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Avalanche Warning Issued for North Kashmir, Medium Danger Above 2,600 Metres: Authorities

snow
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Srinagar, Mar 20 (NVI): Authorities on Friday issued an avalanche warning for higher reaches of Baramulla and Kupwara districts in north Kashmir, cautioning that areas above 2,600 metres are likely to face medium danger levels over the next 24 hours.

According to the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Disaster Management Authority (JKUTDMA), the warning urges residents, particularly those living in vulnerable areas, to remain alert and avoid venturing into avalanche-prone zones.

The advisory stresses adherence to safety guidelines and precautionary measures to minimize risks, as conditions remain conducive for avalanche activity in higher altitudes.

Officials have appealed to the public to stay updated with official advisories and ensure safety during the period.(NVI)

Indian National Dies in Riyadh; Embassy Extends Support to Family

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New Delhi, Mar 20 (NVI): The Embassy of India in Riyadh has expressed deep condolences over the death of an Indian national following recent events on March 18.

In an official statement, the Embassy said it is in constant touch with the bereaved family as well as local authorities to facilitate necessary procedures.

“The Embassy remains committed to extending all possible assistance in the matter,” the statement said, without disclosing further details about the circumstances surrounding the incident.(NVI)

Govt Cracks Down Hard on Illegal Betting; 300 Websites, Apps Blocked

New Delhi, Mar 20 (NVI): The government has intensified its crackdown on illegal online gambling and betting platforms, blocking around 300 websites and mobile applications in a fresh enforcement drive, official sources said.

According to sources, the banned platforms include a wide range of illegal services such as online sports betting websites, digital casinos offering games like slots, roulette, and live dealer tables, as well as betting exchanges operating as peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplaces.

Authorities have also targeted satta and matka gambling networks along with real-money card and casino gaming applications that violate existing regulations.

Sources further revealed that the government has so far blocked approximately 8,400 such websites and applications, with a significant majority—around 4,900—being taken down after the enactment of the Online Gaming Act.

The action is part of ongoing efforts to curb illegal betting activities, protect users from financial risks, and ensure compliance with the country’s digital and financial.(NVI)

Thousands Offer Jumat-ul-Vida Prayers at Jamia Masjid After Seven Years

Srinagar, Mar 20 (NVI): Thousands of worshippers on Friday offered Jumat-ul-Vida prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, marking the resumption of the congregational prayers at the mosque after a gap of seven years.

Officials said a large number of devotees from various parts of the city and adjoining areas gathered at the grand mosque in the old city to participate in the last Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan.

Authorities had made elaborate security arrangements in and around the area to ensure smooth conduct of the prayers.

Security personnel were deployed at multiple locations, and movement was regulated to manage the heavy rush of worshippers.

Despite the heightened security, the prayers were held in a peaceful and orderly manner, officials said.

officials said the situation remained calm and the congregation concluded without any disruption.—(NVI)

Gas supplies in India may be hit as Qatars’ facilities have been crippled by attacks

National Gas Grid (Representative pic)

New Delhi, Mar 20: The coming days are likely to be difficult for this country as import of natural gas are set to be hit badly following extensive damage caused to major energy facilities in Qatar from where India imports around 20% of this form of fuel.

Iran has carried out a series of attacks on Qatar’s energy installations over the last few days, the latest being the Rass Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility hit on March 18 and yesterday morning.

The missile attacks have reduced the country’s LNG export capacity by 17% and caused an estimated loss of $20 billion in annual revenue, according to top officials of Qatar.

The attacks have damaged two LNG-producing Trains 4 and 6, totaling 12.8 million tons per annum (MTPA) of production, representing approximately 17% of Qatar’s exports, said Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs of the major gas-producing Gulf nation.

Train 4 is a joint venture between QatarEnergy (66%) and ExxonMobil (34%), and Train 6 is a joint venture between QatarEnergy (70%) and ExxonMobil (30%).

He said the “extensive damage to our production facilities” will take up to five years to repair and “will compel us to declare long-term force majeure”.

Under the Contract Law, ‘force majeure’ exempts a party to a contract from liability or obligation in the event of an extraordinary development or circumstance beyond the control of that party, like a war, a riot, a strike, a crime or an epidemic.

This is bad news for India which imports roughly 20% of its natural gas requirements from Qatar.

India imports 50 percent of its natural gas requirements from the international market.

Of this, we buy approximately 40% of our LNG from Qatar, which means roughly 20% of India’s total LNG imports originate from Qatar.

The acute shortfall expected in natural gas supplies is likely to hit India, particularly the industrial and power sectors.

India’s daily natural gas consumption stands at 189 Million Metric Standard Cubic Meters per Day (MMSCMD), of which 97.5 MMSCMD is produced domestically.

As of last week, supplies amounting to 47.4 MMSCMD, representing a portion of India’s total natural gas imports, were disrupted due to force majeure conditions in Gulf countries and closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a major maritime route for global supplies of energy.

QatarEnergy expects the damage to its Ras Laffan Industrial City caused by missile strikes, which occurred on March 18 and early hours of yesterday, to take up to 5 years to repair, impacting supply to markets in Europe and Asia.

Providing an update on the damage to the facilities at Ras Laffan Industrial City, Sherida Al-Kaabi, who is also the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, said, “The damage sustained by the LNG facilities will take between three to five years to repair…. This means that we will be compelled to declare force majeure for up to five years on some long-term LNG contracts.”

