News Shots – The Kashmir Horizon

ASI Dies of Cardiac Arrest On Duty in Handwara

K H News Service — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:44:38 +0000

Srinagar :An Assistant Sub-Inspector of the Jammu and Kashmir Police died from a suspected cardiac arrest after collapsing while performing his duties in the Mawer area of Handwara.
Reports said the said cop was declared dead on arrival at the hospital, and an official investigation into his identity and the incident is underway.

Youth Found Dead Under Mysterious Circumstances in Sopore

K H News Service — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:43:56 +0000

Srinagar :Authorities have initiated inquest proceedings after a youth was found unconscious and dead at his residence in the Dangerpora area of Sopore.
Reports said that Police took custody of the body for medico-legal formalities to determine the cause of death.

Heavy Rain Triggers Flooding in Shopian, Cloudburst Hits Kishtwar & Minamarg

K H News Service — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 02:32:38 +0000

Srinagar :Heavy rainfall triggered flooding in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Saturday, inundating houses and a school in Pahlipora, while a cloudburst in Kishtwar’s Chatroo market washed away vehicles, damaged shops, and forced the closure of NH-244. Teams from the police, SDRF, and local administration launched immediate rescue, evacuation, and restoration operations, with no casualties reported. Precautionary measures led to the closure of schools in Ramban and Kishtwar, shifting students to online classes, as the weather department warned of continued heavy showers, flash floods, and landslides across the region over the next five days. Meanwhile, prompt action by Minamarg police saved 20 members of nomadic Bakerwal families and occupants of a washed-away vehicle following a cloudburst near Mina-2, which temporarily halted traffic on the Drass-Srinagar National Highway.

LoP Sunil Sharma, NC Chief Spokesman Tanvir Sadiq Condemn Kulgam Terror Attack, Clash Over Statehood

K H News Service — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 02:32:09 +0000

Srinagar :Political leaders across Jammu and Kashmir strongly condemned the killing of two migrant labourers in Kulgam, with Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma calling it a “murder of humanity” and NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq terming it a “cowardly act” against innocent civilians working to feed their families.
While Sharma demanded the complete dismantling of the terror ecosystem and criticized NC president Dr. Farooq Abdullah for linking the attack to statehood demands, Sadiq dismissed Sharma’s criticism, advising him to focus on local issues rather than politicizing the tragedy. The J&K government and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced financial aid—including ₹10 lakh ex-gratia—to support the victims’ families, even as NC reaffirmed its commitment to democratically challenge the 2019 constitutional changes while Sharma called for an unhindered probe to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Amarnath Yatra: Convoy Halted in Jammu, Over 8,400 Pilgrims Express Devotion

K H News Service — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 02:31:42 +0000

Srinagar :The movement of the Amarnath Yatra convoy from the Jammu base camp was suspended on Saturday after the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed due to slush and unsafe conditions along the Ladha-Samroli stretch. However, pilgrimage activities continued smoothly from the Kashmir side, with 8,493 devotees paying obeisance at the holy cave shrine in a single day, taking the overall pilgrim count past 4.55 lakh since the annual yatra commenced on July 3.

Army to Vacate 150 Kanals of Jammu University Land in Exchange for Nagrota Site

Guest Author — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 20:15:11 +0000

ammu:Resolving a decades-long land dispute dating back to 1973, the Ministry of Defence cleared the transfer of nearly 150 kanals of prime land at Bahuwali Rakh to the J&K Government for Jammu University’s infrastructure expansion. In exchange, the Army will receive over 2,000 kanals at Nagrota Military Station, a decision welcomed by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Umesh Rai as a landmark milestone for the institution’s academic development.

Delegations call on LG Sinha, discuss welfare, trade & anti-drug initiatives

K H News Service — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 20:14:23 +0000

Srinagar:S everal delegations and public representatives called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhavan on Saturday and discussed issues related to employee welfare, trade, tourism, youth empowerment and public interest.
Sanjay Saraf, Chief Spokesperson of the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party, also called on the Lieutenant Governor.
Sanjay Koul, President of the All Minority Employees Association Kashmir (AMEAK), apprised the LG of various welfare issues concerning minority community employees.
Representatives of the Rise Up Youth Foundation, led by Chairman Anush Shahnaz Khan, briefed the Lieutenant Governor about their upcoming anti-drug awareness campaign, “Irada-e-Rahat,” aimed at promoting drug prevention, youth empowerment, awareness and community well-being across Jammu and Kashmir.
A BJP delegation led by Ishfaq Ahmad Khanday also met the Lieutenant Governor.
In another meeting, a delegation of the Global India Prestige Forum (GIPF) discussed measures for promoting trade, commerce and tourism in Jammu and Kashmir. Javid Ahmed Tenga, President of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), was also present during the interaction.

