Ganderbal, Aug  7: Across the sprawling plains and gentle slopes of Ganderbal district, a quiet horticulture revolution is reshaping the landscape.

The traditional agricultural landscape of the Ganderbal district is witnessing a shift towards modern horticulture, with an increasing number of farmers adopting high-density apple cultivation to improve their livelihoods.

For generations, apple farming here meant sprawling traditional trees requiring seven to eight years to bear fruit, massive canopy maintenance, and labor-intensive harvesting.

Today, neatly aligned, trellised rows of dwarf apple trees are taking over, promising higher yields, quicker returns, and a modernised future for local horticulture.

Locals said that in certain Ganderbal areas, orchards are now home to advanced high-density apple varieties, reflecting a gradual transition from conventional farming to commercial fruit cultivation.

The change has been supported by government initiatives and technical assistance from the Department of Horticulture.

“For generations, local growers relied on traditional apple varieties such as Delicious, Kulu Delicious, and Maharaji, which typically require 5-7 years to bear commercial fruit. In contrast, high-density dwarf and semi-dwarf rootstocks begin bearing fruit in their second year and reach full yield capacity by the fourth or fifth year,” Adil Ahmad, a fruit grower said. 

Growers say beyond sheer volume, the modern farming technique delivers superior quality fruit.

Uniform exposure to sunlight, controlled drip fertigation, and anti-hail nets result in high-grade apples characterised by consistent colour, crisp texture, and larger size.

Varieties like Gala Red, Red Velox, and King Roat are fetching premium prices in major fruit markets across different parts of the country.

“With traditional trees, pesticide sprays, and pruning required intensive manual labour, and half the crop was prone to damage during unpredictable weather,” said Ghulam Hassan, a grower in Wakura, Ganderbal. “The high-density trees are manageable from the ground, use significantly less water, and yield Grade-A fruit that sells almost immediately.” The Jammu and Kashmir Horticulture Department, alongside initiatives like the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), has played a vital role in accelerating adoption.

Horticulture Department officials note that Ganderbal’sfavourable soil conditions and well-connected river network make it ideally suited for high-density farming.

As cold-storage facilities and sorting-grading units will expand across the district, Ganderbal is positioning itself as a central hub for high-yield, modern fruit production in Kashmir.

Srinagar, Aug 7: Former Jammu and Kashmir interlocutor and Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir co-chair Radha Kumar on Friday said the abrogation of Article 370 continues to remain “a very, very sore point” in the Union Territory, describing the 2019 decision as “clearly unconstitutional” while calling for a renewed assertion of federal principles under the Constitution.

Kumar made the remarks after meeting National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and party legislators to submit the Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir’s latest human rights report. She said the delegation also met CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami and discussed the findings of the report.

“We wanted to present our human rights report to Dr. Abdullah and MLAs of the National Conference. We are hoping that some action can be taken at whatever level possible on the violations of human rights that are prevalent and ongoing,” Kumar told reporters.

Describing the interaction as productive, she said the discussions extended beyond human rights to the constitutional position of Jammu and Kashmir and the broader issue of federalism.

“Yes, I would say it was very fruitful. We discussed the issue of federalism in our country and how the statute for Jammu and Kashmir was perhaps the first big blow against the federal compact and the right of states and the need now for all parties to come together and assert that the Constitution of India has to protect the rights of states,” she said.

Kumar said the Forum had also met CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami.

“Yes, yes. And with the CPM with Mr. Tarigami. In all of those cases we presented our human rights report to them and discussed the findings,” she said.

Asked about the public response to the August 5, 2019 abrogation of Article 370, Kumar said the issue continues to evoke strong sentiment in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Over here in Jammu and Kashmir, it’s clear that it remains a very, very sore point, a very sore point indeed because it was done in a very… in a clearly unconstitutional way,” she said.

Recalling the events surrounding the constitutional changes, Kumar said, “We do not forget that more than 5,000 political leaders and cadre, all from the mainstream by the way, were taken into detention and thousands of troops were flown in.”

“It was clear that the Union administration was aware that this was a very unpopular thing to do and they did it nevertheless against the will of the people. It is a violation both of Article 1 and 3 and the rights of states in the Constitution of India and a violation of the very first line of the Constitution, ‘We the People’,” she added.

Responding to a question on India-Pakistan dialogue, Kumar said a lasting peace process required engagement on multiple fronts.

“You know the peace process that started in the Vajpayee administration and was continued by the Manmohan administration rested on the understanding that you needed several different tracks of peace,” she said.

“You needed a track of peace between the people, the elected representatives and the Government of India. You needed a track between the governments of India and Pakistan and you needed a track with the dissidents who are often called separatists,” Kumar added.

Srinagar, Aug 7: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti on Friday reaffirmed her party’s demand for the restoration of Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, saying the PDP would continue its “peaceful battle” despite what she described as years of crackdown on the party. Her remarks came after she appeared at Kothi Bagh Police Station in Srinagar following a police summons.

Addressing reporters after cooperating with the police, Mufti alleged that the PDP had been singled out because it had consistently opposed the August 5, 2019, abrogation of Article 370.

“In Jammu and Kashmir, there has been only one party that has consistently spoken about Article 370, special status and the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status after 2019, and that is the PDP. The crackdown on the PDP over the past seven years is because we have continued to speak about Article 370.”

Referring to the events marking the anniversary of the constitutional changes, she said the BJP celebrated August 5 while the PDP regarded it as a day of mourning.

“While the BJP was taking out Tiranga rallies and celebrating, we wanted to observe it as a day of mourning. Even our right to mourn has been taken away.”

She recalled the security restrictions imposed in August 2019, saying Kashmir had been turned into “a jail” with a communications blackout.

