Banihal, Sept 20: The special train service between Budgam and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Railway Station, Katra, which was announced earlier this week, commenced operations yesterday, September 19. The service will run until October 3.

Railway authorities said the temporary service has been introduced in view of the poor condition of the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway and frequent traffic restrictions.

Railway officials told Greater Kashmir thatbthe special train will halt at all major stations including Budgam, Srinagar, Awantipora, Anantnag, Qazigund, Banihal, Khari, Sumber, Sangaldan, Sawalkote, Duga, Bakkal, Reasi, and Katra. Tickets are available at all these stations , they added. They said that the fare from Budgam to SMVD Katra is just Rs 50, while from Banihal to Katra it is Rs 30.

According to the timetable issued by the Railways, the train departs from Budgam at 08:45 AM and arrives in Banihal at 10:45 AM. It leaves Banihal at 11:00 AM and reaches Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra station at 01:30 PM, with the return service departing at 01:45 PM.

The public has warmly welcomed this initiative, and demands are growing for the temporary service to be made permanent. Thousands of passengers are expected to benefit from the affordable, safe, and uninterrupted travel option.

Anantnag, Sept 20: The Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) Anantnag, Mubashir Jan, along with his enforcement team, on Saturday conducted an awareness-cum-interaction session with drivers and transport staff of Delhi Public School (DPS) Anantnag to reinforce safety measures for students.

ARTO Mubashir Jaan said that the initiative focused on ensuring strict compliance of school vehicles with the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and Supreme Court guidelines on safe school transport.

During the session, ARTO Jan highlighted key requirements including CCTV cameras in buses, first-aid kits, fire extinguishers, speed governors, emergency exits, regular fitness and pollution checks, prohibition of rash driving and mobile phone use, and compulsory uniforms and ID cards for drivers and conductors.

He further directed the school authorities to ensure CCTVs remain functional at all times, terming them vital for accountability and security. The drivers and staff assured full cooperation, while the school management appreciated the ARTO office’s proactive initiative. (KNC)

Ganderbal, Sept 20: The Jammu and Kashmir Bank ATM installed at Kullan Gund Kangan in Ganderbal district has remained out of service for the past three days, causing inconvenience to locals, particularly traders, government employees, and regular account holders.

Locals complained that the shutdown has forced them to travel long distances to nearby Gund or Kangan towns to withdraw cash. The affected population includes daily wage earners, shopkeepers, and salaried employees who rely heavily on this facility for their routine financial needs.

Ali Muhammad, a local resident, expressed his frustration over the issue. “The ATM has been closed for three consecutive days. Customers are left with no option but to travel to Gund or Kangan, which is both time-consuming and costly. We request the bank authorities to keep this ATM functional round the clock to save us from repeated inconvenience,” he said.

Traders also voiced concern, saying that the cash crunch has disrupted their daily business transactions. Several shopkeepers noted that with growing reliance on cash for local trade, the absence of a functioning ATM has created a bottleneck in their routine dealings.

Government employees residing in the area echoed similar concerns, pointing out that salary withdrawals and urgent cash requirements have been affected. Many complained that despite being customers of Jammu and Kashmir Bank, they were being forced to spend extra money and time to access their own funds.

Locals urged the higher authorities of Jammu and Kashmir Bank to ensure that the ATM in Kullan Gund operates on a 24×7 basis. They stressed that the bank should strengthen its monitoring system to avoid repeated breakdowns, which cause distress to the public. [KNT]

Srinagar, Sep 20: The Jammu and Kashmir Fisheries department has admitted that the Vishaw stream—an important tributary of the Jhelum that supplies over six million gallons of drinking water daily to Kulgam district—is under serious threat from unregulated and unscientific mining.

In an affidavit submitted before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) under OA No. 1391 of 2024, the department acknowledged that unchecked pollution and excessive mining are endangering the stream’s aquatic biodiversity, particularly the trout and Schizothorax species.

The department noted that mining activities—both legal and illegal—carried out during critical breeding and spawning seasons (October–December for trout and April–June for Schizothorax) have severely compromised water quality.

The affidavit further stated that the use of heavy machinery has disturbed the stream’s natural flow, destroyed habitats, and adversely affected fish production as well as species diversity.

The Fisheries department told the Tribunal that it has been keeping a close watch on the Vishaw stream through routine inspections to gauge the impact of mining and pollution.

It said that in collaboration with the Pollution Control Committee, steps are being taken to reduce the inflow of agricultural runoff and other waste into the water body.

The department also mentioned that outreach programmes and awareness campaigns are underway to educate locals about the need to safeguard the stream and to report any instances of illegal mining.

At the same time, the department stressed that despite its preventive measures, much of the ecological damage is the result of weak oversight by the Geology and Mining Department.

It warned that without immediate corrective action, the decline in the stream’s health could become irreversible.

In its affidavit, the department laid out a comprehensive set of proposals for stream protection. These include re-evaluation of mining operations to stop unscientific practices; strict enforcement of environmental laws by the Geology and Mining Department; regulated mining in designated dry patches only; and complete closure of mining in drained patches where aquafauna exists.

It also suggested making local bodies responsible for ensuring that municipal waste does not enter the stream, alongside initiating habitat restoration projects in affected areas.

The department further suggested forming dedicated monitoring committees, conducting regular assessments of water quality and fish stocks, and ensuring coordinated action among the Departments of Geology and Mining, Fisheries, Flood Control and Irrigation, along with active involvement of local communities.

Reaffirming its commitment before the Tribunal, the Fisheries Department said it would continue efforts to tackle pollution, address environmental concerns, and protect the aquatic biodiversity of the Vishaw.

It also urged the district administration to enforce strict preventive measures to curb pollution, safeguard the water body, and work towards restoring the stream’s ecological balance—(KNO)

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.