J&K Notifies Uniform Building Permission Fee Across Urban Areas

K H News Service — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 19:09:35 +0000

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has notified a Uniform Building Permission Fee Schedule across all Urban Local Bodies and Development Authorities in the Union Territory, replacing varying fee structures with a standardised system aimed at improving transparency and ease of doing business.
The Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD) issued the notification under the Jammu and Kashmir Unified Building Bye-Laws, 2021, through Government Order No. 157-JK(HUD) of 2026. The revised fee structure has come into force with immediate effect.
Under the new schedule, the building permission fee has been fixed at ₹80 per square metre for residential buildings, ₹150 per square metre for mixed-use buildings, and ₹270 per square metre for commercial, public, semi-public, industrial and other special-category buildings. Religious buildings have been exempted from the fee.
The notification also prescribes Malba Security charges of ₹3,000 for residential buildings and ₹10,000 for all other categories, while a compounding fee equivalent to 40 per cent of the applicable building permission fee will be levied wherever applicable.
Officials said the uniform fee structure will be integrated with the Online Building Permission System (OBPS)/Auto-DCR, ensuring standardised processing of applications across Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, Municipal Committees and Development Authorities.
The government said the reform is expected to simplify the approval process, eliminate disparities in fee structures and provide a more citizen-friendly and business-oriented regulatory framework for urban development across Jammu and Kashmir.

Govt approves ₹13.75 Cr for heritage conservation projects at Purmandal, Imambara Zadibal

K H News Service — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 19:09:15 +0000

Initiatives reflect CM led Govt’s continued commitment to safeguarding J&K’s religious, cultural heritage

Srinagar: The Government of Jammu & Kashmir has approved two major heritage conservation projects worth ₹13.75 crore for the restoration and revival of the historic heritage site of Purmandal in Samba and the conservation and upgradation of the historic ImambaraZadibal in Srinagar. The twin initiatives reaffirm the Government’s commitment to preserving Jammu & Kashmir’s rich religious, cultural and architectural heritage while enhancing facilities for pilgrims, devotees and visitors.
The Government has approved a ₹7.16 crore project for the restoration and revival of the historic heritage site of Purmandal in Samba. The initiative aims to preserve the site’s unique heritage character while improving essential infrastructure to enhance the experience of pilgrims and tourists visiting the revered shrine town.
The Government has also sanctioned a ₹6.59 crore project for the conservation and upgradation of the historic ImambaraZadibal in Srinagar. The project seeks to conserve the architectural and heritage character of the centuries-old Imambara while upgrading essential infrastructure to provide improved facilities for the large number of devotees and visitors who visit the revered religious site throughout the year.
These projects form part of the Government’s sustained efforts to protect and restore places of immense religious, historical and cultural significance across Jammu and Kashmir through focused investments in heritage conservation and infrastructure development.
The approval of the Purmandal and ImambaraZadibal projects follows a series of similar initiatives undertaken by the Government in recent months. Earlier, the Government sanctioned a ₹6.38 crore project for the development of the revered holy spring of Khoo Sahib at Yarwan in Shadimarg, Pulwama. The project aims to upgrade essential infrastructure and improve facilities for devotees while preserving the site’s religious, cultural and historical significance, thereby enhancing the overall pilgrim experience.
The Government has also recently approved two major heritage conservation projects worth ₹16.36 crore for the revival and restoration of the historic Jamia Masjid Sharief in Shopian and the revered SarvadharChaumanda Mata Mandir in Ramban. These projects are designed to protect important heritage structures while strengthening amenities for worshippers and visitors.

J&K Govt notifies agriculture pause periods under VB-GRAM G to protect peak sowing, harvesting seasons

K H News Service — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 19:09:02 +0000

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has officially notified specific agricultural “pause periods” under the newly launched Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-GRAM-G), effectively halting public works during peak farming seasons to prevent labour shortages.
The move comes as the Union Territory transitions from the erstwhile MGNREGA to the VB-GRAM-G.
According to the order issued by the Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, Mohammad Aijaz Asad, the pause schedules have been tailored to the distinct agro-climatic calendars of the Kashmir and Jammu divisions.
In the Kashmir Division, no new works will be commenced or executed during three key windows: April 26 to May 10 for Kharif sowing; May 25 to June 10 for Kharif transplanting and Rabi harvesting; and September 26 to October 23 for Kharif harvesting and Rabi sowing.
For the Jammu Division, the enforced pause will occur from April 15 to April 29 for Rabi harvesting; June 15 to June 29 for Kharif sowing and transplanting; and October 15 to November 13 for Kharif harvesting and Rabi sowing.
The notification, issued under Sections 6(2) and 6(3) of the VB-GRAM-G Act, strictly bars the initiation or execution of scheme works during these windows. However, a carve-out allows the Government to undertake specific projects during the pause period if expressly permitted by the Government of India under Section 7 of the Act on grounds of public interest.
This enforcement of a mandatory 60-day agricultural pause is a core feature of the newly notified Jammu Kashmir Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Scheme, 2026, which was formally rolled out on July 1st,2026.
The Secretary said that the flagship programme enhances the guaranteed wage employment from the previous 100 days to 125 days annually for every eligible rural household willing to do unskilled manual work.
Aijaz Asad said that with the agricultural pause periods now legally defined, we are ensuring that our drive for rural infrastructure development does not come at the cost of farm productivity
“The transition to 125 days of work under VB-GRAM-G, coupled with technology-driven planning, marks a significant shift towards the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047,” he said.