The Jammu and Kashmir Electrical Engineering Graduates Association (JKEEGA), led by General Secretary Er. Pirzada Hidayatullah, held a South Kashmir convention at the Dak Bungalow here on Friday, with engineers from across the region participating.

The convention was attended by engineers from various levels of the department, including Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers, Assistant Executive Engineers, Assistant Engineers and Junior Engineers.

Addressing the gathering, Hidayatullah presented a report on the first two months of the newly constituted JKEEGA Executive Council for the 2026-28 term. He outlined the initiatives undertaken by the association and the progress made on several long-pending issues concerning the engineering cadre.

He highlighted promotions achieved during the initial two months, attributing the progress to sustained engagement with the authorities and efforts to safeguard the career interests of engineers.

The issue of utilising direct recruitment posts for the promotion of in-service Junior Engineers was also discussed. Members unanimously resolved to pursue the matter to facilitate the career progression of in-service Junior Engineers.

Hidayatullah also briefed members on the association’s efforts for regularisation, describing it as one of JKEEGA’s foremost priorities. He outlined the interventions made at various levels and the roadmap being pursued for an early resolution.

He said the Executive Council remained committed to addressing professional, promotional and service-related concerns of engineers through institutional dialogue, engagement with the administration and other legitimate forums.

“The strength of JKEEGA lies in the unity, trust and collective support of its members,” Hidayatullah said, stressing the association’s commitment to transparency, accountability and a result-oriented approach.

Participating engineers expressed satisfaction with the functioning of the present leadership and appreciated the progress on promotions, regularisation and other long-pending service matters

Srinagar, Aug 21: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) General Secretary Organisation and former Minister, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, has urged the district administration Budgam to ensure adequate basic facilities for devotees ahead of the annual Urs of Hazrat Syed Ali Aali Balakhi (R), scheduled to be Started at Pakharpora on August 25, 2026.

As per a press release, Adv. Hanjura said that thousands of devotees from different parts of Jammu and Kashmir are expected to visit the revered shrine to pay their respects and participate in the religious observances. He stressed that the administration must make timely arrangements to ensure that devotees do not face any inconvenience during the Urs.

He particularly called for adequate arrangements regarding drinking water, sanitation, cleanliness, uninterrupted power supply, medical facilities, traffic management, parking and proper regulation of vehicular movement in and around the shrine premises. Hanjura also urged the administration to deploy sufficient personnel and ensure proper crowd management, particularly during peak hours, so that the annual religious gathering passes off peacefully and smoothly. The PDP General Secretary Organisation said that the Urs of revered saints is an important part of Kashmir’s rich spiritual and cultural heritage and carries immense religious significance for people across the region. He appealed to the district administration to coordinate with the shrine management and local stakeholders and complete all necessary arrangements well before August 25, keeping the convenience, safety and dignity of devotees as the top priority.

Srinagar, Aug 21: Kashmir’s Himalayan Snow Trout, locally known as Khont, once abundant in the Jhelum and its tributaries, could get a new lease of life after researchers successfully bred the vulnerable native fish in captivity.

Researchers at the Fish Resource Management Laboratory, Faculty of Fisheries, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), have standardised breeding and larval-rearing protocols for Schizothoraxplagiostomus, one of several snow trout species found in Kashmir.

Though its origins can be traced to Central Asia, Schizothorax species are considered indigenous to Kashmir’s freshwater ecosystems.

They are adapted to cold, clear, and oxygen-rich waters.

“It is certainly an important development amidst the increasing threats of pollution, mining activities, construction and climate change,” said DrFarooz Ahmad Bhat, Dean, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K.

DrBhat, who leads the project at the University’s Rangil campus in Ganderbal, said the team bred Schizothoraxplagiostomusbroodstock under controlled conditions using a hormonal protocol.

“The snow trout or snow barbel breeds in clean glacial waters. Human interference has had a negative impact on their production,” he said.

The team has produced about 10,000 eggs.

The fry will be reared to advanced stages before being released into natural streams.

“By successful ranching into the streams of the Valley, it is expected that in the near future, encouraging results will be seen regarding the production and reproduction of this particular fish,” DrBhat said.

The work comes amid concern over the decline of native fish and deteriorating freshwater habitats.

Recent fish mortality – mainly of Schizothorax species – has been reported from Panzath springs in Qazigund, Martand springs in Mattan, Sherbagh and Andernag springs in Anantnag, Verinag springs, Beehama springs in Ganderbal and parts of Shopian springs.

DrBhat said Schizothoraxplagiostomus is mainly associated with cold, flowing waters.

Schizothoraxniger, or Elegant Snow Trout locally known as Ael Gad, was once widespread in Dal Lake, stagnant wetlands, the Jhelum and freshwater springs.

Clean springs such as Mattan can also support Schizothoraxplagiostomus if stocked there.

“Four decades back, Dal Lake teemed with this fish species. The peripheries of Dal Lake were full of pebbles, so this species of fish flourished,” DrBhat said.

Snow trout was also found in the Vaishaw, Sandran, Brengi, Lidder, Madhumati, and several other mountain streams.

DrBhat said its range has since contracted, with populations now largely confined to upper reaches.

“Their numbers in the middle and lower reaches have come down due to human interference,” he said.

The fish scrapes algae from stones and pebbles and requires clean, rocky beds and sand for feeding and spawning.

“There should be no turbidity or muck in the water which is commonly seen in the water-bodies now,” DrBhat said.

DrAadilHussainMagloo, a member of the research team, said scientists studied water conditions in the Jhelum and its tributaries where snow trout still survives and maintained optimum water-quality parameters in broodstock ponds and hatchery facilities.

“Keeping the importance of water quality parameters and the protocol of induced breeding in mind, we have set the breeding standards for this rare fish, which will help us in increasing the production of Kashmiri fish in the future in natural water bodies,” DrMagloo said.

DrBhat said the objective was conservation, not commercial production.

“This species isn’t culturable but is meant to be conserved in its natural range of distribution,” he said.

Snow trout grows much more slowly than Rainbow and Brown trout.

It reaches only about 60-80 grams in three years, or a maximum of around 90 grams, by the time it attains sexual maturity.

However, despite its slow early growth, snow trout can eventually grow to 2-3 Kg or more over its lifespan under natural conditions.

The decline of native ‘Kashmiri’ fish has also coincided with the spread of common carp, locally known as Punjabi fish, which reproduces more readily and has become dominant in many waters.

The captive-breeding breakthrough offers a way to replenish depleted snow trout stocks.

Its success, however, will depend on restoring suitable streams and protecting the habitats where the indigenous fish breeds and survives.

“The Department of Fisheries in Jammu and Kashmir can adopt the breeding protocol to support the restoration and conservation of this vanishing, rare indigenous species,” an official said.