the results of these, the ones who come positive will be sent to DRDO Hospital and those who will test negative will be asked to home-quarantine for a week.'' The tourists who are landing in Srinagar are finding it difficult to adhere to these new rules by the Srinagar administration. They say that they have not explained the new protocols. One such American tourist in Srinagar was completely dissatisfied with the authorities' handling of the situation. She, along with other tourists, were unhappy about their travel. ''They told me to wait and get tested and I don't know what's the protocol, nobody explained to me. I waited for two or three hours and they told me to get tested again. Then they took us to quarantine. First, they told one day, then seven days. This is inhumane what they are doing to everybody," said Itresha, an American tourist. "If the Indian government says if you test negative, it's fine, why are there different regulations here. You can't make your own rules as you go along, it's not right, it's inhumane. This is my first time here and I don't feel welcome here. I feel really bad for everyone who has to go through the same.'' The marriage hall and two hotels with all facilities have been converted into the Quarantine centres. After the International travellers go through the covid tests at the Srinagar International Airport, they have to be quarantined at these facilities till the results come. ''I have landed in Srinagar this morning, central government had issued a list of countries where in those people need to be quarantined, but we are coming from Maldives. We said okay to RT-PCR but we are being told that if you come negative you have to stay at home for seven days; we don't live here and we can't be hotel bound for next seven days. There is no hot water or food here for us. It's difficult as we don't know anyone here and we are stuck,'' said Tushar Saxena, Delhi resident who returned from Maldives. Jammu and Kashmir is also witnessing a surge in COVID-19 cases. The daily cases in the union territory have crossed 200 mark while 39 people have died last month due to the Covid related issues. In the last 24 hours, 177 new cases have been detected in Jammu Kashmir.

Omicron variant in India: New rules for international travellers coming to Kashmir Valley

The Kashmir Valley was recently listed by UNESCO among the creative cities of the world. The valley has innumerable&nbsp;arts and crafts. And one such craft is Glazed pottery.

The glazed tiles and other items have been made for centuries in the valley but the art was on the verge of extinction.

A 26-year-old commerce graduate from Srinagar's Nishat area, Mohamad Omar Kumar has taken it upon himself to revive the craft. Omar has learnt the art from the only person alive in Kashmir valley knowing the craft. And with the help of Jammu and Kashmir's Handicraft department, Omar was able to set up a unit to make these items.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kashmir-apple-orchards-might-not-sustain-climatic-changes-farmers-losing-upto-40-percent-crop-every-year-432750" hreflang="en">Kashmir: Apple orchards might not sustain climatic changes</a>

''My grandfather and father have been doing pottery. But In the beginning I was not interested but once I finished studies I got to know that Glazed pottery is at the verge of extinction. It caught my attention and I searched more. There was only one old man in the Khanyar area of srinagar making the glazed&nbsp;tiles and other stuff. Even that person's children did not take it up. I went to him and learnt for around 6 months. I learnt how to make glazed pottery from him as he is the only person alive knowing the art. I thought of reviving the art and bringing it back to life. I did a lot of hard work. I learned how to make these glazed items here. The glaze is made at home with things which we generally throw away. '' said Mohamad Omar Kumar, Artisan.&nbsp;

The Jammu and Kashmir government has various schemes for the revival of endangered&nbsp;arts of the Kashmir Valley. Among them was Glazed pottery. The government helps artisans establish units and also provide them with raw material as well as stipend. The Jammu and Kashmir governments want to make Srinagar into a craft destination.&nbsp;

''The department of Handicraft launched a policy where we revive critically endangered crafts and glazed pottery is one of the craft which we are endeavouring to revive. We approached&nbsp;this entrepreneur, who was inclined&nbsp;in starting his enterprise of glazed pottery manufacturer. He did his basic training from one of the old teachers. From our intervention under KarKhanDar Scheme, we help in the form of raw material. We also provide stipend to the trainer and also to the trainee so it's a win-win situation for all. Our craft is revived and we incentivised the revival process. We are happy that intervention has borne fruit. Revival of one endangered craft has been accomplished. We want to approach more such individuals who are interested in these critically endangered crafts. This becomes even more critical in view of UNESCO creative city listing wherein we will be pitching&nbsp;in as a craft destination. '' said Mehmood Shah,Director, Handicrafts.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kashmiris-prefer-kangri-to-keep-themselves-warm-in-sub-zero-temperature-431435" hreflang="en">Kashmiris prefer Kangri to keep themselves warm in sub-zero temperature</a>

The Kashmiri tiles were used centuries ago in palaces as well as traditional Kashmiri homes. But with time, people started using ceramic tiles and with no market, the artisans were left with no choice but to stop production. And now the artisans like Omar are trying to bring back the Kashmiri Tiles in the market. Within a short span of time, He has received&nbsp;orders from across the country for these tiles.&nbsp;

''We are not unemployed, we have made ourselves as such. We have so much art here and if we take up all these arts again, no one in the Kashmir valley would be unemployed. Our older generations have left us with so much craft and art, we just need to work on it. The clay tiles I started making were completely&nbsp;finished but now I am making them again with a different&nbsp;design and I have so many orders in a short span of time. I can't manage it alone on my own. We need more and more people taking this up. It's our responsibility to bring alive all these arts. '' said Mohamad Omar Kumar, Artisan.&nbsp;

The government is helping Omar in every possible way. As the orders increase, the government is helping him to meet the growing demand for these items.&nbsp;

''In the years gone by we used to manufacture these glazed clay tiles. In fact&nbsp;our museum has one of the diverse collections of tiles. And The manufacture and baking of tiles is a historical process which has been carried out here and these tiles were all seen in all old houses but we nowaday we are finding it difficult to source but with this intervention we have a source who can churn out tiles. In Fact we are working with him and we are also helping him with production increase. Since it has gotten a lot of attention, people are interested in buying stuff from him so we also have to make sure of the production. '' said Mehmood Shah,Director, Handicrafts.&nbsp;

The Srinagar city has made it to the UNESCO list of creative cities and now the government aims at making the summer capital of Jammu Kashmir into a craft destination.&nbsp;

The Kashmir Valley was recently listed by UNESCO among the creative cities of the world. The valley has innumerable arts and crafts. And one such craft is Glazed pottery.

