Srinagar, Feb 13: State Cancer institute takes the major burden of cancer cases in J&K, functions on staff borrowed from SKIMS Soura, the Government said today. In the past three years, over 17000 new cases of cancer were diagnosed at State Cancer Institute Kashmir and Jammu.

The details exposing the cancer infrastructure and manpower in J&K were revealed by Government in response to questions raised by legislator Sheikh Ahsan Ahmed Pardesi. The starred A.Q. No. 113 demanded clarification as to why the State Cancer Institute was set up without adequate medical, paramedical, and technical posts. The shortfalls, Pardesi has said, is leading to inconveniences for patients and compromising cancer care.

The Health and Medical Education Department has said the number of cancer cases is rising at 7.49%, and attributed the rise to “improved diagnostics”. “The rise cannot be interpreted as the actual rise in cancer cases,” the reply states. The department has said that epidemiological research is required to establish causality.

In the past three years, 2023-2025, 17296 people have been diagnosed with cancer. Of these, 10754 cases have been detected in Kashmir division and 6542 in Jammu division.

The Government has said the 100-bedded State Cancer Institute at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, was established with central funding under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS). It received a sanctioned grant of Rs. 120 crore exclusively for infrastructure. Although it was commissioned on December 5, 2020, the development remains ongoing.

The Government has acknowledged that approximately 80% of the SCI Kashmir is currently functional through manpower deployed from the main SKIMS Soura hospital. It said that a proposal for dedicated staff, including doctors, nursing, paramedical, technical, and supportive roles is under active consideration by the government. “It will be modeled after the State Cancer Institute in Jammu,” the Government said.

In order to manage the growing patient load and reduce waiting times, the government has said it was actively expanding services. It has provided “substantial rise in PET scans at SKIMS, from 1,410 in 2024 to 2,250 in 2025” as evidence of the expansion.

It has also said that GMC Srinagar is providing comprehensive cancer treatments, including therapies, surgeries, and essential tests like MRI, CT, and USG. The administrative approval for procuring a new PET Scan machine for GMC Srinagar at an estimated cost of Rs. 16.00 crore through the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) has been applauded as a step to mitigate suffering of cancer patients.

Srinagar, Feb 13: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday informed the Assembly that over 12,000 kilograms of rotten and unsafe meat has been seized and destroyed across the Union Territory during the current financial year 2025-26 (up to December 2025).

Replying to a question in the House, the Health & Medical Education Department said that while food adulteration is not a generalised fact, incidents relating to sale and seizure of rotten/unsafe meat were reported in Kashmir Valley during routine surveillance and special enforcement drives conducted across districts.

As per the official data, a total of 1,676 inspections were carried out, during which 144 samples were lifted. Of these, 18 were found Non-Standard Quality (NSQ).

The department said 2,139 kg of meat was seized, while 12,183.5 kg of rotten meat was destroyed, with the total value of destroyed stock pegged at Rs 29,19,060.

District-wise Seizures

Srinagar recorded the highest seizure with 4,220 kg of rotten meat destroyed, followed by Jammu with 3,881 kg and Kupwara with 1,520.5 kg. Other districts where seizures were reported include Anantnag (700 kg), Ganderbal (770 kg), Pulwama (450 kg), Budgam (234 kg), Bandipora (162 kg), Baramulla (125 kg) and Shopian (121 kg).

In addition, 7,665 kg of paneer was seized/destroyed in Jammu (6,465 kg) and Samba (1,200 kg), with the total value of seized paneer stock amounting to Rs 16,32,150.

The government further stated that samples were sent for analysis to Food Testing Laboratories within and outside J&K, including FSSAI-recognised NABL-accredited laboratories.

The department also informed that J&K has two NABL-accredited Food Testing Laboratories with one each at Jammu and Srinagar and 12 Mobile Food Testing Laboratories, which are fully functional.

However, it acknowledged shortage of technical manpower, stating that out of 19 sanctioned posts each at Food Testing Laboratories Jammu and Srinagar, 11 posts in each lab are currently vacant.

The government said enforcement under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 is being strengthened through regular inspections, sampling, license suspension/cancellation, penalties and prosecution against violators.

“Special drives during festivals and tourist seasons, public awareness programmes and inter-departmental coordination are also being undertaken to safeguard public health,” they said.—(KNO)

Srinagar, Feb 12: Kashmir’s skyline is changing. Where once stood mud-plastered homes with wooden beams and open windows, there now rise concrete buildings of cement, iron, and glass. While this transformation reflects modern progress, it has quietly driven away some of the Valley’s most cherished seasonal guests—birds that once shared homes with people.

Among them is the Katij (swallow), once a familiar and beloved presence in Kashmiri households. Along with Kukil (quail), Sat-tut (woodpecker), Kastoor, Hazaar-Dastaan, Jal, and Tyok, the Katij formed part of Kashmir’s rich natural tapestry. Their arrival each spring marked the renewal of life after winter.

Kashmir experiences four distinct seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Spring, especially, was known for welcoming migratory birds from warmer regions. The cheerful flutter of the Katij and its soft “cheeru-cheeru” once filled homes and courtyards with life.

Unlike many birds, the Katij did not remain distant from human settlements. It built its nest carefully using grass and wet mud, shaping it under wooden ceilings and along mud walls inside traditional homes. Earlier, Kashmiri houses were constructed with mud bricks, timber frames, and clay walls—structures that naturally accommodated nesting birds.

Historian Zareef Ahmad Zareef explains that “older homes were built in harmony with nature. Birds like the Katij were treated almost like family members, free to enter and leave through open windows. The relationship between people and birds was effortless and deeply rooted in everyday life.”

During the day, Katij birds could be seen flying over markets, lakes such as Dal, and open fields, yet they always returned to human dwellings. Over time, however, this coexistence began to fade.

With the rise of modern construction, traditional architectural features disappeared. Smooth concrete walls and sealed glass windows offer no ledges, no cavities, and no mud surfaces for birds to build nests. As a result, many have been forced to retreat to forests, remote areas, and houseboats.

Four to five decades ago, Katij birds were common across Srinagar. Today, sightings have become rare. Without suitable nesting spaces, they cannot raise their young within city environments.

The decline is not limited to the Katij. Other spring visitors, including the cuckoo and hoopoe, are also vanishing from urban areas. Their melodious calls once defined Kashmiri mornings, becoming woven into the Valley’s cultural identity. Like the bulbul’s connection to flowers, the Katij symbolised harmony between people and nature.

Environmental degradation, pollution, shrinking green spaces, and unplanned urban development have further disrupted this fragile balance. While winter migratory birds still visit parts of the Valley, spring birds are steadily disappearing—especially from cities.

“The real tragedy,” Zareef observes, “is that we failed to protect our environment. Because of this injustice, many birds may never return.”

The empty spaces beneath modern roofs now stand as silent reminders of what has been lost. The absence of the Katij is not merely ecological—it is cultural. These birds once enriched daily life, strengthened human connection to nature, and embodied Kashmir’s gentle spirit.

As concrete replaces clay and glass replaces wood, the Valley risks losing more than its architectural heritage. It risks losing the living symbols of its natural harmony.

Protecting the environment is no longer optional. If steps are not taken to restore ecological balance and preserve traditional wisdom, many more nests may remain empty—and many more vanishing guests may never return.

By: Neha Nazir