The attacks also targeted the Pearl GTL (Gas-to-Liquids) facility, a production sharing agreement operated by Shell, that converts natural gas into high-quality cleaner burning drop-in fuels and produces base oils used to make premium engine oils and lubricants, and paraffins and waxes.

“The damage caused to one of the two trains at Pearl GTL is being assessed and is expected to be offline for a minimum of one year,” the minister said.

The Qatar government said as a result of this outage, there will be a loss of associated product production, which is as follows:

· Condensates: 18.6 million barrels which is around 24% of Qatar’s exports

· LPG: 1.281 MT which is around 13% of Qatar’s exports

· Naphtha: 0.594 MT which is around 6% of Qatar’s exports

· Sulfur: 0.18 MT which is around 6% of Qatar’s exports

· Helium: 309.54 MCFA which is around 14% of Qatar’s exports.

GPS Anklets Fitted on Three Accused Out on Interim Bail in Kathua

Kathua, Mar 20 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Police in Kathua district have fitted GPS-enabled tracking anklets on three accused persons who were granted interim bail by a local court, officials said on Friday.

The move was carried out under the supervision of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mohita Sharma, in compliance with directions issued by the Court of the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Kathua.

The accused—Mool Raj, a resident of Malhar; Layiket Ali from Dhanu Parole in Billawar tehsil; and Maqbool from Soffain Ambnal in Kathua—were arrested in connection with FIR No. 18/2024 registered at Police Station Malhar under sections 61(1), 113, 147 and 150 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Officials said the GPS tracking anklets have been installed to ensure real-time monitoring of the accused and strict adherence to bail conditions imposed by the court.

A GPS tracking anklet is a wearable electronic device secured around the ankle that allows authorities to track an individual’s location continuously, thereby strengthening surveillance and compliance mechanisms.

Police said the initiative aims to enhance monitoring of accused persons released on interim bail and ensure that they do not violate court-mandatedrestrictions.(NVI)

J&K Gears Up for Major Tourism Event on April 14-15

Srinagar, Mar 20 (NVI): The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department will host the Kashmir Travel Mart-2026 on April 14 and 15, with around 250 stakeholders from more than 20 states expected to participate, officials said.

According to an official communication shared by the office of the Chief Minister on social media, the event aims to bring together key players from the travel and tourism industry to promote the region’s tourism sector.

The two-day event will showcase Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism potential through activities such as craft safaris, curated destination tours and business-to-business (B2B) interactions, offering participants an immersive experience of the region’s culture, heritage and hospitality.

Officials said the initiative is aimed at strengthening tourism linkages and positioning Kashmir as a premier global travel destination.(NVI)

J&K to See Gradual Weather Improvement From March 21; Fresh Rain Spell Likely End of Month

Rainfall
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Srinagar, Mar 20 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir witnessed light to moderate rain and snowfall at most places over the past 24 hours, the Meteorological Department said on Friday.

According to the MET Centre Srinagar, weather conditions on March 20 are expected to remain partly to generally cloudy, with spells of light rain and snowfall over higher reaches at many places towards late afternoon or evening, followed by gradual improvement.

The department has forecast largely dry weather from March 21 to 25, with a brief spell of rain and snow at isolated places likely on March 23.

Between March 26 and 28, the weather is expected to remain generally cloudy with light rain or snowfall over higher reaches at a few locations.

Another spell of rain and snowfall is likely to affect many parts of the Union Territory from March 29 to 31, the MeT office said.

In its advisory, the department said there will be a gradual rise in day temperatures from March 21 onwards. It also warned of the possibility of thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds reaching speeds of 40–50 kmph and hailstorms at isolated places.

Farmers have been advised to resume agricultural operations from March 21, keeping in view the expected improvement in weather conditions, it added.(NVI)

35 Domestic LPG Cylinders Seized in Rajouri During Enforcement Drive

Rajouri Mar 20 (NVI): As many as 35 domestic LPG cylinders were seized across Rajouri district during a surprise inspection and subsequent enforcement drives carried out by the district administration to curb violations of essential commodities regulations, officials said.

Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Abhishek Sharma, led a surprise inspection in various market areas of the town to check irregularities and ensure compliance with prescribed norms.

During the inspection, two LPG cylinders were seized from a pizza shop in Salani Market for unauthorized commercial use. At Mandi Chowk, three cylinders were confiscated from a hotel operating under the name “Welcome Hotel” for similar violations. One cylinder was also seized from Raju Sweet Shop.

The Deputy Commissioner also inspected markets to review hygiene standards, pricing and overall regulatory compliance. He directed commercial establishments to refrain from using domestic LPG cylinders, warning of strict action in case of violations.

Officials said similar drives were conducted in other subdivisions under the supervision of respective Additional Deputy Commissioners. During these operations, 10 cylinders were seized in Kotranka, three in Kalakote, six in Rajouri and 16 in other areas.

With these seizures, the total number of LPG cylinders confiscated across the district has reached 35, officials added.

The district administration reiterated its commitment to enforcing regulations and urged business establishments to adhere to norms, failing which strict action would be taken under the law.—(NVI)

Tourists Advised to Plan Ahead as Gulmarg Gondola Shuts on March 21

Srinagar, Mar 20 (NVI): The authorities have announced that the Gulmarg Gondola will remain closed on March 21 on account of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Officials said that tourists planning to visit Gulmarg can, however, book tickets for March 20 through the official online portal of the Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation.

They advised visitors to plan their trips accordingly and make advance bookings to avoid any inconvenience.—(NVI)

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