The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — The relentless rise in prices of essential food items is placing an increasingly unbearable burden on ordinary households across Kashmir, with milk, eggs, vegetables and fruits becoming costlier and leaving families struggling to manage even their daily kitchen expenses.

From breakfast to dinner, the impact of inflation is being felt in almost every household. Items that were once considered basic necessities are increasingly turning into expensive purchases, forcing families to cut down on quantities, compromise on their food budgets and reconsider everyday spending.

The price of an egg tray has reached Rs 230 in local markets, adding to the mounting pressure on household budgets. Milk prices have also been revised, while consumers continue to face high prices of vegetables and fruits, making routine grocery shopping an increasingly expensive exercise.

For salaried employees, daily wagers, pensioners and families dependent on limited incomes, the situation is particularly difficult. While household incomes remain largely unchanged, the cost of maintaining a kitchen continues to climb, leaving little room for savings or other essential expenses.

"What has particularly angered consumers is the apparent absence of effective market regulation," said a consumer to the news agency KNT. Questions are being raised over who monitors the prices being charged by traders, whether regular market inspections are being conducted and what action is taken against those found overcharging customers.

Consumers say there appears to be no effective mechanism to ensure that prices remain reasonable or that traders adhere to prescribed rates. In the absence of visible and consistent enforcement, market conditions are increasingly being perceived as arbitrary, with ordinary buyers left to bear the consequences.

The concern is not merely about the increase in the price of one or two commodities. It is the cumulative burden of rising prices across almost every essential category that is breaking the financial back of ordinary families.

People are questioning the role of the concerned departments and market regulatory authorities, asking why consumers are repeatedly expected to absorb price increases without any visible intervention to protect their interests.

"The administration needs to move beyond routine assurances and undertake regular market inspections, verify prevailing rates, check for unjustified profiteering and ensure that consumers are not exploited," the consumers said.

The consumers said that access to affordable food is a basic necessity, not a luxury. "When milk, eggs, vegetables and fruits become increasingly difficult for ordinary families to afford, the issue goes beyond market fluctuations and becomes a matter of public concern demanding immediate attention," they added.

PULWAMA — Residents of several villages along the Pulwama–Awantipora road urge authorities to undertake comprehensive upgradation and proper macadamisation, widen narrow stretches and repair damaged portions to ease the hardships faced by daily commuters.

Residents of Dangerpora, Tengpuna, Koil, Malangpora and Pudgampora told the news agency KNO that the road has emerged as a crucial transportation link for thousands of people, connecting several rural habitations with Pulwama, Awantipora and other adjoining areas.

They said the existing condition of the road and the need for its improvement have made daily commuting difficult, particularly for students, employees, patients, traders and people travelling for other essential purposes.

According to residents, the road holds considerable importance as it provides connectivity to prominent institutions, including the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) and AIIMS Awantipora. Thousands of students, employees, patients and attendants use the route, making its proper development necessary in view of the growing movement of people and vehicles.

They said the road should no longer be left to temporary patchwork and routine repairs, stressing that a comprehensive upgradation plan was required to address the long-standing transportation difficulties.

"Thousands of people depend on this road every day. Students have to reach educational institutions, patients travel to hospitals and employees commute to their workplaces. Its poor condition and narrow stretches cause unnecessary inconvenience to commuters," Rizwan, a resident of Koil, said.

He said widening of vulnerable stretches, proper drainage arrangements, durable macadamisation and installation of necessary road safety infrastructure should form part of the proposed development work.

The residents also highlighted the economic significance of the road, saying improved connectivity would facilitate transportation of goods, strengthen local businesses and provide easier access to markets and other essential services.

They said a properly maintained and sufficiently wide road would not only reduce commuting difficulties but also improve connectivity between rural areas and major urban and institutional centres.

Seeking immediate intervention, the residents appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Pulwama and the Roads and Buildings Department authorities to take up the issue on priority.

They urged the administration to assess the existing condition of the road, identify stretches requiring widening and initiate comprehensive improvement works without further delay.

The residents said the Pulwama–Awantipora road caters to a large population and deserves adequate attention in view of its growing importance, adding that its upgradation would be a significant relief for commuters and serve the larger public interest.

SRINAGAR — Changing food habits, lack of physical activity and rising obesity are increasingly affecting reproductive health among women in Kashmir, with doctors warning that Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Polycystic Ovary Disease (PCOD) are emerging as important contributors to infertility.

Health experts say that while infertility can result from several medical and biological factors, lifestyle-related problems, particularly unhealthy diets and sedentary routines, are playing a significant role in the growing burden of hormonal disorders among women of reproductive age.

Speaking to the news agency KNO, Dr Rehana Akhter, a gynaecologist at the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir, said PCOS has become one of the commonly encountered hormonal disorders among women, with obesity, unhealthy eating patterns and physical inactivity contributing to its growing prevalence.

She said excessive consumption of junk food, processed items and calorie-rich diets, coupled with limited exercise, can lead to weight gain and insulin resistance, which may aggravate hormonal imbalances associated with PCOS.

"Food habits and physical activity have a direct bearing on women's hormonal health. A diet dominated by junk food, combined with a sedentary lifestyle, can contribute to obesity and insulin resistance. These factors can disturb hormonal balance and affect the regular release of eggs from the ovaries," she said.

Explaining the link between PCOS and infertility, Dr Akhter said the condition often interferes with normal ovulation, making conception difficult. "In women suffering from PCOS, hormonal disturbances can prevent the ovaries from releasing eggs regularly. Sometimes ovulation becomes irregular or stops altogether, which reduces the chances of pregnancy," she said.

According to the doctor, dietary changes and physical activity should form an important part of managing the condition, advising women to adopt balanced eating habits and maintain a healthy body weight. "Regular exercise, even in the form of daily walking, along with proper nutrition and weight control, can help improve insulin sensitivity and hormonal balance," she added.

Dr Akhter also pointed towards delayed marriages as another factor affecting fertility, saying reproductive potential naturally declines with advancing age, with many women now entering marriage in their late twenties or early thirties.

Another gynaecologist, Dr Masarat Jan, said pelvic inflammatory disease, often associated with sexually transmitted infections, can also lead to infertility if not diagnosed and treated in time.

She said unsafe abortions and procedures performed by untrained persons at unregistered facilities can cause serious infections and damage to the reproductive system. "Septic abortions can result in severe infections of the reproductive tract and, in some cases, cause complications that may permanently affect a woman's ability to conceive," she said, stressing awareness about contraception and reliable reproductive health information.

Doctors said the changing lifestyle among young people — prolonged sitting, reduced outdoor activity, irregular eating patterns, fast food, stress and inadequate sleep — is creating additional challenges. A healthy diet of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and adequate protein, along with regular physical activity, can help maintain a healthy weight and reduce metabolic problems associated with PCOS.

Experts cautioned that infertility should not be attributed to lifestyle or PCOS alone, as it can affect both men and women and may have multiple causes, stressing timely medical evaluation rather than self-medication.

According to NFHS-6, Jammu and Kashmir recorded a total fertility rate of 1.6 children per woman, among the lowest in the country.