Srinagar, Mar 27: Several passengers lost their lives after an avalanche struck a passenger vehicle at Zojila Pass on Friday, officials said.

A senior official told news agency JKNS that the vehicle came under a massive snow slide, leading to the death of six occupants on the spot.

Soon after the incident, rescue teams rushed to the site and launched an operation to retrieve the bodies and clear the debris. Authorities said the operation is ongoing and efforts are being made to ensure the road is restored for traffic.

Officials added that further details are awaited as rescue operation is on.

Srinagar, Mar 27: A snow avalanche struck near Dayal Pass along the Zojila axis in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Friday, leaving several vehicles trapped under snow and debris, officials said.

An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that around three to four passenger vehicles were caught in the avalanche, which struck in Ganderbal and forced the closure of the strategic route, disrupting traffic movement.

He said no loss of life or injuries had been reported so far, adding that further details were being ascertained.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ganderbal, Khalil Poswal, rushed to the spot. He said the SSP Beacon and SDPO, along with rescue teams, are on the spot and an operation has been launched to evacuate those trapped and clear the road.

Srinagar, Mar 27: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Friday criticised Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for taking almost a month to unequivocally condemn Israel’s attack on Iran, calling the delay “disheartening”.

CM Abdullah, in the Legislative Assembly on Friday, condemned the “unjust and illegal war imposed on Iran” and requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use his influence to end the war in the interest of humanity.

“On behalf of myself and my colleagues, I strongly condemn this unjust and illegal war imposed on Iran. I express my deepest condolences over the loss of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his associates and all those who have lost their lives in this conflict,” the chief minister said.

Taking a dig at the chief minister, Mehbooma, in a post on X, said, “How disheartening that it took our chief minister, the only Muslim CM of India’s only Muslim majority state, an entire month to unequivocally condemn Israel’s dastardly attack on Iran.”

The former chief minister said even the Punjab Assembly “acted swiftly”, becoming the first legislature to pass a resolution to condemn and show its solidarity with Iran.

“Yet the JK government showed no such urgency or genuine concern, choosing to limit its responses to mere rhetoric and speeches instead of a clear and principled stand,” Mehbooba added.

Jammu, March 27: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday said that 1,876 fire incidents have been reported across the Union Territory over the past three years, and that financial assistance of nearly Rs 18 crore has been disbursed to affected victims.

In response to a question from National Conference MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar during the assembly session regarding fire incidents, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated, “A total of 1,876 fire incidents have been reported in Jammu and Kashmir during the last three years.”

Abdullah, who is in charge of the Ministry of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, explained that an amount of Rs 1,799.09 lakh has been allocated to fire victims based on the assistance criteria established under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

He noted that relief was granted to victims whose properties or homes were destroyed, according to the notified assistance norms.

Furthermore, he clarified that relief assistance for victims of recognised natural disasters, including fires, will continue to adhere to the uniform all-India norms stipulated under the SDRF for the period from 2022 to 2026.

In addressing concerns about the adequacy of compensation amid rising construction costs, Abdullah stated that any revisions to the assistance norms fall under the jurisdiction of the Government of India, as the existing framework is consistently applied throughout the country.

Srinagar, Mar 27: The Jammu and Kashmir Civil Society Forum (JKCSF) has strongly urged the government to grant Boder district status to Tangmarg, highlighting the region’s growing population, economic stagnation, and administrative neglect despite hosting the internationally acclaimed tourist destination Gulmarg.

In a statement issued today, JKCSF Chairman Abdul Qayoom Wani described Tangmarg as a “classic case of tourism visibility without grassroots development,” where global recognition has not translated into local prosperity.

The forum pointed out that Tangmarg has a predominantly rural population exceeding one lakh, with a large segment either unemployed or dependent on seasonal and informal sources of income.The absence of structured industrial or service sectors has further aggravated the employment crisis among youth, forcing many to rely on unstable livelihoods.

A major concern highlighted by JKCSF is the Kandi (rain-fed) nature of large parts of Tangmarg, which significantly limits agricultural productivity. With little access to irrigation and modern farming inputs, agriculture has become increasingly unreliable, leaving farmers economically vulnerable.
Adding to these challenges, vast forest areas dominate the region, where sizable populations reside with limited cultivable land and restricted access to forest resources. These communities often lack substantial and sustainable sources of income, making them among the most economically marginalized sections.

While Gulmarg generates considerable tourism revenue and attracts visitors from across the globe, JKCSF noted that the economic benefits remain largely confined, with peripheral villages in Tangmarg receiving minimal direct gains. Employment linked to tourism is mostly seasonal, inconsistent, and insufficient to sustain the growing population.

The forum also emphasized that being far away part of Baramulla district has led to administrative disadvantages, including delayed service delivery, inadequate infrastructure development, and lack of focused governance due to the vast geographical spread of the district.

“Tangmarg has the potential to emerge as a model region combining tourism, ecology, and rural development, but this requires a dedicated administrative framework,” the statement added.

JKCSF asserted that granting district status would: Enable targeted and efficient governance; improve infrastructure, healthcare, and education facilities; facilitate employment generation and skill development; ensure equitable distribution of tourism revenue; and address the specific needs of Kandi and forest-area populations

Terming the demand as both justified and urgent, the forum concluded that Tangmarg remains a high-potential yet under-served region, and that granting it Boder district status is a long-overdue step toward inclusive, balanced, and sustainable development.wani said JKCSF will call a meeting of prominent citizens , socio polotical activists intelectuals and political workers of all thoughs in the second week of april to discuss on this important issue besides other issues pertaing to our area .

Wani said it is need of the hour to join heads and hands for broder prosperity of Tangmarg area with commientment and consistancy .