Jammu, Mar 08: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Sunday said the government is closely monitoring the situation of Indian citizens, particularly students from Jammu and Kashmir, who are currently stranded in Iran amid the ongoing conflict in the region.

Speaking to reporters, Choudhary said the government remains in constant touch with authorities regarding the safety of the students and other Indians in the affected areas.

He said the situation on the ground remains complex, which has made immediate evacuation difficult.

“We are keeping strict vigil and receiving regular information about the stranded students and other people from India, particularly those from Jammu and Kashmir. We are anxious about their safety, but the situation there is complex and evacuation is not possible at this moment,” Choudhary said.

He added that the government will take steps to evacuate them as soon as the situation improves.

“As soon as conditions become favourable, the stranded people will be brought back safely,” he said.

Commenting on sports, the Deputy Chief Minister congratulated the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team for winning the Ranji Trophy after a long wait.

He said the achievement has brought pride to the entire region and reflects the growing strength of sports in Jammu and Kashmir.

“We hope that India will also win the T20 World Cup. Our country is moving ahead in sports, and the Ranji Trophy victory after many years is a moment of pride for everyone,” he said.

Choudhary said the team is scheduled to arrive soon and will be given a grand welcome by the government.

He also said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has arranged a dinner for the team on March 9 to honour their achievement.

The deputy Chief minister added that the Omar Abdullah-led government remains committed to fulfilling the promises made to the people and will continue working to ease the difficulties faced by the public. [KNT]

Jammu, Mar 08: Stating that Jammu and Kashmir no longer settles for mediocrity or the ordinary and it dares to dream big, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday said that over the past few years region has witnessed transformative changes, rendering the system transparent.

After inaugurating Headquarters of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) at Sidhra, Jammu and ACB APKS branch, Awantipora, LG Sinha wrote on X: “These two buildings are not merely structures of steel, glass, and concrete; they stand as a bold declaration of transparency in public life and a corruption-free Union Territory.”

“Today, J&K stands at a pivotal juncture. Over the past 5-6 years, we have ushered in transformative changes, rendering the system transparent & dedicating it to public service. Entire machinery now operates not for the benefit of a select few, but for every individual across UT. J&K no longer settles for mediocrity or the ordinary. It now dares to dream big,” he wrote further.

“Among our people, a firm belief has taken root that a golden future lies ahead. Fulfilling this vision is also the responsibility of the officers and staff at the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

I called upon ACB to ensure that each decision, investigation & prosecution stands firm under scrutiny of the courts and must harness the authority granted by the nation’s Constitution to expose injustice, eradicate corruption entirely, and earn the trust of the people” LG Sinha wrote—(KNO)

Jammu, Mar 08: The Indian Railways has launched its official super app – “RailOne” to make passenger travel more convenient and comfortable by integrating multiple railway services on a single digital platform.

The app allows passengers to access a wide range of services, including ticket booking, train status tracking and e-catering, without the need to use multiple applications.

Under the e-catering facility, passengers can order their favourite meals from well-known restaurants through food aggregator platforms Zomato and Swiggy directly through the RailOne app.

With this facility, passengers travelling through key stations of the Jammu Division of the Northern Railway, including Jammu, Katra and Pathankot, can enjoy their preferred meals from the comfort of their seats during the journey.

Through the RailOne app, passengers can select food from Zomato or Swiggy using their PNR number, and the meal will be delivered directly to their seat or berth. The system of both food delivery platforms is integrated with train schedules to ensure timely delivery at designated stations.

Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Uchit Singhal said the initiative aimed to make rail travel more enjoyable and hassle-free for passengers.

“Our primary goal is to provide a single platform where passengers can access ticket booking, live train tracking and now premium food delivery services. This technological collaboration with Zomato and Swiggy ensures that passengers receive hygienic and quality food of their choice directly at their berths,” he said.

The Jammu Railway Division has urged passengers to make maximum use of the RailOne app and encourage fellow travellers to adopt this all-in-one solution for a smoother and more comfortable journey.

Rajouri, Mar 7: A sharp and unusual spike in temperature has been recorded in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, with the day’s maximum temperature rising nearly 10 degrees Celsius above the seasonal average, raising concern among agrometeorology experts over changing weather patterns in the region.

Rajouri, a border district, usually experiences a mixed climatic pattern where the temperature rarely exceeds 41 degrees Celsius even during peak summer.

However, during the first week of March this year, an unusual rise in temperature has been recorded, a trend that is reportedly being observed across several parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

The temperature data has been recorded at the Regional Agriculture Research Station (RARS) Rajouri operating under the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu.

The station houses a dedicated Agrometeorology Observatory where weather parameters are monitored on a daily basis, with temperature readings taken three times a day through both conventional manual weather instruments and a digital weather monitoring system.

Dr Rohit Sharma, Agrometeorology expert overseeing the observatory, stated that the average maximum temperature in Rajouri during the first week of March generally remains between 19 and 24 degrees Celsius, which is considered ideal for the growth of local crops.

However, this year a significant rise of nearly 10 degrees Celsius has been recorded.

He said that on March 5, the observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 33.8 degrees Celsius, which is almost 10 degrees higher than the normal temperature for this period.

According to Dr Sharma, this is the highest day temperature recorded in the first week of March in Rajouri during the last two decades since records have been maintained at the station.

Dr Sharma further informed that the previous highest temperature recorded during the same period was 27 degrees Celsius in the year 2016.

He expressed concern that such a sharp rise in temperature indicates a disturbing weather pattern and also attributed the phenomenon primarily to factors such as global warming and an acute lack of rainfall in the region.

Meanwhile, senior scientist and incharge of RARS Rajouri, Dr Vikas Sharma, said that the district is currently witnessing a rainfall deficit ranging between 65 to 70 percent.

He added that the prolonged dry spell has caused the groundwater table to decline significantly, while the extremely dry weather conditions are adversely impacting daily life.

Dr Vikas Sharma warned that the rainfall deficit coupled with rising temperatures could severely affect crop yield of the crops already sown in the fields.

He also cautioned that the prevailing climatic conditions may have potential implications for human health if the trend continues in the coming weeks.