The Kashmir Valley was recently listed by UNESCO among the creative cities of the world. The valley has innumerable arts and crafts. And one such craft is Glazed pottery. The glazed tiles and other items have been made for centuries in the valley but the art was on the verge of extinction. A 26-year-old commerce graduate from Srinagar's Nishat area, Mohamad Omar Kumar has taken it upon himself to revive the craft. Omar has learnt the art from the only person alive in Kashmir valley knowing the craft. And with the help of Jammu and Kashmir's Handicraft department, Omar was able to set up a unit to make these items. Also read | Kashmir: Apple orchards might not sustain climatic changes ''My grandfather and father have been doing pottery. But In the beginning I was not interested but once I finished studies I got to know that Glazed pottery is at the verge of extinction. It caught my attention and I searched more. There was only one old man in the Khanyar area of srinagar making the glazed tiles and other stuff. Even that person's children did not take it up. I went to him and learnt for around 6 months. I learnt how to make glazed pottery from him as he is the only person alive knowing the art. I thought of reviving the art and bringing it back to life. I did a lot of hard work. I learned how to make these glazed items here. The glaze is made at home with things which we generally throw away. '' said Mohamad Omar Kumar, Artisan. The Jammu and Kashmir government has various schemes for the revival of endangered arts of the Kashmir Valley. Among them was Glazed pottery. The government helps artisans establish units and also provide them with raw material as well as stipend. The Jammu and Kashmir governments want to make Srinagar into a craft destination. ''The department of Handicraft launched a policy where we revive critically endangered crafts and glazed pottery is one of the craft which we are endeavouring to revive. We approached this entrepreneur, who was inclined in starting his enterprise of glazed pottery manufacturer. He did his basic training from one of the old teachers. From our intervention under KarKhanDar Scheme, we help in the form of raw material. We also provide stipend to the trainer and also to the trainee so it's a win-win situation for all. Our craft is revived and we incentivised the revival process. We are happy that intervention has borne fruit. Revival of one endangered craft has been accomplished. We want to approach more such individuals who are interested in these critically endangered crafts. This becomes even more critical in view of UNESCO creative city listing wherein we will be pitching in as a craft destination. '' said Mehmood Shah,Director, Handicrafts. Also read | Kashmiris prefer Kangri to keep themselves warm in sub-zero temperature The Kashmiri tiles were used centuries ago in palaces as well as traditional Kashmiri homes. But with time, people started using ceramic tiles and with no market, the artisans were left with no choice but to stop production. And now the artisans like Omar are trying to bring back the Kashmiri Tiles in the market. Within a short span of time, He has received orders from across the country for these tiles. ''We are not unemployed, we have made ourselves as such. We have so much art here and if we take up all these arts again, no one in the Kashmir valley would be unemployed. Our older generations have left us with so much craft and art, we just need to work on it. The clay tiles I started making were completely finished but now I am making them again with a different design and I have so many orders in a short span of time. I can't manage it alone on my own. We need more and more people taking this up. It's our responsibility to bring alive all these arts. '' said Mohamad Omar Kumar, Artisan. The government is helping Omar in every possible way. As the orders increase, the government is helping him to meet the growing demand for these items. ''In the years gone by we used to manufacture these glazed clay tiles. In fact our museum has one of the diverse collections of tiles. And The manufacture and baking of tiles is a historical process which has been carried out here and these tiles were all seen in all old houses but we nowaday we are finding it difficult to source but with this intervention we have a source who can churn out tiles. In Fact we are working with him and we are also helping him with production increase. Since it has gotten a lot of attention, people are interested in buying stuff from him so we also have to make sure of the production. '' said Mehmood Shah,Director, Handicrafts. The Srinagar city has made it to the UNESCO list of creative cities and now the government aims at making the summer capital of Jammu Kashmir into a craft destination.

Reviving Kashmir’s dying crafts, youth becomes an inspiration to bring back glazed pottery

The famous Apple Orchards of Kashmir Valley might soon vanish due to the erratic climatic changes in the region. The valley in the last decade has seen major climatic changes&nbsp;like early snowfall due to which farmers have lost around 40 percent of the crop every year.&nbsp;

In 2021, the first snowfall of the season in the Kashmir valley happened in the month of October. At that time the majority of farmers had not harvested the produce. Researchers say the damage to the apple orchards and produce was between 4-40 percent.

A new research done by Dr. Irfan Rashid suggests that the apple orchards of the valley might not sustain if these climatic conditions&nbsp;prevail.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/quarantine-genome-sequencing-for-passengers-coming-from-south-africa-to-mumbai-says-citys-mayor-432359" hreflang="en">Quarantine, genome sequencing for South African passengers, says Mumbai mayor</a>

''We have a substantial number of farmers all across the Kashmir valley who are doing apple farming. What has happened over the last two or three decades is we are experiencing changes in many meteorological&nbsp;parameters. We have very instrumental evidence with us that is temperature and precipitation patterns. If you look at precipitation patterns, we used to receive substantial precipitation in winters, there were some sporadic events in springs also but Autumn&nbsp;used to be dry but what we are seeing now is erratic snowfall during autumn,''&nbsp;said Dr. Irfan Rashid, Coordinator, Department of GeoInformatics, Kashmir University.&nbsp;

''If we look at Met History we experienced very heavy snowfall in the first week of November in 2018 and in 2019. We received snowfall in the month of October which is very early. There are many varieties of apples that are harvested in November so obviously when we have erratic snowfalls, the crop will suffer and also damage the trees. In 2018 we did a survey, which suggested that 4-50 percent damage, some orchards were damaged up to 50 percent. On an average around 35 percent of our crop got damaged,'' he added.

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He also said that if we don't&nbsp;bring in the required changes, the horticulture industry which is the backbone of Kashmir's GDP will be majorly impacted.

''If we do not take into consideration the erratic snowfall patterns that Kashmir has been experiencing, this promulgation of horticulture as an economic savior of Jammu and Kashmir will not be sustainable in the long run,'' added Dr. Irfan Rashid, Coordinator, Department of GeoInformatics, Kashmir University.&nbsp;

Researchers believe that the last two decades have seen major climatic changes in the Kashmir Valley, but In the last five years, the apple orchard farmers had to bear the maximum brunt. This year was the third consecutive harvest destroyed by the early snowfall.

