Kashmir State Research Articles

Serological, Isolation and Molecular Studies on Brucellosis in an Organized Farm, Jammu and Kashmir, India

The present study was conducted in an organized farm of Jammu region, Jammu and Kashmir state having history of late-term abortions in cattle and buffaloes to elucidate the role of brucellosis in causing abortions on the farm. The farm had 46 animals (23 adults, 15 heifers and 9 calves). The farm was positive in herd test (milk ring test). Serological tests viz., Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) and serum agglutination test (SAT) were conducted on 30 serum samples and 11 samples were found positive in both tests. Five vaginal swabs from abortion cases were processed for isolation and 3 isolates of Brucella were obtained which on further characterization by biochemical tests, genus-specific PCR and species-specific PCR were identified as B. abortus biovar 1. As brucellosis is an anthropozoonoses, the high prevalence of brucellosis in livestock of farm demands the surveillance of disease in humans working on the farm and necessitates the control of disease on the farm.

Two new species of Rohdendorfia (Diptera: Syrphidae) from Central Asia

Abstract Two new species of the flower fly genus Rohdendorfia Smirnov, 1924 (Diptera: Syrphidae) are described, Rohdendorfia bella Mengual, sp. nov. and Rohdendorfia khakimovi Barkalov, sp. nov. A full description and images of both new species are given, as well as an identification key for the species of this genus. Molecular sequences from mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene and nuclear ribosomal 28S and 18S rRNA genes are also provided for the new species. The studied specimens of Rohdendorfia bella Mengual, sp. nov. are the first record of the genus Rohdendorfia from India and represent the first individuals collected in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

A study on branding of handicraft through Geographic indication with reference to Kashmir

Handicraft activities occupy an important position in the economic structure of J&K State. Being environment friendly, these activities are best suited to the state as they are more labour intensive and less capital intensive in nature, thus having scope for employment generation at a large scale. The Kashmir handicraft products have earned worldwide fame for their attractive designs, functional utility and high quality craftsmanship. However this sector has suffered a lot due to unorganized market Lack of skilled workers new technology and absence of brand image. So in order to improve the production and branding of handicraft Geographical Indication is needed. Geographical Indication (GI) identifies a good/product as originating in a particular region, where a particular quality of the good is attributable to its place of origin. GI will help Jammu and Kashmir producers differentiate the uniqueness of the products from similar competing products, establish brand and goodwill of local products, fetch premium price for such products, and increase sales/export by protecting reputation of the products. The essence of GIs is that specific geographic locations yield product qualities that cannot be replicated elsewhere. GI-registered product is produced using the GI technology. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the status of the geographical indication in the state of Jammu and Kashmir as well as its prospect. The state has so far brought six of its ethnic and region specific products under geographical indication. All of these products belong to only one product category i.e. Handicrafts. The state has huge panorama of using geographical indication for its unique and famous ethnic and region specific products. However, lack of knowledge about intellectual property rights is not giving proper value and recognition to the geographical indication in the state.

Impact Of Tourism Industry In Relation To Employment And Income Generation: Evidence From Srinagar District Of Jammu And Kashmir

Tourism is a major economic and social activity of the present time. It is the temporary movement of people from their normal place of residence or work, mainly for pleasure. Due to the economic activities involved in the process of tourism, now it is emerged as an industry which is rapidly growing around the World. Tourism is the major source of foreign exchange earnings for many regions of the world. Tourism need to be addressed at the earliest as tourism has positive as well as negative impact on the cultural diversity, social standards, society and environment. The present study aimed to investigate the causal relationship between employment and income generation and tourist arrivals in district Srinagar of Jammu and Kashmir state. The results revealed that tourist arrivals accounts variation in the level of income and employment generation. Thus, tourism development has the potential to contribute to the economy of Srinagar district of Jammu and Kashmir State.
 Tourism is a major economic and social activity of the present time. It is the temporary movement of people from their normal place of residence or work, mainly for pleasure. Due to the economic activities involved in the process of tourism, now it is emerged as an industry which is rapidly growing around the World. Tourism is the major source of foreign exchange earnings for many regions of the world. Tourism need to be addressed at the earliest as tourism has positive as well as negative impact on the cultural diversity, social standards, society and environment. The present study aimed to investigate the causal relationship between employment and income generation and tourist arrivals in district Srinagar of Jammu and Kashmir state. The results revealed that tourist arrivals accounts variation in the level of income and employment generation. Thus, tourism development has the potential to contribute to the economy of Srinagar district of Jammu and Kashmir State.

