Srinagar, Dec 13: Cold weather conditions prevailed across Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Saturday, with the Zojila Pass recording the lowest temperature at minus 17 degrees Celsius.

Early morning heavy fog also enveloped many parts of the Valley, adding to the woes of transporters. Officials urged drivers to move slowly and drive vehicles with caution to avoid accidents.

In the Kashmir region, Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 2.9 degrees Celsius, while the Srinagar airport settled at minus 4.0 degrees.

Qazigund recorded minus 1.6 degrees, Pahalgam minus 2.8 degrees, Kupwara minus 2.4 degrees and Kokernag 0.1 degrees Celsius. Gulmarg, the famous ski resort, recorded a low of 1.6 degrees Celsius.

Other places in the Valley saw sub-zero temperatures, with Pampore at minus 2.5 degrees, Awantipora minus 3.6 degrees, Budgam minus 3.1 degrees, Anantnag minus 2.5 degrees, Baramulla minus 3.2 degrees, Bandipora minus 2.1 degrees, Pulwama minus 4.2 degrees and Shopian minus 3.7 degrees Celsius.

Kulgam recorded 0.1 degrees, Ganderbal minus 1.8 degrees, Sonamarg minus 0.3 degrees and Zethan Rafiabad minus 3.1 degrees Celsius.

In the Jammu region, minimum temperatures remained relatively higher. Jammu city recorded a low of 10.3 degrees Celsius, while Jammu airport recorded 10.9 degrees.

Katra recorded 10.2 degrees, Kathua and Batote 8.0 degrees each, and Reasi also 8.0 degrees Celsius. Bhaderwah recorded 3.6 degrees, Banihal 3.8 degrees, Udhampur 3.4 degrees, Rajouri 3.8 degrees, Ramban and Samba 5.9 degrees each, Kishtwar 7.8 degrees and Doda 7.3 degrees Celsius.

In Ladakh, Leh recorded a minimum temperature of minus 5.6 degrees Celsius, Kargil minus 5.2 degrees and Nubra Valley minus 5.7 degrees.

Meteorological officials said cold conditions are expected to continue in the higher reaches, while plains are likely to experience chilly nights over the next few days.(KNS).

Kulgam, Dec 12: A massive fire broke out on Friday evening in the Khudwani area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, causing damage to two residential houses, officials said.

The blaze triggered panic in the densely populated locality as flames rapidly engulfed the structures.

Men and machinery from Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) department alongwith Kulgam Police rushed to the spot soon after receiving information and launched an extensive firefighting operation.

With the assistance of local residents, F&ES personnel managed to bring the flames under control and prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent houses, thereby averting a larger tragedy, the news agency KNC reported.

The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained and an assessment of the damage is currently underway. No injuries or loss of life were reported till the last reports came in.

Further investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Srinagar, Dec 12: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on Friday issued a comprehensive advisory directing scientific and environmentally responsible disposal of seized, rejected, and expired food items, following reports of unsafe dumping of such materials into rivers and other natural water bodies.

Reiterating the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and guidelines issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the advisory instructs all designated officers, Food Safety Officers (FSOs), and enforcement teams to strictly follow approved disposal procedures to prevent environmental damage, health risks, and potential misuse of unsafe food items.

The advisory explicitly prohibits disposal of any seized, rejected, or expired food items including their packaging into rivers, lakes, natural water bodies, or open land.

Enforcement teams have been asked to adopt approved disposal methods such as incineration at authorised facilities compliant with Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) norms, disposal in designated sanitary landfills with leachate control, or composting and anaerobic digestion of biodegradable waste through certified units, in coordination with local municipal bodies, panchayats, or other statutory authorities.

All disposal activities are required to be video recorded in the presence of two independent witnesses.

Upon completion, the supervising FSO must submit a certificate of disposal to the designated officer, with copies forwarded to the Commissioner of Food Safety and the concerned Food Business Operator (FBO).

The advisory directs designated officers to identify suitable incineration, composting, or alternative disposal facilities and share the list with the Commissioner of Food Safety.

For high-volume disposals, coordination with the State Pollution Control Board has also been advised.

Additionally, officers are required to submit monthly disposal compliance reports to the Commissioner of Food Safety by the 3rd of the following month, highlighting any deviations from the prescribed guidelines.

The FDA’s directive comes amid growing concern over improper disposal of unsafe food items, reinforcing the department’s commitment to public health and environmental safety.

Srinagar, Dec 12: The Joint Traders Association (JTA), an amalgam of city-centre market bodies, on Friday observed Retail Employees’ Day to acknowledge the vital role retail staff play in sustaining Srinagar’s commercial activity.

JTA Chairman Farhan Kitab, who also heads the CAIT Kashmir Chapter, said the day serves as a reminder of the year-round dedication and hard work of salespersons and frontline staff. He said retail employees form the backbone of the marketplace, ensuring smooth operations and a positive shopping experience for customers.

Kitab urged traders, business owners and customers to extend simple gestures of appreciation to retail workers, noting that such recognition boosts morale and strengthens employer–employee–customer relationships.

The JTA expressed gratitude to all retail employees for their service, professionalism and commitment, which it said keep the city centre vibrant and customer-friendly.