2019 saw the maximum damage as Kashmir witnessed the heaviest snowfall during that year damaging crops and trees worth millions.&nbsp;

The Horticulture department has been promoting High-Density Apple orchards to the farmers. A huge number of farms have been converted from traditional apple orchards to High-Density ones. The horticulture&nbsp;department as well as the researchers also believe shifting to High density could save the industry.&nbsp;

''In my research also, we basically vouched for High-density apple orchards, but we have to take into consideration the harvest season and timing has to not be October and November it has to be early. if we receive snowfall in October like this year, it might be likely in years to come October may see snowfall again, &nbsp;so if we have apple varieties where apples are harvested in the month of October, it will be unsustainable, but if we have varieties that can be harvested by mid-September or late September that could be a good way to sustain and channelise horticulture,'' said Dr. Irfan Rashid, Coordinator, Department of GeoInformatics, Kashmir University

The farmers on the other hand say it would be extremely difficult to shift to High-Density Orchards. The existing traditional Apple orchards would need to be completely taken off to plant new trees, which means huge losses to the farmers.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The famous Apple Orchards of Kashmir Valley might soon vanish due to the erratic climatic changes in the region. The valley in the last decade has seen major climatic changes like early snowfall due to which farmers have lost around 40 percent of the crop every year.

The famous Apple Orchards of Kashmir Valley might soon vanish due to the erratic climatic changes in the region. The valley in the last decade has seen major climatic changes like early snowfall due to which farmers have lost around 40 percent of the crop every year. In 2021, the first snowfall of the season in the Kashmir valley happened in the month of October. At that time the majority of farmers had not harvested the produce. Researchers say the damage to the apple orchards and produce was between 4-40 percent. A new research done by Dr. Irfan Rashid suggests that the apple orchards of the valley might not sustain if these climatic conditions prevail. Also read | Quarantine, genome sequencing for South African passengers, says Mumbai mayor ''We have a substantial number of farmers all across the Kashmir valley who are doing apple farming. What has happened over the last two or three decades is we are experiencing changes in many meteorological parameters. We have very instrumental evidence with us that is temperature and precipitation patterns. If you look at precipitation patterns, we used to receive substantial precipitation in winters, there were some sporadic events in springs also but Autumn used to be dry but what we are seeing now is erratic snowfall during autumn,'' said Dr. Irfan Rashid, Coordinator, Department of GeoInformatics, Kashmir University. ''If we look at Met History we experienced very heavy snowfall in the first week of November in 2018 and in 2019. We received snowfall in the month of October which is very early. There are many varieties of apples that are harvested in November so obviously when we have erratic snowfalls, the crop will suffer and also damage the trees. In 2018 we did a survey, which suggested that 4-50 percent damage, some orchards were damaged up to 50 percent. On an average around 35 percent of our crop got damaged,'' he added. Also read | UAE to be first foreign destination of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2022 He also said that if we don't bring in the required changes, the horticulture industry which is the backbone of Kashmir's GDP will be majorly impacted. ''If we do not take into consideration the erratic snowfall patterns that Kashmir has been experiencing, this promulgation of horticulture as an economic savior of Jammu and Kashmir will not be sustainable in the long run,'' added Dr. Irfan Rashid, Coordinator, Department of GeoInformatics, Kashmir University. Researchers believe that the last two decades have seen major climatic changes in the Kashmir Valley, but In the last five years, the apple orchard farmers had to bear the maximum brunt. This year was the third consecutive harvest destroyed by the early snowfall. 2019 saw the maximum damage as Kashmir witnessed the heaviest snowfall during that year damaging crops and trees worth millions. The Horticulture department has been promoting High-Density Apple orchards to the farmers. A huge number of farms have been converted from traditional apple orchards to High-Density ones. The horticulture department as well as the researchers also believe shifting to High density could save the industry. ''In my research also, we basically vouched for High-density apple orchards, but we have to take into consideration the harvest season and timing has to not be October and November it has to be early. if we receive snowfall in October like this year, it might be likely in years to come October may see snowfall again, so if we have apple varieties where apples are harvested in the month of October, it will be unsustainable, but if we have varieties that can be harvested by mid-September or late September that could be a good way to sustain and channelise horticulture,'' said Dr. Irfan Rashid, Coordinator, Department of GeoInformatics, Kashmir University The farmers on the other hand say it would be extremely difficult to shift to High-Density Orchards. The existing traditional Apple orchards would need to be completely taken off to plant new trees, which means huge losses to the farmers.

Kashmir: Apple orchards might not sustain climatic changes, farmers losing upto 40 percent crop every year

In a brief shootout in Srinagar's Rambagh area, Security forces killed three terrorists of terror outfit The Resistance Front (TRF).

The Top Commander of TRF Mehran Yaseen was among three terrorists killed in Srinagar.&nbsp;

The Jammu and Kashmir police said that they received input about the movement of terrorists in Rambagh area of Srinagar, a small team from Srinagar Police signalled a suspected Santro vehicle to stop.

However, the terrorists started firing indiscriminately on the police party from inside the car while trying to flee from the spot under the cover of firing. The fire was however effectively retaliated leading to gunfight.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/chinese-army-conducts-live-fire-drills-with-high-altitude-weapons-near-indias-border-431417" hreflang="en">China conducts live-fire drills with high-altitude weapons near India's border</a>

''In the ensuing gunfight, three terrorists got killed and identified as terrorist commander of proscribed terror outfit LeT (TRF) Mehran Yaseen Shalla resident of Jamalatta Srinagar, Manzoor Ahmad Mir resident of Babhar Pulwama and Arafat Ahmad Sheikh resident of Nikloora Pulwama.'' said IG Kashmir Vijay Kumar.&nbsp;

The police also said that the killed terrorist Mehran Yaseen had a long history of terror crimes and was wanted by law for his involvement in several terror crime cases.

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''The cases including grenade attack at Barbar Shah Srinagar on 26/06/2021 in which one civilian namely Mudasir Ahmad Bhat resident of Hanjigund Beerwah got killed &amp; three other civilians got critically injured, Killing of &nbsp;Meeran Ali Sheikh at Bulbul Lanker Nawa Kadal on 27/07/2021, Killing of PSI Arshad Ahmad at Khanyar on 12/09/2021, Killing of School Principal Supinder Kour and teacher Deepak Chand of Government Higher Secondary School, Khankah Noorbagh Sangam on 07/10/2021.'' said a JK Police.