Abrogation of Article 370: can the president act without the recommendation of the constituent assembly?

ABSTRACTArticle 370 of the Constitution of India 1950, as it stood till recently, restricted the Parliament’s legislative powers over the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir (“J&K”). The provision, which was recently abrogated was under challenge even prior to that. In 2018, a challenge to its constitutionality was mounted on the ground that it was meant to be a temporary arrangement. In this paper, it is argued that the attempts to abrogate the provision without the recommendation of a constituent assembly for J&K is constitutionally suspect. This has both textual and normative support. Textually, the asymmetrical federal arrangement embodied in Article 370 as well as the procedural limitations mean that it is not open to the Union to abrogate it unilaterally. Normatively too, a temporary provision such as Article 370 may only be abrogated if its detractors can garner sufficient political support in the form of a constituent assembly, which has not yet been achieved.

Statement of Facts on Gilgit,hunza, Nagar, Yasin, Ponial, Chitral and Skardu – Rightfully India’s

Gilgit, Hunza, Nagar, Yasin, Ponial, Chitral and Skardu have from times immemorial formed integral parts of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. These places have Pakistan Government nominating representatives to Pakistan’s ‘Majilis-i-Shora’. This was obviously a move to annex and merge these parts with Northern part of Pakistan. Pakistan has been maintaining that these areas had always been under the direct administration of the then British Government and Kashmir Government had never exercised control over these areas.

Integrating marker-assisted selection and doubled haploidy for rapid introgression of semi-dwarfing and blast resistance genes into a Basmati rice variety ‘Ranbir Basmati’

Ranbir Basmati, an early maturing pure line selection of traditional Basmati 370, is widely cultivated Basmati variety in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The variety is tall statured, prone to lodging and highly susceptible to rice blast. The present study was carried out for genetic improvement of Ranbir Basmati for semi dwarf stature and resistance to blast by introgressing semi-dwarfing gene, sd1, and blast resistance gene, Pi9 from an improved Basmati rice variety, Pusa Basmati 1637 (PB 1637).The selfed progenies of two superior BC2F1 recombinants of the cross Ranbir Basmati/PB 1637 showing maximum recovery of recurrent parent genome and phenome were analyzed with gene-based markers to select plants homozygous for both Pi9 and sd1. These plants were processed via anther culture to produce homozygous doubled haploid (DH) lines. All the anther culture derived DH plants were short-statured compared to Ranbir Basmati and exhibited high level of resistance to blast. The analysis of yield and its component traits revealed the presence of superior transgressive segregants for various traits namely, effective tillers, grains per panicle and yield per plant. Combined use of marker-assisted selection and anther culture ensured speedy conversion of Ranbir Basmati into semi-dwarf genotypes with in-built resistance to rice blast. The study demonstrated the utility of anther culture as an adjunct to marker-assisted backcross breeding schemes for instant elimination of the residual background heterozygosity of the selected recombinants.

Accident Mitigation and Management Measures for NH-44(India) from Khannabal to Qazigung in Jammu-Kashmir

Accidents are not natural but they are caused is a common cliché in the area of traffic safety. Thus, if accidents are caused, surely the reasons responsible for them could be identified and appropriate remedial measures developed and implemented to the extent feasible. This study lays emphasis on the safety analysis and accident studies of National Highway -1A(NH-44) on the 24 Km long stretch of road from Khanabal to Qazigund which is the main connecting link of Kashmir valley to Jammu and the rest of the country. As such this road is subjected to heavy vehicular traffic carrying passengers and goods and is the main strategic road of the state of Jammu and Kashmir State, it is one of the busiest and dangerous roads of the country. The problem of traffic flow is very acute due to complex flow of vehicular traffic, presence of mixed traffic along with pedestrians. Traffic accidents lead to loss of life and property. Also the stretch under study is subjected to rough weather conditions particularly during the winters. The primary objective of this study is to carry out the safety analysis of National Highway-1A(NH-44) on the 24 Km long stretch of road from Khanabal to Qazigund and provide a solution to the traffic accidents which occur on this 24 Km long stretch of road from Khanabal to Qazigund. The National Highway-44 (formerly known as NH 1A) connecting Kashmir Valley to the rest of the country has always been susceptible to accidents.