“We know how Jammu and Kashmir was turned into a jail on August 5, 2019. There was a communication blackout. Phones were shut down. Like animals are kept in cages, Kashmiris were confined to their homes and our rights were taken away.”

Mufti alleged that Jammu and Kashmir’s flag, Constitution and special status had been revoked “illegally” and said the PDP had faced political consequences for opposing the move.

“Our party was broken because we kept raising our voice against the abrogation of Article 370.”
Drawing a distinction between the PDP’s position and that of other political parties, Mufti said her party would not limit its political demand to the restoration of statehood.

“The BJP talks about statehood. The National Conference also talks about statehood. But the PDP is very clear. We will continue to protest until Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, its flag and its Constitution are restored.”

She added: “We will peacefully keep protesting.”

Defending her appearance before the police, Mufti said she had fully cooperated with the investigation but insisted that the larger issue remained Article 370. “We are happy to cooperate with whatever the police want to know. But our larger issue is Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and Article 370.”

She maintained that demanding the restoration of Article 370 was a constitutional and democratic right. “This is not just Iltija Mufti’s issue, or Mehbooba Mufti’s issue, or the PDP’s issue. As an Indian citizen, I am entitled to fight peacefully for the restoration of Article 370.”

Mufti also said she was prepared to face imprisonment if necessary. “No matter what I have to do, even if I have to go to jail, I am ready. My fight is for every Kashmiri.”

She claimed that arbitrary detention had become commonplace in Jammu and Kashmir. “Arbitrary detention has become a rite of passage. Today I have experienced that in my own way.”

Rejecting calls to prioritise statehood over special status, Mufti said the PDP would not alter its core demand. “The BJP wants us to beg for statehood. We will not beg for statehood. We will take back Article 370, our flag and our Constitution.”

She thanked PDP workers from across Jammu and Kashmir who had gathered in support following the police summons.

Responding to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s recent remarks, Mufti accused him of avoiding the issue of Article 370 while targeting the PDP. “Omar Sahib repeatedly gives the BJP a clean chit. He does not talk about Article 370 or special status. During the election campaign he spoke about special status every day. Today it has become easy for him to target the PDP instead of speaking against the BJP.”

She further alleged that the PDP had faced greater political pressure than other parties because of its stand. “The PDP was broken. Mehbooba Ji was targeted because she consistently spoke against the abrogation of Article 370.”

Concluding her remarks, Mufti reiterated that the party’s campaign would continue until the constitutional changes made in August 2019 were reversed. “I am not anti-national. I am not committing an act of sedition. It is my right as an Indian citizen to peacefully wage a battle for the restoration of Article 370. We will not shift to the statehood narrative. Until Article 370 is restored, the PDP will keep fighting.”

Srinagar, Aug 7: Accused of assaulting an on-duty police officer, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said she and her daughter were being targeted for raising their voice and urged the party workers to continue the struggle for resolution of the Kashmir issue even if she and Iltija go to jail.

A day after the mother-daughter duo was named in the FIR at the Kothibagh police station, the former chief minister of the erstwhile state urged her party supporters to remain steadfast on the path shown by PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for the resolution of the Kashmir issue.

Iltija has been summoned to the police station on Friday for questioning.

“Iltija has been called to the Kothibagh police station. She will go. (If) they call me tomorrow, I will also go. But, remember one thing: whether I or Iltija are inside (jail) or outside, you will not leave Sayeed’s agenda, vision and the roadmap that he has given for the resolution of the Kashmir issue. Article 370 is a part of that (roadmap),” Mehbooba said addressing her party workers at the PDP headquarters here.

“They (the BJP government) trampled the Constitution, and a time will come when they will have to correct it. But you do not have to lose courage,” she added.

She urged her party to remain unfazed and said the PDP will continue its struggle for the restoration of Article 370 abrogated by the Centre on August 5, 2019.

“If you have to save the real Jammu and Kashmir, its land and resources, then you have to remain steadfast. I am here now; I may not be here tomorrow. Whether I or Iltija are here or not, the PDP will continue its peaceful and democratic struggle for the restoration of Article 370,” she said.

Mehbooba said targeting the PDP was not something new.

“Our party was broken, and new parties were created. Those parties defended the abrogation of Article 370 in the country. The targeting of the PDP is still going on. Why was there no action against the National Conference or Congress or others? Talking about (Article) 370 has become a crime. Those who talk about (Article) 370 are branded criminals,” she said.

The PDP president expressed her gratitude to the party workers for turning up to protest on the evening of August 4 and the next day.

“I thank you all for showing the country’s institutions that Article 370 and 35A live in the hearts of the people, no matter what,” she said.

The PDP was the only party that raised the voice on Article 370, while others only want restoration of statehood, she claimed.

“There is no other issue than (Article) 370. Did the BJP not take out a rally? Did they not insult the women? But there is no FIR,” she said, referring to the allegation that the BJP Anantnag unit raised derogatory slogans against Kashmiri women during a rally on August 5 to mark seven years since the abrogation of Article 370.

“The National Conference, Congress and Apni Party also took out protests, but they protested for statehood. PDP is the only party which protested for the resolution of the Kashmir issue along with (Article 370),” she said.

On Iltija’s summoning, the PDP president said her daughter did not have a weapon or a stone in her hands.

“The way she was dealt with, she will respond to that. (But), a lady officer told a constable to drag her (Iltija) away. Should a man touch a girl? They are saying that she attacked the police. When you grab a girl here (by her collar), what will she do? Our big leaders should be ashamed.

“Rather than condemning that, they are singing different tunes because they do not want to talk about Article 370,” Mehbooba added.