Srinagar, Dec 22: After a brief spell of snow and rain across higher reaches and plains, bright, clear, and cold days are ahead for Kashmir, the Department of Meteorology (MeT) said on Monday.

Chillai Kalan brought along glad tidings, ending the prolonged dry spell, bringing respite in pollution and snowfall to relish.

The major effect of Western Disturbances (WD) that hit Kashmir from December 20 onwards has ended.

“We are not expecting more snow or rain from this Western Disturbance now, its effect is over,” Director MeT, Kashmir, Mukhtar Ahmad said.

He said the weather is expected to be clear from Tuesday onwards, the minimal cloud cover, bringing bright sunshine to the Valley.

Ahmad said parts in higher reaches may have some clouds, but the weather would remain “essentially dry for the week, up to December 28.”

“On December 28, a weak Western Disturbance is likely to hit Kashmir again, bringing some precipitation in the form of rain and snow,” he said.

Ahmad said no major weather event is predicted for the week ahead.

Chillai Kalan, the traditionally significant 40-day period of core winter that began on December 21, ended months of dry spell in Kashmir with rain and snow in most parts here.

The MeT said the precipitation was “more than expected”. The Zojila-Sonmarg stretch received around 10 inches of snow, while the Razdan Pass had about 8 inches of snow accumulation.

In the Gurez-Tulail areas, around 9 inches of snowfall were received, while in north Kashmir’s Machil area, 8 inches of snow were recorded.

Poonch received rainfall heavier than other areas, recording 54 mm, while Srinagar and Budgam areas had rainfall of 14-15 mm.

The precipitation cleared the particulate suspended in the air of most districts, bringing an end to smog engulfed days and nights.

Central parts of Kashmir and many areas in north and south Kashmir had been covered by thick layers of smoke and particulate-filled fog, bringing down visibility and air quality. With the air cleared of smog and cloud cover thinning down, Kashmir looks ahead at brighter, clearer skies.

“It is going to be a pleasant week in terms of visibility,” Ahmad said.

Snowfall in Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and Pahalgam has brought about cheer to locals and tourists. Tourism activities in winter are mainly centered on snowfall events.

Many tourists from Kashmir, as well as other parts of the country, have been seen rejoicing in the freshly covered slopes. Snowfall around Christmas and New Year has traditionally been the kick-starter of winter tourism activities in these popular destinations.

Clear weather is also set to bring a drop in minimum and maximum temperatures across Kashmir, the MeT said.

Srinagar, Dec 22: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Monday wrote to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking urgent intervention to ensure the safety and well-being of Indian medical students currently studying in Bangladesh amid ongoing protests, tensions, and incidents of violence, particularly in Dhaka and surrounding regions.

In the letter addressed to the Prime Minister, the Association urged him to intervene to ensure the safety and protection of Indian medical students in view of the prevailing unrest and uncertain conditions in Bangladesh.

National Convenor of the Association, Nasir Khuehami, said that there are around 9,000 Indian students pursuing medical education in various colleges across Bangladesh, among them over 4,000 students from the Kashmir Valley. He said the Association has been receiving distress calls and messages from students and their families, who are extremely anxious about the rapidly deteriorating situation and the atmosphere of fear and uncertainty prevailing there.

Khuehami said, “We have been told by students studying in Dhaka that they have been advised to hide their identity for their own safety, which is deeply disturbing and unacceptable for young Indians who have gone abroad solely to pursue education.”

Highlighting the plight of students, the Association said, “Many students are confined to hostels and accommodations, facing restrictions on movement, lack of clarity, and fear of being caught in violence. Parents in India are living in constant anxiety, unsure about the safety of their children. The prevailing conditions are unsafe and uncertain, and students feel vulnerable and stranded.”

Urging immediate action, Khuehami said, “We urge the Prime Minister to kindly intervene to ensure the immediate safety and protection of Indian medical students in Bangladesh. We request the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian High Commission in Dhaka to urgently take up this matter with the Government of Bangladesh and seek firm assurances for the security, dignity, and well-being of our students.”

The Association also appealed for evacuation if the situation worsens, stating, “If the situation of tension and violence continues or worsens, the Government of India should kindly consider making arrangements to evacuate and bring back Indian students safely to India, so that no young life is put at risk. Timely evacuation, if required, will go a long way in preventing any untoward incident and in reassuring anxious families across the country.”