Air pollution a challenge in Kashmir, cover story 21 oct

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Air pollution a challenge in Kashmir
News Kashmir Analysis
Kashmir valley which is known for its natural beauty allover the world has seen degrading air quality over the past few decades due to varied reasons. Delhi too despite being national capital has faced severe air crisis in past decades and it should be lesson for us in Kashmir.
concerns over the air quality of Delhi and its surrounding regions mount, Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday announced that the government has set up a coordination committee to identify and address local sources of pollution at 13 locations in Delhi where air quality has touched the “very poor” mark.
The air quality becomes a special cause of concern especially in the winter months in Kashmir too .
Pollution is emerging as serious challenge to the country. Jammu and Kashmir especially once serene Kashmir valley is also in grip of it now.
pollution is contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere.
Household combustion devices, motor vehicles, industrial facilities and forest fires are common sources of air pollution. Pollutants of major public health concern include particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Outdoor and indoor air pollution cause respiratory and other diseases and are important sources of morbidity and mortality. It is a big global issue .
WHO data show that almost all of the global population (99%) breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits and contains high levels of pollutants, with low- and middle-income countries suffering from the highest exposures.
Few time back in worrying development and having Sounded  an alarm, the Former  Director SKIMS, Dr Parvaiz Koul  had  said around 10 thousands deaths in J&K are attributed to air pollution every year.
As a matter of fact, the sidelines of the launch of Doctors for clean Air and Climate Action, J&K Chapter, he said that yearly around ten thousand deaths are attributed to particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) exposure and there is need to control it by countering it.
According to World Health Organization The combined effects of ambient air pollution and household air pollution is associated with 7 million premature deaths annually. Sources of air pollution are multiple and context specific.
The need of the hour is we resort to massive tree planting in Kashmir to save ourselves from bad air quality.

Polythene Monster in Kashmir, cover 28 october 2024

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Polythene monster in Kashmir
News Kashmir Analysis
Polythene monster is still being seen in Kashmir used by people and shopkeepers, street vendors despite bans and awareness campaigns. The people of Kashmir are still not awakening to the monster impacts of polythene.
Polythene still being used and customers also taking items in Polythene without questioning is a trending thing in Kashmir.
Polythene is a  monster of epic proportions.
Polythene is generally considered an hazard for our environment and agriculture as it has damaging consequences on the same. Use of polythene bags is rampant across the valley of Kashmir posing a very serious threat to the environment Despite the ban witnesses reveal .In nutshell  the menace of polythene is back to worry the people of Kashmir.
It is a general trend  to see polythene abundantly used still in the nook and corner of the Kashmir Valley from rural to urban areas  despite blanket ban by the authorities announced more than decade ago.
 It is an open secret that the shopkeepers and the vendors are openly seen providing polythene to their customers for carrying various  goods and different  eatables.
Pertinently a decade back the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State government had banned the transportation, dumping, sale and use of non-biodegradable materials in the state.
otherhand, on environmental front the beautiful Valley of Kashmir is facing massive problems. Kashmir’s ecological balance has been harshly disturbed as a result of unabated environmental destruction over a period of several   decades and the resurfacing of polythene monster is going to make the problem further shoddier.
The expert pulse is that in a landfill, a plastic bag will take roughly 1,000 years to degrade. Undergoing a process called photo-degradation, sunlight will transform the plastic into smaller pieces called microplastics. These microplastics can persist in our environment indefinitely, and they often end up mistaken as food.
Although, the only silver lining in dark clouds is that at few serene tourist spots in Kashmir the polythene bag ban has worked very well.
We need to awake as society and shun the use of polythene bags especially. The educated youth of Kashmir need to wake up and educate all about the ills of polythene bags and also further strict and swift action by the authorities on polythene sale and use.

