In a district better known for its sprawling apple orchards, 55-year-old farmer Haroon Rashid has turned the terrace of his home into a small but unusually diverse farm, growing around 100 varieties of herbs, vegetables and fruit.

A resident of Vehil village in south Kashmir’s Shopian district, Rashid cultivates both traditional and exotic varieties on the terrace of the second floor of his house. He relies on organic manure rather than chemical fertilisers for his crops.

“I cultivate both horticulture and agriculture crops,” Rashid said.

Spread over an area measuring about 40 feet by 42 feet, the terrace garden includes a variety of vegetables and herbs.

Rashid also grows oranges, adding another crop to the diverse mix cultivated on his rooftop.

He said he earns between Rs 70,000 and Rs 80,000 annually from the terrace garden, despite the limited space.

“The input cost is less because I use organic manure and grow the crops myself,” Rashid said.

Rashid said his decision to avoid chemical fertilisers was partly driven by concerns over their increasing use in conventional farming.

“Shopian is known for apples, but there has been a lot of use of chemical fertilisers. I believe this affects soil and health,” he said.

His rooftop garden is a small-scale experiment, but it also demonstrates how unused spaces can be converted into productive areas for food cultivation. Instead of relying on a single commercial crop, Rashid has diversified his terrace with vegetables, herbs and fruit.

He said he grows around 100 varieties of herbs, along with vegetables and fruit, experimenting with crops that are both familiar to local consumers and less commonly cultivated in the area.

Rashid’s approach reflects the diversity of farming traditionally practised in Kashmir, while adapting it to a space where conventional farming would otherwise be difficult.

His terrace allows him to cultivate several crops simultaneously without requiring a large tract of agricultural land.

For Rashid, the garden is not merely a source of additional income but also a way of demonstrating that food can be produced with fewer chemical inputs.

The earnings, Rashid said, are an added incentive.

With relatively low input costs, the terrace garden provides him with an additional annual income.

For the 55-year-old farmer, the experiment is proof that farming need not always depend on large orchards or fields.

“Even a small space can be productive if it is properly utilised,” Rashid said.

Srinagar, Aug 9: A grand Majlis-e-Aza and Alam Sharief procession was held today, 25th Safar al-Muzaffar, at Dargund Bemina with profound devotion and reverence under the auspices of the Jammu and Kashmir Anjuman-e-Sharie Shian and under the leadership of its President, Hujjat-ul-Islam wal-Muslimeen Aga Syed Hassan Mosavi Al-Safavi.

The gathering continued from morning till evening, with the organisation’s Zakireen reciting marsiyas and paying rich tribute to Imam Hussain (AS) and the martyrs of Karbala. A large number of mourners participated in the gathering, expressing their deep devotion and attachment to the martyrs of Karbala and the teachings of Ahl-e-Bayt (AS).

Addressing the Majlis, President Anjuman-e-Sharie Shian, Hujjat-ul-Islam wal-Muslimeen Aga Syed Hassan Mosavi Al-Safavi, said that the Holy Quran and the Ahl-e-Bayt (AS) constitute the two inseparable sources of guidance for the Muslim Ummah, as explicitly emphasised by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

He stressed that love and devotion towards the Ahl-e-Bayt (AS) should not remain confined to verbal claims or formal religious observances. Rather, he said, genuine love must be reflected through adherence to their teachings, exemplary character, commitment to truth, and practical dedication to justice and righteousness. Highlighting the timeless message of Karbala, Aga Syed Hassan said that the supreme sacrifice of Imam Hussain (AS) represented a decisive stand against oppression, falsehood and moral compromise.

He said the purpose of Azadari is to keep this message alive while cultivating self-reform, truthfulness, steadfastness and religious consciousness among believers. He urged the faithful to further strengthen their bond with the Holy Quran and the Ahl-e-Bayt (AS), uphold the sanctity and dignity of Azadari, and translate the message of Karbala into practice in both their individual and collective lives.

