The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday passed Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s resolution seeking the immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, amid protests and a walkout by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators.

The resolution calls upon the Government of India to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and provides that it be forwarded to the Union Government.

It also states that the demand is in addition to resolutions passed by the House on June 26, 2000, and November 6, 2024. The reference to the 2000 resolution, which sought greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir, became a major point of contention during the debate.

BJP legislators protested against the resolution, objecting to references to the earlier autonomy resolution and the constitutional position that existed before August 5, 2019. The party has maintained that it supports restoration of statehood but opposes linking the demand with autonomy and Article 370.

As the debate continued, BJP members raised slogans and entered the Well of the House. They later walked out as the resolution was put to a vote.

During the debate, Omar questioned the delay in restoring statehood and challenged the argument that Jammu and Kashmir should wait for an end to violence before the status was restored.

He said that if restoration of statehood was conditional on the “guns falling silent”, the decision would effectively depend on Islamabad rather than New Delhi.

Omar also criticised what he described as changes to the political and territorial legacy associated with Maharaja Hari Singh. Referring to the erstwhile state, he alleged that the BJP had damaged that legacy by dividing Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.

The Chief Minister’s remarks came during discussion on the statehood resolution, which he had originally moved on September 25. The resolution was subsequently taken up for debate after several legislators sought to speak on its contents.

Several legislators had proposed amendments seeking references to restoration of autonomy, special status and Articles 370 and 35A. During the debate, however, Omar urged members not to press those amendments, arguing that the House had already passed separate resolutions on special status and that retaining the present resolution’s focus on full statehood would avoid providing the BJP grounds to oppose it.

The Speaker subsequently put the resolution to a vote after the amendments were not pressed, and it was passed amid continuing BJP protests.

The BJP’s objections centred primarily on the inclusion of the June 26, 2000 resolution, which was passed during the government headed by Farooq Abdullah and sought restoration of greater autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir. The November 6, 2024 resolution had sought dialogue for restoration of special status and constitutional guarantees.

The passage of Monday’s resolution formally places the elected Assembly’s demand for restoration of full statehood before the Union Government.

The House was adjourned after the day’s listed business was completed and is scheduled to meet again on Tuesday.

PULWAMA — Acting on a specific complaint, a Food Safety team of the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), Jammu and Kashmir, Pulwama, conducted an inspection of the premises of M/S Swat Industries, IGC Lassipora, Pulwama, engaged in the processing and packaging of drinking water under the brand name "ICY Wave".

According to reports reaching the news agency KNS, the team found during the inspection that the unit was operating without a valid FSSAI license for processing and packaging of drinking water.

It was further observed that the FSSAI license number 1102547000051, displayed on the bottles, had been obtained for wholesale/retail business of fruits and vegetables and did not cover the processing or packaging of drinking water.

As part of the enforcement action, the Food Safety team lifted two samples of packaged drinking water for analytical examination. In view of the violation, the premises were sealed and operations suspended. A Show Cause Notice was also served upon the person-in-charge/representative of the firm, requiring an explanation within three days.

Section 31 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, mandates licensing of Food Business Operators, as applicable under the Act. Packaged Drinking Water and Mineral Water have been classified under the High Risk Food Category, warranting enhanced regulatory oversight and compliance by manufacturers and processors.

Operating a food business requiring a license, without obtaining the requisite license, attracts penal action under Section 63 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which provides for a penalty that may extend to ₹10 lakh. Action has been initiated for filing a complaint/prosecution under the relevant provisions of the Act before the competent court for operating the food business without the mandatory FSSAI license.

The FDA, J&K, reiterated that all Food Business Operators are required to obtain and maintain a valid FSSAI license/registration appropriate to the nature of their food business. The department said it would continue to undertake strict enforcement measures against violations of food safety laws to ensure compliance and safeguard public health.

SRINAGAR — Jammu and Kashmir is likely to witness largely dry weather through the first half of October, with brief spells of rain and thunder expected on a few occasions, according to the Meteorological Centre Srinagar.

The weather office said September 27 would be generally dry, while September 28 would see a brief spell of rain, with light snow over higher reaches, along with thunder and gusty winds in a few districts during the afternoon.

September 29 and 30, as well as October 1 to 3, are expected to remain generally dry.

From October 4 to 6, the weather is expected to turn partly to generally cloudy, with light rain, light snow over higher reaches, thunder and gusty winds at a few places. October 7 and 8 are forecast to be generally dry, followed by another spell of partly to generally cloudy conditions with light rain, light snow over higher reaches, thunder and gusty winds at a few places from October 9 to 10.

The MeT Centre said current conditions were ideal for harvesting of apple and paddy crops, along with other farm operations. It also advised safe storage of harvested crops in view of the expected weather changes during the afternoon of September 28.