Tulip Garden to open soon
The Tulip garden in Srinagar — Asia’s largest— will soon be thrown open to the public. According to an official of the Floriculture department, about 12 lakhs tulips in 51 varieties have been planted in the garden situated on the foothills of the Zabarwan range near Dal Lake, spread over an area of about 15 hectares. About 40,000 Hyacinth tulip bulbs have also been imported this season. The department is likely to organise a 10-day Tulip festival in April in order to drum up a higher fottfall this year, said the official. Every year, thousands visit the garden. It was ranked the fourth among the world’s biggest tulip gardens by the World Tulip Society in 2017.
HC concerned over Srinagar snarls
The High Court has expressed grave concern over traffic congestion in Srinagar and has directed Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir to schedule a meeting with all stakeholders to reduce snarls in the city. The Divisional Commissioner was directed to explore and examine steps to decongest the city in view of the court’s direction. The direction came after amicus curiae informed the court that by an order dated June 8, 2017, a committee was constituted to check and manage traffic issues but the committee has been unable to suggest measures for smooth management of traffic in the city. The traffic congestion in Srinagar increases in summer.
Cafes to come up along Jhelum’s banks
The administration has decided to set up cafes along the embankments of the river Jhelum in Kashmir. An official said the cafes would provide employment opportunities to the youth and promote water tourism as well. In first phase, cafes would be set up on the stretch from Zero bridge to Chattabal Veir. All facilities for tourists, including WiFi connectivity, digital library, gaming zones, handicraft products, dry and fresh fruits from Kashmir, all kinds of coffee, Kashmiri Cuisines, saffron products and other related things would be available in these cafes.
‘Scribes to blame for Shujaat killing’
Nine months after the assassination of senior journalist and Rising Kashmir’s founding editor Shujaat Bukhari, a top police officer pointed an accusing finger at a section of journalists. “Shujaat had confided in me how some people in the media had been spreading canards against him. Such elements take advantage of our liberal laws, knowing it full well that law will never catch up with them,” SSP (Security) Kashmir, Imtiyaz Hussain Mir tweeted. On June 14, 2018, Bukhari, along with two of his security guards was shot dead in his vehicle by militants outside the newspaper’s office at Press Enclave in Srinagar. The incident took place while he was heading home to break his Ramzan fast. Police had blamed Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) for the killing. Of three militants wanted in for their involvement in killing, two Naveed Jhatt (a Pakistani) and Azad Ahmad Malik have been killed in gunfights while Muzaffar Ahmad is still alive and evading arrest.