Cashless transactions booming in India, cover 7 october 2024

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Cashless transactions booming in India
News Kashmir Analysis
India is taking rapid strides towards becoming a cashless economy which is a great development for one and all.
When the transactions in an economy are not heavily based on the money notes, coins or any other physical form of money but are aided by the use of credit cards, debit cards and prepaid payment instruments, such an economy is called cashless economy.
India is taking huge steps to become a major  cashless economy.
As a matter of fact, The Digital India programme is a flagship programme of the Government of India with a vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. “Faceless, Paperless, Cashless” is one of professed role of Digital India
The country is leading the way towards a cashless economy. India with 89.5 million digital transactions in the year 2022 has topped the list of five countries in digital payments, according to government data.
We need to bear in mind that few time back,  cashless economy refers to a system where digital transactions have taken completely over physical cash. Instead, digital channels such as debit cards, credit cards, internet banking, mobile wallets, electronic fund transfers and digital currencies are used to carry out day-to-day transactions.
In India,  few time back
A tweet by MyGovIndia, a citizen engagement platform of the government of India, read: “India keeps dominating the digital payment landscape! With innovative solutions and widespread adoption, we’re leading the way towards a cashless economy.”
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that the number of cashless transactions the United States does in three years, India does in a month. Jaishankar’s statement came while he was interacting with the people of the Indian community in Nigeria recently.
The country will see lot of benefits by becoming a cashless economy.
Cashless Economy enhances convenience, as digital payments can be made anytime and anywhere, reducing the need for carrying physical cash. It improves transparency and accountability, as digital transactions leave a digital trail that can be tracked and audited.
Greater application of digital payments will save a lot as it will help in bringing down the cost of cash in India. The development of a cashless economy would lead to transparency, curb corruption and lead to convenience for economic growth.
Be it Kashmir or anyother part of the country cashless transactions are taking a major place and having the edge .

Elderly persons Difficulties

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Elderly Person Difficulties
Elderly persons are the storehouse of heritage and experience. The older persons are synonyms of intellect and wisdom.
The number of older persons, over subsequent three decades across the world is projected more than double, reaching more than 1.5 billion persons in 2050 and 80% of them will be living in low-and-middle-income countries.”
International Day of Older Persons is observed on October 1 annually and is a United Nation’s designated day to recognise the contribution of older persons and also to examine the issues faced by them or affect their lives.
We in Kashmir have number of old persons facing problems some deserted by there children and some having children outside in search of livelihood.
As a matter of fact, United Nations General Assembly designated 1 October as the International Day of the Older Persons  (resolution 45/106) on 14 December 1990. The initiatives were taken via the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing that was adopted by the World Assembly on Ageing in 1982 and endorsed later that year by the UN General Assembly.
The General Assembly adopted the United Nations Principles for Older Persons in 1991. The Second World Assembly on Ageing in 2002 adopted the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing. It was done to respond to the opportunities and challenges of population ageing in the 21st century and also to promote the development of a society for all ages.
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Some facts
In recent decades, the composition of the world population has changed dramatically. Between 1950 to 2010, life expectancy across the world rose from 46 to 68 years. There were around 703 million persons aged 65 or over in 2019 across the world. The region of Eastern and South-Eastern Asia was home to the largest number of older persons (261 million), followed by Europe and Northern America (over 200 million).
The number of older persons worldwide is projected to more than double over the next three decades. It will reach more than 1.5 billion persons in 2050. Between 2019 and 2050, all regions will see an increase in the size of the older population.
In Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, the largest increase of around 312 million is projected to occur, growing from 261 million in 2019 to 573 million in 2050.
In Northern Africa and Western Asia, the fastest increase in the number of older persons is expected to rise from 29 million in 2019 to 96 million in 2050 that is an increase of 226 percent.
The second-fastest increase is projected for sub-Saharan Africa. Here, the population aged 65 or over could grow from 32 million in 2019 to 101 million in 2050 that is 218 percent.
In 2050, the development groups that are less developed countries excluding the least developed countries will be home to more than two-thirds of the world’s older population around 1.1 billion as per the UN.
In the least developed countries, the fastest increase is projected to take place where the number of persons aged 65 or over could rise from 37 million in 2019 to 120 million in 2050 that is 225 percent.
We too in Kashmir have lot of old people and many of them face difficulty.