Moreover, the other killed terrorist Arafat Ahmad was also involved in several terror crime cases including killing of non-local labour at the Litter area of Pulwama on 16/10/2021.&nbsp;

Incriminating materials including arms &amp; ammunition have been recovered from their possession. Police have registered a case in this regard and investigation is in progress.&nbsp;

In a brief shootout in Srinagar's Rambagh area, Security forces killed three terrorists of terror outfit The Resistance Front (TRF). The Top Commander of TRF Mehran Yaseen was among three terrorists killed in Srinagar.

In a brief shootout in Srinagar's Rambagh area, Security forces killed three terrorists of terror outfit The Resistance Front (TRF). The Top Commander of TRF Mehran Yaseen was among three terrorists killed in Srinagar. The Jammu and Kashmir police said that they received input about the movement of terrorists in Rambagh area of Srinagar, a small team from Srinagar Police signalled a suspected Santro vehicle to stop. However, the terrorists started firing indiscriminately on the police party from inside the car while trying to flee from the spot under the cover of firing. The fire was however effectively retaliated leading to gunfight. Also read | China conducts live-fire drills with high-altitude weapons near India's border ''In the ensuing gunfight, three terrorists got killed and identified as terrorist commander of proscribed terror outfit LeT (TRF) Mehran Yaseen Shalla resident of Jamalatta Srinagar, Manzoor Ahmad Mir resident of Babhar Pulwama and Arafat Ahmad Sheikh resident of Nikloora Pulwama.'' said IG Kashmir Vijay Kumar. The police also said that the killed terrorist Mehran Yaseen had a long history of terror crimes and was wanted by law for his involvement in several terror crime cases. Also read | Indian forces conduct multi-agency exercise in Rajasthan, Gujarat ''The cases including grenade attack at Barbar Shah Srinagar on 26/06/2021 in which one civilian namely Mudasir Ahmad Bhat resident of Hanjigund Beerwah got killed & three other civilians got critically injured, Killing of Meeran Ali Sheikh at Bulbul Lanker Nawa Kadal on 27/07/2021, Killing of PSI Arshad Ahmad at Khanyar on 12/09/2021, Killing of School Principal Supinder Kour and teacher Deepak Chand of Government Higher Secondary School, Khankah Noorbagh Sangam on 07/10/2021.'' said a JK Police. Moreover, the other killed terrorist Arafat Ahmad was also involved in several terror crime cases including killing of non-local labour at the Litter area of Pulwama on 16/10/2021. Incriminating materials including arms & ammunition have been recovered from their possession. Police have registered a case in this regard and investigation is in progress.

TRF Top Commander Mehran Yaseen among three terrorists killed in Srinagar shootout

Kashmir Valley has been hit by an intense cold wave with temperatures&nbsp;dipping to sub-zero as&nbsp;people in the Valley have been using every method and appliance to keep themselves warm. But the age-old Kangri (earthen pot) still is the favourite to keep themselves&nbsp;warm.&nbsp;

Kangri is an earthen pot encased in a wicker basket. The weaving around it is intricate and beautifully designed. The locals in the Valley call it a portable heater to keep warm under freezing condictions.&nbsp;

The Chraar-e-Shareef area in central Kashmir's Budgam district is known for making the best Kangri's in the Kashmir Valley. For its craftsmanship and quality, lakhs of Kangri's are sold every winter from this area.&nbsp;

<img alt="Kangri weavers in J&amp;K" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c56a2b23-6c2f-48d7-879f-bf6bfab5fde8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/kk3.jpeg" />

''Necessity is the mother of invention. We live in a region which is very cold with&nbsp;at least for 4-5 months of winter. And to counter the cold, Kangri was invented. It keeps us warm. It has new designs&nbsp;now as well,"&nbsp; said Ghulam Hassan Bhat, a Kangri businessman.&nbsp;

"We get raw material from the jungle for weaving. We dry the twigs and later colour it. There is an earthen pot inside. It's a lot of work for the artisans. There are various types of Kangris. And their&nbsp;pricing also depends on the same. It's a part of our culture and also a necessity,"&nbsp; Bhat added.

"Although there are new heating devices in the market, this can never go out of fashion. It's a craft which will always stay here. The best craftsmanship of making the Kangri is in this area of Chraar-e-Shareef. There is no electricity in our areas, we have huge power cuts and that's why Kangri is our best way to keep warm,'' he said.&nbsp;

One artisan makes around 3-4 Kangris in a day. The artisans say that the demand for Kangri has gone up. The long power cuts make most of the new gadgets and appliances useless while countering cold. So Kangri is a tradition as well as a&nbsp;necessity for the&nbsp;Kashmir Valley.&nbsp;

<img alt="Kangri weavers in J&amp;K" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="88f71468-14db-4546-aac8-e56bb8768079" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/KK4.jpeg" />

"I have been making these Kangris for 21 years. Our Kangris are famous for weaving. We take a lot of time to gather the raw material and use the best quality. We also get orders to weave Kangris for decoration. In our area, we must be making around 3 lakh Kangris every year. Now even people who were not associated with this craft have started making these Kangris,'' said Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, an artisan.&nbsp;

Kangri making is also an art in itself. Artisans use different colours while weaving to make it look beautiful. The weaving is done stepwise and that decides the pricing of the Kangri.&nbsp;

''I make around four&nbsp;Kangris a day. The best quality Kangri is made in our area. We have beautiful colourful Kangris. It has many types, we differentiate the Kangris on the basis of workmanship. The weaving is done in steps and there are many such steps which make them better. I have been making Kangris&nbsp;for ages, although the rate of raw material has gone up. Kashmiris cannot do without the Kangri,'' Ghulam Nabi&nbsp;Bhat said.&nbsp;

The younger generation has also started to pick up this art. They say&nbsp;with growing unemployment, they have also learnt the art from their elders and will teach the next generation as well.&nbsp;

<img alt="Kangri weavers in J&amp;K" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c247882b-393c-4143-a463-4781d651ec50" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/JJ1.jpeg" />

''I have been making it for the last fiver&nbsp;years due to unemployment I started making Kangris. I looked for a job and didn't&nbsp;get any so finally started making them. The younger generation doesn't want to be associated with it. We were taught by our elders and we will teach it to our future generations. '' said Nasir Hussain Bhat, an artisan.

Kangri works on burning coal and it does have side effects. Experts say that it can cause skin burns, pollution and sometimes also be responsible for fire incidents in many areas,&nbsp;so while using Kangri's a lot of protection needs to be taken.

Kashmir Valley has been hit by an intense cold wave with temperatures dipping to sub-zero as people in the Valley have been using every method and appliance to keep themselves warm.

