DOGRA HERALD BUREAU
Srinagar, Jan 22
While three-quarters of ‘Chillai-Kalan’, the 40-day harsh period of winter, have elapsed without rain or snow, weatherman has forecast wet spell at isolated places in the final phase of it in Jammu and Kashmir.
A meteorological department official here told GNS that while dry weather was expected to continue till Wednesday; generally cloudy weather with light snow at isolated higher reaches was likely on January 24 and 25.
From January 27-28, he said, generally cloudy weather with light rain/snow over scattered places.
“There is possibility of light to moderate rain/snow at many places very likely (details awaited) from January 29-31,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said, moderate to dense fog and fall in day temperature over plains of Jammu division was likely during next two days.
Regarding night temperature, he said Srinagar recorded a low of minus 4.8°C against minus 3.7°C on previous night and it was 1.6°C below normal for the summer capital of J&K for this time of the year.
Qazigund recorded a minimum of minus 5.0°C against minus 4.0°C on the previous night, he said. The minimum temperature was 1.1°C below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, the MeT official said.
Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 6.5°C against minus 5.5°C on the previous night and it was 1.0°C above normal for the famous resort in south Kashmir.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a minimum of minus 2.3°C against minus 2.0°C on the previous night and the temperature was above normal by 1.3°C for the place, the official said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 5.7°C against minus 4.7°C on the previous night and it was 2.8°C below normal there, the official said.
Gulmarg, the official said, recorded a low of minus 5.0°C against minus 4.6°C on the previous night and the temperature was 3.2°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir.
Jammu, he said, recorded a minimum of 5.6°C against 5.9°C on the previous night, and it was below normal by 1.4°C for the winter capital of J&K.
Banihal recorded a low of minus 1.2°C, Batote 1.7°C and Bhaderwah minus 0.4°C, he said.
Kashmir valley is under ‘Chillai-Kalan’, the 40-day harsh period of winter, which will end on January 29. However it does not mean an end to the winter. It is followed by a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ that occurs between January 30 and February 19 and a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 1. (GNS)
Rs 1500 crore Jehlum Tawi Flood Recovery Project gets another extension
Project has surpassed agreed targets in some cases: World Bank
Srinagar, Jan 22: The World Bank has extended the deadline for completion of Rs 1500 crore Jehlum-Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP) in J&K Union Territory to December 31, 2024.
The latest implementation status and results report of the multi-crore project reveals that it’s closing date has been extended by 12 months until December 31, 2024.
The deadline was extended after the project implementing entity, Economic Reconstruction Agency, in its letter dated December 11, 2023, requested another 12-month extension to the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Finance Ministry. DEA, in its letter dated December 12, 2023, has endorsed the request of the project implementing entity, and requested the World Bank to grant a further one-year extension.
This is the fifth extension to the project by the World Bank. Approved in 2015, the Project’s original closing date of June 30, 2020 has undergone four extensions, resulting in a cumulative extension period of 42 months.
After a very slow start during the PDP-BJP, the performance of the project incrementally improved after Syed Abid Rasheed Shah took over as head of the project implementing entity.
According to the World Bank, the Project has surpassed its agreed targets in some cases.
“JTFRP focuses on recovery and mitigating risks linked to floods in Jammu and Kashmir. The Project has largely achieved this and, in some cases, has surpassed the agreed targets,” reads the latest implementation status and results report of the project, a copy of which is in possession of news agency.
The key achievements under the project include 45 school buildings, four higher education buildings, one fire station, 87.88 km of road stretches, four bridges, 75 km of drainage network, 33 storm-water drainage pumping stations and critical medical equipment and supplies to 36 hospitals.