Srinagar in limelight-Phase 2 Assembly elections

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Srinagar in limelight- Phase 2 Assembly 2024
News Kashmir Analysis
Srinagar is the soul of Jammu and Kashmir.  It is an historic city.
This year the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar has been officially recognised as a ‘World Craft City’ by the World Crafts Council last week as its recognition will boost the handloom and handicraft sectors of the valley as this prestigious honour underscores the city’s rich heritage and the exceptional skills of its artisans whose dedication and artistry.
The assembly elections happening after a gap of 10 years and first after the historic abrogation of article 370 have brought much focus on Srinagar,  which has history of very low voting.
The Election campaign in Srinagar has been electrifying with after gap of nearly 40 years such festive atmosphere being witnessed as candidates try to woo voters.
During the last elections,  Hazratbal Assembly Constituency had the highest voting percentage of 29 percent among the Constituencies with Habbakadal lowest of 21 percent.  Zadibal Assembly Constituency had voting percentage of mere 23.64 and Khanyar 26 percent.
As a matter of fact , Srinagar after delimitation has 8 Assembly constituencies.  The Chanapora Assembly Constituency is the latest addition. Srinagar has been historically a NC bastion with often NC winning most of the seats. This time around a nail bitting fight is witnessed between PDP and NC on 7 seats ,with Apni Party also putting a strong fight in Chanapora.
The women underrepresented in these elections is a matter of serious concern.
of 93 candidates vying for eight assembly seats in Srinagar, only three are women. This minuscule representation becomes even more pronounced when these three candidates contest in only two of the eight constituencies.
PM Modi too during recent Srinagar rally struck historic pulse.
We have said in the parliament that we will restore (the region’s) statehood. Only the BJP will fulfill this commitment,” PM Modi said to a cheering crowd at the rally while referring to Bharatiya Janata Party, without specifying any timeline for the return of statehood.
He called the ongoing election the festival of democracy in the region. “Jammu and Kashmir is strengthening the democracy of India, and I congratulate the people for this,” he said.
The political pulse is excited whether the current elections would witness increase in voting percentage in Srinagar or not .
The eyes would be all set on the 24th September to watch the key elections and analyze them.

Historic J&K First Phase Polls

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Historic J&K First Phase Polls
News Kashmir Analysis
The historic Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are around the corner.  These are first major elections after abrogation of article 370 on August 5, 2019. These elections are going to be quite unique ,interesting and historic.
All major political parties are fighting with full might. Iltija Mufti, Daughter of PDP head and former CM Mehbooba Mufti , Former NC MP Hasnain Masoodi and Dr Harbaksh Singh of AIP are prominent candidates in Kashmir in fray for the first phase.
political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir has undergone significant changes since the BJP withdrew its support from the PDP-led government in 2018. The removal of Article 370 in 2019, followed by the delimitation, has not only redrawn boundaries and added seats but also set the stage for the upcoming 2024 election, where every party is recalibrating its strategy.
Of the total 219 candidates contesting the first phase of the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, scheduled for September 18, a striking 50 per cent have declared assets exceeding Rs 1 crore, a report compiled by the Association of Democratic Reform (ADR) said on Friday.
The average assets of the phase one candidates stood at Rs 3 crore. There are a total 13 candidates with at least Rs 10 crore worth of assets.
Out of 219 candidates, only nine are women, which makes up just 4 percent of the total.
Mehbooba Mufti-led Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has the highest crorepatis: 18 out of 21. The richest candidate in the first phase also belongs to PDP: Abdul Gaffar Sofi, contesting from Anantnag West. In his election affidavit, Sofi declared assets worth over Rs 66 crore. He is followed by PDP’s Imtiaz Ahmed Shan with more than Rs 34 crore in assets.
2014, the election ended with a hung assembly. The PDP won 28 seats, the BJP grabbed 25, the JKNC took 15, and the Congress managed 12. Independents and smaller parties shared seven seats. The BJP and the PDP claimed nearly half the votes, but the close result reflected deep political divisions. The vote share of 2014 told a similar story of division. The BJP garnered 23 per cent of the votes, while the PDP secured 22.7 per cent. The JKNC came in with 20.8 per cent, and the Congress followed with 18 per cent.
Undoubtedly , the Assembly elections in 2024 September are going to go one of the historic epochs.