Srinagar, Aug 9: Not every localised extreme weather event in Jammu and Kashmir is a cloudburst, experts said, cautioning against attributing every flash flood to the phenomenon.

More than 35 cloudbursts and several high-intensity rainfall events have been reported across J&K this year.

Experts, however, said the frequency of cloudbursts could not be established without detailed studies.

“The reported increase in the number of cloudbursts is incorrect without detailed studies. We can say that the number of flash-flood events in J&K and Ladakh due to extreme weather activity has increased over the years,” climatologist Sonam Lotus said.

Lotus said most flash floods followed brief, intense downpours.

“The majority of the flash floods occurred due to heavy downpour, which has a very short life of a maximum of 15 minutes,” he said. “This is reflected in weather datasets as 15pl0Min precipitation or rainfall, which means the amount of rain recorded in 15 minutes.”

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), rainfall of more than 100 mm in one hour over a small, localised area qualifies as a cloudburst.

The definition does not specify a fixed radius.

Riyaz Ahmad Mir, a hydrogeologist at the National Institute of Hydrology, Jammu, said lower rainfall could also cause flooding in steep terrain.

“Rainfall of 20-30 mm in one hour can cause localized flooding in very small and steep catchments, while 30-50 mm in one hour may trigger flash floods in vulnerable mountain catchments,” Mir said.

He said 50-100 mm over one to three hours could also generate flash floods in steep Himalayan valleys.

“A cloudburst should be identified only when rainfall intensity meets the established threshold and observations support it,” Mir said.

Independent weather forecaster FaizanArif said rainfall below the cloudburst threshold could also trigger flash floods.

“Even lower amounts of intense rainfall over a short period can trigger flash floods in mountainous terrain,” Arif said.

“Several incidents during the wet spells appear to be linked to intense localized rainfall rather than cloudbursts,” he said. “Though multiple cloud bursts were also reported.”

Meteorological Department Director Mukhtar Ahmad attributed the recent pattern to monsoon currents interacting with mostly feeble Western Disturbances.

“As the monsoon advances, such events – cloudbursts and heavy downpours-become more frequent, especially in mountainous districts,” Ahmad said.

He said rainfall remained uneven, with intense showers confined mostly to small pockets, while several areas, particularly the plains, continued to face deficits.

“For every one-degree Celsius rise in temperature, the atmosphere can hold nearly 7 percent more moisture. This increases the possibility of intense rainfall over a short period,” Ahmad said.

He said pinpointing such events remained difficult despite improved weather monitoring.

“Forecasting has improved with Doppler radars, satellite observations and automated weather stations, but pinpointing a cloudburst or downpour remains difficult as these systems develop over very small areas,” Ahmad said.

The latest weather activity follows a severe run of extreme weather across J&K from April to September 2025, including cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides, mudslides, rockfalls, shooting stones, hailstorms and gusty winds.

Ministry of Home Affairs figures shared in the RajyaSabha show that floods and heavy rainfall killed 199 people in J&K last year.

They also killed 11,693 livestock, damaged 8404 houses and affected 77,915 hectares of farmland.

The deadliest incident was the August 14, 2025, cloudburst at Chisoti village along the Machail Mata Yatra route in Gulabgarh-Paddar, Kishtwar.

Nearly 70 people died and several others, mostly yatris, went missing in flash floods.

Landslides and shooting stones kept the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway closed for more than 50 days in separate spells, stranding apple-laden trucks and causing losses to growers and traders.

Flash floods and landslides have battered J&K this year too.

Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Kathua, Samba, Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban districts have remained most affected while incidents have also been reported in the upper belt of north, central, and south Kashmir, resulting in over 30 deaths so far.

On July 19, flash floods and landslides in Poonch and Rajouri left more than 25 people dead.

This year also, multiple hailstorms, gusty winds, and intense rain damaged orchards, affecting blossoms and young fruit during key growth stages.