The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) Jammu and Kashmir on Monday expressed serious concern and strongly condemned the incident that took place in Masjid Sharief of Zadoora village in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, on the night of June 23 and 24, wherein the personnel of the Army’s 50 Battalion Rashtriya Rifles harassed the local people and beat up some residents, forcing them to raise non-Muslim slogans from the mosque.

In a statement, the MMU said the silence maintained by the authorities in this regard is unacceptable. It asked them to clarify their position in this regard as the religious sentiments of Muslims of J&K have been badly hurt and people are shocked.

The MMU expressed concern over the fact that the government-backed institutions in Jammu and Kashmir are increasingly interfering with the management and working of mosques, shrines, Imambaras and other religious institutions, saying this is causing distress which needs to be addressed.

MMU also called for the immediate and unconditional release of the MMU patron Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq who has been under arbitrary detention for the last four years, and other imprisoned religious leaders and preachers, before the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.

The Majlis-e-Ulema announced that a state-wide meeting will be convened after Eid-ul-Azha for a comprehensive review of religious and societal challenges facing the Muslims of J&K and how to address them.

SRINAGAR — Locals of Zadoora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday protested against the establishment of a new brick kiln in the area.

The agitated locals said that there are just a few kanals of land where some people have started cutting almond trees so as to establish a brick kiln which will cause inconvenience to the general public.

Ghulam Mohammad, a local resident, told the news agency KNO that there are hundreds of kanals of land around the spot on which there are apple and almond trees besides agricultural land. "If brick kilns are established, it will have a devastating impact on the whole area including land and human lives," he said.

Sameer Ahmad, another local, said that establishing brick kilns will perish the agricultural land and also the horticulture produce, thereby affecting the livelihood of hundreds of people. He said that a water supply scheme in the area and dozens of houses are located near the spot and a brick kiln will be established, which will affect the health of the locals as well.

Locals said that they have already brought it to the notice of higher-ups including DC Pulwama who have assured us that no brick kiln will be established there. However, the cutting of almond trees at the spot continues.

They requested higher-ups once again to look into the matter so that people won't have to suffer.

PULWAMA — In south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, where apples and other fruits are cultivated on a large scale, there are thousands of canals in the district where only almonds are cultivated. The people of these areas are associated with almond cultivation for centuries. But due to the lack of attention by the Horticulture department, almond cultivation is on the verge of decline.

Locals from the district said that nobody from the authorities is willing to accept the contribution of this industry. As a result, the almond industry is vanishing from the map of Jammu and Kashmir.

“Wild animals have created havoc, damaged all these almond trees, but nobody cares and comes forward,” said a local from Trichal village of the south Kashmir district. "Instead of focusing on this industry, different types of plants are introduced."

The local residents from Newa, Parigam, Zadoora and Rahmoo said that wild animals have completely damaged their almond trees. “This land is good for almond cultivation and a little bit of attention from the government can flourish this industry,” said Abdul Gagar.

The locals accused the Horticulture department of negligence, saying not a single officer visited these villages where the almond industry can flourish.