Comparative Biometrical Studies on the Trachea and Lungs in Adult Pashmina, Bakerwali and Non-descript Goats of Jammu & Kashmir State

Comparative Biometrical Studies on the Trachea and Lungs in Adult Pashmina, Bakerwali and Non-descript Goats of Jammu & Kashmir State

Article 370, the Debate

This article was originally written and finished by the month of June, 2019 before the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 was passed by the Union of India in August 2019. Now, that the said Act has been passed, the status quo changes but I believe this Article still provides a historic and legal insight into why the abolition of Article 370 and Article 35A through the said Act was a necessity. Kashmir, classically labelled as the Paradise on Earth is at present sandwiched between the geopolitical ambitions of two Nuclear States : The Union of India and The Islamic Republic of Pakistan. This dissertation aims to sketch the Status Quo on the much debated Article 370, the primordial link connecting The Union of India and the State of Jammu & Kashmir in the perspective of history, politics, religions and last but not the least, the Lex Loci while also turning a scrutinising eye to Article 35A, the Article granting the Jammu and Kashmir Legislature a carte blanche in formulating who can be permanent residents of the State and confer on them special rights and privileges. The long standing debate on the deletion or retention of Article 370 is an issue which involves not only historical, political, constitutional, social and economic considerations of far-reaching consequences, but also emotional and psychological ones. The present study, which is focused on the primary analysis of this yet unsettled debate, also traces upon those aspects of the evolutionary background of this Article which have consequential role in this debate at present. This dissertation contemplates upon the arguments in favour of deletion and retention of this Article and their weightage under the present circumstances. Furthermore, this dissertation allows us to see how far this Article protects the interests of the common people and serves the vested interests of the rich and those in power under the perfidy of the special status granted by this Article.

Investigation of the thermal behavior of the natural insulation materials for low temperature regions

State of Jammu and Kashmir has experienced an acute energy crisis on account of low per capita energy availability. This has forced people to extensive use of wood leading to deforestation. Therefore it is mandatory to move towards a complete sustainable energy strategy. Thermal insulation of the buildings presents a key opportunity in the energy savings. A growing interest is targeted on new insulating materials incorporating recycled and sustainable types. Judicious use of insulation materials in the buildings not only reduces the energy consumption but also reduces greenhouse gas emission and provides better indoor thermal comfort. In the present work natural insulation materials like sheep wool, goat wool and horse mane are processed and characterized in term of moisture absorption, thermal conductivity, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The objective of the study is to explore the potential of natural materials like sheep wool, goat wool and horse mane for use in thermal insulation in the buildings. Results reveal that the horse mane absorbs more moisture content than the sheep and goat wool. Goat wool of density 269.874 kg/m3 exhibits a low thermal conductivity of 0.0314 W/mK. Horse mane shows more stability up to the temperature of 375 °C as compared to sheep and goat wool. In addition these natural insulation materials have better environmental aspects and show better efficiency compared to conventional insulation materials.

Impact of Brand Experience on Brand Equity of Online Shopping Portals: A Study of Select E-Commerce Sites in the State of Jammu and Kashmir

Brand equity is one of the prime and strategic assets for most of the contemporary business organizations. Companies are focusing on novel and innovative ways in order to build brand equity. Brand experience is one such construct which can be used by marketing managers in building and managing brand equity. Only a few studies have explored the relationship between brand experience and brand equity, particularly in the online shopping industry. This study was carried out in the State of Jammu and Kashmir to examine the influence of brand experience on brand equity. A multi-stage sampling method was employed to target 460 respondents which finally resulted in 403 functional responses. Exploratory Factor analysis (EFA) was conducted for both brand experience and brand equity followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for scale validation. The measurement scale was further subject to reliability and validity tests. Finally, structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses formulated for the study. The results revealed that four dimensions of brand experience (sensory, affective, behavioural and intellectual) have a positive influence on all four dimensions of brand equity (brand awareness, brand association, perceived quality, brand loyalty). The study findings have further reinforced the research domain in brand experience which implies that producing unique and pleasing brand experiences will lead to improved perception amongst online shopping consumers and thus, influence brand equity. In the light of growing importance of brand experience in marketing, this study is a significant contribution to existing literature. The findings from this research study will provide useful insights to both academicians and marketers. Future researchers can focus on extending this study to other industries and by including additional variables.

