Police SI Aspirants Demand 4-Year Age Relaxation

Jammu, Jan 11, KNT: Job aspirants seeking recruitment in the Jammu and Kashmir Police Department as Sub-Inspectors have intensified their demand for a one-time age relaxation of four years.

The aspirants said that prolonged delays in recruitment processes have pushed many of them beyond the upper age limit, leaving them ineligible to apply for the posts. “We have been protesting for months, but our voices are being ignored,” said one of the aspirants.

They said the aspirants staged a demonstration outside the BJP’s Trikuta Nagar office, where party leaders assured them the matter would be raised with the Lieutenant Governor.

“We were promised that our concerns would be addressed, but nothing has been done. Neither the BJP nor the LG administration has given us a clear answer,” lamented an aspirant adding that the Deputy Chief Minister clarified to them that it is beyond the limits of the government as they lacked power to do anything.

The aspirants urged the government to consider the challenges posed by recruitment delays and grant a one-time age relaxation to ensure that deserving candidates are not excluded. [KNT]

Cold wave continues, light rain, snow forecast in J&K

Srinagar, Jan 11: An unabated cold wave continued in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on Saturday as the MET department forecast light rain in the plains of Jammu division and snow in the higher reaches of the Union Territory (UT) during the next 24 hours.

A MET department statement said on Saturday, “On January 11, the weather would be generally cloudy with light rain in the plains of Jammu division and snow at isolated higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir divisions during the next 24 hours.”

Srinagar recorded minimum temperature of minus 3.6 degree celsius, Gulmarg minus 6.5 degree celsius and Pahalgam minus 7.1 degree celsius on Saturday.

Jammu city had 7.1 degree celsius, Katra town 6.1 degree celsius, Batote 4.2, Banihal 1.2 and Bhaderwah 0.9 degree celsius as the night’s lowest temperature.

The 40-day-long period of intense winter cold called the ‘Chillai Kalan’ started on December 21 and will end on January 30.

After the end of the Chillai Kalan, gradual improvement starts in the weather till it becomes pleasant in late April and early May ushering in spring, the season of flowers in Kashmir.

As the cold wave continued unabated across the Valley and places in Jammu division, people used all sorts of electric appliances to keep themselves warm.

Dependence on electrically-charged heating appliances has remained frustrating for Kashmiris as there are shortages of electricity due to many reasons.

Water discharge in local rivers drops to the lowest during the winter months. This adversely affects the generation capacity of hydro-electric power projects in J&K.

With meagre resources of its own, the government has to pay through its nose for every unit of electric power imported from outside the UT.

This results in scheduled and unscheduled curtailments and shutdowns of electric supply in the UT.

In such a situation, people fall back on the use of the tweed overgarment ‘Pheran’ and the earthen firepot woven in a willow wicker basket called the ‘Kangri’ to beat the bone chilling cold.–(IANS)

Indirect train services from Kashmir-Delhi dashed our hopes: Fruit Growers

Association seeks intervention of LG, CM for direct train services

Srinagar, Jan 10 (KNO): The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Association (KVFGDU) on Friday said that the announcement of indirect train services from Kashmir to Delhi has dashed their hopes and have sought attention of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in this regard.

Bashir Ahmad Basheer Chairman KVFGDU told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the union, which is an elected umbrella body of all fruit growers associations of the Valley viz Srinagar, Sopore, Baramulla, Handwara, Chari-Sharif, Shopian, Pulwama, Kulgam, Anantnag, Jablipora, Pachahar, and Zazan Ganderbal were jubilant knowing introduction of direct “Vanda Bharat Express Trains” between Kashmir and Delhi in order to strength the region’s connectivity with rest of the country.

He said that the Valley based fruit growers and dealers were expecting that the introduction of “Vanda Bharat Express Trains” will help address logistical challenges, stimulate economic growth and promote the Horticulture Industry but it is unfortunate the system finally found a joke.

“The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union, Srinagar, however, extends its gratitude and appreciation for Katra-Srinagar Rail connectivity and also commends the inauguration of the Z-Morh tunnel being held on 13th January 2025 recognition its significant impact on promoting tourism and improving accessibility to Leh but it initially said that the “Vanda Bharat Express Trains” will operate direct from New Delhi to Srinagar now as per announcement made on 3rd January 2025 the said train is scheduled for operation from Katra-Srinagar route only, which does not serve any fruitful result neither for Valley based passengers nor fruit growers and dealers,” he said.

He added that the operation of “Vanda Bharat Express Trains” from Katra to Srinagar and vice-versa means de-boarding of passengers to another rail for Delhi destination on their arrival from Srinagar to Katra.

