Srinagar, Sep 19: In a heartbreaking reminder of the threat due to contaminated drinking water, a 13-year-old boy from a village in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district succumbed to Hepatitis A late Thursday night.

The incident must awaken the people and the government towards steps to ensure clean drinking water; however, similar deaths in the past failed to do so.

Health officials report a concerning rise in waterborne diseases across Kashmir over the past two years. The deceased child, Abu Baker Bhat, was a resident of Katrasoo Kulgam.

He was treated at the local health center initially, and when his condition did not improve, he was referred to higher health facilities, landing up at Children’s Hospital Bemina.

Despite intensive care, the boy succumbed to chronic liver failure.

His sister is currently undergoing treatment at the same hospital.

Doctors stated her condition to be stable.

Hepatitis A is a viral water-borne disease, usually self-resolving.

However, doctors at Children’s Hospital said, over the past few years, they have recorded many fulminant (severe) cases, and many deaths have also taken place.

They said it could be due to the severe contamination of the water that is being consumed.

Medical Superintendent, Children Hospital, Dr Abdul Rasheed Parra, said the cases of Hepatitis A have been higher than the trend over the past two years.

“We have seen a lot of patients with Hepatitis A in this hospital, which was not the case earlier,” he said. “The summer months brought a wave of patients, and water-borne diseases also rise after heavy rains due to contamination of water sources.”

Greater Kashmir had reported at least 134 young patients hospitalised in just the last two months of 2024.

In 2024, Kashmir saw a staggering 38 outbreaks spanning 10 districts.

The failing water supply systems are putting lives at risk.

This tragedy highlights the escalating Hepatitis A cases in Kashmir.

Clean drinking water remains a distant dream for many.

“Hepatitis A is preventable, but young lives are getting affected due to systemic failures in water quality management,” a senior pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital, speaking on condition of anonymity, said. “A child should not die because of the water they consume. It’s not just a health crisis; it’s a failure of basic public service.”

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Kulgam, Dr Showkat Hussain, said an inquiry would be conducted into the incident to ascertain the facts that led to the death of the child.

Teams from various departments have been deputed to the village.

Executive Engineer, Jal Shakti Department, Kulgam, Muhammad Ishaq, said his department had actively chlorinated the water supply during and after rains to prevent diseases.

He said the family was consuming spring water, which was found to be contaminated.

Srinagar, Sep 19: After weeks of anxiety for Kashmir’s apple growers, the Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) has rolled out 55 trucks to major fruit mandis in Sopore and Shopian after weeks of crisis marked by a shortage of vehicles and soaring freight charges.

General Manager, Loads & Cargo, JKRTC, Bashir Ahmed Sofi, speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the deployment followed direct instructions from the government after persistent appeals from growers.

“The minister instructed us to ensure there is no shortage of trucks for fruit transportation. Today, we have mobilised 55 vehicles, including 14 big trailers and other small trucks, to Sopore mandi and 10 trucks to Shopian. These will carry fruit to Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and other stations,” he said.

He said concessional freight had been fixed to protect growers. “For Delhi, the charge is Rs 130 per box and Rs 120 for Punjab, compared to the usual Rs 240–250. A margin of Rs 10 has been left so that labourers can be paid directly,” GM explained.

Weeks of transport shortage and soaring freight

For the past several weeks, apple growers had struggled with no transport availability, as frequent closures of the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway left thousands of fruit-laden trucks stranded. With RTC absent from the scene, private transporters exploited the situation by hiking freight abnormally. Freight to Delhi and Punjab nearly doubled, forcing many growers to sell their produce at throwaway rates or risk losses as apples piled up in mandis.

The President of Asia’s second-largest, Sopore Fruit Mandi, Fayaz Ahmed Malik @ Kaka Ji, said the relief came late but was welcome. “Thousands of apple boxes were lying stranded here with no vehicles to lift them. Private truckers were charging at will. The 40 RTC trucks that have come today will help, but our requirement is at least 200–300 trucks daily to clear the backlog”, he said, urging the government to prioritise horticulture transport the way it does during the Amarnath Yatra.

Growers speak

Orchardists voiced relief but stressed that the crisis was far from over.

“At least now there is some support from RTC. But unless trucks are deployed consistently every day, our losses will continue”, said Ghulam Rasool, a grower from Rafiabad.

Similarly, Abdul Majid, another grower, said they cannot afford highway closures. “When fruit doesn’t reach Delhi or Kolkata on time, buyers turn elsewhere, and it is the grower who bears the loss,” he said.

Daily monitoring assured

General Manager Sofi said the corporation will closely monitor the situation and increase the fleet as more vehicles become free from food supply duty.

“The minister has instructed that strict action be taken against any private trucker found overcharging. RTC will continue deputing trucks daily so that the fruit industry, which is the backbone of our economy, is not made to suffer,” he said.

Govt warns of strict action against overcharging

Private Secretary to Minister Satish Sharma, Sanjeev Sharma, said the government has issued strict directions to prevent any exploitation of fruit growers during the apple season.

He said private truckers will face action if found overcharging, particularly during highway closures when freight rates often shoot up. “The minister has made it clear that strict action will be taken against such practices,” he said.

Sanjeev said the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) will inspect trucks to ensure fair freight charges and to keep transport accessible to growers.

With apple harvest at its peak, growers have appealed to the government to ensure uninterrupted transport availability and smooth highway connectivity, warning that any delay could devastate the Valley’s horticulture economy and the livelihood of lakhs of orchardists.

Kulgam, Sep 19: Deputy Chief Minister, Surinder Kumar Choudhary, on Friday said the biggest issue confronting the people of Jammu and Kashmir is getting back whatever was snatched from them, including the statehood.

Addressing a gathering on the sidelines of the function here, the Dy CM, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said some people expect the ruling elected regime to step down. “But the government is committed to fighting for the restoration of the rights of people that have been snatched,” he said.

Choudhary said the National Conference has always fought for the rights of the people and will continue to do so. He said that restoring statehood is crucial for J&K, not for the government, but for the people whose livelihoods and opportunities have been affected.

“Today, outsiders are getting jobs, while locals are pushed aside,” he said, vowing to continue the fight against those responsible for the removal of Article 370 and the downgrading of the state into a Union Territory.

About the National Highway closure and subsequent losses to the fruit growers, the Dy CM said the growers never faced losses when J&K was a state, but today the highway remained closed for a longer period, causing extensive losses to the growers. “Unfortunately, the Lieutenant Governor didn’t utter even a single word on it,” he said.

Choudhary said those responsible for the state’s downgrading have met the LG, but not the elected Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who was elected by the people.

“The PDP leader (Iltija Mufti) needs to clarify why she met the LG instead of the elected government. The LG’s tenure has already ended, and she did so despite claiming that nothing is in his hands,” he said.

He said the biggest issue at present was the restoration of the identity snatched from the J&K people. “If anyone is responsible for this, it is PDP,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister said the elected government in Jammu and Kashmir has done whatever was under its domain, following the recent floods triggered by heavy rainfall.

“The Chief Minister visited almost every area affected by the floods, and the government has extended every possible support under its domain. J&K doesn’t want any healing, but wants compensation for those affected by the floods,” Choudhary said. “It is the Centre that has to provide compensation”.