Kashmir Valley has been hit by an intense cold wave with temperatures dipping to sub-zero as people in the Valley have been using every method and appliance to keep themselves warm. But the age-old Kangri (earthen pot) still is the favourite to keep themselves warm. Kangri is an earthen pot encased in a wicker basket. The weaving around it is intricate and beautifully designed. The locals in the Valley call it a portable heater to keep warm under freezing condictions. The Chraar-e-Shareef area in central Kashmir's Budgam district is known for making the best Kangri's in the Kashmir Valley. For its craftsmanship and quality, lakhs of Kangri's are sold every winter from this area. ''Necessity is the mother of invention. We live in a region which is very cold with at least for 4-5 months of winter. And to counter the cold, Kangri was invented. It keeps us warm. It has new designs now as well," said Ghulam Hassan Bhat, a Kangri businessman. "We get raw material from the jungle for weaving. We dry the twigs and later colour it. There is an earthen pot inside. It's a lot of work for the artisans. There are various types of Kangris. And their pricing also depends on the same. It's a part of our culture and also a necessity," Bhat added. "Although there are new heating devices in the market, this can never go out of fashion. It's a craft which will always stay here. The best craftsmanship of making the Kangri is in this area of Chraar-e-Shareef. There is no electricity in our areas, we have huge power cuts and that's why Kangri is our best way to keep warm,'' he said. One artisan makes around 3-4 Kangris in a day. The artisans say that the demand for Kangri has gone up. The long power cuts make most of the new gadgets and appliances useless while countering cold. So Kangri is a tradition as well as a necessity for the Kashmir Valley. "I have been making these Kangris for 21 years. Our Kangris are famous for weaving. We take a lot of time to gather the raw material and use the best quality. We also get orders to weave Kangris for decoration. In our area, we must be making around 3 lakh Kangris every year. Now even people who were not associated with this craft have started making these Kangris,'' said Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, an artisan. Kangri making is also an art in itself. Artisans use different colours while weaving to make it look beautiful. The weaving is done stepwise and that decides the pricing of the Kangri. ''I make around four Kangris a day. The best quality Kangri is made in our area. We have beautiful colourful Kangris. It has many types, we differentiate the Kangris on the basis of workmanship. The weaving is done in steps and there are many such steps which make them better. I have been making Kangris for ages, although the rate of raw material has gone up. Kashmiris cannot do without the Kangri,'' Ghulam Nabi Bhat said. The younger generation has also started to pick up this art. They say with growing unemployment, they have also learnt the art from their elders and will teach the next generation as well. ''I have been making it for the last fiver years due to unemployment I started making Kangris. I looked for a job and didn't get any so finally started making them. The younger generation doesn't want to be associated with it. We were taught by our elders and we will teach it to our future generations. '' said Nasir Hussain Bhat, an artisan. Kangri works on burning coal and it does have side effects. Experts say that it can cause skin burns, pollution and sometimes also be responsible for fire incidents in many areas, so while using Kangri's a lot of protection needs to be taken.

Kashmiris prefer Kangri to keep themselves warm in sub-zero temperature

&nbsp;Temperatures dropped below zero degrees Celsius in India’s Jammu and Kashmir union territory, with Srinagar city recording the lowest temperature of the season at minus 1.6 degrees Celsius.

Other parts of the state also experienced sub-zero temperatures as the mercury went down two to three degrees below normal. Pahalgam, the famous hill station in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.7 degrees Celsius, the ski resort Gulmarg recorded the minimum temperature at minus 0.8 degrees Celsius.

The state meteorological department has attributed “the erratic weather condition” to global warming.&nbsp;

“Global warming is a worldwide issue and is not Kashmir centric, but it does have an impact here as well,” said Sonam Lotus, Director MeT Department Kashmir.&nbsp;

The winter conditions in Kashmir have set in much ahead of the beginning of extremely harsh weather conditions which usually start around the third week of December.

‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day period of harsh winter in Kashmir, begins on December 21 every year.

Meanwhile, the Met department will be soon launching an awareness campaign on asphyxiation, which is often linked to winter the season. &nbsp;

“With the onset of winter, people keep themselves warm and use appliances like bukhari (portable room heater). But the main problem of using such a traditional device is that there is little room for exhaust and no ventilation. Because of this, carbon monoxide increases and causes a lot of damage, as we recently saw how a girl died in her room due to asphyxiation. We are always aware of do’s and don’ts and we will soon start the awareness programme,” said Lotus.&nbsp;

In neighbouring Ladakh, too, the temperatures remained at sub-zero level. The minimum temperature at the capital Leh was at minus 8 degrees Celsius. Kargil recorded the minimum temperature at minus 3.6 degrees Celsius. The second coldest place in the world, Drass, recorded the temperature at minus 12.8 degrees Celsius.&nbsp;

The onset of cold weather conditions often worries the locals living in the area, as they face long electricity cuts, avalanches, etc.

“It's extremely cold here, we can't go out in the mornings. We use kangri (an earthen pot woven around with wicker filled with hot embers) which works on coal and now we have been facing shortage of the coal as well. The water pipes freeze and then there is no water as well. We want the government to help the poor. It's unbearable. There is no electricity also, too many power cuts. The government needs to intervene. There is so much fog in the morning that we can't go out. '' said Bashir Ahmad, a resident of Srinagar.&nbsp;

The Met department has predicted that weather will remain mainly dry in Jammu and Kashmir with morning fog at isolated places over plains of the valley till November end.

Temperatures dropped below zero degrees Celsius in India’s Jammu and Kashmir union territory, with Srinagar city recording the lowest temperature of the season at minus 1.

