A familiar scenario yesterday played out in Srinagar when two opposing political figures went head-to-head about the future of Urdu in the recruitment processes, both of whom had microphones and reporters present to help amplify their messages. On one side was PDP leader Iltija Mufti, who conducted a sit-in protest in Srinagar and accused the NC-led Government of “attacking the language, identity and cultural heritage” through claims of removing Urdu from the syllabus for Tehsildar examinations. On the other side was Nasir Aslam, a senior NC leader and advisor to the Chief Minister, who discounted claims as premature, misleading and…
Author: Editorial Board
An image of serenity, where Dal Lake is a glittering stone located within the embrace of Srinagar, has long formed the foundation of the identity of Kashmir. However, underneath that surface, below the myths, lies an existence of dire straits that can no longer be disregarded. According to the most recent report from the CAG, Dal Lake experienced a decrease of more than ten percent in its total water surface area over the past decade. The total water surface area has decreased from 15.40 square kilometres in 2007 to 12.91 square kilometres in 2020. This figure does not represent simply…
A recent study has proven that sir pollution can further deteriorate the condition of cancer patients. The increased air pollution can cause cardio-oncology risks among patients increasing the time of their recovery. Disadvantaged populations worldwide have a higher exposure to air pollution. The overlap in the cardio-oncology risks due to air pollution has been well established and the need to keep cancer patients in an environment away from the air pollution is further reinforced. With little immunity and little chances of recovery from even mild infections a pulmonary tract or higher respiratory tract infection due to increased air pollution can…
Recently, a Private Member’s Bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Land Grants Act was introduced to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly for the first time since the NC established its rule over Jammu and Kashmir. The NC’s decision to permit the introduction of this bill marks an important, but procedural, break from its past opposition to these types of bills in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly at the introduction stage. However, the underlying issues raised by the introduction of this bill cut to the core of governance, equity and the public mandate itself. The introduction of this bill was…
In today’s world, where false information is easily accessible via the Internet, one of the primary duties of a public administrator is not only the administration of resources but also the careful management of how the public views those resources or their availability. That was clearly demonstrated publicly by Divisional Commissioner Anshul Garg, who when addressing any questions regarding fuel supplies in the Kashmir Valley provided a significant amount of statistics to communicate a key message; the surety of reliability of supply, versus offering back up supply. The data Garg shared should reassure motor fuel users and be reassuring directly…