Innovative techniques will give boost to Horticulture in Valley

Minister for Health, Horticulture and Floriculture, Mr. Sham Lal Sharma has called for introducing innovative techniques to develop improved varieties of fruits to give boost to the horticulture sector in the Valley. He stressed for covering new areas under horticulture cultivation and make optimum use of horticulture potential in the state.
This was stated by the Minister during a review meeting of horticulture and floriculture departments held here today under his chairmanship.
Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production, Horticulture and Floriculture, Ms. Sonali Kumar, Director Horticulture, Kashmir, Mr. M. S. Qasba, Director Horticulture (P&M), Mr. A. R. Kuchay, Director Floriculture, Kashmir, Dr. G. S. Naqash, Director Command Area Development, Kashmir, Dr. G. H. Shah, Chief Horticulture Officers and District Horticulture Officers were present in the meeting.
In order to remove various bottlenecks coming in the way of improving this vital sector, the Minister stressed upon the officers to adopt a viable approach and put dedicated efforts coupled with effective planning to increase the productivity. He asked for ensuring quality control to compete in the global market for which strict Para-meters are required to be observed.
Mr. Sharma said that horticulture is the mainstay of the State’s economy and government is committed to upgrade the existing infrastructure, which include setting up of modern fruit mandis with necessary backup of cold storages, transport and other facilities. He said that for the facilities of fruit growers a number of measures have already been initiated.
The Minister also directed for upgrading the nurseries at the district level to produce quality plants for the farmers. He asked the Director Horticulture, Kashmir and CHOs to pay frequent field visits and personally see the problems at the operational level for quick disposal. He asked all the district officers to submit their future requirements and action plans to the Administrative Department for necessary action.
Underlying the need for giving boost to floriculture, the Minister said that this sector has great potential in the Valley and stressed for developing latest varieties of flowers which have great demand in the domestic and international markets. He said that large quantity of flowers is being imported in the State from various parts of the world to meet the local requirements. 
He asked the Director Floriculture to utilize idle space in the major gardens/parks in Srinagar city with fruits, ornamental and medicinal plants to give aesthetic look to these parks. He further asked him to utilize his experience gained during his China visit in the floriculture field at the operational level. 
Earlier, the Director Horticulture, Kashmir gave a power point presentation of the achievements registered by the department. He informed the meeting that during the year 2008-09, the Valley produced 15.25 lakh MTs of fruit which includes 13.87 MT fresh fruit and 1.38 MTs of dry fruit. He further said that 3140 MTs of apricots were produced in Leh and 5002 MTs in Kargil during the same period. He said that more than 5 lakh families are directly or indirectly involved with the horticulture sector and more than 30 lakh farmers are engaged in the trade.
He said that some new areas have been brought under horticulture cultivation during the same period with more than 10 lakh plants of different fruit varieties were distributed from departmental/private nurseries to the farmers on subsidized rates besides, 1000 persons trained in fruit and vegetable preservation. He said Rs. 3.50 crores have been spent under Technology Mission Programme and Rs. 6.83 crore spent under Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan during the last fiscal in Kashmir division.
Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production and Floriculture and Director Floriculture, Kashmir shared their experience gained during their visit to China in the field of horticulture and floriculture. They informed that the experience gained would be utilized in the State as per the conditions in the State.