Temperatures dropped below zero degrees Celsius in India’s Jammu and Kashmir union territory, with Srinagar city recording the lowest temperature of the season at minus 1.6 degrees Celsius. Other parts of the state also experienced sub-zero temperatures as the mercury went down two to three degrees below normal. Pahalgam, the famous hill station in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.7 degrees Celsius, the ski resort Gulmarg recorded the minimum temperature at minus 0.8 degrees Celsius. The state meteorological department has attributed “the erratic weather condition” to global warming. “Global warming is a worldwide issue and is not Kashmir centric, but it does have an impact here as well,” said Sonam Lotus, Director MeT Department Kashmir. The winter conditions in Kashmir have set in much ahead of the beginning of extremely harsh weather conditions which usually start around the third week of December. ‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day period of harsh winter in Kashmir, begins on December 21 every year. Meanwhile, the Met department will be soon launching an awareness campaign on asphyxiation, which is often linked to winter the season. “With the onset of winter, people keep themselves warm and use appliances like bukhari (portable room heater). But the main problem of using such a traditional device is that there is little room for exhaust and no ventilation. Because of this, carbon monoxide increases and causes a lot of damage, as we recently saw how a girl died in her room due to asphyxiation. We are always aware of do’s and don’ts and we will soon start the awareness programme,” said Lotus. In neighbouring Ladakh, too, the temperatures remained at sub-zero level. The minimum temperature at the capital Leh was at minus 8 degrees Celsius. Kargil recorded the minimum temperature at minus 3.6 degrees Celsius. The second coldest place in the world, Drass, recorded the temperature at minus 12.8 degrees Celsius. The onset of cold weather conditions often worries the locals living in the area, as they face long electricity cuts, avalanches, etc. “It's extremely cold here, we can't go out in the mornings. We use kangri (an earthen pot woven around with wicker filled with hot embers) which works on coal and now we have been facing shortage of the coal as well. The water pipes freeze and then there is no water as well. We want the government to help the poor. It's unbearable. There is no electricity also, too many power cuts. The government needs to intervene. There is so much fog in the morning that we can't go out. '' said Bashir Ahmad, a resident of Srinagar. The Met department has predicted that weather will remain mainly dry in Jammu and Kashmir with morning fog at isolated places over plains of the valley till November end.

Cold wave grips Kashmir, sub-zero temperature recorded across valley

Jammu and&nbsp;Kashmir&nbsp;has become a hub of drugs. A recent study has revealed that Jammu&nbsp;Kashmir&nbsp;has 600,000&nbsp;people involved in drug-related issues which are approximately 4.6 per cent&nbsp;of the population of the Union Territory.

90 per cent&nbsp;of these drug users are in the age group of 17-33 years.

A meeting was called by the Chief Secretary of Jammu and&nbsp;Kashmir&nbsp;where the state-level committee of the narco coordination centre&nbsp;outlined a project for tackling the drug menace in the Union Territory.&nbsp;

In recent years, the number of drug abusers has increased by many folds in the UT. There is a change in the pattern of drugs used as well.

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Illicit drugs like heroin, cocaine, and brown sugar are available in the drug market. 90 percent of the patients enrolling in drug de-addiction centres are using heroin.&nbsp;

''The number is increasing, as per our OPD's we see around 40-50 patients every day and the kind of addiction we are seeing is very dangerous. Most of them are using illicit drugs like heroin and brown sugar and that too via injections. It's very dangerous because they get infections like hepatitis c and hepatitis b and also HIV,''&nbsp;said Dr Yasir Rather, Professor, Incharge drug de-addiction center, SMHS, GMC Srinagar.

In fact what we saw in our study is that there is an epidemic within an epidemic. It's become very common&nbsp;in these patients. And It leads to chronic liver diseases resulting in death. From last one decade the numbers are increasing and also the pattern has changed. What we are seeing is illicit drugs are being used commonly like heroin and brown sugar. Around 90 percent of our opd cases are using heroin. There are multiple factors related. '' he added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/great-gesture-indian-pm-lauds-minister-bhagwat-karad-for-helping-co-passenger-mid-flight-429930" hreflang="en">Indian minister Bhagwat Karad helps co-passenger mid-flight, earns PM's praise</a>

The Psychiatric Hospital in Srinagar did a survey in two districts of&nbsp;Kashmir&nbsp;Valley. What they found was shocking and alarming. In Srinagar and Anantnag districts only, 18000 people were using illicit drugs which amounted to 3.5 crore rupees every day.&nbsp;

 
''We did a survey in two districts Srinagar and Anantnag, In that survey, we saw how much is the economic&nbsp;burden of addiction. We found 18000 people using these illicit drugs that are heroin and in that we found 3.5 crores rupees were spent on procuring these drugs on a daily basis. '' said Dr Yasir Rather, Professor, Incharge drug de addiction center, SMHS, GMC Srinagar.

The drug addicts who are being treated at the Government De-Addiction centre in Srinagar say that drugs are easily available across the&nbsp;Kashmir&nbsp;Valley. Once they get addicted to these substances, they go to any extent to get them. One such story is of Showkat Ahmad Sheikh, A labourer by profession, Showkat &nbsp;was about to sell his baby as he was falling short of money to get drugs. He even took the advance payment to sell his own baby for money so that he could get drugs.&nbsp;

'''It used to be cheaper earlier, but now it's become expensive. Every household has one addict and I have been on drugs for three years. I used to work as a labourer. And I used to spend all my money on drugs. During that period only my wife was pregnant. And when she delivered the baby in the hospital, I tried selling my own child to make money to get drugs,'' said former drug abuser&nbsp;Showkat Ahmad Sheikh.

I was in the hospital and some ladies asked me if I could find them a couple to give them a child and hearing this I decided to sell my own baby. They had offered me ten lac rupees and I had said yes. I even took 20 thousand rupees from them.&nbsp;&nbsp;I spent 15 thousand for 3 gms of substance. They later paid me 60 thousand rupees. Later I realised what I was about to do. I was thinking of stealing my own baby. I am begging people who are involved in the drugs to stay away,&nbsp;'' he added.

The biggest problem is the easy availability of these illicit drugs across the UT. The drug abusers say that From cocaine&nbsp;to heroin to brown sugar, everything is available&nbsp;over a phone call. This menace has also led to an increase in crime rate in some areas.&nbsp;

According to&nbsp;former drug abuser&nbsp;Mohammad Umar, ''I started with cigarettes&nbsp;and due to unemployment I started getting involved in various drugs. I wouldnt like to reveal everything but I was addicted to F10 and F11. Drugs are available everywhere, you should just have the money. There is a chain which starts in South&nbsp;Kashmir's Sangam area, the government&nbsp;needs to take action on them. Most of the drugs are charas, cocaine, brown sugar and Heroin. Srinagar gets all its supplies from these areas.''