Impact of Tourist Arrivals on Revenue Generation In Jammu and Kashmir

The present study examined the impact of tourist arrivals on revenue generation. The results revealed that tourist arrivals accounts 51 per cent variation in revenue generation. Jammu and Kashmir State has a tremendous potential to become a major global tourist destination. Importance of tourism in J&K economy is known for decades now and its role in economic development has been an area of great interest from policy perspective. The tourism is being the key contributor in the economic development of J&K state. To understand the economic impact of tourism in the J&K state, present paper uses secondary sources of data and tries to examine the economic development such as tourist inflow, revenue generation.

Geospatial mapping and drinking water quality status of fluoride endemic hilly District Doda (J&K), India

In the present study, an attempt has been made to investigate the drinking water quality status of various surface and ground water sources and the supplied water from two water filtration plants supplying drinking water to Doda town and its adjoining areas by using Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WQI) and geospatial mapping techniques. Doda is fluoride endemic district of Jammu and Kashmir State where groundwater fluoride concentration upto 7.0 mg/L is recorded. Water samples collected from about twenty two drinking water sources from two blocks of Doda district (Bhagwah and Doda blocks) were analyzed at pre-determined locations marked using handheld GPS(Montana 650). These locations formed the attribute database for the study based on which fluoride distribution maps have been derived and integrated with Arithmetic WQI through Inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation technique. Prepared thematic maps have confirmed the vulnerability of the drinking water sources and water supply systems in the study area, thus, posing a serious public health concern. Based on the WQI, water quality status of Beoli filtration plant (WQI=43.26) falls under the category of good water whereas that of Moochan filtration plant (WQI=157.41) has been classified as unfit for drinking. The geochemical evolution of the water studied using Piper’s diagram has shown mixed type of hydrochemical facies. Coefficient of correlation(r) between different parameters has indicated significant correlation between several parameters. The study urges the concerned government authorities to make provisions for providing safe drinking water to public which is free of turbidity and low in fluoride concentration.

Exploration, collection and conservation of multicrop germplasm from Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, India

Systematic exploration and germplasm collection trips were conducted across Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir state covering Chatroo valley, Padder valley and Kishtwar main including areas of Dachan, Surror, Sarthal, Bhonjwa and Drabshala during 2013, 2015 and 2018. A total of 113 germplasm accessions belonging to 29 species of crops and wild relatives from as many as 40 collection sites were collected at altitudes ranging from 1340-2670 m. Several areas in Sarthal, Bhonjwa, Dachan and Gulabgarh Padder were first time explored. Crop group wise accessions collected are pulses (39) mostly common beans, cereals (30) mostly maize, vegetables and spices (25), pseudocereals and millets (16), besides one accession each of Glycine max, Solanum pseudocapsicum and Nicotiana tabacum. The germplasm has been conserved in National Gene Bank (NGB), New Delhi. This study highlights information on the germplasm collected/observed and threats leading to biodiversity loss/genetic erosion in the highly fragile region of Kishtwar.

Genetic enhancement for semi-dwarf and bacterial blight resistance with enhanced grain quality characteristics in traditional Basmati rice through marker-assisted selection

Ranbir Basmati is one of the traditional Basmati varieties of India and of the most popular traditional Basmati variety grown in Jammu's region (State of Jammu & Kashmir). It is a tall and short-duration variety with strong aroma and excellent cooking quality. However, it is susceptible to bacterial blight (BB) disease caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv oryzae (Xoo) and prone to lodging. In this study, semi-dwarf (sd1) and BB resistance genes (Xa21 and xa13) were introgressed into Ranbir Basmati using marker-assisted backcross breeding (MABB) scheme. A high-yielding PAU148 carrying Xa21, xa13 and sd1 genes was used as a donor parent. On each generation target, genes were selected, while polymorphic SSR markers were used to select plants having maximum recovery of the recurrent genome. The maximum genome recovery of Ranbir Basmati in BC2F2 was 86.9% in introgressed line SBTIL121. The genotypes carrying resistant genes exhibited very high levels of tolerance against BB disease along with good Basmati rice grain quality traits. The agronomic traits of introgressed lines evaluated in the field and the laboratory showed that most of the agro-morphological traits were similar or superior to Ranbir Basmati. The identified lines can be further evaluated and released as Improved Ranbir Basmati variety.