He further added that the fruit growers of the Valley were hopeful of operation of a separate goods train as well so that the fresh produce of Kashmir Valley could also be quickly transported direct by train from Valley to Delhi without any transhipment but the announcement regarding operation of the said Train from Katra- Srinagar dashed all hopes of the Fruit Growers/Dealers of the Valley who were hopeful that the operation of “Vanda Bharat Express Trains” will connect Kashmir Valley direct with rest of the parts of the Country through mode of railway connectivity generating and up gradation the trade of JK (UT) particularly will boost Horticulture sector with the advantage of direct and smooth transportation of fresh Fruits/ Vegetables to and fro simultaneously generating the gateway for economic resources for Railway Authorities as well.

The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union feels that the operation of “Vanda Bharat Express Trains from Katra- Srinagar does not mean any suitable facility for transportation of their fresh produce unless and until there is direct rail connectivity from Valley to Delhi which exclusively will serve fruitful results for smooth and direct transportation of fresh Fruits/ Vegetables from valley to rest parts of the country and vice versa.

They requested Lieutenant Governor JK (UT), Chief Minister JK (UT) and Chief Secretary to intervene and take up the matter with Ministry of Railways Authorities, Government of India for operation of “Vanda Bharat Express Trains’ direct from Valley to Delhi instead of Valley-Katra in the interest of general public and Valley based fruit growers and dealers as well—(KNO)

Indirect train services from Kashmir-Delhi dashed our hopes: Fruit Growers

Association seeks intervention of LG, CM for direct train services

Srinagar, Jan 10: The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Association (KVFGDU) on Friday said that the announcement of indirect train services from Kashmir to Delhi has dashed their hopes and have sought attention of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in this regard.

Bashir Ahmad Basheer Chairman KVFGDU told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the union, which is an elected umbrella body of all fruit growers associations of the Valley viz Srinagar, Sopore, Baramulla, Handwara, Chari-Sharif, Shopian, Pulwama, Kulgam, Anantnag, Jablipora, Pachahar, and Zazan Ganderbal were jubilant knowing introduction of direct “Vanda Bharat Express Trains” between Kashmir and Delhi in order to strength the region’s connectivity with rest of the country.

He said that the Valley based fruit growers and dealers were expecting that the introduction of “Vanda Bharat Express Trains” will help address logistical challenges, stimulate economic growth and promote the Horticulture Industry but it is unfortunate the system finally found a joke.

“The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union, Srinagar, however, extends its gratitude and appreciation for Katra-Srinagar Rail connectivity and also commends the inauguration of the Z-Morh tunnel being held on 13th January 2025 recognition its significant impact on promoting tourism and improving accessibility to Leh but it initially said that the “Vanda Bharat Express Trains” will operate direct from New Delhi to Srinagar now as per announcement made on 3rd January 2025 the said train is scheduled for operation from Katra-Srinagar route only, which does not serve any fruitful result neither for Valley based passengers nor fruit growers and dealers,” he said.

He added that the operation of “Vanda Bharat Express Trains” from Katra to Srinagar and vice-versa means de-boarding of passengers to another rail for Delhi destination on their arrival from Srinagar to Katra.

He further added that the fruit growers of the Valley were hopeful of operation of a separate goods train as well so that the fresh produce of Kashmir Valley could also be quickly transported direct by train from Valley to Delhi without any transhipment but the announcement regarding operation of the said Train from Katra- Srinagar dashed all hopes of the Fruit Growers/Dealers of the Valley who were hopeful that the operation of “Vanda Bharat Express Trains” will connect Kashmir Valley direct with rest of the parts of the Country through mode of railway connectivity generating and up gradation the trade of JK (UT) particularly will boost Horticulture sector with the advantage of direct and smooth transportation of fresh Fruits/ Vegetables to and fro simultaneously generating the gateway for economic resources for Railway Authorities as well.

The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union feels that the operation of “Vanda Bharat Express Trains from Katra- Srinagar does not mean any suitable facility for transportation of their fresh produce unless and until there is direct rail connectivity from Valley to Delhi which exclusively will serve fruitful results for smooth and direct transportation of fresh Fruits/ Vegetables from valley to rest parts of the country and vice versa.

They requested Lieutenant Governor JK (UT), Chief Minister JK (UT) and Chief Secretary to intervene and take up the matter with Ministry of Railways Authorities, Government of India for operation of “Vanda Bharat Express Trains’ direct from Valley to Delhi instead of Valley-Katra in the interest of general public and Valley based fruit growers and dealers as well—(KNO)