''I would want the Police to intervene and put the drug dealers behind the bar. We need to stop it from the very first level of the chain. I have been coming to this rehab centre for more than a year and I am thankful to Dr Yasir who has helped me a lot to deal with the addiction. Now I am etally and physically fit. I would appeal to all boys and girls to stay away from drugs. I was working and spending all the money, used to ask my parents for money then I decided either I have to steal or leave this menace. I managed to give up on drugs. Unemployment is one of the major reasons for getting into these things,&nbsp;'' he added.&nbsp;

The Jammu and&nbsp;Kashmir&nbsp;police have recovered Illicit drugs from various parts of the Union Territory worth crores of rupees. The Police also say that most of the drugs supplied come from across the border of Pakistan.

Many such consignments were recovered mostly in areas close to the Line of Control, like Kupwara and Uri. Also, a lot of these drug&nbsp;consignments were dropped via drones from across the International borders in different&nbsp;parts of Jammu.&nbsp;

Jammu and Kashmir has become a hub of drugs. A recent study has revealed that Jammu Kashmir has 600,000 people involved in drug-related issues which are approximately 4.

Jammu and Kashmir has become a hub of drugs. A recent study has revealed that Jammu Kashmir has 600,000 people involved in drug-related issues which are approximately 4.6 per cent of the population of the Union Territory. 90 per cent of these drug users are in the age group of 17-33 years. A meeting was called by the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir where the state-level committee of the narco coordination centre outlined a project for tackling the drug menace in the Union Territory. In recent years, the number of drug abusers has increased by many folds in the UT. There is a change in the pattern of drugs used as well. Also read | India likely to get first openly gay person as judge of high court Illicit drugs like heroin, cocaine, and brown sugar are available in the drug market. 90 percent of the patients enrolling in drug de-addiction centres are using heroin. ''The number is increasing, as per our OPD's we see around 40-50 patients every day and the kind of addiction we are seeing is very dangerous. Most of them are using illicit drugs like heroin and brown sugar and that too via injections. It's very dangerous because they get infections like hepatitis c and hepatitis b and also HIV,'' said Dr Yasir Rather, Professor, Incharge drug de-addiction center, SMHS, GMC Srinagar. In fact what we saw in our study is that there is an epidemic within an epidemic. It's become very common in these patients. And It leads to chronic liver diseases resulting in death. From last one decade the numbers are increasing and also the pattern has changed. What we are seeing is illicit drugs are being used commonly like heroin and brown sugar. Around 90 percent of our opd cases are using heroin. There are multiple factors related. '' he added. Also read | Indian minister Bhagwat Karad helps co-passenger mid-flight, earns PM's praise The Psychiatric Hospital in Srinagar did a survey in two districts of Kashmir Valley. What they found was shocking and alarming. In Srinagar and Anantnag districts only, 18000 people were using illicit drugs which amounted to 3.5 crore rupees every day. ''We did a survey in two districts Srinagar and Anantnag, In that survey, we saw how much is the economic burden of addiction. We found 18000 people using these illicit drugs that are heroin and in that we found 3.5 crores rupees were spent on procuring these drugs on a daily basis. '' said Dr Yasir Rather, Professor, Incharge drug de addiction center, SMHS, GMC Srinagar. The drug addicts who are being treated at the Government De-Addiction centre in Srinagar say that drugs are easily available across the Kashmir Valley. Once they get addicted to these substances, they go to any extent to get them. One such story is of Showkat Ahmad Sheikh, A labourer by profession, Showkat was about to sell his baby as he was falling short of money to get drugs. He even took the advance payment to sell his own baby for money so that he could get drugs. '''It used to be cheaper earlier, but now it's become expensive. Every household has one addict and I have been on drugs for three years. I used to work as a labourer. And I used to spend all my money on drugs. During that period only my wife was pregnant. And when she delivered the baby in the hospital, I tried selling my own child to make money to get drugs,'' said former drug abuser Showkat Ahmad Sheikh. I was in the hospital and some ladies asked me if I could find them a couple to give them a child and hearing this I decided to sell my own baby. They had offered me ten lac rupees and I had said yes. I even took 20 thousand rupees from them. I spent 15 thousand for 3 gms of substance. They later paid me 60 thousand rupees. Later I realised what I was about to do. I was thinking of stealing my own baby. I am begging people who are involved in the drugs to stay away, '' he added. The biggest problem is the easy availability of these illicit drugs across the UT. The drug abusers say that From cocaine to heroin to brown sugar, everything is available over a phone call. This menace has also led to an increase in crime rate in some areas. According to former drug abuser Mohammad Umar, ''I started with cigarettes and due to unemployment I started getting involved in various drugs. I wouldnt like to reveal everything but I was addicted to F10 and F11. Drugs are available everywhere, you should just have the money. There is a chain which starts in South Kashmir's Sangam area, the government needs to take action on them. Most of the drugs are charas, cocaine, brown sugar and Heroin. Srinagar gets all its supplies from these areas.'' ''I would want the Police to intervene and put the drug dealers behind the bar. We need to stop it from the very first level of the chain. I have been coming to this rehab centre for more than a year and I am thankful to Dr Yasir who has helped me a lot to deal with the addiction. Now I am etally and physically fit. I would appeal to all boys and girls to stay away from drugs. I was working and spending all the money, used to ask my parents for money then I decided either I have to steal or leave this menace. I managed to give up on drugs. Unemployment is one of the major reasons for getting into these things, '' he added. The Jammu and Kashmir police have recovered Illicit drugs from various parts of the Union Territory worth crores of rupees. The Police also say that most of the drugs supplied come from across the border of Pakistan. Many such consignments were recovered mostly in areas close to the Line of Control, like Kupwara and Uri. Also, a lot of these drug consignments were dropped via drones from across the International borders in different parts of Jammu.

600,000 youngsters in Jammu and Kashmir have become drug addicts: Study

The Kashmir Valley witnesses a magical change in colours during the autumn season. The fall splashes the Valley with red colour. The majestic chinar trees look as if they have been decorated with layers of colours&nbsp;&nbsp;and to witness these beautiful visuals&nbsp;thousands of tourists are visiting the Valley.&nbsp;

The red leaves cover the landscape of Kashmir Valley like a carpet. The Nishat Garden, Naseem Bagh&nbsp;and Chinar Bagh are full of tourists taking pictures in these breathtakingly beautiful locations. The scenes these tourists have only seen in Bollywood movies.