Tobacco Monster in J&K, cover story 26 August 2024

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Tobacco Monster in J&K
News Kashmir Analysis
Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus Nicotiana of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the chief commercial crop is N. tabacum. The more potent variant N. rustica is also used in some countries.
The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing over 8 million people a year around the world. More than 7 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while around 1.3 million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke (4).
All forms of tobacco use are harmful, and there is no safe level of exposure to tobacco. Cigarette smoking is the most common form of tobacco use worldwide.
As a matter of fact,
Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory has been identified as having the 6th highest prevalence of tobacco use in the country, with over 20 percent of the population engaging in tobacco consumption, according to officials.
Tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year, including an estimated 1.3 million non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke (4).
Around 80% of the world’s 1.3 billion tobacco users live in low- and middle-income countries.
In 2020, 22.3% of the world’s population used tobacco: 36.7% of men and 7.8% of women.
To address the tobacco epidemic, WHO Member States adopted the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in 2003. Currently 182 countries are Parties to this treaty.
According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2 data, 35.2% of men, 5.1% of women, and 20.8% of all adults in J&K smoke tobacco. It adds that 6.8% of men, 1.5% of women, and 4.3% of all adults currently use smokeless tobacco. Overall, 39.7% of men, 6.2% of women, and 23.7% of all adults either smoke tobacco or use smokeless tobacco.
Tobacco is definitely a monster which we need to do away with .
The expert pulse is that we need to aware the youth about perils of Tobacco menace and make them shun it. One hopes in the great country like India we need to reach a stage where we ban all products of Tobacco . Tobacco is a hydra headed monster and there is no doubt about same .

Election Suspense, cover story 12 August 2024

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Election Suspense
News Kashmir Analysis
Elections are soul of Democracy. After a long wait of ten year and nearly after 5 year of the historic abrogation of article 370 Jammu and Kashmir looks all set to conduct Assembly polls very soon. People too have been urging elections since long . But the suspense still remains .
The assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are long overdue and the Supreme Court has set a deadline of September 30 to conduct polls in the Union Territory.
The team, headed by Chief Election Commission Rajiv Kumar, was recently  on a two-day visit and has started meeting with the representatives of political parties to get their feedback before meeting senior police officials of all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
On his part, Union Minister G. Krishna Reddy, the Election Incharge for J&K Assembly elections, announced on Monday that elections in the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir are set to take place next month, in September.
Speaking at the ‘Ekatma Mahotsav’ rally organized by the BJP at Bana Singh Stadium in RS Pura, Reddy expressed confidence that the BJP will secure a majority in the upcoming elections.
Also, The Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir led by a group of concerned citizens has called for an immediate announcement of dates of Legislative Assembly elections in J&K much before the Supreme Court’s deadline of September 30, arguing that “that security should not be a consideration given that elections have been held in far worse security situations”.
Addressing a news conference in Jammu, the CEC said that the dates for the elections would be announced after holding a comprehensive security review in Delhi.
He said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) was committed to holding Assembly elections as soon as possible.
” This is the appropriate time for holding Assembly elections in J&K and no force can prevent us from holding elections here. We are committed to this process,” he said.
The hope on ground zero among the common masses is that exact dates for the historic Assembly elections are declared soon as they eagerly want to take part in this great democratic exercise, and elect their representatives to the Assembly so that their issues are resolved at a faster pace .