Geo-scientists recommend resuming of oil, hydrocarbons exploration in J&K

Notwithstanding the fact that the violence and bloodshed in the past 20 years of insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir forced discontinuation of exploration of oil and gas activities in the region, two internationally acclaimed geo-scientists and researchers today strongly recommended the agencies like the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to resume their operations in Jammu and Kashmir adding that it was also a high time to formulate an oil exploration policy for the J&K state.
Jammu and Kashmir is considered to have potentially rich rocks of two petroleum systems, geo-thermal energy which needs to be tapped. But focused research need to be initiated for the same. Though in the past, ONGC had started petroleum exploration in the state, it suspended all its activities in the field 22 years ago in 1987 in Jammu and Kashmir and since then it has not resumed its exploration works in the violence-hit state.
Dr. Bindra Thusu, professor, Maghreb Petroleum Group at the University College London, and Professor G. M. Bhat, Geology Department, University of Jammu, today strongly recommended the ONGC to resume hydrocarbon exploration in the state of Jammu and Kashmir with new technology in place as compared to the time when the exploration was stopped.
Delivering a presentation on “Hydrocarbon Exploration Activity in Jammu and Kashmir State: Current Status” at a three-day international workshop on "Energy Challenges in Jammu and Kashmir State: A case study for the Energy Research Institute" being organized jointly by University of Kashmir, University of Jammu and Maghreb Petroleum Research Group, University College London at University of Kashmir, the two geo-scientists said militancy, undoubtedly was cause of concern and security became an issue which forced companies like ONGC to move away from Jammu and Kashmir. However, they rued that oil exploration and drilling continued in other violence-hit Indian states like Assam and other northeastern states.
The ONGC had suspended all its activities in petroleum exploration 22 years back in 1987 in Jammu and Kashmir, Previously two wells drilled in Tertiary sequence of Jammu failed due to technological failure mainly due to high pressure. Drilling in Kashmir was confined to Karewa beds only and the gas seeps in Kashmir valley can be of thermogenic origin and need to be ascertained.
“Militancy stopped oil and hydrocarbon exploration in J&K. The only activity DGH undertook was inclusion of potentially prospective blocks in NELP (New exploration licensing policy) VII and NELP VIII rounds in 2008 and 2009. In the final NELP VII and NELP VIII rounds these blocks were dropped by the Ministry of Petroleum,” informed Professor Thusu who is based in London.
The ONGC had a plan to drill in Rajouri District but violence hampered their operations. The drilling rigs were moved from the state in 1987 and never returned till today. Sadly, the reason being projected for this was the turmoil in the state while other hand militancy-hit states like Assam and other eastern states of India continued oil exploration by the same companies.
Strongly recommending the ONGC to resume its activity in J&K, Prof Thusu and Prof Bhat backed by the other geoscientists attending the conference suggested that the Directorate of Geology and Mining be re-organized as the Directorate of Energy, Geo-science and Mining and the proposed Directorate should initiate research for hydrocarbons on the model of Gujarat Sate Oil Corporation and ONGC should provide the data on the exploration activity done by them. 
The data, they added, should be utilized in collaborative research between the universities of J&K and the proposed Directorate 
Regarding hydrocarbon prospectivity in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the geo-scientists informed that to prove an area to be potentially prospective a period of 3-5 years of research is required. J&K, they added, is already on the hydrocarbon prospective map of India and to find leads and prospects takes another 5-8 years of research.
Given these time constrains in view, they said, it is high time to formulate an oil exploration policy for the J&K state. In this regard a modest beginning has been made in the Geology Department of Jammu University in collaboration with University College London and University of Lille. 
Professor Bhat informed that Jammu University organized an international conference on Hydrocarbon potential in the year 2008. Two Ph. D. studies on aspects of petroleum geology in collaboration with UCL and Lille France are working on the Sirban Limestone in Jammu region of the state. In addition a multidisciplinary and multi-institutional team including Jammu University has started preliminary work in Kashmir region. Introduction of M. Tech course in Petroleum Geology and Energy resources is in offing at JU in 2010 (in co-operation with UCL and Eni, the 6th largest oil company in the world via Maghreb Petroleum Research Group).

Experts suggest oil exploration policy, Energy Research Institute in J&K

On the first day of the three day international workshop, scientists and experts today started deliberating the energy scenario in Jammu and Kashmir. 
The workshop, “Energy Challenges in Jammu and Kashmir state: A case study for the Energy Research Institute” is organized jointly by University of Kashmir, University of Jammu and Maghreb Petroleum Research Group, University College London at University of Kashmir and it started today with Governor, Mr. N. N. Vohra inaugurating it in the morning. 
The workshop has drawn delegates from USA, UK, Italy and Australia and international organizations like ENI, Italy, Utah University, USA, University College, London besides national organizations like Central Water Commission, Geological Survey of India etc. 
In the two sessions conducted today, experts discussed areas like petroleum exploration in J&K, promotion of new and renewable energy in the state, energy options and environmental concerns in the state, etc. History of hydro power, hydro potential and its industry valuation and current power production in the state also came up for discussion. 
Prof. Brinda Thusoo and Prof. G.M. Bhat in their presentation suggested formulation of an oil exploration policy by the state. They said petroleum exploration in the state has not been conducted for the last 22 years since 1987 and suggested resumption of the same. 
In his address Prof. Varun Sahni, VC, Jammu University suggested setting up of an Energy Research Institute (ERI) to cater to the evolving energy needs of a growing population. Supplementing the suggestion, VC, Kashmir University, Prof. Riyaz Punjabi said a similar workshop was conducted in the university in 1985 which was attended by experts and senior officials from central Government. He said the workshop then had also suggested setting up of an ERI to look into the issues of energy needs and options.