''We are feeling as if we are in heaven, If there is paradise on earth it's Kashmir. People who want to experience paradise should visit. The gardens here are Gulmarg and Pahalgam. There is a different beauty to Autumn, we have only seen this in movies. The red coloured trees are looking beautiful. '' said Damodar Agarwal, a tourist.&nbsp;

Some of the tourists visiting the Valley have only read about the beautiful autumn season but have never seen it since&nbsp;the rest of India does not have four&nbsp;seasons like the Kashmir Valley.&nbsp;

<img alt="Kashmir Valley" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e4700645-5dfa-4529-b147-fd39a8548cca" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Kashmirr1.jpg" />

''It's very beautiful. We don't get to see these seasonal changes where we live and this looks like a movie. It looks like a set. We had studied about autumn but now we are witnessing it. It's beautiful. We had missed a lot in life but finally, we are here. '' said Maulina Agarwal, tourist.&nbsp;

The government has also announced special discounts and offers for the tourists coming to the Valley during the autumn season.

<img alt="Kashmir Valley" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ca3b7667-f240-4a4b-8043-b026345f7b64" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Fire11.jpg" />&nbsp;

''We have visited thrice before this, it is our fourth trip but in autumn we have come for the first time and of course, in autumn it's very cold but bearable but a beautiful experience. It's really a paradise,'' said Satish Modi, Tourist.&nbsp;

There are very few places across the world which are so&nbsp;exotic in every season of the year and Kashmir is one of them.

The Kashmir Valley witnesses a magical change in colours during the autumn season. The fall splashes the Valley with red colour. The majestic chinar trees look as if they have been decorated with layers of colours and to witness these beautiful visuals thousands of tourists are visiting the Valley.

The Kashmir Valley witnesses a magical change in colours during the autumn season. The fall splashes the Valley with red colour. The majestic chinar trees look as if they have been decorated with layers of colours and to witness these beautiful visuals thousands of tourists are visiting the Valley. The red leaves cover the landscape of Kashmir Valley like a carpet. The Nishat Garden, Naseem Bagh and Chinar Bagh are full of tourists taking pictures in these breathtakingly beautiful locations. The scenes these tourists have only seen in Bollywood movies. ''We are feeling as if we are in heaven, If there is paradise on earth it's Kashmir. People who want to experience paradise should visit. The gardens here are Gulmarg and Pahalgam. There is a different beauty to Autumn, we have only seen this in movies. The red coloured trees are looking beautiful. '' said Damodar Agarwal, a tourist. Some of the tourists visiting the Valley have only read about the beautiful autumn season but have never seen it since the rest of India does not have four seasons like the Kashmir Valley. ''It's very beautiful. We don't get to see these seasonal changes where we live and this looks like a movie. It looks like a set. We had studied about autumn but now we are witnessing it. It's beautiful. We had missed a lot in life but finally, we are here. '' said Maulina Agarwal, tourist. The government has also announced special discounts and offers for the tourists coming to the Valley during the autumn season. ''We have visited thrice before this, it is our fourth trip but in autumn we have come for the first time and of course, in autumn it's very cold but bearable but a beautiful experience. It's really a paradise,'' said Satish Modi, Tourist. There are very few places across the world which are so exotic in every season of the year and Kashmir is one of them.

Autumn in Kashmir, Valley turns red as tourists throng to witness colour changes

Security forces have neutralised three&nbsp;terrorists in two encounters in the last 24 hours in Kashmir valley. One terrorist identified as Aamir Riyaz of Khrew Pulwama, affiliated with proscribed terror outfit Mujahideen Gazwatul Hind, was killed in the Srinagar encounter.

Police said that he was a relative of one of the accused of the Lethpora terror attack and was assigned to carry out fidayeen attack.&nbsp;

He had also shot a video before carrying out the attack in Srinagar but was neutralised by security forces before that. The video has gone viral on social media.&nbsp;

"Terrorist killed in Srinagar encounter identified as Aamir Riyaz of Khrew Pulwama affiliated with proscribed terror outfit Mujahideen Gazwatul Hind. He was a relative of one of the accused of LetPora terror attack and was assigned to carry out fidayeen attack," said Vijay Kumar, IG JK Police, Kashmir Zone.&nbsp;

Another&nbsp;two terrorists were gunned down by the security forces in another encounter in South Kashmir's Kulgam district. Both of them belonged to the Hizb Ul Mujahideen outfit. Police said that the terrorists were involved in recruiting young boys into terror outfits.&nbsp;

"Two terrorists killed. These killed terrorists identified as District commanders of HM Shiraz Molvi and Yawar Bhat. Shiraz has been active since 2016 and&nbsp;was involved in recruiting innocent youth into terror ranks and several civilian killings. A big success for us,"&nbsp;said Vijay Kumar, IG JK Police, Kashmir Zone.

Both the operations have been called off by security forces. Huge arms and ammunition cache has been recovered from both the sites.&nbsp;

Security forces have neutralised three terrorists in two encounters in the last 24 hours in Kashmir valley. One terrorist identified as Aamir Riyaz of Khrew Pulwama, affiliated with proscribed terror outfit Mujahideen Gazwatul Hind, was killed in the Srinagar encounter.

Security forces have neutralised three terrorists in two encounters in the last 24 hours in Kashmir valley. One terrorist identified as Aamir Riyaz of Khrew Pulwama, affiliated with proscribed terror outfit Mujahideen Gazwatul Hind, was killed in the Srinagar encounter. Police said that he was a relative of one of the accused of the Lethpora terror attack and was assigned to carry out fidayeen attack. He had also shot a video before carrying out the attack in Srinagar but was neutralised by security forces before that. The video has gone viral on social media. "Terrorist killed in Srinagar encounter identified as Aamir Riyaz of Khrew Pulwama affiliated with proscribed terror outfit Mujahideen Gazwatul Hind. He was a relative of one of the accused of LetPora terror attack and was assigned to carry out fidayeen attack," said Vijay Kumar, IG JK Police, Kashmir Zone. Another two terrorists were gunned down by the security forces in another encounter in South Kashmir's Kulgam district. Both of them belonged to the Hizb Ul Mujahideen outfit. Police said that the terrorists were involved in recruiting young boys into terror outfits. "Two terrorists killed. These killed terrorists identified as District commanders of HM Shiraz Molvi and Yawar Bhat. Shiraz has been active since 2016 and was involved in recruiting innocent youth into terror ranks and several civilian killings. A big success for us," said Vijay Kumar, IG JK Police, Kashmir Zone. Both the operations have been called off by security forces. Huge arms and ammunition cache has been recovered from both the sites.

Srinagar: 3 terrorists killed in two encounters in 24 hours in the valley

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