5 Years of Article 370 Abrogation:J&K Journey Towards Prosperity

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5 Years of Article 370 Abrogation: J&K Journey towards Prosperity

News Kashmir Analysis
On August 5, 2019, the government of India abrogated Article 370 of the Indian Constitution with a presidential order, and parliamentary resolution overturning a dark  status quo that had lasted for nearly 70 years. The erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir had been granted a special status under which it had its own constitution and autonomy in its internal affairs.
These five years have ensured much peace and prosperity.
PM Narendra Modi, speaking in Kargil, recently  highlighted the upcoming fifth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5. He emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir is now talking about a new future and big dreams, with its global recognition bolstered by hosting important events like the G20 summit. Alongside infrastructure development, the tourism sector in Jammu, Kashmir, Leh, and Ladakh is rapidly growing. After decades, cinemas have reopened in Kashmir, and for the first time in three and a half decades, the Tazia procession was held in Srinagar.
On February 7, 2024 ,
The Central government  informed the Rajya Sabha that an investment of over Rs 5600 crore has been made in various sectors of Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
Responding to allegations that the Union government taking over responsibility of Jammu and Kashmir Police is a “trojan horse,” the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “If at all, there was a trojan horse in regards to J&K, it was Article 335A and Article 370.”
“We are taking the burden of J&K Police money so that J&K administration will have more money for development. But the oppositon is trying to create doubt about India’s governance and federal structure,” she added.
The Rajasthan government has included the celebration of the abrogation of the Constitution’s Article 370, which stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its semi-autonomous status, as “Swarnamukut Diwas”, the birthdays of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, and 16th century Mewar ruler Maharana Pratap in the annual school calendar.
Expert pulse is  abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A gave dignified lives to the refugees from West Pakistan, daughters of the soil, Valmiki Samaj, PoJK displaced people and more rights to women  among others.
The tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir has seen significant growth since the abrogation of Article 370, with a total of 1.08 crore tourists visiting in the last six months this year, as per the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). According to a report provided to the MHA by the Jammu and Kashmir government, the sector has maintained an annual average growth rate of 15.13 percent over the past three years.
Undoubtedly, on 5th Anniversary of article 370 abrogation we are seeing much optimism.

Synthetic Drugs Monster, cover story 22 July,2024.

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Synthetic Drugs Monster
News Kashmir Analysis
Synthetic drugs are a growing challenge to humanity at large as they  refer to substances that are artificially modified from naturally-occurring drugs and are capable of exhibiting both therapeutic and psychoactive effects.
In the medical setting, synthetic drugs possess psychotropic effects which can cure insomnia. Since there are limited clinical trials and human studies, the pharmacology and drug effects of most of the synthetic drugs are not well-known. Misuse of synthetic drugs can be fatal so take advice from the professionals before use.
In a major development recently, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah Thursday said that the problem of synthetic drugs was now coming to the fore in India and recently many illegal laboratories had been caught.
In this regard, Chairing the 7th Apex Level Meeting of Narco-Coordination Center (NCORD) in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, he said that all the state investigation and other agencies should take detailed information about this from the NCB and work to stop such activities in their respective states.
Also, Home Minister also launched the National Narcotics Helpline ‘MANAS’ (Madak Padarth Nishedh Asuchna Kendra) and virtually inaugurated the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Office at Srinagar.
Expert pulse is Synthetic drugs are not quality controlled or regulated, so there are concerns over what is actually in them.
Given how often synthetic drugs emerge, it is hard to know how harmful these drugs are in any dose. There is limited research on the short- and long-term effects of these substances.
Reports from the National Institute on Drug Abuse show that more than 20 million people in the U.S. have used these substances at least once, and this number is increasing every year.
These substances are often cheaper and easier to find than traditional drugs. Still, they come with much higher risks of addiction and overdose- including side effects, withdrawal symptoms, and ways to overcome addiction.
We need to bear in mind
active ingredients in these drugs are synthetic chemicals that are very dangerous—to the brain and other parts of the body. Because synthetic drugs are not regulated, they are not tested for safety so users don’t know what they are putting into their bodies.
Some months back. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken  called for greater international cooperation to fight the booming trafficking of illicit synthetic drugs such as fentanyl, the leading cause of overdose deaths in his country.
He was speaking at an annual meeting of the U.N. Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), which reviews global drug regulation and each year adds new so-called precursor chemicals – ingredients used to make illicit drugs – to international lists known as schedules to place strict controls on their trade.
We in Jammu and Kashmir too should stay awake about the menace and challenges to be posed by the Synthetic Drugs .