Victim’s Perspective on Terrorism Data Based Study

The traumas that a victim of terrorism undergoes are more painful, long lasting and detrimental than most other situations of violence In recent decades, the escalation of global terrorism has drawn a sharp focus on the needs of the victims, the risks they undergo and the trauma that continues to torment them as an after-effect of their experience. Whether the terrorist himself can be thought of as a victim of economic deprivation, social injustice and discrimination is itself an issue, and this is the image that many apologists have sought to promote, even within the context of liberal democracies. The State of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) in India has been experiencing terrorism for over a decade now. More than 25,000 persons have lost their lives in the strife over this period. And hundreds of thousands have been displaced. With 63,387 terrorist incidents recorded in the State through the 1990s terror has become an everyday experience in the lives of its people. A report on the impact of this protracted crisis states that major social changes have resulted from the persistent stresses and strains of the war-strife environment. A large proportion of the patients treated in hospitals exhibit symptoms of fear-psychoses. The present study seeks to evaluate the attitudes, perspectives and coping strategies of one group of victims of terrorism, the Kashmiri migrants who have fled their homes under the threat or shadow of violence. The groups who were studied had abandoned their homes, jobs, and most of their movable properties as well in the mass exodus of 1989-90, and had come to settle in Delhi thereafter. The study was conducted in five specific concentrations of Kashmir migrant settlements The qualitative and quantitative data gathered in this study tends to confirm the general expectations of hostility, resentment, frustration and fear among victims of terrorism towards its perpetrators. One thing that emerged forcefully through the interactions of this study is the fact that, traumatized victims of terrorism have an urgent need for an understanding of their physical, mental and spiritual requirements, and that counseling and family / community support is an integral – though missing – component of their rehabilitation.

Association of newly identified genetic variant rs2853677 of TERT with non-small cell lung cancer and leukemia in population of Jammu and Kashmir, India

BackgroundTelomere genetics has recently been emerged as an important field in molecular oncology. Various genome-wide association studies in different population groups have revealed that polymorphisms in Telomere maintenance gene (TERT) gene located on 5p15.33 is associated with susceptibility to leukemia and lung cancer risk. However, association of TERT with leukemia and lung cancer risk in north Indian population groups is still unknown. This study observed the association between genetic variant rs2853677 of TERT and leukemia and lung cancer in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India.MethodsA total of 781 subjects, out of which 381 cases (203 leukemic patients and 178 non-small cell lung cancer patients NSCLC) and 400 healthy controls were recruited for the study. Genetic variant rs2853677of TERT was detected using the real-time and Taqman Chemistry. Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium was assessed using the chi square test. The allele and genotype- specific risks were estimated as odds ratio with 95% confidence interval.ResultsWe observed that variant rs2853677 was strongly associated with lung cancer and leukemia risk with an odds ratio (OR) =1.8 (1.03–3.2 at 95% CI); p value (adjusted) = 0.03; odds ratio (OR) =2.9 (1.4–5.5.at 95% CI); p value (adjusted) = 0.002, respectively.ConclusionThe results of this study suggested that rs2853677 of TERT signifies association in multiple cancers and suggests that it can become potential marker for diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer and leukemia. The study will provide an insight in understanding the genetic etiology and highlights the role of telomere-associated pathways in non-small cell lung cancer and leukemia. However, it would be quite interesting to explore the contribution of this variant in other cancers as well.

Gender Difference in Leadership: An Empirical Study of Select Banks

The paper seeks to examine the difference in leadership styles between male and female managers. Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire was used as a means of evaluation of the leadership styles. The leadership styles chosen for the study include transformational leadership style, transactional leadership style and autocratic leadership. Three banks viz J&K Bank, SBI and HDFC of Kashmir division of the state of Jammu and Kashmir were selected for the study. The study found that male and female managers varied significantly in exhibiting transformational leadership style. In case of transactional and autocratic leadership styles, no significant difference was found between male and female managers.

Livelihood Pattern among Construction Laborers in Urban Sprawls: A Study of Jammu City

This paper seeks to understand the livelihood pattern of construction laborers in Jammu city in the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). It has dealt with the life of the people living in urban sprawl who have migrated into the city from various parts of the country in search of livelihood. This paper has discussed the causes responsible for their migration and the problems they are faced with while living in the city. In the city of Jammu, various groups and communities, especially those who migrated from outside created their networks. They got influenced by the local socio-cultural and economic factors and at the same time impacted the society and economy in the settled areas. It was observed that their stay in Jammu is of longer duration still they feel alienated in the city.